Sep 20
Change is never easy, and an editorial in yesterday’s New York Times speaks to how difficult change can be– especially within newly-emerging democracies throughout the Middle East and in North Africa. The editorial describes the current anti-American protests as a “convenient fuse for rage,” when in reality the violence is a symptomatic of deeper problems …
Jul 03
Last week we wrote about a session at the Aspen Ideas Festival that discussed the role the Western world plays in the Arab Spring; in particular with the Syrian conflict (from which more horrific news seems to emerge every day.) In today’s penultimate session at Aspen, a panel discussed the role women play in the struggle …
Jun 28
Since the beginning of the Arab Spring, we’ve seen the fall of dictatorships in Tunisia, Egypt, Yemen and Libya, along with protests of varying degrees in virtually every other Middle Eastern country. Aside from NATO’s intervention in Libya, the Western world has largely sat back and watched as these events unfolded. But meanwhile in Syria, …
Feb 24
The 24-hour news cycle has given us unprecedented access to the Arab Spring protests in North Africa and in the Middle East, with journalists reporting virtually live from the front lines of protests and conflict. The tragic deaths of Marie Colvin (pictured) and Remi Ochlik earlier this week in the besieged Syrian city of Homs remind us of …
Oct 27
Of all the observers of the Arab Spring, none have monitored the current events more closely than Israel. The remarkable upheaval throughout the Middle East could dramatically change Israeli diplomacy and push the country toward reigniting the stalled peace process. Michael Oren, the Israeli Ambassador to the United States, believes that while dramatic changes are …
Sep 16
When street vendor Mohamed Bouazizi’s self-immolation on December 18, 2010, sparked a wave of protests in the North African country of Tunisia, it eventually toppled the 23-year reign of Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. At the time, few suspected that such an act of defiance would ignite democratic political change throughout the Arab …
Jul 02
With popular uprisings boiling over across the Muslim world, how does emerging democracy impact the Middle East’s political process? How does Israel fit into the picture? Before turning to his interviewing duties, Thomas L. Friedman, foreign affairs columnist for The New York Times, kicked off Aspen Ideas Festival’s July 1st event “Israel, the ‘Arab Spring,’ …