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  • Policy Analysis
    AlgeriaDemocracy and Governance

    Negotiating a Path Forward in Algeria

    Apr 17, 2019Daniel Brumberg

    In Algeria, as in Egypt, the single biggest obstacle to advancing a democratic transition is the military. The opposition has some hard choices—none are good, …

  • Policy Analysis
    North AfricaConflicts and Conflict Resolution

    Tunisia’s Fragmented and Polarized Political Landscape

    Mar 28, 2019Daniel Brumberg

    In the upcoming parliamentary and presidential elections in November 2019, if Tunisia’s politicians continue to battle under the umbrella of a largely feigned …

  • Policy Analysis
    LibyaDemocracy and Governance

    Correcting Libya’s Imbalance

    Mar 19, 2019Imad K. Harb

    The international community must help Libya avoid renewed authoritarianism and political and military chaos by supporting UN efforts to hold elections and help…

  • Policy Analysis
    EgyptSecurity and Defense

    The US-Egypt Political-Military Relationship: A Critical Assessment

    Mar 13, 2019Charles W. Dunne

    Once a pillar of American regional planning in the Middle East, Egypt’s relationship with the United States is likely to be reevaluated by the new House of Rep…

  • Policy Analysis
    AlgeriaDemocracy and Governance

    Protests and Political Demands Are Fueling an Algerian Spring

    Mar 8, 2019William Lawrence

    Despite widespread protests in Algeria, there is little consensus among the demonstrators about the new system that would replace the current, hopelessly corru…

  • Viewpoint
    EgyptDemocracy and Governance

    A Pharaoh in the Making: Sisi Seeks Long-term Job Security

    Feb 5, 2019Imad K. Harb

    Many Arab presidents have loved the chair and have worked hard to make it more like a throne. One wonders if Sisi would be audacious enough to just declare him…

  • Policy Analysis
    LevantUS Foreign Policy

    The Arab World in the 115th Congress: A Review

    Jan 30, 2019Marcus Montgomery

    The 115th Congress was largely deferential to President Trump on policies related to the Arab world, but the 116th is likely to challenge him on important issu…

  • Viewpoint
    EgyptUS Foreign Policy

    Pompeo in Cairo: Not a Force for Good

    Jan 10, 2019Imad K. Harb

    With Trump as president and Pompeo as secretary of state, the United States has a very long way to become “a force for good” in the Middle East.

  • Policy Analysis
    LevantJustice, Equality, and Human Rights

    What will the Middle East look like in 2019?

    Jan 1, 2019Marwan Kabalan

    In 2019, old conflicts in the Middle East will persist and new ones might erupt.

  • Policy Analysis
    LibyaConflicts and Conflict Resolution

    Libyans Should Decide Their Own Future: An Interview with Hani Shennib

    Nov 20, 2018Imad K. Harb

    The failure to address the root causes of the Libyan conflict is the main reason why Libya has not arrived at a peaceful resolution to its ongoing troubles.

  • Policy Analysis
    LevantUS Domestic Politics and Elections

    The 2018 Midterm Elections: What Do They Mean for the Middle East?

    Nov 1, 2018Marcus Montgomery

    President Trump is potentially days away from being handed a divided Congress; a Democratic-led House could challenge Republican orthodoxy over US policy regar…

  • Viewpoint
    IraqRegional Relations and Geopolitics

    Russian Gains Are American Losses in the Arab World

    Oct 30, 2018Imad K. Harb

    Putin’s assessment of a receding American international influence paves the way for an even larger Russian role in the Arab world.

