Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
Inclusiveness is the only route to stability. With the right approach, any country can succeed in building a better future.
Only when Arab societies and their elected leaders truly embrace tolerance, diversity, the peaceful rotation of power, and inclusive economic growth will the promise of a new Arab world be realized.
Throughout the Middle East, the overthrow of Egypt’s Mohamed Morsi has heightened Islamist-secularist tensions and pushed actors toward zero-sum politics.
There are no short cuts to democracy or prosperity. The Second Arab Awakening has only just begun, and the end may not be known in this generation’s lifetime.
The Arab transformations have only just begun. The coming year will offer signs as to whether countries of the Arab world are heading toward or away from democracy and pluralism.
To participate effectively in the political process, new, largely secular parties must overcome their institutional challenges and improve their long-term capacity to deliver what the people need.
Arab moderates, who believe in inclusive societies, must work at the grassroots level, offering solutions to real issues while building institutional systems of checks and balances.
Contrary to the conventional view, America’s image could benefit from what the Arab street might deem a triumph of democracy.
Both Islamists and secularists are wrong if they think they can build a new Egypt on their own. There is no way the country can be successful if only one party rules.
Washington needs to work privately with all the parties—Palestinians, Israelis, and Arabs—to allow for a speedy negotiation process. Only the full backing of the U.S. president and a bold new plan can push the peace process forward.
