A foreign policy for advancing democracy
The debate about American foreign policy has always divided along two dimensions. How close in or far out should America protect its security? And for what moral or political purpose… Read more »
Tag: Elliott Abrams
Democracy and good governance the ‘only way’ to prevent MENA conflicts
The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) has a well-deserved reputation for being a region plagued by war and conflict, analyst Florence Gaub writes for the European Union Institute for… Read more »
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 »
Will Hamas’s ‘Hezbollah model’ scupper Palestinian reconciliation?
Hamas’ supreme leader says his group will not give up its weapons, a vow that is sure to complicate reconciliation talks with the rival Fatah movement, The Washington Post reports:… Read more »
Defending sovereignty vs. promoting democracy?
There was an echo of George W. Bush’s democracy promotion agenda in President Donald Trump’s address to the 72nd Session of the UN General Assembly. But unlike Mr. Bush, this… Read more »
‘Like-minded’ dictatorships show solidarity at U.N.
Why can’t the UN get more done to promote freedom? Council on Foreign Relations analyst Elliott Abrams asks. The answer is clear: so many member states are themselves dictatorships… Read more »
Did the democratic world ‘fail Syria’?
The democratic world failed Syria, argues Fadi Azzam, a Syrian writer and the author of the novel Sarmada. “I don’t mean the West’s politicians, foreign ministers and generals. I mean… Read more »
Security, Prosperity, and Governance in the Middle East and North Africa
While wars, terrorism, and rapidly changing economic conditions in the Middle East are in the headlines, the close links between these issues and governance challenges are increasingly relegated to the… Read more »
A realist case for advancing Arab democracy
Despite the reportedly path-breaking retreat from even the rhetoric of promoting democracy and human rights, there is a robust realist argument for advancing freedom in the Middle East, according to Elliott… Read more »
What comes after ISIS? ‘There is nothing, no plan.’
The announcement of the so-called caliphate was a high point for the extremist fighters of the Islamic State. Their exhibitionist violence and apocalyptic ideology helped them seize vast stretches of… Read more »