Transatlantic Security, Terrorism, and the Middle East

By mid-2011, U.S. officials were confident that they had finally turned the tide against al-Qaeda. Two years later, the optimism has faded. Contrary to the hopes and expectations of many officials, the uprisings of early 2011 have failed to transform Arab dictatorships into liberal democracies. Cynics might argue that the turmoil that has resulted from the Arab Spring is good news for the West. For the first time in decades, the "Muslim world" is preoccupied with itself, having turned...
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By mid-2011, U.S. officials were confident that they had finally turned the tide against al-Qaeda. Two years later, the optimism has faded. Contrary to the hopes and expectations of many officials, the uprisings of early 2011 have failed to transform Arab dictatorships into liberal democracies. Cynics might argue that the turmoil that has resulted from the Arab Spring is good news for the West. For the first time in decades, the "Muslim world" is preoccupied with itself, having turned toward domestic power struggles rather than seeking to blame "Zionists and Crusaders." Western countries should make it their priority to promote stability and support whatever institutions are most likely to be reliable sources of authority.