2012-05-24T14:57:13Z Copyright (c) 2012, The RAND Corporation RAND Corporation http://www.rand.org/topics/north-africa.html http://www.rand.org/multimedia/audio/2012/05/15/egyptian-elections.html May 15, 2012 May 15, 2012

RAND expert Jeffrey Martini speaks on the upcoming Egyptian presidential election and offers insights on the various presidential candidates, Egyptian and global reactions to the candidates, and the possible implications of an undefined constitution for the candidate that will be elected.

http://www.rand.org/commentary/2012/04/19/FA.html Apr 19, 2012 Apr 19, 2012

Just as before the disqualifications, the fundamental decision voters face is about the scope and nature of the change Egypt will undergo in the coming years. And there are still candidates representing almost every position on that spectrum, writes Jeffrey Martini.

http://www.rand.org/commentary/2012/02/25/IHT.html Feb 24, 2012 Feb 24, 2012

While NATO countries and allies like Jordan and Qatar have started to train and equip the security forces, there is more that outsiders can do to help, writes Frederic Wehrey.

http://www.rand.org/commentary/2012/02/14/USNEWS.html Feb 14, 2012 Feb 14, 2012

If the Syrian opposition clearly asks for American help, if the rest of the Arab world supports such a military intervention, and if America's European allies prove ready to join in—and indeed lead—such an effort, the United States should contribute those military assets which only it can provide, writes James Dobbins.

http://www.rand.org/commentary/2011/12/20/GS.html Dec 20, 2011 Dec 20, 2011

The Arab Spring demonstrated that leaderless revolutions are difficult to repress or co-opt. Unfortunately, it is also true that leaderless revolts find it difficult to make transition to authority, writes Charles Ries.

http://www.rand.org/pubs/technical_reports/TR1163.html Nov 30, 2011 Nov 30, 2011

This report explores the impact of information and communication technologies in the Middle East and North Africa region. It provides a series of analyses and inputs to the World Bank that intended to help frame their thinking about ICT use in MENA.

http://www.rand.org/commentary/2011/10/20/CNN.html Oct 20, 2011 Oct 20, 2011

The days and weeks after a victory like this are a golden hour that set in motion either a virtuous cycle of increasing security and economic growth, or a downward spiral into insecurity, factionalism and economic chaos, write Christopher S. Chivvis and Frederic Wehrey.

http://www.rand.org/pubs/corporate_pubs/CP22-2011-09.html Sep 1, 2011 Sep 1, 2011

The 10th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks warrants a thoughtful review of America's progress and future strategy. In this <em>RAND Review</em> cover story, RAND experts offer perspectives on Afghan-led solutions, ways to counter al Qaeda, air passenger security, and compensation for those affected by terrorism.

http://www.rand.org/commentary/2011/08/25/FA.html Aug 25, 2011 Aug 25, 2011

The SCAF's attempts to curtail dissent and the democratic process have fueled doubts about its true intentions. Will the military fulfill its promise to support democracy? Or will it seek to replace Mubarak's rule with its own or that of a friendly autocrat? write Jeffrey Martini and Julie Taylor.

http://www.rand.org/commentary/2011/08/23/FA.html Aug 23, 2011 Aug 23, 2011

If Libya is to have a chance of replacing Qaddafi with something better, the United States, its allies, and the rest of the international community will need to pivot very quickly from the rather straightforward requirements of war fighting to taking seriously the complex and demanding tasks of peace building, write James Dobbins and Frederic Wehrey.

http://www.rand.org/commentary/2011/05/25/GS.html May 25, 2011 May 25, 2011

Given how markets are responding thus far, Osama Bin Laden's death is likely to have a modestly positive and buoyant effect on equity markets, writes Charles Wolf, Jr.

http://www.rand.org/commentary/2011/05/19/CNN.html May 19, 2011 May 19, 2011

Assisting Arab democratic transitions will not eliminate religious extremism. But successful transitions would directly challenge the jihadist brands that promote attacks on America, writes Julie Taylor.

http://www.rand.org/pubs/technical_reports/TR912.html May 12, 2011 May 12, 2011

An assessment of likely demographic and economic challenges in the Arab world through 2020&mdash;such as population growth rates and continued global oil production&mdash;provides a better-informed platform on which to build U.S. defense planning and policy.

http://www.rand.org/commentary/2011/05/09/CSM.html May 9, 2011 May 9, 2011

The unanswered question is just what will endure in the Arab world: comparatively peaceful demonstrations leading to regime change, or brutal tactics by authoritarian regimes to crush dissent and cling to power, writes John Parachini.

http://www.rand.org/commentary/2011/05/03/CQGR.html May 3, 2011 May 3, 2011

If some measure of democracy does result, the elected governments likely will reflect the popular antipathy that the "Arab street" has for both the United States and Israel, writes David Aaron.

http://www.rand.org/commentary/2011/04/30/WP.html Apr 30, 2011 Apr 30, 2011

In many cases, idealism and realism conflict, as evidenced by U.S. military interventions over the past four decades, writes Harold Brown.

http://www.rand.org/commentary/2011/04/25/CNN.html Apr 25, 2011 Apr 25, 2011

The countries in a possible "second wave" of Arab revolutions have dim prospects for consolidated democracies. Other than tribes, Libya essentially has no civil society, and it has a long-isolated educated class. Yemen has civil society organizations but fewer well-educated individuals, writes Julie Taylor.

http://www.rand.org/commentary/2011/04/13/CSM.html Apr 13, 2011 Apr 13, 2011

The long-term objective of a train-and-equip program for the Libyan revolutionary government would be to create a professional military force in a post-Qaddafi Libya that could support democratic institutions free of extremist elements, writes Angel Rabasa.

http://www.rand.org/commentary/2011/04/10/EA.html Apr 10, 2011 Apr 10, 2011

What has been happening in North Africa this year, in what seems to be the leading edge of a great wind of change sweeping the Arab world, will require the Europeans (along with the U.S. and others) to be deeply and durably engaged there &mdash; economically, politically and in humanitarian terms, writes Robert E. Hunter.

http://www.rand.org/commentary/2011/04/04/CNN.html Apr 4, 2011 Apr 4, 2011

Pushing the European allies, especially Britain and France, to take more responsibility in managing crises would reduce the costs and burdens on the United States while providing an incentive for the Europeans to take defense more seriously, writes F. Stephen Larrabee.