Writing in the New York Times, Helene Cooper and Steven Lee Myers argue that the rebels' seizure of Tripoli signifies "a key victory for an Obama doctrine for the Middle East." It would be hasty to speculate on how this "Libya model" could be transferred to other conflicts such as Syria, and yet administration officials view the U.S. coordinated approach on pressuring the Syrian regime as an indication that the ...

Deputy Secretary of State William J. Burns led the U.S. delegation to the Libya Contact Group meeting in Turkey today. State Department Spokesperson Victoria Nuland said the meeting "was characterized by an upbeat spirit and recognition of what our combined efforts have helped to achieve." Separately, Burns met with Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu to discuss a variety of issues. Commenting at the talks, Burns called on the TNC to live up to ...

Writing in Foreign Affairs, James Dobbins and Frederic Wehrey discuss the prospects for post-Muammar Gadhafi nation-building. A successful transition will necessitate ensuring security, creating representative institutions, stimulating the economy, and tempering expectations. The authors conclude that the Libyan people must "translate the euphoria of their recent gains into patience and steadfastness in the months and years ahead," while the U.S. and international community "must apply the lessons of past reconstruction ...

The United Nations Human Rights Council opened an emergency session on Syria yesterday, with the support of Saudi Arabia and Jordan. The council passed a resolution ordering an investigation into the human rights violations in Syria, and called for an immediate end to the violence. The resolution was opposed by China, Russia, and Cuba. And a statement on the Chinese Foreign Ministry website on Tuesday criticized foreign pressure on Syria. State Department ...

Reuters speculates that the recent success of rebel forces in Libya could embolden opposition in Syria and inspire a stronger international response. And in the New York Times, Anthony Shadid describes Syria as the emerging "front line of the Arab revolts." Given the chain of events in Libya, "the arithmetic of the region seems to be betting against authoritarian rule that fails to reform." Yet Syrian activists remain cautious of drawing too many ...

Writing in Foreign Policy, James Traub discusses the skepticism of some scholars regarding the Arab uprisings, and asserts that the "Arab Spring is likely to produce better outcomes for Arab peoples." New regimes will be more democratic, accountable, and liberal than previous regimes. Traub identifies two main reasons for skepticism. First, for those who believe the enthusiasm of the uprisings is over-exaggerated, Traub counters that the U.S. has long supported those who seek freedom ...

Andrew Tabler recommends that the U.S. lead in strengthening multilateral pressures on the Syrian regime, the E.U. implement oil sanctions to deprive the regime of a vital source of income, the U.S. continue to support the valuable work of Ambassador Robert Ford, and the Senate immediately confirm his nomination. In contrast, Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) described the new sanctions as  "long overdue," and called for Ford's immediate withdrawal from Damascus. Writing in Foreign Policy, Josh Rogin ...

Writing in Foreign Policy, Josh Rogin speculates on why, despite indications last week that President Barack Obama would to call for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to step down, Obama has failed to do so. Rather, the U.S. administration is now arguing that a firm call from the U.S. for Assad to leave would make little difference. Providing analysis from various scholars and drawing on information from officials, Rogin demonstrates how ...

Speaking at the National Defense University today, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton defended the administration's "smart power" approach of building international coalitions rather than acting unilaterally or using brute force. Clinton argued that having the U.S. call for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to step down would be ineffective, but when regional powers such as Turkey or Saudi Arabia call for his ouster, "there is no way the Assad regime can ignore it." In contrast, Michael ...

A feature in Foreign Affairs details how attempts to repatriate laundered assets by deposed Arab regimes has "highlighted the inadequacy of current international efforts against corruption." Drawing from Switzerland's new law to maintain its reputation as a haven for legitimate financial assets, the author argues that "the United States and its allies should capitalize on such reputational sensitivities by promoting mutually enforced anticorruption standards and exposing those countries that fail to ...

Marc Lynch defends the U.S. administration's restrained condemnation of the Assad regime, arguing that empty rhetoric and politicizing international institutions would be counterproductive. Specifically, he claims that calling for Syrian President Bashar al Assad's ouster without the means to do so will undermine U.S. credibility; and that enthusiasm over using the International Atomic Energy Agency or the Special Tribunal for Lebanon is misled. He proposes that "the Obama administration should continue to ...

David Schenker and Andrew Tabler of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy argue that to force President Bashar al-Assad to step down, the U.S. should work with its allies to increase economic pressure on Syria, further the regime's international isolation, and support domestic opposition.  Economically, the U.S. should target the oil industry on which the regime depends, target businesses supportive of the regime to encourage elite defections, and increase unilateral sanctions. To ...

State Department Spokesman Mark Toner reacted to escalating violence in Syria, including the use of helicopter gunships on protesters, saying "what continues to occur is absolutely revolting, and we condemn these barbaric acts in the strongest possible terms." He said that the U.S. still supports a Security Council resolution, but is not waiting on one to take diplomatic action against Syria, citing a variety of avenues available. His remarks fell ...

Writing for the Huffington Post, Benjamin R. Barber argues that "in place of the old Pan-Arabic movement what is needed is a new pan-democratic movement." Despite Western optimism regarding the Arab Spring, "little of the hard patient foundational work on civil society, education and citizenship necessary to creating a working democracy has been done." To address this issue, and to move away from a focus on "NATO war plans or ...