Foundation for Defense of Democracies

Throughout 2011, dramatic and unforeseen revolutions swept across the Middle East and North Africa, from Tunisia and Egypt to Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Libya, and Syria. The Foundation for Defense of Democracies employs some of the foremost experts on these political transformations, with perspectives from inside government and intelligence agencies.

Throughout 2011, dramatic and unforeseen revolutions swept across the Middle East and North Africa, from Tunisia and Egypt to Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Libya, and Syria. The Foundation for Defense of Democracies employs some of the foremost experts on these political transformations, with perspectives from inside government and intelligence agencies.

FDD senior fellow Khairi Abaza is a former senior official in Egypt’s secular liberal Wafd party, and represents the fifth generation of liberal reformers in his family. He travels regularly to Egypt, on which he has written in the National Interest, Foreign Policy, the Los Angeles Times, and the Financial Times.

In addition, FDD research fellow Tony Badran writes regularly on Syrian and Lebanese politics for Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, and other publications of note, following the developments in those countries in the Arab press, and with his own sources in the region.

FDD Event:

The Arab Revolts: Can Liberals Compete?

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FDD Chairman R. James Woolsey served as U.S. Director of Central Intelligence from 1993 to 1995, in which capacity he followed Washington’s relations with Arab states from a front-row seat.

Senior fellow John Hannah served from 2005 to 2009 as senior foreign policy to Vice President Dick Cheney, in which capacity he worked closely with all arms of the U.S. executive branch and governments across the Arab world.

And FDD also employs senior fellow Reuel Marc Gerecht, a former CIA senior operative specializing in Middle East affairs, who has traveled widely in the region, and writes regularly for the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Washington Post.