  • Research Paper
    EgyptDemocracy and Governance

    Regional States and Egypt’s Democratic Transition

    Oct 25, 2018Imad K. Harb

    Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates were the most influential external actors in Egypt’s transition to democracy and its reversal after the 2011 …

  • Policy Analysis
    MoroccoJustice, Equality, and Human Rights

    Assessing Morocco’s Human Rights Picture: Constitutional Reform May Not Be Enough

    Oct 11, 2018Charles W. Dunne

    While Morocco’s constitutional changes were meant to limit the powers of the absolute monarchy, the Moroccan king remains the final arbiter of the political sy…

  • Policy Analysis
    LevantInternational Law

    Arab Leaders Return from New York with Little to Show

    Oct 4, 2018Joe Macaron

    Representatives of Arab governments delivered their remarks at the United Nations General Assembly last week. A review of the 16 speeches shows that they focus…

  • Policy Analysis
    EgyptDemocracy and Governance

    Five Years after Sisi’s Coup: Soul Searching, Resistance, and Division

    Sep 12, 2018Daniel Brumberg

    Sisi is building a full autocracy in Egypt. He will not be intimidated by pushback from state-linked elites but by a genuine healing of the Islamist-secular br…

  • Policy Analysis
    LibyaDemocracy and Governance

    Libya Cries Out for More International Commitment

    Sep 7, 2018Imad K. Harb

    Despite the UN’s efforts to assist Libya, it remains up to the country’s leaders themselves to agree to a political settlement and begin to restore the authori…

  • Policy Analysis
    LevantEducation and Development

    The State of Education in the Arab World

    Aug 6, 2018Ilham Nasser

    When closely examining reports on the status of education in the Arab region, the main conclusions have pointed to the Arab states’ deficits in educational att…

  • Policy Analysis
    LevantRegional Relations and Geopolitics

    Middle East Concerns of American Strategic Planners

    Jul 26, 2018Gregory Aftandilian

    US strategic planners involved in the Middle East have concentrated on protecting vital sea lanes and assisting partner countries against threats, but without …

  • Policy Analysis
    LibyaConflicts and Conflict Resolution

    Facing Extremism and Preventing Fragmentation in Libya

    Jul 24, 2018Mustafa Gurbuz

    With deepening economic and security crises, Libya may be headed toward a future of fragmentation in which extremist groups find a fertile breeding ground.

  • Viewpoint
    EgyptDemocracy and Governance

    Five Years after Sisi’s Coup: More Repression and a President for Life

    Jul 20, 2018Imad K. Harb

    Five years after the military coup of July 2013, Egypt’s domestic conditions appear to be heading toward increased authoritarianism, state repression, and regi…

  • Policy Analysis
    LibyaDemocracy and Governance

    Libya: Controlling Oil, Fearing Partition

    Jul 16, 2018Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies (ACRPS)

    In light of Libya’s institutional fragmentation between east and west, control of the Oil Crescent and its revenues has become a determining factor in the coun…

  • Policy Analysis
    EgyptConflicts and Conflict Resolution

    The Egypt-Ethiopia Nile Water Crisis: a Cause for Regional Tensions?

    Jul 5, 2018Daniel Stoll

    While the Ethiopian dam on the Nile could be a source of conflict in east Africa, and while relations among Egypt, Ethiopia, and Sudan will remain unsettled fo…

  • Policy Analysis
    EgyptDemocracy and Governance

    The Aftermath of Egypt’s 2018 Presidential Election: Stormy Weather Ahead

    Jun 26, 2018Charles W. Dunne

    Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi's return to office in a rigged election this March failed to provide a strong mandate for difficult economic and politi…

  • Policy Analysis
    LevantJustice, Equality, and Human Rights

    Human Rights, Democracy, and the Changing Middle East: A Status Report

    Jun 6, 2018Charles W. Dunne

    Demands for democracy, wider political space, and guarantees of basic human rights have been turned aside by more effective authoritarian responses for now, bu…

  • Policy Analysis
    North AfricaRegional Relations and Geopolitics

    Political Calculations…from the Western Sahara to the Arabian Gulf

    Jun 4, 2018Mohammed Cherkaoui

    The timing of Morocco’s decision to sever relations with Iran and to close the Iranian embassy in Rabat “immediately” on May 1, 2018, has raised questions abou…

  • Viewpoint
    LibyaConflicts and Conflict Resolution

    An Accord for Libya?

