May 16, 2011
"As of early 2010, we assessed that al-Qaeda was at its weakest point since 2001. The successful assault on bin Laden's compound is a strong blow and important milestone on the way to al Qaeda's strategic defeat. But al Qaeda suffers additional fundamental challenges: The Arab Spring narrative presents al-Qaeda with a potent ideological challenge. For its entire existence, al-Qaeda's message has been that violence is the only path forward. It has never had an affirmative program - it could not have been further removed from and relevant to those who came to Tahrir Square in January." Tom Donilon, National Security Adviser to the President, remarks to the Washington Institute for Near East Policy's annual dinner, May 12, 2011.
Subscribe to Middle East Progress Alerts
Support Middle East Progress
In-Depth Coverage
Original Commentaries
- 12/02/11
- Discussion With Tunisia’s Rachid Ghannouchi —
- 12/02/11
- Debating Military Action Against Iran —
- 12/02/11
- Terms Of Disengagement —
Setting the Record Straight
Determined to Reach a Common Objective
“We knew at the outset that the task would be difficult. We acknowledged that publicly and privately. We knew this would be a road with many bumps— and there have been many bumps—and that continues to this day. But we are not deterred. We are, to the contrary, determined more than ever to proceed to realize the common objective, which we all share, of a Middle East that is at peace with security and prosperity for the people of Israel, for Palestinians, and for all the people in the region. We will continue our efforts in that regard, undeterred and undaunted by the difficulties, the complexities or the bumps in the road.”—George Mitchell, special envoy for Middle East peace, remarks with Prime Minister Netanyahu, September 29, 2010Middle East Analysis
- Don’t Panic. Yet —Issandr El Amrani (The Arabist)
- The Islamists vs. The Markets: Egypt’s Election Analyzed —Haroon Moghul (Religion Dispatches)
- What the Libya Intervention Achieved —Marc Lynch (Foreign Policy)
Upcoming Events
The U.S. Agency for International Development and Conflict: Hard Lessons from the Field
May 17, 2011, 12:00pm – 1:15pm
From Afghanistan and Iraq to Pakistan, Somalia, and South Sudan, the U.S. Agency for International Development, or USAID, is engaged daily in trying to help some of the most troubled nations on the planet make a lasting transition to stability, open markets, and democracy. Few areas of the agency’s work are more challenging or more controversial.
Join us for remarks by, and a roundtable with, the deputy administrator of USAID, Ambassador