By way of explanation

My super-awesome (and paid) internship plans for this summer fell by the wayside, and it's looking more and more like I'll be relying on temp office work and manual labor (?!) to keep me in ramen noodles and ethnic textiles for the Bailey House living room come fall. So in the interest of keeping my Arabic skills sharp and the ol' wheels in the brain turning, I'll be posting (probably far too much) about the same types of things I would've been grappling with in my internship.
If you've been living under a rock, you may have missed the revolutionary fervor sweeping through the Middle East and North Africa since the beginning of the year. Already dictators have fallen in Tunisia and Egypt (possibly Yemen, more on that later today), and violent demonstrations continue in Syria and Libya. My boss at the golf course used to insist we say "opportunity" instead of "problem" (i.e. "We have an opportunity: the scoreboard fell on Becky and I can't get it off of her"). So, in that spirit, these regime changes and potential regime changes present the US and our allies with many "opportunities." Among these are the fact that the US supported many of these deposed dictators for years (gee, how embarrassing), and that some fear militant Islamist groups may rocket to power as the regimes that have kept them in check fall.
I hope to examine these and more "opportunities" in the future. This is, of course from the perspective of American political interests. But I also think it's important to look at the events in the Middle East from the perspective of the people who live there--with their history, culture, and aspirations in mind. I have often been led to wonder if it's possible to fashion US foreign policy such that both American and local interests are served, or if the two are hopelessly at odds. If interests are at odds, does our government have the right or responsibility to put our needs above the rights of the local populace? (For example, is it right for our government to lobby to keep a corrupt autocrat in power because we feel we can trust him to undermine Islamist goals, even though the regime might be trampling on the rights of its citizens?)
Finally, a few disclaimers. As much as I'd like to elevate myself, I'm still a student. I'm going to make mistakes, and I welcome (polite) correction. I am also aware that I can't possibly keep apace of everything going on in every Middle Eastern country. I will likely focus most on Syria, Jordan, and the Palestinian territories, because that is where my personal interests lie, although Yemen and Egypt will probably also figure prominently. Similarly, the bulk of my foreign policy analysis will revolve around US foreign policy, although Germany has been getting itself a few headlines recently, and some other NATO allies will no doubt make an appearance. Lastly, I am aware of my own bias and those of (most) of my sources. Again, constructive criticisms or corrections are welcome.
Phew!