Publications by Type:
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Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb
The global aims of Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb—an Algerian jihadi group—have been thwarted by the Algerian government’s more effective military strategy and the collapse of al-Qaeda in Iraq.
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Iran, the United States, and the Gulf: The Elusive Regional Policy
Any effective U.S. diplomatic approach to Iran must involve other countries in the Gulf, but Washington will not succeed if it continues to strive for an anti-Iranian alliance. A normalization of relations between Iran and its neighbors is an important and attainable step for reintegrating Iran into the international community.
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Between Government and Opposition: The Case of the Yemeni Congregation for Reform
Yemen’s Islamist Congregation for Reform party (Islah) faces deep internal divisions on key issues, and its fractious composition prevents it from developing a clear parliamentary platform, leaving the party with no clear path toward the reforms it seeks.
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Five Alternatives that Make More Sense than Offshore Oil
Offshore oil reserves are too small to significantly impact world oil prices or U.S. reliance on foreign oil. Alternatives to offshore drilling exist and could maximize long-term environmental, economic, and security gains.
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“Fixing Broken Windows”: Security Sector Reform in Palestine, Lebanon, and Yemen
The bulk of development security sector aid in Palestine, Lebanon, and Yemen has consisted of military training and equipment. The West should adopt a comprehensive approach to aid where security reform is only one part of a broader reform strategy.
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Warlords As Bureaucrats: The Afghan Experience
Afghanistan's hybrid form of governance, which draws on a mix of formal institutions and warlord-administered informal power, may be the only viable model for Afghanistan at present.
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Yemen: Avoiding a Downward Spiral
If the Yemeni central government cannot fully control its territory, violent extremists will have a space to regroup and launch new attacks. Yemen's problems potentially threaten the region and the international community.
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Managing Arab Sovereign Wealth in Turbulent Times—and Beyond
Rethinking the wisdom of relying on unstable Western economies for growth, the Arab world is increasingly focused on the diversification of its own economies.
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Concrete Steps to Improve the Nonproliferation Regime
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) must reassert its authority to strengthen the dangerously weakened nonproliferation regime and to help prevent future proliferation crises.
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The Oil Boom in the GCC Countries: Old Challenges, Changing Dynamics
To meet long-term domestic challenges, oil-producing Gulf States should focus on improving economic governance to better manage diminishing oil revenues and attract foreign investment.
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European Conflict Management in the Middle East: Toward a More Effective Approach
For the EU to be an effective player in the Middle East, it should seek an efficient division of labor with the United States and pursue greater political engagement in the Palestinian territories, Syria, and Lebanon.
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Stepping Back From Democratic Pessimism
Good news on democratization, though often less visible, has occurred in roughly equal proportion to bad news. By taking on this more balanced perspective, the Obama administration can ensure that unnecessary pessimism does not hinder important U.S. support for democracy around the world.
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Islamists in Politics: The Dynamics of Participation
Despite limited electoral success, Islamist movements in the Middle East have failed to influence policy and are criticized by their base for abandoning their religious commitments. Marina Ottaway and Amr Hamzawy explain that Islamist movements must convince their supporters that political participation is the best long-term means to affect government despite seemingly poor short-term gains.
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In the Shadow of the Brothers: The Women of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood
Islamist women, increasingly restless with their subordinate status in Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood, are pushing for greater representation and a wider role. Their call for broader participation in decision-making bodies are not signs of a “rebellion of the Sisters,” but part of the normal dynamics of change.
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Can Trade Policy Support the Next Global Climate Agreement?
Recent WTO rulings indicate an increasing willingness to restrict trade based on the environmental impact of goods production. The global community should incorporate trade-related measures into any post-Kyoto multilateral climate agreement.
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Salafism and Radical Politics in Postconflict Algeria
Since the civil war of the 1990s, Algeria’s government has given moderate Islamist parties only a superficial role in politics. The resulting rise of Salafism, which rejects the country’s political system, reveals the need for Algeria to increase political transparency and participation and engage its citizens to discourage radicalization outside the political system.
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When Money Talks: Arab Sovereign Wealth Funds in the Global Public Policy Discourse
The financial interdependence that sovereign wealth funds (SWFs) created between the West and the Arab world could help stabilize multilateral relations and promote economic development and political stability in the Middle East.
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International Labor Migration in a Globalizing Economy
As globalization spread over the last twenty years, migration expanded less rapidly than either trade or foreign investment. Yet migration remains contentious. The net impact of migration is positive for the migrants and high-income countries, and more gains are feasible. Developing countries, however, may suffer from growing brain-drain.
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Turkey’s Middle East Policies: Between Neo-Ottomanism and Kemalism
Turkey’s increased engagement in the Middle East reflects its desire to become a self-confident regional superpower. Yet, Ankara’s fraught handling of the Kurdish issue has been reactive, alarmist, and insecure. Unless Turkey learns to balance its opposing priorities, the country will witness an increase in ultra-nationalism and isolationism.
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Saudi Arabia’s “Soft” Counterterrorism Strategy: Prevention, Rehabilitation, and Aftercare
The increasing use of unconventional, “soft” measures to combat violent extremism in Saudi Arabia is bearing positive results, leading others in the region, including the U.S. in Iraq, to adopt a similar approach.
