Category: Middle East/North Africa

Kleptocratic networks: corruption’s operating system

     

In some five dozen countries worldwide, corruption can no longer be understood as merely the iniquitous doings of individuals. Rather, it is the operating system of sophisticated networks that cross… Read more »

Egypt’s NGO law cracking down on dissent, suffocating civil society

     

Egypt issued a new law on Monday that regulates the work of non-governmental organizations, a measure seen by rights groups as the latest sign of a growing crackdown on dissent… Read more »

Calls for fresh approach to ‘take on ideology’ of jihadis

     

There is a growing debate in Muslim communities about whether the argument that jihadist violence has nothing to do with their faith is proving effective at countering the extremism which… Read more »

Iran – one of the world’s worst countries for workers

     

Iranian women confront an array of restrictions, such as on their ability to travel, prohibitions on entering certain jobs, and an absence of basic legal protections, Human Rights Watch said in… Read more »

After Rouhani’s election, now for Iran’s more important transition

     

Now that Iran has gone to the ballot to elect a president, U.S. policymakers should turn their attention to a more important transition in the offing, argues Mehdi Khalaji, a fellow at the… Read more »

Mideast sectarianism a byproduct of geopolitical rivalry

     

During his speech in Saudi Arabia, President Donald Trump spoke of the need to confront and “isolate” Iran.  But the Iran challenge is more intricate and perplexing than the one faced… 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 »

Post 9/11 wars not about promoting democracy, says Condoleezza Rice

     

Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Thursday that U.S.-led interventions in the Middle East and Central Asia were not about spreading democracy, but about addressing regional security issues, Newsweek… Read more »