Jeffrey Martini

Since the 2011 revolution in Egypt, the Muslim Brotherhood has emerged as a key political player. Although individuals under the age of 35 make up a large share of the membership, the group's strict hierarchy has led to disaffection among its youth. These members merit attention not only as a challenge to the Brotherhood's organizational cohesion, but as a potential conduit for expanding U. S. engagement with the group.

Daunting challenges lie ahead for Arab countries where revolutions have upended longstanding authoritarian regimes. These unexpected events created new uncertainties in a troubled region: Would the Arab Spring lead to a flowering of democracy? Would loosening of the political systems in these countries unleash dangerous forces of extremism or ethno-sectarian conflict? Would new autocrats replace the old ones? Through a comparative analysis of past democratization experiences over nearly four decades and a detailed look at recent uprisings in the Arab world, this volume explores the conditions and decisions that are most likely to influence whether democratization will succeed in Arab countries undergoing political transitions. It also identifies the main challenges to democracy in these countries, analyzes how other countries have made similar transitions, and suggests what the United States and the international community can do to help strengthen fledgling democracies in the Arab world.

As Iran's nuclear program evolves, U. S. decisionmakers will confront a series of critical policy choices involving complex considerations and policy trade-offs. These policy choices could involve dissuading Iran from developing nuclear weapons; deterring Iran from using its nuclear weapons, if it were to acquire them; and, reassuring U. S. regional partners. The U. S. Air Force will need to prepare to carry out whatever policies are chosen.

Regardless of its outcome, the Iraq War has had a transformative effect on the Middle East. To equip U. S. policymakers to better manage the war's long-term consequences, the authors analyzed its effects on the regional balance of power, local perceptions of U. S. credibility, the domestic stability of neighboring states, and trends in terrorism after conducting extensive interviews in the region and drawing from an array of local media sources.

Iran is one of the most important U. S. foreign policy concerns but is extraordinarily difficult to engage. The authors assess current political, ethnic, demographic, and economic trends and vulnerabilities in Iran, then offer recommendations on U. S. policies that might foster the trends beneficial to U. S. interests. However, if these trends do take root in Iran, seeing them come to fruition will take time and, therefore, patience. Because Iran's current regime is entrenched, U. S. policies should focus on long-run changes in Iran by cultivating favorable political, demographic, and economic trends.