Isobel Coleman argues that the rise of Islamist groups in North Africa may threaten women's rights, but women's participation in the economy and in political movements has set them down a path that will be difficult to reverse.

Weak governance and radical jihadists are at the heart of Mali's crisis, says CFR's John Campbell, who cautions that any intervention should focus on humanitarian aid and diplomacy, not the security threat.

As Israel's governing coalition collapses, Syria unravels and a deal to halt Iran's nuclear program remains elusive. CFR's Elliott Abrams discusses the mood in Israel.

In the wake of Egypt's tightly contested presidential election, this CFR Issue Guide provides expert analysis and essential background on the country's evolving political situation as the civilian leadership faces a growing power struggle with the military.

Ed Husain argues, "Russia should see that unless Assad gives way, the opposition will become more radicalized and increasingly jihadi."

Steven A. Cook says Mohamed Morsi's victory in Egypt's presidential election puts Islamists in control an office that was once the exclusive province of the military, but asks whether Sunday's Tahrir Square celebration was premature.

Joshua Kurlantzick says that after five decades of brutal military rule, Myanmar has been slowly shifting in the direction of legitimate democratic governance, but many serious obstacles still have to be overcome.

Ed Husain argues that Egypt is not a country with a military, but a military with a country.

Ray Takeyh argues that Saudi Arabia may seem to be an island of stability in a tumultuous region, but it has problems that must not be ignored.

Steven A. Cook says that regardless of whether the June 17 decree by Egypt's Supreme Council of the Armed Forces was in fact a military coup, precedent in Turkey in Algeria shows that officers' interests are safeguarded, and society as a whole will pay.

Democratic revolutionaries always confront the same problem: how to replace the old order without replicating its flaws. A new biography of the French revolutionary Maximilien Robespierre's reveals that today's radicals might learn from Robespierre's failure to resolve that dilemma.

Steven A. Cook says that as Hosni Mubarak lies on his deathbed, he leaves behind a broken Egypt.

Isobel Coleman argues that the dissolution of parliament and the upholding of Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq's candidacy for presidency have immediately strengthened the hand of the "old guard" at the expense of the Islamists in Egypt.

The conflict in Syria is less about democratic reforms and more about redistributing power along sectarian and ethnic lines--with troubling regional implications, says expert Vali Nasr.

Activist and advocate Chen Guangcheng discusses his personal journey, human rights, and the rule of law in China.

The weekend massacre near Houla that has galvanized international outrage may spark a stronger Russian stand against the Assad regime, says Syria expert Mona Yacoubian.

Joshua Kurlantzick says, "... Thailand, once a poster child for democratization in the developing world, has undergone perhaps the most rapid and severest democratic regression in the entire world."

Benjamin Netanyahu's agreement with the Kadima Party reflects a public more concerned about economic and social issues than whether to strike Iran, says CFR's Robert M. Danin.

Victoria Taylor discusses Tunisians' attempts to reconcile the role of religion in what had been a staunchly secular society.

Robert McMahon says that after breathtaking expansion of their freedoms, the media now reflect the unsteady advance of democracy in the Middle East.