Leslie H. Gelb discusses the elections in Egypt and why the United States can't predict, let alone control, events in the Mideast.

Steven A. Cook says the military junta in Cairo has done a dismal job ruling Egypt, and now it's paying the price.

Mark Lagon argues that President Obama's approach to foreign affairs suggests that
 while the president may be for “soft power,” he is not so sure about America's moral authority to project it.

Joshua Kurlantzick says that while many look to Indonesia as a model for the Middle East's current transition to democracy, the outcome in the Middle East may be quite different.

Leslie H. Gelb argues that the United States must be more consistent in its stance toward the uprisings in Egypt.

Leslie H. Gelb argues that as the United States reviews its policy toward Cairo, officials should think hard about fostering a Mubarak-led transition rather than one led by protesters.

Joel D. Hirst says recent uprisings in the Arab world present a mixed blessing for the United States and its efforts toward democracy promotion.

Leslie H. Gelb says U.S. support for the protesters in Egypt risks an important ally in the Arab world.

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

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

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

Outside of a humanitarian crisis—such as a famine or a natural disaster—it is hard to make the case that any country deserves another's economic support. To paraphrase Britain's Lord Palmerston, countries do not have permanent friends, only permanent interests.

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The Egyptian uprising presents a rare opportunity for the United States to resolve the tension between its strategic priorities in the Middle East and its desire to support democratic change in the region. Washington's past approach to aiding Egypt was based on relations with authoritarian leaders who could be counted on to advance the United States' interests. With the fall of Hosni Mubarak and Egyptian efforts to build a more open political system, a policy based on "authoritarian stability" is no longer possible, and the United States is now forced to alter the way it appropriates and distributes bilateral assistance.

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Ed Husain hosts Bernard Haykel in a discussion of the convergences and divergences in Gulf governments' policies toward the Arab Spring, both domestically and regionally.

Listen to CFR senior fellows Isobel Coleman and Steven A. Cook as they Egypt's future.

Egyptians headed to the polls Monday in the first parliamentary elections since the ouster of former president Hosni Mubarak amid deepening divisions in society and concern about the nation's direction. Join CFR senior fellow Ed Husain, who is currently in Cairo, for an analysis of the elections and the path ahead. Also, follow Husain on Twitter: @Ed_Husain.

CFR's Steven A. Cook discusses his book The Struggle for Egypt: From Nasser to Tahrir Square with students.

CFR Senior Fellow Steven Cook and Foundation for Defense Democracies Research Fellow Tony Badran discuss the increasing violence and political change sweeping the region with Foreign Affairs Editor Gideon Rose. Cook and Badran have authored articles in the recently released eBook New Arab Revolt, published by CFR and Foreign Affairs.