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.
By shuffling existing high ranking members of its national security team to cover the departure of the Secretary of Defense, the Obama administration maintains continuity, but risks creating a circle of insiders.
Three months into the Arab Spring and after the fall of the presidents of Tunisia and Egypt, protests continue across the Middle East and North Africa and the region remains in a state of flux.
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.
Although Yemen’s President Saleh has indicated a willingness to step down, the situation in Yemen remains unstable. Many protesters feel their demands are still not being met, even as al-Qaeda expands its presence in the country and Yemen’s economy continues to fail.
The revolution in Egypt continues, with protesters expressing their determination to take down key figures with connections to the old regime.
An orderly transition of power in Yemen that avoids creating a vacuum with the departure of President Saleh is critical in order to meet the demands of the protesters and maintain stability in the country.
The revolutions sweeping across the Middle East and North Africa are changing the relationship of people to their governments, with ramifications that could potentially be felt across the world.
Inconsistent U.S. pressure on the Mubarak regime to enact democratic reforms likely increased the perception among the Egyptian people that the United States did not support them.
Yemen’s President Saleh has indicated that he is ready to relinquish power. It is important that the United States, its European partners, and Saudi Arabia assist Yemen during its critical transition period.