Arab Spring Archives - Page 5 of 16 - Foreign Policy In Focus

Arab Islamists Are Here to Stay

by Adil E. Shamoo | Dec 16, 2011

The hysteria of the West about the Arab awakening turning into an Arab Islamist nightmare is reaching full-blown proportions. The United States and Israel, self-appointed referees of democracy in the region despite their long-running support for the Middle East’s most corrupt and authoritarian regimes, are crying foul.

The incitement? A series of victories by Islamist parties in Tunisia, Morocco, and Egypt. Yet, given the history of Western support for governments that simultaneously quashed secular opposition movements and persecuted Islamists, the popularity of moderate Islamist parties should come as little surprise—nor should it be cause for concern.

The Amilcar Notes (Part 4): Tunisia — Profoundly Islamic

by Rob Prince | Dec 16, 2011

Tunisia’s militant youth, whose courage brought down President Ben Ali, has been replaced by politicians talking about both free market capitalism and the Koran.

The Amilcar Notes (Part 3): Tunisia’s Forgotten Socio-Economic Crisis

by Rob Prince | Dec 14, 2011

One year after Mohammed Bouazizi’s immolation — a catalyst for the Arab Spring — economic conditions in Tunisia haven’t improved much.

The Amilcar Notes (Part 1): Zine Ben Ali’s Sorry Legacy

by Rob Prince | Dec 6, 2011

The victory that the Ennahdha party won in Tunisia’s recent elections was, for many Tunisians, a result of a sympathy vote for the target of President Ben Ali’s most vicious repression.

Bahrain’s Courageous Doctors

by Adil E. Shamoo | Nov 7, 2011

The United States continues to ignore the thwarted Arab Spring in Bahrain. Recently, a quasi-military court in the small Gulf state sentenced 20 doctors and nurses to up to 15 years in jail. The charge against them? Treating injured demonstrators opposing the regime.

Tunisia Elections: The Real Thing This Time

by Rob Prince | Nov 2, 2011

Six years and one national rebellion after the fraudulent 2005 election, Tunisia has just completed the first truly democratic election in its history. It was also the first election of the Arab Spring. The election was held to create a legislative body that will govern the country while it writes a new constitution.

The results were astonishing.

Powder in the Eyes in Algeria

by Wided Khadraoui | Oct 24, 2011

The endgame unfolding in Libya is having profound effects throughout North Africa and the Middle East. The revolution still rages on as Gaddafi’s relatives pour into Algeria, where the implications of the last battle in Sirte have profoundly impacted the political situation. Algeria and Morocco are the only states in North Africa where the leadership remains intact. Algeria has certainly felt the pressure of the revolutionary wave and has taken several measures to counter any challenge that might emerge from its conflict-weary nationals.

Ford Confirmation: Too Little, Too Late

by Samer Araabi | Oct 18, 2011

In early October, Senate Republicans reversed a yearlong policy of deflection and unanimously confirmed Robert Ford as the U.S. ambassador to Syria. Though Ford has served in the post since his recess appointment by President Obama in early 2010, Republicans had balked at the idea of “rewarding” the Syrian government with the presence of an official U.S. ambassador, a position that had previously remained unfilled since the assassination of Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Al-Haririin 2005. Since the Syrian uprising began earlier this year, Ford has been a persistent and vocal supporter of the opposition, and has issued a number of scathing indictments against the regime of Bashar Al-Assad.

Arab Spring, Israeli Isolation

by Richard Javad Heydarian | Oct 13, 2011

With the Arab uprisings gradually reconfiguring the regional political landscape, Israel is finding itself increasingly isolated. For at least a decade, Israel has identified Iran as its main strategic nemesis, but the Arab spring has rekindled simmering tensions between Israel on one hand, and Arab states as well as Turkey on the other.

Wall Street (Unlike)

by John Feffer | Oct 11, 2011

Tyrants are ruthless. They throw people in jail, execute them without trial, suppress the press. They can rule for decades. They can attempt to set up dynasties. But in the modern age, tyrants have a shelf life. We live in an age of activism, and tyrants are always looking over the shoulder to make sure the military is behind them, the human rights community isn’t breathing down their neck, or their “adoring masses” aren’t camped out in the public square demanding their exit from history.

Our leaders in the United States aren’t tyrants. Instead, we face the tyranny of “business as usual.”