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Yasmine Farouk, Nathan J. Brown, Maysaa Shuja Al-Deen, …
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}Source: Getty
Political Turmoil in the North Africa and the Middle East
As protests continue throughout the Middle East and North Africa, the international community is seeking to curb the increasing violence in Syria, continue military engagement in Libya, and convince Yemen’s President Saleh to step down.
Source: Diane Rehm Show

International attention is also focused on the unrest occurring in Libya. Dunne argued that while the current situation in Libya is not good for the United States, “it could have been much worse.” She pointed out that Qaddafi was threatening to initiate a violent crackdown on rebels in Benghazi that would have resulted in the loss of thousands of lives.
Turning to Yemen, Dunne said that there seems to be an end in sight. The Gulf Cooperation Council, President Saleh, and the Yemeni opposition parties have agreed on a plan for Saleh to abdicate power. However, she pointed out that this plan has not placated the protesters on the street, who have seen Saleh break promises in the past. The outcome in Yemen, like that in many countries across the region, remains unclear, Dunne concluded.
About the Author
Former Nonresident Scholar, Middle East Program
Michele Dunne was a nonresident scholar in Carnegie’s Middle East Program, where her research focused on political and economic change in Arab countries, particularly Egypt, as well as U.S. policy in the Middle East.
- Islamic Institutions in Arab States: Mapping the Dynamics of Control, Co-option, and ContentionResearch
- From Hardware to Holism: Rebalancing America’s Security Engagement With Arab StatesResearch
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Robert Springborg, Emile Hokayem, Becca Wasser, …
Recent Work
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.
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