Top Issues
- Afghanistan
- Arab Spring
- Global War on Terror
- Iran - Energy
- Iran - Human Rights
- Israel
- Palestinian Politics
- Radicalization
- Syria
- United Nations
FDD Bookstore
The Wave: Man, God, and the Ballot Box in the Middle East
The promise of democracy for Muslims offers something historically unparalleled. Where Islamist groups once dreamed of revolution, quietly developed paramilitary cells, and assassinated their secular opponents, mainstream Islamist groups today see elections as a means for society to maintain akhlaq; the mores that define good Muslims.
Learn MoreAnalysis & Commentary - Emanuele Ottolenghi
From Tehran to Tahrir Square: Is Freedom Really Sweeping the Middle East?
At the start of the Arab Spring in early 2011, Western nations around the world held their breath and hoped that the chaotic uprisings on the streets of Egypt and neighbouring countries would herald democracy in the Middle East. It’s been a year since the movement began and much has changed – or has it? Real and robust democracy has a long way to go before becoming commonplace in the Middle East. What is really happening behind the scenes and away from the news cameras? And how can the West help this transition? more...
Common Threats, Different Approaches
Israel, the EU and the U.S. confront the challenge of a nuclear Iran more...
The Pasdaran: Inside Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps
The Army of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution (Sepah-e Pasdaran-e Enqelab-e Eslami) is more commonly known as Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), or the Pasadran. Sworn by an oath of loyalty to Iran's Supreme Leader, the IRGC is the regime's Praetorian Guard, the custodian of its nuclear program, and now a juggernaut in Iran's economy. more...
Iran: The Looming Crisis
Since Iran's illicit nuclear program was first exposed to a stunned world in 2002, Tehran has defied the international community and continued to pursue its nuclear goals. What drives this seemingly apocalyptic quest? Are Iran's aims rational or not? And will the latest sanctions against Iran that were approved by the UN Security Council in June 2010 have any significant effect? more...