February 4, 2013 in Arab Awakening, Arab Spring, Democracy Assistance, Democratic transitions, Dissidents, Failed states, Islamist groups, Middle East and North Africa, National Endowment for Democracy, NGOs and Civil Society, Opposition movements, Qatar, Syria, Transitional justice 0

As conflict reaches inflection point, is US ‘empowering Syria’s Ahmad Chalabis’?

Syrian opposition leader Moaz Alkhatib today urged President Bashar al-Assad to enter a dialogue to end the violent conflict and help “the regime leave peacefully,” Reuters reports:

The moderate Islamist preacher announced last week he was prepared to talk …

January 30, 2013 in Arab Awakening, Arab Spring, Democratic transitions, Islamist groups, Opposition movements, Syria 0

In ‘surprise turnabout’, Syria’s opposition open to dialog with regime

Syria’s opposition is softening its position on negotiations with the Assad regime, reports suggest.

Sheik Ahmad Moaz al-Khatib, the head of the opposition coalition, today expressed a willingness for the first time to talk with government representatives.

“In his …

January 24, 2013 in Arab Awakening, Arab Spring, Democracy Assistance, Democratic transitions, Dissidents, Failed states, Human rights, Islamist groups, Middle East and North Africa, National Endowment for Democracy, Opposition movements, Syria 0

As opposition bickers, France says no sign Syria’s Assad will be overthrown soon

France said on Thursday there were no signs that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is about to be overthrown, something Paris has been saying for months was just over the horizon, Reuters reports:

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius …

January 16, 2013 in Analysis, Arab Awakening, Arab Spring, Asia, Authoritarianism, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Belarus, Burma, Central & Eastern Europe, China, Civil Society, Congo, Corruption, Democracy Assistance, Democracy Promotion, Democratic transitions, Dictatorships, Dissidents, Egypt, Ethiopia, Eurasia, Europe, freedom of association, Freedom of expression, Global, Guest Post, Human rights, Iran, Iraq, Ivory Coast, Latin America and the Caribbean, Libya, Mali, Middle East and North Africa, National Endowment for Democracy, NGOs and Civil Society, North Korea, Opposition movements, Protests, Rule of Law, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zimbabwe 0

Democracy in decline, autocrats on the offensive

Newly emerging popular movements for reform were the driving force behind the Middle East’s major gains in democratic rights last year, according to Freedom in the World 2013, Freedom House’s annual report. But other regions experienced setbacks due to …

January 15, 2013 in Arab Awakening, Arab Spring, Democracy Assistance, Democratic transitions, Islamist groups, Middle East and North Africa, National Endowment for Democracy, NGOs and Civil Society, Opposition movements, Syria 0

Syrian Dialogue seeks ‘transition to rationality’

 

Syria’s disparate opposition has reportedly “been intensifying its efforts to form an interim government ‘in the upcoming period’” in the hope of securing defecting Prime Minister Riad Hijab as the country’s post-Assad  president.

It’s the latest of a series …

January 10, 2013 in Arab Awakening, Arab Spring, Authoritarianism, Corruption, Democratic transitions, Dictatorships, Egypt, Elections, freedom of association, Freedom of expression, Human rights, Iran, Islam and Politics, Islamist groups, Jordan, Middle East and North Africa, Muslim Brotherhood, NGOs and Civil Society, Protests, Syria, Transitional justice, Tunisia 0

Arab Spring’s ‘stunning paradox’ and biggest losers – are monarchies next?

 

“The democrats of the Arab Spring did not embrace revolution to advance liberalism,” says a prominent observer. The secular youth who started the region’s protests are one of the losers of the revolts, while the intellectual elite and the …

January 10, 2013 in Arab Awakening, Arab Spring, Democratic transitions, Dictatorships, Dissidents, Islam and Politics, Islamist groups, National Endowment for Democracy, Syria 0

Key to Damascus lies in Ankara?

Washington must engage Turkey before conflagration further complicates U.S. options for addressing the Syrian civil war, writes Soner Cagaptay.
Syria promises to be a major headache for the Obama administration during its second term. But if Washington works with …

January 9, 2013 in Arab Awakening, Arab Spring, Civil Society, Democracy Assistance, Failed states, Freedom of expression, Governance, Human rights, Iraq, Islam and Politics, Ivory Coast, Middle East and North Africa, Syria 0

Is an Alawite state Assad’s ‘Plan B’?

Over the course of the Syrian civil war, there has been much speculation as to what the Assad regime’s endgame plan might be. In this context has come the notion of establishing something along the lines of the “Alawite …

January 8, 2013 in Arab Awakening, Democratic transitions, Islamist groups, Middle East and North Africa, Syria 0

Jabhat al-Nusra: Syria’s radical Islamists on the rise?

The civil war in Syria shows no signs of abating after 22 months and in fact seems likely to continue with equal intensity between the rebel groups after the anticipated fall of Bashar Al-Assad’s dictatorial regime.

With the prospects of …

January 3, 2013 in Arab Awakening, Arab Spring, Authoritarianism, Iran, Islam and Politics, Jordan, Libya, Middle East and North Africa, NGOs and Civil Society, Opposition movements, Protests, Syria, Tunisia 1

Mirage of the Arab Spring?

The uprisings across the Arab world have not only empowered illiberal actors, but may also undermine vital security interests, writes a prominent analyst.

“The uprisings of the last two years have represented a significant challenge to authoritarian rule in …