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It is important to view the new Egyptian constitution as a political document—a product of specific circumstances that will not merely shape a future set of circumstances but also function within them.
The current political crisis in Egypt reflects a real struggle for power between the Muslim Brotherhood and other Islamist parties and secular opposition parties.
The establishment of lasting security in Libya will hinge on an effective and inclusive constitution process that clearly delineates local and central powers.
Furthering the cause of democracy in the Middle East requires realistic, pragmatic U.S. leadership to encourage reform and promote the development of civil society in the region.
The confrontation between Islamist and secular parties is the most dangerous crisis in Egypt’s unhappy political transition. The battle for control will not lead to democracy.
Egyptians will not find a path forward unless their leaders find within themselves an intention to resolve their differences through compromise. The constitutional process is badly broken, but it can still be repaired.
Egypt is a country where those with gavels are often more powerful than those with guns and contestants speak in legal language.
Given the tumultuous and mutable dynamic in the Middle East, the United States must set reasonable expectations on how it can influence change in the region.
Constitutions are supposed to constitute political authority, but in Egypt, political authorities are helping draft the constitution from which they will draw their own future authority.
However damaging the violence and shrill the rhetoric, the current round of fighting between Gaza and Israel is likely to be anything but decisive. The most likely outcome is a return to something like the status quo ante.