    Jun 1, 2018Imad K. Harb

    Amid the many conflicts rending the Arab world today, the one in Libya recently took a hopeful turn toward a peace process despite the violence still wracking …

  • Policy Analysis
    LevantUS Domestic Politics and Elections

    One year on, Trump remains the cause of – and solution to – the Qatar crisis

    May 23, 2018Andreas Krieg

    When it turned out the statements released by Qatar's news agency were the product of an external cyber-attack, and not the actual words of the country's emir,…

  • Viewpoint
    EgyptConflicts and Conflict Resolution

    Deploying Arab Forces in Syria is not Advisable, nor Possible

    May 10, 2018Radwan Ziadeh

    Over the last few months, President Donald Trump has made announcements that regional states should bear more of the burden of ridding Syria of the so-called I…

  • Policy Analysis
    LevantEnergy and Economics

    Between Idealism and Realpolitik: Erdoğan’s Quest for Palestine

    Apr 26, 2018Mustafa Gurbuz

    Turkey’s active policy for Palestine enables Ankara to strengthen its ties to the Palestinian Authority and Hamas simultaneously and thus to bolster its role a…

  • Policy Analysis
    North AfricaDemocracy and Governance

    Major Stakes in Tunisia’s Municipal Elections

    Apr 24, 2018Charles W. Dunne

    Tunisia, the only true success story from the Arab Spring thus far, finds itself at a crossroads as it approaches major national elections over the next year a…

  • Viewpoint
    LibyaConflicts and Conflict Resolution

    Haftar’s Illness and Libya’s Troubles

    Apr 20, 2018Imad K. Harb

    Libya’s confusing political environment just became a little more so with the reported illness of strongman General Khalifa Haftar. He is commander of the so-c…

  • Policy Analysis
    SudanConflicts and Conflict Resolution

    Egyptian-Sudanese Relations on the Mend, but Tensions Remain

    Apr 16, 2018Gregory Aftandilian

    Egyptian-Sudanese relations are currently improving although the nature of their ties over the years remains prone to rapid change. Part of their problems are …

  • Policy Analysis
    LevantUS Foreign Policy

    Pompeo Unlikely to Press for Human Rights in the Arab Region

    Mar 29, 2018Gregory Aftandilian

    In contrast to Tillerson, who raised human rights and democracy concerns in some Arab states, Pompeo is unlikely to do so given his ideology and desire to stay…

  • Policy Analysis
    EgyptDemocracy and Governance

    Egypt’s Presidential Elections and the Challenges Ahead

    Mar 20, 2018Charles W. Dunne

    Sisi is on his way to a second term but Egypt is set for a number of challenges after its presidential elections regarding economic development, human rights a…

  • Policy Analysis
    LevantUS Domestic Politics and Elections

    Firing Tillerson Leaves US Diplomacy in Limbo

    Mar 15, 2018Joe Macaron

    Tillerson’s firing comes at a critical time in US foreign policy. New dynamics are emerging in the Trump Administration and the successor Mike Pompeo should ba…

  • Policy Analysis
    LevantSecurity and Defense

    Will Trump Further Militarize the Arab World?

    Feb 28, 2018Marcus Montgomery

    Under the leadership of President Donald Trump, the Arab world may be poised for increased militarization as he pushes for military sales and it experiences nu…

  • Policy Analysis
    LevantConflicts and Conflict Resolution

    An Unsettling Overview of the Middle East in 2018

    Feb 2, 2018Abdulwahab Al-Qassab

    It is clear from ongoing developments in the Middle East that the United States and Russia will continue to play a role that meets their own national interests…

  • Policy Analysis
    EgyptUS Foreign Policy

    The Middle East Nuclear Picture: Peaceful Programs or Not, Cause for Concern

    Feb 2, 2018Charles W. Dunne

    Focusing solely on the Iranian nuclear program has made Washington oblivious to some significant nuclear developments in other parts of the Middle East.

  • Policy Analysis
    EgyptDemocracy and Governance

    Egypt’s Presidential Election Shaping Up as a Non-Contest

    Jan 26, 2018Gregory Aftandilian

    President Sisi has an easy path to reelection in March after his two main rivals have either been pressured to halt their candidacies or have dropped out of th…

  • Policy Analysis
    MoroccoDemocracy and Governance

    The Moroccan King’s “Political Earthquake”: Old Medicine in New Bottles?

