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.

CFR experts assess the causes for the U.S.-Israeli divisions over the settlements issue, citing everything from diplomatic bungling to Obama administration aims to destabilize the Israeli coalition.

Steven A. Cook comments on the successes of the Bush administration's policies on Syria, Iran, and democracy in the Middle East.

A U.S. House panel's vote recognizing the 1915 deaths of ethnic Armenians as genocide could rupture U.S. ties with Ankara and set back Turkey's own effort to confront its past, writes CFR's Steven Cook.

The government's expanding investigation into an alleged Turkish military plot to seize power exposes the military's declining influence as democracy gains in the country, writes CFR's Steven Cook.

New strains in the Israeli-Turkish relationship stem from Turkey's concerns over conditions in Gaza and sloppy diplomacy on both sides, says CFR's Steven A. Cook.

Despite improved bilateral ties between the U.S. and Turkey, there are still significant differences that need to be managed when Prime Minister Erdogan visits the White House, writes CFR's Steven Cook.

Steven Cook asks if Palestinian leadership is going to use violence against Israel as a means to strengthen domestic support and gain a political advantage.

Steven Cook discusses the political instability in Turkey and its implications for peace in the Middle East.

CFR's Steven A. Cook says it was significant that President Barack Obama was pressing for "permanent status negotiations" between Israel and Palestine and not another interim accord, but adds that "the conditions on the ground don't lend themselves to progress."

CFR Mideast expert Steven A. Cook says Egypt and the United States have moved to end their estrangement but haven't made much progress in advancing Arab-Israeli peace.

Egypt is now entering a period of political transition with the expectation that President Hosni Mubarak's almost twenty-eight-year tenure will shortly come to an end. This Center for Preventive Action Contingency Planning Memorandum assesses the possibility of a troubled leadership succession or an Islamist push for political power, the implications for the United States, and policy steps the U.S. government might take depending on what it determines as its broader policy objectives in Egypt.

Steven A. Cook explores the question, "Why haven't the Israelis attacked Iran's nuclear facilities?"

CFR Mideast expert Steven A. Cook says President Obama's Cairo speech effectively addressed issues at the core of U.S.-Muslim tensions. But sustaining a constructive dialogue will be a challenge, he says.

CFR Middle East expert Steven A. Cook says President Obama's trip to Saudi Arabia and Egypt will attempt to bring new energy to resolving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, and is likely to deliver a message on democracy in the Muslim world.

Steven A. Cook says, "Spending money on democracy promotion in Egypt only made matters worse."

Steven A. Cook discusses President Obama's speech in Cairo.

CFR Middle East expert Steven A. Cook says President Obama and Prime Minister Netanyahu wanted to project "a friendly partnership" in their White House meeting, but remain divided on a two-state solution and how to confront Iran.

Steven A. Cook examines the decline in popular support for Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan's Justice and Development Party.

CFR Senior Fellow Steven A. Cook argues that in an era of diminished resources for the United States, Turkey can play a critical and constructive role in the Middle East.

Steven A. Cook, a Middle East expert, examines what a new Israeli government might mean for the country's political leaders and the regional peace process.