Ed Husain discusses his recent meetings with the royal family and oppositionists in Bahrain.

Isobel Coleman says the Egyptian elections are a roller coaster, and what the role of Islam will be in a new Egypt is uncertain.

Richard N. Haass says that seemingly different nations with elections and political transitions in the coming months possess common internal challenges–a loss of economic and physical autonomy, the diffusion of information technology, and slower growth against a backdrop of larger and older populations–that will make more difficult the task of generating global consensus on how to meet threats beyond borders.

Joshua Kurlantzick warns that while investors may look on Burma as a potential emerging market, they should be aware that Burma has experienced periods of short-lived openness before.

Elliott Abrams says the Egyptian presidential race is a frightful mess.

Ray Takeyh says that for now the Islamic Republic endures, but beneath the facade of order and stability the clerical state continues to face a deep crisis of legitimacy.

Gayle Tzemach Lemmon says a battle is on to keep Afghan women from falling off the political agenda while Washington and its NATO allies seek a diplomatic solution to America's longest-ever war, and the fight becomes more urgent as the NATO summit in Chicago approaches.

Isobel Coleman, Ed Husain, and Michael Willis discuss the relationship between Islam and politics following the Arab uprisings, including how Islam affects women's and minority rights, democracy, and secularism.

This session was part of a CFR symposium, Implications of the Arab Uprisings, which was made possible by the generous support of Rita E. Hauser, and organized in cooperation with University of Oxford's St. Antony's College.

Ed Husain says former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan deserves applause for brokering a ceasefire in a conflict where others have failed, but the conflict in Syria is far from over, and this is only a new beginning.

Jerome A. Cohen discusses Bo Xilai, criminal justice, and China's leadership.

The government of the brittle, one-party state remains dug in against a determined but fractured opposition. Expert Joshua Landis discusses the fault lines in the Syria uprising.

Gayle Tzemach Lemmon argues that any peace agreement in Afghanistan that leaves out Afghan women will simply be a short-term deal, not a durable peace.

Elliott Abrams says the politicizing of intelligence on Syria is part of the Obama administration's continuing defense of its failure to help the Syrian opposition and is a misuse of the intelligence community.

John Campbell says that as oil-rich Nigeria continues to suffer from decades-long dysfunctional governance and tensions between the Christian South and the Muslim North are rising, Nigeria is in need of creative American diplomacy.

Elliott Abrams says that mixed messages from Washington ultimately leave the Syrian opposition to fend for themselves.

Throughout 2011, a rhythmic chant echoed across the Arab lands: "The people want to topple the regime."

Meghan L. O'Sullivan argues, "...the [United states] should work with its Western and Arab allies to craft a coordinated strategy that, alongside sanctions, is aimed at turning the Syrian resistance into a viable alternative to Assad--and uses the prospect of military support as an incentive for doing so"

Steven A. Cook says that to avoid the traps of their history, Egyptians must be committed to a new constitution and an independent parliament.

Ed Husain says military options in Syria would do much more harm than good.

Ed Husain argues that it is impossible to tell whether Bashar al-Assad's time is running out, but containing--not fanning--the current conflict in Syria is in everybody's interests.