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.

On bloggingheads.tv, Steven Cook and Slate's Eric Umansky discuss Arab-Israeli Conflict, Egypt, and democratization in the Middle East.

This Council Special Report makes the case that Turkey's strategic importance to the United States is greater than ever, and that a major effort needs to be undertaken to renew and revitalize the relationship.

Steven Cook, CFR's Douglas Dillon Fellow, discusses the troublesome state of U.S. relations with Turkey and suggests a diplomatic approach for repairing ties with the critical ally.

Steven Cook says Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' call for a two-state negotiated solution was "a shrewd move" becuase it puts pressure on the Hamas-led PA government, but also serves to constrain Israel's actions.

There was never any doubt that Hosni Mubarak would win Egypt's presidential election. But look a little further down the road, and you just might see a refreshingly uncertain path for Egyptian politics.

A Council-sponsored Task Force argues that the United States should support the evolutionary development of democracy consistently throughout the Middle East. It points out that a strategy to promote democracy entails inherent risks, but that "the denial of freedom carries much more significant long-term dangers." This report is also available in Arabic.