MEC - Arab Politics

Ten Years after Hariri’s Death, Are Lebanon’s Sunnis Still Leaderless?

Mario Abou Zeid — Fri, 13 Feb 2015 13:10:29 +0000

Ten years after the death of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri, the Sunni leadership vacuum in Lebanon has yet to be filled.

The Fight for Mosul: Learning From the Past

Renad Mansour — Wed, 11 Feb 2015 21:33:01 +0000

The Islamic State will only be ousted from Iraq’s second largest city if Sunni tribal forces join the fight. That will require rebuilding their trust in Baghdad.

A Dead Hostage is More Valuable to ISIL

Mario Abou Zeid — Wed, 11 Feb 2015 14:02:59 +0000

The value of hostages to the Islamic State depends on the potential for their execution to be exploited.

The Muslim Brotherhood's Role in Syria

Raphaël Lefèvre — Tue, 10 Feb 2015 15:10:00 +0000

The Syrian Muslim Brotherhood had been in exile for a long time, so it had to work very hard to gain a measure of influence on the Syrian uprisings.

The Battle for Libya’s Oil

Frederic Wehrey — Mon, 09 Feb 2015 23:01:48 +0000

Nearly three and a half years after Libyan rebels and a NATO air campaign overthrew Muammar al-Qaddafi, the cohesive political entity known as Libya doesn’t exist. There is no central government, but rather two competing claims on legitimacy and sovereignty.

Mutual Escalation in Egypt

Mokhtar Awad, Nathan Brown — Mon, 09 Feb 2015 18:35:25 +0000

Egypt may be upon a new and deadlier phase in which the extremists on each side fulfill their prophecies of a fight to the death between good and evil.

ISIS Claims American Hostage Killed in Airstrikes

Lina Khatib, Andrew Liepman, Borzou Daragahi, Jeremy Herb — Mon, 09 Feb 2015 10:17:18 +0000

The Islamic State says that a female American hostage in Syria has been killed during a Jordanian airstrike.

Radicalism in the Arab World

Marwan Muasher — Sun, 08 Feb 2015 16:35:34 +0000

Building stability and prosperity is going to take a lot more work than military strikes.

Engaging in Politics, Assad-Style

Yezid Sayigh — Thu, 05 Feb 2015 12:22:56 +0000

The Assad regime’s belief that, by hanging tough, it will compel the United States both to accept its terms and make its regional allies follow suit is a high-risk gamble.

Jordan's Executions of Jihadists Could Backfire

Lina Khatib — Thu, 05 Feb 2015 12:20:18 +0000

Jordan’s revenge marks a major shift in the war against the Islamic State and is likely to change the nature of the actors in the Syrian conflict.

What’s the Future of Jordan’s Involvement in IS Fight?

Lina Khatib — Thu, 05 Feb 2015 10:20:24 +0000

Jordan is currently calling for intensified strikes against the Islamic State in response to the execution of Jordanian pilot Moaz al-Kasasbeh.

Jordan’s War With ISIS

Marwan Muasher — Wed, 04 Feb 2015 21:26:13 +0000

The fight against the Islamic State is an ideological battle as much as it is a military one.

Libya’s War-Weary Make Peace?

Frederic Wehrey — Mon, 02 Feb 2015 20:36:34 +0000

Misrata offers reasons for guarded optimism when it comes to Libya’s future as a unified state.

Triumph of the Bureaucracy: A Decade of Aborted Social and Political Change in Egypt

Amr Adly — Sat, 31 Jan 2015 12:50:50 +0000

The developing military-backed regime under Abdel Fattah al-Sisi signals the triumph of the Egyptian bureaucracy.

Has Egyptian President Sisi’s Approach in Sinai Failed?

Maha Yahya, Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi, Mohamed Khairat — Fri, 30 Jan 2015 08:05:52 +0000

The heavy crackdown in Sinai is being questioned after repeated attacks by armed groups in the peninsula.

Sarah Chayes’ Extended Interview With Jon Stewart

Sarah Chayes — Thu, 29 Jan 2015 17:53:45 +0000

From the Islamic State in Iraq to Boko Haram in Nigeria, corruption lies at the root of many of today’s international crises.

Transitions and Security in North Africa: External and Internal Factors

Laryssa Chomiak, Robert Parks, Yezid Sayigh, Frederic Wehrey — Thu, 29 Jan 2015 05:00:00 +0000

Four years after efforts to topple authoritarian regimes in North Africa, the road to democratic governance is still incomplete.

Simmering Unrest and Succession Challenges in Oman

Marc Valeri — Wed, 28 Jan 2015 13:27:41 +0000

The uncertain health of the sultan of Oman has heightened concern about the future of the country. Amid mounting popular frustration, criticism of Qaboos bin Said Al Said has emerged. There are several measures the regime can undertake to avoid further unrest.

The Emerging Jihadist Threat in Lebanon

Mario Abou Zeid — Wed, 28 Jan 2015 11:54:47 +0000

The Islamic State’s expansion in Qalamoun is not the real threat to Lebanon’s security—the Nusra Front’s attempt to gain more control along the Lebanese side of the border is.

ISIS Hostage Crisis: Jordan’s Fear of Internal Strife is Behind Decision to Release of Bomber Sajida al-Rishawi

Lina Khatib — Wed, 28 Jan 2015 09:26:29 +0000

Members of the Jordanian pilot’s tribe have protested in Amman, pressuring the government to agree to an exchange.

Thinking Only About Security Is Not a Long-Term Solution

Richard Youngs — Mon, 26 Jan 2015 14:30:53 +0000

Without a stable political environment, democracy will not take root in the Middle East and North Africa. But thinking only about security is not a long-term solution either.

This Is America’s Best Shot To Fix the Relationship With Saudi Arabia and Fight Terrorism

Sarah Chayes — Sun, 25 Jan 2015 16:26:31 +0000

U.S. officials, military and civilian, should ensure that issues of substantive political reform stay high on the agenda in interactions with their Saudi counterparts. Not in spite of the extremist menace, but because of it.

An Analysis of the Saudi Succession

Lina Khatib — Sun, 25 Jan 2015 09:58:18 +0000

The succession in Saudi Arabia comes at a time when Saudi foreign policy seems to be collapsing all around the Kingdom.

A Vacuum of Leadership in the Middle East

Marwan Muasher — Fri, 23 Jan 2015 21:59:30 +0000

The Arab world is facing a vacuum of leadership. It is a new era, one that still has unknown repercussions.

The Regional Impact of Saudi Succession

Lina Khatib — Fri, 23 Jan 2015 14:20:08 +0000

The current Saudi succession from King Abdullah to his half-brother Salman is not the most crucial—the one to follow is. Things might change once deputy crown prince Mohammed bin Nayef gets closer to the top position in the Kingdom.