December 2008

Iraq: Are We There Yet?
by Judith S. Yaphe
“Iraq’s long-term chances for survival will be easier to predict when we see how Iraqis navigate their way through the crises of the coming months. . . .”

The Roots of Failure in Afghanistan
by Thomas Barfield
“Improving the situation in Afghanistan remains as much a political and economic task as a military one.”

After Mubarak, Mubarak?
by Samer Shehata
“Whoever follows Mubarak will inevitably be weaker and less experienced than the man who has ruled the country for more than a quarter century.”

Iran in Search of Itself
by Mahmood Sariolghalam
“The intertwined sources of Iranians’ identity—Iranian nationalism, Islam, and Westernization—remain an uncomfortable mix.”

Women in the Middle East: Progress and Backlash
by Nikki R. Keddie
“Throughout the region, recent advances in family planning, women’s health, and female education and labor force participation have led to greater and more equal participation by women in national life.”

Perspective: A Mideast Nuclear Chain Reaction?
by Joseph Cirincione
A nuclear arms race has broken out in the Middle East, with potentially catastrophic implications. The incoming US president will need to persuade Iran not to build a bomb.

Book Reviews: Rethinking Iraq and the Region
by William W. Finan Jr.
New books conclude, among other things, that the Iraq War strengthened America's enemies, suicide bombings are likely to spread, and democracy promotion still matters.

The Month In Review
by the editors of Current History
October 2008

Map of The Middle East
by the editors of Current History
Map of The Middle East