ROME — The world was not prepared for the turmoil that followed when citizens in Arab countries launched an unprecedented uprising for freedom and democracy. At the beginning, many countries acted in an improvised and uncoordinated way.  Later on, a coalition led the reaction against Ghaddafi’s excesses in Libya with the UN. The United States, [...]

Read the full story

On March 28th, President Obama addressed the American public to explain Operation Odyssey Dawn—the ongoing military campaign in Libya—and shed some light on what pundits have termed the “Obama Doctrine.” But the speech was at times ambiguous and confusing: calling for the ouster of Moammar Gaddafi but stating that this was not the objective of [...]

Read the full story

WASHINGTON — As the debate intensifies on the sustainability of the intervention in Libya as a transatlantic effort, there is a country that should feel a particular responsibility for the success of the mission and use all its resources to influence the outcome — Italy. As Libya’s largest European trading partner, Italy has the most [...]

Read the full story

WASHINGTON — The middle of a budget battle is a heck of a time for a foreign crisis.  The United States now finds itself in the midst of defining moments both domestically, with debates playing out on the future of government spending, and internationally, with the rapidly unfolding revolutions in the Middle East.  The repercussions [...]

Read the full story

Even if Muammar Qaddafi manages to hold on to power in Tripoli—and this looks unlikely—there will be no going back to the old order in Libya or the region.

Read the full story

WASHINGTON – With all the focus on democracy and despots, the rising price of food is being overlooked as a trigger in the uprisings in North Africa and the Middle East. Food prices are at an all-time high, and while the impacts are hardly felt in the United States and Europe, where basic commodities are [...]

Read the full story

WASHINGTON — Once again, European and American policymakers are surprised by a sweeping popular uprising. The outcomes and implications of what is currently happening in Tunisia, Egypt, Jordan, Yemen, Algeria, Syria, and other countries of the Middle East are far from clear, and the circumstances in all the affected countries are different.  But the surprise [...]

Read the full story

WASHINGTON, DC — On January 14, Tunisia’s President Zine al-Abadine Ben Ali fled Tunis for Saudi Arabia, bringing to an end 23 years of repressive, authoritarian leadership. He leaves behind a scene delicately poised between democratic change and chaos. An interim government, led by Prime Minister Muhammad Ghannouchi, faces an uncertain future. The “jasmine revolution,” [...]

Read the full story