The uprisings and ensuing political changes taking place throughout the Middle East and North Africa are reshaping the political and social landscape of the region. As this environment evolves, the United States Marine Corps, as the Nation's force in readiness, must stay current on the emerging realities in the Middle East to ensure they stand ready to respond to the Nation's needs. The wave of uprisings which began in December of 2010 in Tunisia, now generally referred to as the Arab...
More DescriptionThe uprisings and ensuing political changes taking place throughout the Middle East and North Africa are reshaping the political and social landscape of the region. As this environment evolves, the United States Marine Corps, as the Nation's force in readiness, must stay current on the emerging realities in the Middle East to ensure they stand ready to respond to the Nation's needs. The wave of uprisings which began in December of 2010 in Tunisia, now generally referred to as the Arab Spring or Arab Revolts, has had varied results throughout the region and mixed responses from the international community. Not only has the rule of long-standing regimes been challenged, but also the relationships of leaders throughout the region and beyond have been redefined.Because of continuing U.S. force deployments in the Middle East and U.S. military presence in the Gulf region for the foreseeable future, there is a need to broaden the Marine Corps' understanding of the events taking place throughout the region as well as of the impact these changes will have on U.S. policy and Marine Corps planning for future operations. To support this, Middle East Studies at Marine Corps University (MES) dedicated its 2011-2012 Lecture Series to exploring the opportunities and challenges that the Arab Revolts present to the United States, the region, and the international community