Idealism as realism in the Middle East: Re-thinking political Islam?
In the pre-Arab Spring era, the Muslim Brotherhood and the many movements it inspired reached a consensus for how to pursue their aims: bide their time, do their best… Read more »
Search Results for: abrams realism
‘Principled realism’ sacrificing human rights, democracy in ‘value-neutral transactions’?
Does a foreign policy of “principled realism” necessarily entail sidelining human rights concerns and offering few critiques of authoritarian leaders’ records on democracy, the rule of law and protecting essential… Read more »
‘Principled realism’ needs better ideas to combat extremist ideology
A “coalition of nations” in the Middle East is needed to stamp out “extremism,” U.S. President Donald Trump told the weekend’s Arab-Islamic American Summit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. “This is… Read more »
Democracy promotion – lessons learned
American Purpose hosts a discussion with Elliott Abrams, senior fellow for Middle Eastern studies at the Council on Foreign Relations and author of Realism and Democracy, on Democracy Promotion—Lessons Learned…. Read more »
‘Chilezuela’? No chance: Renewing a democratic transition
Despite being branded a “communist” by his critics, Chile’s left-wing president-elect Gabriel Boric has always pointed to Europe not Venezuela as the inspiration for the “social welfare” state he wants… Read more »
How to reorganize democracy promotion efforts
A “remarkable” amount of disorganization mars U.S. democracy and human rights efforts, according to a leading observer. Better organization and coordination, including regular meetings of key officials from State, USAID,… Read more »
War of ideas ‘within the democratic world’?
Barack Obama’s electoral success in 2008, running against the Iraq war, returned conservatives to the role of the opposition, and gave them time to reflect on foreign policy fundamentals. At… Read more »
Facing up to the difference between election meddling and advancing democracy
“Donald Trump’s refusal in Helsinki to credit his intelligence agencies’ findings about Russian electoral interference has unleashed a nationalist fury in Washington unseen since September 11,” Peter Beinart writes for… Read more »
The next Arab Spring ‘simply a matter of time’?
Autocratic allies in the Middle East, such as Saudi Arabia, have reportedly been told that the U.S. will not “lecture” them on democracy and human rights. U.S. attempts to explicitly… Read more »
Merits and limits to democracy promotion in the Middle East
To advocate true democracy in the Arab world is a tough sell at the best of times. In the wake of the “Arab Spring,” a half-decade that witnessed some of… Read more »