Political Islam and US Policy in 2015

by Emile Nakhleh This year Arab political Islam will be greatly influenced by US regional policy, as it has been since the Obama administration came into office six years ago. Indeed, as the US standing in the region rose with… Continue Reading →

Mubarak Acquitted as Egypt’s Counterrevolution Thrives

by Emile Nakhleh The acquittal of former Egyptian President Muhammad Hosni Mubarak is not a legal or political surprise. Yet it carries serious ramifications for Arab autocrats who are leading the counterrevolutionary charge, as well as the United States. The… Continue Reading →

Bahrain’s Sham Election Ignores Calls for Reform

by Emile Nakhleh Bahrain’s national election planned for this Saturday portends no change in the al-Khalifa regime’s anti-Shi’a stance and is yet another futile exercise in sham democracy. The mainstream al-Wefaq Shi’a opposition party has decided to boycott the election… Continue Reading →

US Policy Towards Iran Played Big Role in Rise of Sunni Extremism

by Shireen T. Hunter Throughout the recent handwringing about how the US and other Western countries failed to foresee the emergence of ISIS, one factor has been totally ignored, either intentionally or inadvertently: the impact of Washington’s hostility towards Iran,… Continue Reading →