The military may wish to maintain its economic and political stranglehold, the Brotherhood may feel its time has come, and progressive groups may want to push for real change. But for the time being the Egyptian people remain an enigma.
The GCC deal presents possibly the most realistic short term resolution to the Yemeni quagmire. It lessens the chance of civil war that would set Yemen back by decades. Nevertheless, it does not meet the demands of the vast majority of those who started the revolution.
The incompetence of Iraq's central governance is fuelling demands for the formation by local provinces of self-governing regions. But such a course is most unlikely to solve the core problems Iraqis are facing, says Zaid Al-Ali.
As the desire to overthrow Assad grows, the opposition has begun to consider armed conflict. A Syrian journalist warns that resorting to violence will only satisfy the thirst of a few. It is the quickest route to defeat, and likely to lead to civil war.
The lack of both security and cooperation is an enduring malady in the Middle East. Can global civil society apply itself to a solution?
Fred Halliday has been vindicated in his long battle with the LSE over taking Gaddafi money. But the underlying reason - corporate and government pressure on the university is not addressed by the Woolf Report into the scandal.
SCAF’s leaders do not have the mechanisms necessary to tighten their grip on power: a coherent ideology, a political organization, and a platform for modernization. That is why military rule in Egypt will not ultimately prevail.
Much of the recent coverage of the Tunisian elections focused on how the Ennahda Islamist party topped the polls. In fact, the real victory went to the election process.
What are the main social dynamics of the waves of revolt in the Arab world in 2011? Jean-Pierre Filiu, scholar and author of "The Arab Revolution: Ten Lessons from the Democratic Uprising", discusses the question with Paul Hockenos.
The Arab awakening of 2011 raises hope of an end to the torture and other human-rights violations that have long been endemic in Arab states. But it will be a tough legacy to overcome, says Vicken Cheterian.
Libyans are seeking to reclaim their society and the decisions they make today on how to provide justice for past violations and deal with corrupt former-regime officials will define the new system that is being developed. The involvement of international actors may be a double-edged sword.