    Jan 17, 2018Mohammed Cherkaoui

    The real promise of political and economic reforms in Morocco mostly depends on whether King Mohammed VI is sincere about implementing them and if he succeeds …

  • Policy Analysis
    EgyptConflicts and Conflict Resolution

    Egyptian and Jordanian Relations with Israel under Strain

    Jan 10, 2018Gregory Aftandilian

    Generally cordial and cooperative, Egyptian and Jordanian relations with Israel are currently strained following provocative actions by the U.S. and Israel on …

  • Policy Analysis
    LevantUS Foreign Policy

    The Middle East in 2018: A Trump Administration To-Do List

    Jan 9, 2018Charles W. Dunne

    US Middle East priorities in 2018 include Iran, the fate of the two-state solution, and managing instability in Iraq and Syria. US policy confusion and lack of…

  • Policy Analysis
    EgyptRegional Relations and Geopolitics

    Putin in Egypt as the United States Retreats

    Dec 19, 2017Gregory Aftandilian

    From the perspective of President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, warming relations with Moscow sends a signal to Washington that the US-Egyptian bilateral relationship …

  • Policy Analysis
    LibyaDemocracy and Governance

    Libya’s Modern Slavery and the Politics of Denial

    Dec 18, 2017Mohammed Cherkaoui

    The treatment of refugees and migrants in Libya raises new questions about three major political, socioeconomic, and moral dilemmas for the Libyan government, …

  • Policy Analysis
    EgyptMedia and Technology

    Press Freedom Reversals in Post-Arab Spring Countries

    Dec 18, 2017Sahar Khamis

    Just like the path to democratization and reform has been obstructed or derailed in most of the Arab Spring countries, so has the path to media freedom, in a p…

  • Policy Analysis
    LevantEnergy and Economics

    Turkey’s Policy toward a Fractured Libya

    Dec 12, 2017Mustafa Gurbuz

    Turkey is interested in being on good terms with all Libyan factions but is caught up in the complex relations between Libya’s political forces and their regio…

  • Policy Analysis
    EgyptReligion and Politics

    Egypt Still Banking on Libya’s Haftar While Reaching Out to Other Leaders

    Dec 4, 2017Gregory Aftandilian

    Economic and primarily security interests drive Egypt’s Sisi to support General Khalifa Haftar, strongman in eastern Libya, against Islamist movements while al…

  • Policy Analysis
    LevantUS Foreign Policy

    Missing Considerations of the Counterterrorism Alliance

    Nov 29, 2017Imad K. Harb

    The first meeting of the Islamic Military Counterterrorism Coalition, which took place in Riyadh, may have provided recognition of MbS’s leadership of the Musl…

  • Policy Analysis
    LevantUS Foreign Policy

    US Military Planning in the Middle East: Increasing Challenges, Vague Strategies

    Nov 28, 2017Charles W. Dunne

    Uncertainties about US military policy, intentions, and ambitions in the Middle East together with many political challenges and developments increase the conf…

  • Policy Analysis
    North AfricaDemocracy and Governance

    Challenges to Tunisia’s Transition to Democracy

    Nov 21, 2017Mohammed Cherkaoui

    Recent moves by the Tunisian executive suggest that the Jasmine Revolution is not unfolding as smoothly as expected and that the country may not be the excepti…

  • Policy Analysis
    EgyptDemocracy and Governance

    Is Egypt’s Population Growth a Blessing or a Curse?

    Nov 20, 2017Sahar Khamis

    At 98 million, Egypt’s rapid population growth is a threat to the national economy and an obstacle to the country’s prospects for development and prosperity.

