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Policy Implications of the Arab Spring

(BICOM) Michael Herzog - The most important developments of the "Arab Spring" include: the growing importance of the Arab street; the rising power of political Islam; the emergence of Salafists and militant Jihadists; the heating up of sectarian, ethnic, religious and tribal fault lines which cross national borders; the increase of fractured, weakened, dysfunctional or failed states; and the negative impact on non-Muslim communities. While the regional upheaval has demonstrated the limits of Western influence, the U.S., UK and other Western powers still have military, economic and political leverage, which if used correctly could tilt the balance in the crises with Iran and Syria, direct Islamist governments away from undermining Western interests, and help strengthen Western allies. Brig.-Gen. (ret.) Michael Herzog, a fellow of The Washington Institute for Near East Policy, served as chief of staff to Israel's minister of defense.
2012-11-16 00:00:00
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