Entries by M. Zuhdi Jasser

U.S. Push for Democracy in Middle East Going Through Slow Phase

President Bush has urged the broader Middle East countries to embrace democracy and free elections. Several months ago, there was optimism about that policy. But now, some analysts say, the political rise of Islamists, the inability of Iraqi factions to agree on a new government, and concerns about Iran’s influence in the region may have taken the pressure off Middle Eastern rulers to institute democratic reforms.