All Policy Analysis by Muhammad Mansour

As many anticipated, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s January 10 speech in Cairo focused on three main themes: the Trump administration’s unconditional support for Israel, an emphasis on decisively confronting Iran, and the continued intention to combat the Islamic State (IS) and radical Islamism. Pompeo presented these themes in

On the early days of October, the Libyan National Army (LNA) raided a residential property in the city of Derna, successfully capturing fugitive Egyptian militant Hisham al-Ashmawy, who has operated as a tactical leader for both Ansar Beit al-Maqdis and its offshoot Al-Mourabitoun. Almost immediately after the news of the

On the shore of Nice’s Promenade des Anglais, where July’s Bastille Day attack killed 85 people, a photograph of a woman removing a layer of clothes with French police officers standing over her went viral. The image exposed the irony of a country that classifies itself as a “secular” republic

Lone wolf attacks are inevitable, but U.S. and Western reactions will determine whether the jihadist group succeeds in its long-term goal of turning its hatred into a culture war legitimized by the other side.

There is no denying Egypt’s current state of public discontent, stemming from deteriorating living conditions and a state of frustration over the repressive policies of the Sisi government. Today’s Egyptian citizen has lost the most basic guarantees of freedom, justice, and human dignity. The brutality of the security state awaits

There is no doubt that Saudi Arabia is now wary—as are the rest of the Arab countries—of something like the Arab spring breaking out in the region. As a result, Saudi Arabia under the leadership of King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud is keen to distract attention away from internal

December 10, 2015 Political reform, in nearly every country on earth, relies on three principles. The first is that a powerful state can impose its influence on the country it rules and force the entirety of its people to submit to the laws it issues. Secondly, and in contrast to

November 4, 2015 The Egyptian pundit Ahmed Moussa, one of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s most prominent and passionate supporters, has recently become the target of a great deal of both local and international mockery. During a recent episode of his television program, Moussa displayed a video ostensibly showing Russian airstrikes

October 16, 2015 A year after the American-led international coalition against the Islamic State (ISIS) began its airstrikes in Syria and over 7,000 attacks later, U.S. President Barack Obama has come to realize that the air campaign in Syria will not achieve any of the coalition’s objectives. The new Russian

August 13, 2015 In a majestic display, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has inaugurated his first large-scale project as president: a new branch of the Suez Canal, known as “the new Suez Canal.” Although the Muslim Brotherhood and much of the Western media are skeptical about the project’s benefits, with

July 16, 2015 When terrorists assassinated Prosecutor-General Hisham Barakat, this successful, high profile attack demonstrated that Egyptian terrorist activity could begin favoring political assassinations in densely populated cities. President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has acknowledged this threat and increased security in Egypt, which helped Egyptian forces successfully defeat the recent terrorist

May 1, 2015 The recent decision to deliver F-16 fighter jets, Harpoon missiles, and spare parts for M1A1 Abrams tanks to Egypt puts to rest doubts concerning the Obama administration’s support for President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi. Despite the deterioration in bilateral ties over the past two years, the strategic relationship

February 5, 2015 The fourth anniversary of the January 25 revolution quickly turned bloody as security forces killed at least eighteen people across Egypt, including Cairo. Violence has spread across the country, especially following the Rabaa al-Adawiyya massacre in August 2013, and President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi’s government has cracked down

Despite the large number of high-profile Arab officials who marched in France’s unity rally to condemn the recent terrorist attacks in Paris, their participation was in fact more about politics than supporting freedom of expression. Many of these countries are themselves cracking down on citizens and placing severe limits on

January 29, 2015 Despite the large number of high-profile Arab officials who marched in France’s unity rally to condemn the recent terrorist attacks in Paris, their participation was in fact more about politics than supporting freedom of expression. Many of these countries are themselves cracking down on citizens and placing