  • Policy Analysis
    LevantConflicts and Conflict Resolution

    Policy Recommendations for the Trump Administration

    Nov 9, 2017Sumaya al-Majdoub

    The last session of the second annual conference of Arab Center Washington DC, held on October 26, 2017, concentrated on policy recommendations for the future.…

  • Policy Analysis
    North AfricaConflicts and Conflict Resolution

    Emerging Security Challenges in North and West Africa

    Nov 8, 2017Mohammed Cherkaoui

    The appearance of stability in the countries of north and west Africa belies a dangerous reality of the existence of many extremist groups feeding on poor soci…

  • Policy Analysis
    EgyptIdentity Politics and Sectarianization

    Egypt’s Security Challenges in the Sinai Belie the Government’s Rhetoric

    Oct 26, 2017Gregory Aftandilian

    Clashes in the northern Sinai Peninsula that resulted in scores of deaths of Egyptian security forces have underscored the durability of the extremist insurgen…

  • Policy Analysis
    LibyaConflicts and Conflict Resolution

    Libya’s Complicated Search for a Leader

    Oct 24, 2017Mohammed Cherkaoui

    Libya faces an uneasy distinction between a fragile state and a failed state and has fallen between the cracks of a dispute over legitimacy, struggle for power…

  • Policy Analysis
    MoroccoDemocracy and Governance

    Morocco’s Rif Rises against the Makhzen’s Power

    Oct 4, 2017Mohammed Cherkaoui

    Morocco’s popular protests highlight three intersecting dilemmas: the future legitimacy of the monarchy, poor governance and widespread corruption, and the pot…

  • Policy Analysis
    EgyptDemocracy and Governance

    Egypt’s Role in Arab Politics: Punching Below its Weight

    Oct 4, 2017Charles W. Dunne

    Egypt’s traditional influence in the Arab world is a function of its ability to help resolve its problems. This influence is today on a downward trajectory as …

  • Policy Analysis
    North AfricaJustice, Equality, and Human Rights

    A New Tunisian Law Tackles Violence Against Women

    Sep 12, 2017Sahar Khamis

    The new Tunisian law against violence against women sets a new model for the Arab world to emulate and raises the bar in the struggle for women’s rights and ge…

  • Policy Analysis
    EgyptDemocracy and Governance

    Egypt’s Extremist Groups and the Shrinking Political Space

    Aug 29, 2017Gregory Aftandilian

    The Egyptian government’s repressive policies have contributed to the problem of extremism by constricting political space, severely cracking down on opponents…

  • Policy Analysis
    EgyptJustice, Equality, and Human Rights

    Is the Trump-Sisi Honeymoon Over?

    Aug 28, 2017Imad K. Harb

    The State Department’s decision on aid to Egypt shows that the Trump Administration cannot sidestep established law or Congress’s power of appropriation despit…

  • Policy Analysis
    LibyaConflicts and Conflict Resolution

    The Still Elusive Libyan Peace

    Aug 17, 2017Imad K. Harb

    The political impasse in Libya may pave the way for a final collapse of the nearly failed Libyan state and the subsequent divorce between the eastern and weste…

  • Policy Analysis
    EgyptConflicts and Conflict Resolution

    An Economic Explanation for Egypt’s Alignment in the GCC Crisis

    Aug 9, 2017Imad K. Harb

    With Egypt heavily reliant on Saudi Arabia and the UAE for its economic stability and survival, Cairo may not find much room for independent foreign policy dec…

  • Policy Analysis
    AlgeriaDemocracy and Governance

    Challenges Facing Algeria’s Future

    Jul 21, 2017Imad K. Harb

    Algeria is challenged by a lethargic political system headed by an ailing president, a poorly performing rentier economy, and a rising Salafi Islam that is com…

  • Policy Analysis
    EgyptConflicts and Conflict Resolution

    Egyptian-Saudi Relations: Managing a Difficult Marriage

    Jun 6, 2017Gregory Aftandilian

    Saudi Arabia and Egypt need each other at this uncertain time and this inter-dependence keeps them together in a symbiotic relationship despite occasional stra…

  • Policy Analysis
    EgyptConflicts and Conflict Resolution

    Turkish-Egyptian Relations: Nowhere to Go but Up

    May 30, 2017Charles W. Dunne

    Egypt and Turkey, both staunch US allies, have found themselves locked in a war of words—and worse—for nearly four years since the overthrow of President Moham…

  • Policy Analysis
    LevantDemocracy and Governance

    Human Rights in the Constitution: A Survey of the Arab Uprisings

    May 24, 2017Mai El-Sadany

    When Arab citizens took to the streets in peaceful uprisings throughout 2011, their demands included “freedom,” “justice,” and “dignity.” Their governments rea…

