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Moqtada al-Sadr’s decision to support Nouri al-Maliki’s quest for a second term as Iraqi prime minister has given new impetus to negotiations over the formation of a new government but it has not solved any of the underlying obstacles preventing the creation of a politically viable government.
While regime supporters claim that the public is against the idea of international monitoring, there is growing support from opposition movements and broad sectors of the Egyptian public in favor of international electoral monitors as a safeguard against election fraud.
Corruption in Yemen is contributing to the rapid deterioration of the country’s stability and security situation, with potentially dramatic repercussions for neighboring states, the region, and the international community.
The Obama administration is trying to avoid a complete collapse of the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, which are faltering over the expiration of the settlement moratorium.
Egypt is an important ally for the United States and the country’s upcoming parliamentary elections in November and presidential election in the fall of 2011 could have broad implications for the bilateral relationship and U.S. interests in the region.
While no historical analogy is perfect, analysts looking to understand Iran’s character and predict its future trajectory can benefit from comparing the Islamic Republic to the Soviet Union.
Ten years ago, the USS Cole was bombed off the coast of Yemen. Since then, the situation in Yemen has deteriorated. Washington must take a balanced approach and rely on both short-term counterterrorism operations and long-term development assistance.
Yemen is a nearly perfect haven for terrorists like al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula and the West must respond to the threat they pose, but an exclusive focus on counterterrorism will only increase the risk for the United States.
The Sadrists' endorsement of Nouri al-Maliki has placed him one step closer to retaining his post as prime minister, yet political wrangling and negotiating have escalated between all major Iraqi parties and a new Iraqi government may not be formed any time soon.
The Egyptian parliamentary elections in 2010 and the presidential succession question offer a valuable opportunity to understand the regime’s preferences on striking a balance between stability and the urgent need for reform.