A sweeping account of Egypt in the modern era: what Egypt is, what it stands for, and its relation to the world.

Experts from the Council on Foreign Relations and the Saban Center at the Brookings Institution propose a new, nonpartisan Middle East strategy drawing on the lessons of past failures to address both the short- and long-term challenges to U.S. interests.

A critical examination of how the legacies of military control in Egypt, Algeria, and Turkey affect political development in these countries, highlighting the often-overlooked difficulties of promoting democratic change in military-dominated political systems.

Steven A. Cook warns that as violence worsens in Libya, Bahrain, Yemen, and Syria, dreams of a democratic Middle East may be more of a nightmare in the short run.

Steven A. Cook argues that Egypt's youth groups must unite and participate in building a new Egypt, in order not to waste their efforts over the past two months.

Egypt's constitutional referendum passed in the country's fairest polls in decades, but concern persists over the ability of non-democratic forces to gain the advantage in the next parliamentary and presidential elections, says CFR's Steven Cook.

Steven A. Cook argues, "Obama must resist the urge to help Egyptian democrats - unless they demand it."

The military leadership now running Egypt emerged from two weeks of anti-government protests with its reputation intact, but it has yet to prove commitment to the reforms demanded by the public, writes CFR's Steven Cook.

Egypt's protests put it on the threshold of dramatic change but a range of factors, including the role of the military, will have a critical bearing on the outcome of the crisis, says CFR's Steven Cook.

Steven A. Cook says the United States, in the wake of the uprisings in Egypt, must accomodate itself to the realities of a changed Middle East and not try to change it.

Steven A. Cook comments on what the protests in Egypt can achieve.

Steven A. Cook analyzes the Tunisian military's next steps in the wake of the uprising.

Military and popular support for Tunisian President Ben Ali's departure from power could mean pressure on new leadership for reform, and could also lead to modest concessions to reform in Egypt and elsewhere, says CFR's Steven Cook.

The recent bombing of a Coptic Church in Egypt underscores deep sectarian tensions and reflects the need for a more open and tolerant society, says CFR's Steven Cook, but Egypt's government would rather ignore underlying political causes.

Egypt's parliamentary elections played out in a predictable, marred pattern and may presage a time of instability, writes CFR's Steven Cook.

Steven A. Cook discusses whether Egypt can continue to have an influential role on the politics of the Middle East and beyond.

The win by Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan's party in the referendum on constitutional changes could improve Turkish democracy, says CFR's Steven A. Cook, but fuels concerns about whether it augurs a more religiously oriented political environment.

Lisa Anderson, Steven A. Cook, and Michele Dunne examine Egypt's political future in a post-Mubarak world.

Turkey's rise as a regional and economic power with its own set of interests, along with anger toward Israel about the Gaza flotilla incident, explains much of the chilling in Turkey's relationships with Israel and the United States, says CFR's Steven Cook.

Steven A. Cook says that after six decades of strategic cooperation, Turkey and the United States are becoming strategic competitors.

Israel's response to a humanitarian aid flotilla off Gaza marked another setback for U.S.-Turkish relations and could complicate the latest U.S.-brokered Mideast peace talks, says CFR's Steven Cook.

The"proximity talks" being conducted between Israelis and Palestinians probably won't lead to a final status agreement, say CFR experts Elliot Abrams and Steven A. Cook, but they could lead to the framework for a Palestinian state on the West Bank.

Summary

The return of Mohamed El Baradei to Egypt has raised questions about the country's political system and the rule of President Hosni Mubarak. Is reform possible, and if so, is El Baradei the man to lead it?