Libya’s Fires

by Wayne White The Libyan National Oil Corporation (NOC) ended on January 2 a fire that raged for days among tanks in Libya’s largest oil export terminal of Es-Sider, but the militia violence fed by the implosion of governance that… Continue Reading

Tracking Libya’s Progressive Collapse

by Wayne White Libya’s chaos and violence may seem like a continuum of painful replays. However, as the situation festers, the risk of extremist elements gaining a more dangerous foothold and broader freedom of action increases. Indeed, since the beginning… Continue Reading

Libya’s Spillover Effect

by Wayne White Libya remains broken and violent. Secular forces made gains against Muslim extremists in Benghazi recently, but the advantage has shifted from side to side since early this year. And two rival governments vying for power amidst a… Continue Reading

Book Review: Temptations of Power

by Emile Nakhleh Does repression force Islamic parties to moderate? This is the key question Shadi Hamid raises in his seminal book on political Islam, governance, and Islamist “illiberal” democratic ideology. Temptations of Power: Islamists & Illiberal Democracy In a New Middle… Continue Reading

The Egyptian-Saudi Coalition in Defense of Autocracy

by Emile Nakhleh The Bahraini Arabic language newspaper al-Wasat reported on April 9 that a Cairo court began to consider a case brought by an Egyptian lawyer against Qatar accusing it of being soft on terrorism. The “terrorism” charge is… Continue Reading