Why Is There a 'Red Line' on Chemical Weapons but Not on 70,000 Deaths?
Obama's strategy in the Middle East is 'engage where we must, disengage where we can' More »
Shadi Hamid is director of research at the Brookings Doha Center and a fellow at the Saban Center for Middle East Policy at the Brookings Institution. More
Obama's strategy in the Middle East is 'engage where we must, disengage where we can' More »
President Obama shouldn't let the Iraq debacle keep him from considering engagement with Syria, a country where the humanitarian situation keeps getting worse. More »
The government's seizure of newspapers that encouraged a military coup raise difficult questions for how post-revolutionary Egypt can stay stable and free. More »
It's not just about deterring the country's generals from grabbing power -- it's about demonstrating that the U.S. is making democracy a top priority in the Middle East. More »
Mohamed Morsi, the group's official but less-than-ideal candidate for the Egyptian presidency, poses them with an existential challenge. More »
Even though the military challenges might make it unfeasible, we should acknowledge the moral and historical cases for intervening. More »
What we learned about Islamists, monarchies, the U.S. role in the region, and more More »
Even with ongoing protests, escalating disorder, and a likely big win by the Muslim Brotherhood, rescheduling next week's vote would be the wrong move for Egypt's new democracy More »
Numbers, savvy, and years of experience make the Brotherhood a formidable political organizing force More »
Jordanians were granted the right to elect a government this spring, but a popular king with nearly unchecked powers might not really be willing to give those up voluntarily More »
Despite few domestic demands for democratic reform and virtually no visible opposition, the Qatari leadership took the initiative before anyone thought to ask More »
In the long run, democracy promotion remains the best and most effective way to fight terrorism More »
Outside forces like the U.S. can make the difference, but timing matters More »
For religious Muslims, the thought of keeping faith out of public view is an odd, even inconceivable, concept More »
In one of the most politically sensitive regions in the world, Obama's inclination to look for compromise is resulting in mistrust more than it's solving problems More »
After the attack on its embassy in Damascus, the U.S. clearly wants to do something about Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. But what? And how? More »
In countries such as Jordan and Bahrain, kings may survive the region-wide turmoil that has toppled two presidents More »
Could the U.S. find itself on the wrong side of history? More »
How the host of the 2022 World Cup has been so successful More »
Sign up to receive our free newsletters

