• Research
  • Strategic Europe
  • About
  • Experts
Carnegie Europe logoCarnegie lettermark logo
EUUkraine
  • Donate
{
  "authors": [
    "Marwan Muasher"
  ],
  "type": "legacyinthemedia",
  "centerAffiliationAll": "dc",
  "centers": [
    "Carnegie Endowment for International Peace"
  ],
  "collections": [
    "Arab Awakening"
  ],
  "englishNewsletterAll": "menaTransitions",
  "nonEnglishNewsletterAll": "",
  "primaryCenter": "Carnegie Endowment for International Peace",
  "programAffiliation": "MEP",
  "programs": [
    "Middle East"
  ],
  "projects": [],
  "regions": [
    "Middle East",
    "North Africa"
  ],
  "topics": [
    "Political Reform"
  ]
}

Source: Getty

In The Media

The Arab Revolution

The unrest and turmoil spreading across the Arab world has already changed the face of the Middle East and North Africa. Its impact will be measured best in decades, rather than months or years.

Link Copied
By Marwan Muasher
Published on May 10, 2011

Source: BBC America

As unrest and turmoil spread across the Arab world, the response of governments and citizens has differed depending on the conditions that shape the political, economic, and social realities in each country, explained Marwan Muasher on BBC America. In countries like Tunisia with relatively homogenous populations, there have been relatively peaceful movements for change. However in countries like Bahrain and Syria, with minority ruling regimes, Muasher explained that the unrest has quickly become violent and any transition will be met with a sustained period of conflict. “There is no question that this is a process that has started and has only started,” Muasher asserted. “I think we will measure what is going on in terms of decades rather than months and years.”

Initially, “the US pursued a policy of prioritizing stability over democracy and reform and it ended up with neither,” Muasher said. The Obama administration is now struggling to figure out how to react on a country by country basis and how it can support real reform that leads to a true separation of powers and a system of checks and balances.  Muasher added that the killing of Bin Laden will further discourage extremism. The protests across the Arab world have shown the people that they can affect change more efficaciously without violence.

 

About the Author

Marwan Muasher

Vice President for Studies

Marwan Muasher is vice president for studies at Carnegie, where he oversees research in Washington and Beirut on the Middle East. Muasher served as foreign minister (2002–2004) and deputy prime minister (2004–2005) of Jordan, and his career has spanned the areas of diplomacy, development, civil society, and communications.

    Recent Work

  • Commentary
    Bombing Campaigns Do Not Bring About Democracy. Nor Does Regime Change Without a Plan.

      Marwan Muasher

  • Other
    Unpacking Trump’s National Security Strategy
      • Cecily Brewer
      • +18

      James M. Acton, Saskia Brechenmacher, Cecily Brewer, …

Marwan Muasher
Vice President for Studies
Marwan Muasher
Political ReformMiddle EastNorth Africa

Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.

More Work from Carnegie Europe

  • Commentary
    Strategic Europe
    The EU Needs a Third Way in Iran

    European reactions to the war in Iran have lost sight of wider political dynamics. The EU must position itself for the next phase of the crisis without giving up on its principles.

      Richard Youngs

  • Commentary
    Strategic Europe
    Europe on Iran: Gone with the Wind

    Europe’s reaction to the war in Iran has been disunited and meek, a far cry from its previously leading role in diplomacy with Tehran. To avoid being condemned to the sidelines while escalation continues, Brussels needs to stand up for international law.

      Pierre Vimont

  • Commentary
    Strategic Europe
    Can Europe Still Matter in Syria?

    Europe’s interests in Syria extend beyond migration management, yet the EU trails behind other players in the country’s post-Assad reconstruction. To boost its influence in Damascus, the union must upgrade its commitment to ensuring regional stability.

      Bianka Speidl, Hanga Horváth-Sántha

  • Commentary
    Strategic Europe
    Europolis, Where Europe Ends

    A prophetic Romanian novel about a town at the mouth of the Danube carries a warning: Europe decays when it stops looking outward. In a world of increasing insularity, the EU should heed its warning.

      Thomas de Waal

  • Commentary
    Strategic Europe
    Taking the Pulse: What Issue Is Europe Ignoring at Its Peril in 2026?

    2026 has started in crisis, as the actions of unpredictable leaders shape an increasingly volatile global environment. To shift from crisis response to strategic foresight, what under-the-radar issues should the EU prepare for in the coming year?

      Thomas de Waal

Get more news and analysis from
Carnegie Europe
Carnegie Europe logo, white
Rue du Congrès, 151000 Brussels, Belgium
  • Research
  • Strategic Europe
  • About
  • Experts
  • Projects
  • Events
  • Contact
  • Careers
  • Privacy
  • For Media
  • Gender Equality Plan
Get more news and analysis from
Carnegie Europe
© 2026 Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. All rights reserved.