Middle East and North Africa

How Mass Atrocities End: An Evidence-Based Counter-Narrative

January 31, 2012 by Alex de Waal, Jens Meierhenrich, and Bridget Conley-Zilkic
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By returning to the historical record of how mass atrocities end, this essay examines three crucial narrative frameworks that inform today’s agenda of “protection of civilians” in conflict. The evidentiary record of actual cases of mass atrocity demonstrates a broad range of forces—local, national, and regional—that contribute to ending atrocities. Based on comparative evidence, the authors provide a counter narrative to how mass atrocities end and the dominant civilian protection agenda.

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An Interview with Alec Ross, State Department Senior Advisor for Innovation

December 3, 2011 by Meghan Healy Luecke
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Alec Ross joined the State Department in April 2009 after coordinating hundreds of policy advisers for the Obama campaign. This month, he spoke with us about his job, the limitations of new media tools for governance, and how the Arab Spring is changing 21st century statecraft.

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Beyond the Burka

December 2, 2011 by Lisa De Bode
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Saudi women’s vote is the result of a decade-long battle for political participation. Contrary to Western perception, they waged this battle unfettered by the burka.

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Transformative Force: How Counterterrorism Lessons Built a More Efficient US Military

December 2, 2011 by Colonel William B. Ostlund

Counterterrorism forces in Iraq and Afghanistan facilitated modernization of the U.S. military’s approach to combat through improving interagency coordination.

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Iran’s Plot to Assassinate the Saudi Ambassador: Rhetoric or Reality?

December 2, 2011 by Artin Afkhami

There is no question that the Obama administration’s allegations regarding an Iranian plot to assassinate the Saudi Ambassador to America have aroused international concern. But experts continue to debate the veracity of the plot itself.

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Unplugging a Nation: State Media Strategy During Egypt’s January 25 Uprising

May 15, 2011 by Alexandra Dunn

During the uprising that began on January 25, 2011, the Egyptian government instituted a widespread shutdown of communication tools in an effort to quarantine dissent. Alexandra Dunn explores the Egyptian regime’s recalibration of what constituted a threatening media sphere. She argues that its crackdown alienated the business community, disproportionately impacted apolitical citizens, and inadvertently increased international focus on the crisis.

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Osama bin Laden Is Dead, But Nothing Really Changes

May 2, 2011 by Rizwan Ladha

Tonight, at 11:35pm EST on a Sunday evening, President Obama announced that Osama bin Laden is now dead, thanks to U.S. action taken within Pakistan. This is a tremendous breakthrough in America’s self-proclaimed “war on terror,” and certainly newsworthy. More importantly, it is a rare but special moment of justice for all of the families [...]

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