Since the start of the political uprisings in the Middle East, regimes have fallen in Egypt and Tunisia. Meanwhile, Yemen, Syria, Bahrain and Libya continue their struggles to unseat dictators and bring about democratic change. And throughout it all, the voice of al-Qaida – and more importantly, its leader, Osama bin Laden – has been relatively silent. The question now remains, will the death of bin Laden at the hands of American forces continue to spur democratic movements or could it fuel terrorist organizations to stand in the way of change in the Middle East? We talk with Shadi Hamid, director of research at the Brookings Doha Center, for analysis.
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