US Opinion and Commentary

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Trumpism: From Arab Spring to Western Winter

Posted March 14th, 2016 at 10:47 am (UTC-5)
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So Donald Trump’s iconoclastic views and his in-your-face style are not only far from unique; they may simply be an American version of the fears and anger that are currently sweeping through Europe. And what sparked those?

The Unsexy Truth About Why the Arab Spring Failed

Posted January 28th, 2016 at 10:01 am (UTC-5)
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The truth is that … the real story of the Arab Spring wasn’t one about individual people being heroic or wicked. Rather, it was a less cinematic — but far more important — story about the dangers of brittle dictatorships and weak state institutions.

Support Tunisia, the Arab Spring’s Sole Success Story

Posted November 19th, 2015 at 2:53 pm (UTC-5)
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At a dangerous and unstable time for North Africa and the Middle East, we should not squander any chance to reinforce the foundations of a fledgling democracy that needs support to sustain itself and grow. U.S. aid allows Tunisia to continue to provide greater security for its people…

A Fourth Arab Country Melts Down

Posted March 25th, 2015 at 1:30 pm (UTC-5)
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Reports on Wednesday that the president of Yemen has fled his country underline the latest crisis to strike the state system in the Middle East. Three other Arab nations – Libya, Syria and Iraq – are already fractured among religious, ethnic and tribal groups, with fighting exacerbated by outsiders bankrolling and arming proxies. The Barack […]