Geneive Abdo’s Op-Ed On Ahmadinejad Is Quoted At CNN
Iran’s new President Hassan Rouhani took the oath of office Sunday, replacing controversial President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Rouhani, 65, a cleric considered moderate, won the June elections with reformist backing. He campaigned on a “hope and prudence” platform in which he appealed to traditional conservatives and reform-minded voters alike. -snip- While he was prevented from seeking […]
The Global Food Crisis in the Middle East
In the wake of the global food crisis of 2008, Middle Eastern oil producers announced multi-billion investments to secure food supplies from abroad. Often called land grabs, such investments are at the heart of the global food security challenge and put the Middle East in the spotlight of simultaneous global crises in the fields of […]
How Morsy’s Fall Empowers Islamists
In overthrowing Mohamed Morsy, Egypt’s military, the judiciary, and the secular-minded revolutionaries in central Cairo just extended the political life spans of Islamists across the Middle East. The Muslim Brotherhood, once at the vanguard of worldwide Islamist political and social movements, failed miserably in their year in power. Most likely, President Morsy’s term in office would have […]
The Security Situation in Syria: Implications for U.S. National Security and Policy Options
Testimony before the House Armed Services Committee, July 17, 2013 Video of the Hearing Statements of all witnesses Mona Yacoubian, Senior Advisor, Middle East, The Stimson Center Thank you, Mr. Chairman and members of the House Armed Services Committee, for inviting me to speak this morning. I very much appreciate this opportunity to address the […]
Egypt’s Chaos Need Not Derail the Arab Spring
Continuing violence and unrest in Egypt is provoking widespread concerns that the most populous Arab nation may descend into civil war or a new dictatorship, extinguishing the hopes of the Arab Spring. But while Egyptians have been staging mass protests, a more encouraging story has been playing out in Tunisia – home to the first […]
Ellen Laipson and Mona Yacoubian op-ed on governance in Egypt and Tunisia is published in IBTimes
Continuing violence and unrest in Egypt is provoking widespread concerns that the most populous Arab nation may descend into civil war or a new dictatorship, extinguishing the hopes of the Arab Spring. But while Egyptians have been staging mass protests, a more encouraging story has been playing out in Tunisia – home to the first […]
Rouhani’s Warm Words Won’t Bring Thaw In Saudi Ties
Of all the items optimists are placing on their wish lists for newly-elected Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, one stands out as among the least probable: reconciliation between his Shi’a republic and rival Sunni monarchies in the Gulf. Shortly after his election, Rouhani said the Persian Gulf has “strategic significance” for Iran, as well as political […]
Geneive Abdo’s op-ed on sectarianism in the Gulf region is published at CNN.com
Of all the items optimists are placing on their wish lists for newly-elected Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, one stands out as among the least probable: reconciliation between his Shi’a republic and rival Sunni monarchies in the Gulf. Shortly after his election, Rouhani said the Persian Gulf has “strategic significance” for Iran, as well as political […]