Pakistan and Afghanistan: Turbulence and Transitions
By Ellen Laipson – The anticipated drawdown of international forces in Afghanistan is adding to the turmoil in the domestic and foreign policies of Afghanistan and its key neighbor, Pakistan. Few expect the “reconciliation” of the various combatants in the war in time for the planned withdrawal of ISAF (International Security Assistance Force) by 2014. […]
Saving Syria from civil war
This article first appeared on ForeignPolicy.com As Syria’s uprising lurches toward its seventh month, fears that the country will descend into a sectarian civil war are mounting. Several troubling developments suggest the potential transformation of Syria’s popular demonstrations into armed insurgency and sectarian chaos. Long feared as the Syrian uprising’s nightmare scenario, a sectarian civil […]
Crucial Role of Multilateral Diplomacy in Sustaining US Global Leadership
By Ellen Laipson Esther Brimmer, Assistant Secretary for International Organization Affairs, held a conversation with Ellen Laipson, President and CEO of the Stimson Center, September 15 on “Multilateral Diplomacy and US Global Leadership.” The discussion was moderated by Cheryl Benton, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs. Assistant Secretary Brimmer and Ms. Laipson discussed this topic […]
Bahrain’s Political Crisis: A New Chapter for Iraqi Foreign Policy
By Shawn Azeez – Bahrain’s political crisis – the crackdown by the Sunni royal family and government on Shia protesters – has elicited contradictory reactions among Iraq’s sectarian and ethnic groups. The suppression has antagonized Iraq’s Shiites, while Iraqi Sunnis and Kurds have not taken a clear stance. This difference is causing an unprecedented interaction […]
Stimson Experts Respond to Events in Libya
By William Durch and Ellen Laipson – Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon is sending his special envoy for Libya, Abdel-Elah Al-Khatib, and his special adviser on post-conflict planning for Libya, Ian Martin, to Doha, Qatar, to discuss how the United Nations might support the multi-faceted transition from Moammar Qaddafi’s eccentric rule to a new political, social, and […]
The Security Agenda for a Changing Middle East
By Ellen Laipson – The Arab revolt that began in late 2010 throws many assumptions about the Middle East and regional security into question. States that were once considered strong have shown themselves to be hollow at the top, and Arab societies are showing unprecedented courage. The power equation within many countries has shifted, although […]
Anchors Away: The future of the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet in Bahrain
By Andrew Noble – The home base of the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet has become a subject of discussion for American policymakers since large-scale protests broke out in Bahrain this past February. Located in the Persian Gulf near key Saudi Arabian oil fields, Bahrain has been the regional base of operation for the US Navy […]
Seismic Shift Addresses Understanding Change in the Middle East
By Ellen Laipson – The momentous events sweeping the Arab world since the end of 2010 raise important questions about the art and science of analyzing political and societal events. Stimson invited a group of experts to evaluate how various non-government sectors looked at prospects for change in the Middle East prior to December 2010: […]