  • Policy Analysis
    North AfricaDemocracy and Governance

    Tunisians Want a Better Economy and a Democratic System

    May 1, 2017Imad K. Harb

    Forty-nine percent of Tunisians consider improving the economy the topmost priority while 20 percent think that security is. An overwhelming majority want a de…

  • Research Paper
    MoroccoConflicts and Conflict Resolution

    The Four-Approach Dilemma of the Western Sahara Conflict

    Apr 25, 2017Mohammed Cherkaoui

    While awaiting the perennial renewal of the mandate for the UN monitoring force (MINURSO, or Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara) in Western Sahara at…

  • Policy Analysis
    LevantDemocracy and Governance

    The Quandary of Bad Governance in the Arab World

    Apr 24, 2017Imad K. Harb

    Polling in the Arab world shows that Arabs in general have little confidence in their civilian institutions and believe that their governments are not doing en…

  • Policy Analysis
    LevantConflicts and Conflict Resolution

    The Outsider Diplomat: Tillerson Strives to Define his Role

    Apr 6, 2017Joe Macaron

    After two months in office, Tillerson is gradually coping in his new job; his success or failure will indeed have a significant impact on US foreign policy in …

  • Policy Analysis
    EgyptDemocracy and Governance

    Egypt’s Fragile Stability: Erosion of the Rule of Law and Institutions of Governance

    Mar 30, 2017Moataz El Fegiery

    This paper addresses the erosion of the rule of law and institutions of governance in Egypt by discussing the significant expansion of legal repression, the cl…

  • Policy Analysis
    LevantJustice, Equality, and Human Rights

    The Difficult Tasks for the Arab League

    Mar 22, 2017Imad K. Harb

    As the Arab League limps through its eighth decade, its problems increase in number and intensity while the Arab state system continues to be burdened with pol…

  • Policy Analysis
    LevantViolent Extremism

    The Arab World after ISIL’s Defeat

    Mar 15, 2017Imad K. Harb Abdulwahab Al-Qassab Radwan Ziadeh Joe Macaron Tamara Kharroub

    Current efforts to defeat the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) will, with time and sustained commitment, eventually lead to the physical destruction…

  • Policy Analysis
    North AfricaConflicts and Conflict Resolution

    Democratization and Radicalization: Understanding Tunisia’s Model of Democratic Transition

    Feb 21, 2017Tamara Kharroub

    On February 1, 2017, German police arrested a Tunisian asylum seeker suspected of recruiting for the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and planning a…

  • Policy Analysis
    EgyptSecurity and Defense

    Going Forward on Egyptian-American Relations

    Feb 21, 2017Imad K. Harb

    Egypt recently marked the sixth anniversary of the resignation of former President Hosni Mubarak and his handover of power to the Supreme Council of the Armed …

  • Policy Analysis
    LibyaUS Foreign Policy

    Libya after ISIL: What Will Trump Do?

    Feb 15, 2017Joe Macaron

    It is safe to say that at present, Libya might not be high on the agenda of President Donald Trump’s Administration. In December 2016, the Islamic State in Ira…

  • Policy Analysis
    LevantIdentity Politics and Sectarianization

    A World Between bin Laden and Breivik: Supremacist Ideologies Shaping the 21st Century

    Jan 26, 2017Yousef Munayyer

    From Austria, Hungary, Poland, Switzerland, and elsewhere on the European continent, right-wing political parties are on the rise. Nationalism, protectionism, …

  • Policy Analysis
    LevantUS Foreign Policy

    Washington Rebalancing Away from the Middle East? Realities and Difficulties

    Jan 9, 2017Imad K. Harb

    In a speech to the Australian parliament in November 2011, President Barack Obama declared that the Asia-Pacific region had become a “top priority” in US secur…

  • Policy Analysis
    LevantDemocracy and Governance

    Arab Issues Awaiting the Next President

    Nov 7, 2016Imad K. Harb

    Amidst the maelstrom that is the presidential election, American foreign policy has regressed to the uncomfortable and neglected recesses reserved for untoucha…