Life is Complicated in Lebanon (Bloggingheads.tv)
Mona Yacoubian and Elias Muhanna of Qifa Nabki discuss the situation in Lebanon in this Bloggingheads.tv episode. The real news about the new Lebanese government (05:48) Is Lebanon maturing politically, or becoming more unstable? (05:13) The potentially explosive fallout from the Hariri tribunal (12:27) Why Syria may be the real battleground for Lebanon’s future (03:46) Hezbollah’s Plan B if Syria collapses (07:38) Mona: […]
Hezbollah’s Gamble In Syria
Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hezbollah, appeared to cross a Rubicon last week. In a defiant speech on May 25, he emphasized the Lebanese Shia militant group’s unbridled support for the Assad regime in Syria. In doing so, he lifted the veil of secrecy that had surrounded Hezbollah’s deepening involvement in Syria. Of course, Hezbollah’s […]
Seismic Shift: Understanding Change in the Middle East
The momentous events sweeping the Arab world since late 2010 raise important questions about the art and science of analyzing political and societal events. In an age of information surplus, which creates the illusion that one can easily know what is happening anywhere in the world, big surprises still occur. Societies change, governments make choices […]
Seismic Shift: Understanding Change in the Middle East
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: university scholars, think tanks, […]
Even if Bashar Wins, He Has Already Lost
This article was first published on ForeignPolicy.com. Six weeks into Syria’s unprecedented unrest, it seems increasingly apparent that the key cornerstones buttressing President Bashar al Assad’s regime — iron-fisted rule and geostrategic depth — may be irreparably damaged. While estimates are nearly impossible to confirm, the regime’s ruthless repression has reportedly left more than 500 […]
Resilient Authoritarianism and the Future of Democracy Promotion in the Middle East
The Stimson Center and HIVOS cordially invite you to attend the panel seminar: Resilient Authoritarianism and the Future of Democracy Promotion in the Middle East: Lessons from Syria and Iran. with Steve Heydemann, Georgetown University and USIP Reinoud Leenders, Universityof Amsterdam Kevan Harris, The Johns Hopkins University Tuesday, 22 March 20112:00-3:30 pm The Stimson Center1111 […]
Arab Transitions News
Mona Yacoubian participates in an online International Affairs Forum entitled “The Post-Arab Spring and U.S. Policy,” on February 6, 2012. Click here to read. Mona Yacoubian was interviewed by Michele Kelemen of NPR on November 22, 2011, on how the U.S. will approach dealing with new political parties formed after the Arab Spring. Click here to listen. The Stimson […]
Center or Bust?
Will the various forces in Bahrain finally compromise on a centrist approach to power? By Jean Francois Seznec – The events in Bahrain are most tantalizing. Should the opposition gain some ground and succeed in breaking the 240-year old stranglehold of the al-Khalifa family on the island, it would make Bahrain a beacon of social […]