US President Barack Obama stood at a White House podium, echoing the pride of the Egyptian people's call for freedom in a speech on Feb. 11, 2011, the same day that former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak finally relinquished power. In his remarks, Obama told the world, "The United States will continue to be a friend and partner to Egypt. We stand ready to provide whatever assistance is necessary--and asked for--to pursue a credible transition to a democracy."

Libya’s political isolation law is flawed at best and leaves significant room for improvement. The current draft lists 36 categories of individuals deemed unfit for political office given their ties to the previous regime. Category number 14, for example, includes anyone who “assumed the position of administrative manager, ambassador, or general secretary for [embassies] abroad,” a provision that would disqualify Mohamed Magariaf, the current General National Congress (GNC) president.

Frederic C. Hof, senior fellow with the Hariri Middle East Center, recently wrote "Syria: From Objective to Strategy" for the Hariri Center's Viewpoint. The Washington Post's editorial board mentioned Hof's piece in a recent column

Ali Laarayedh, the prime minister–designate of Tunisia, will enter a more partisan political climate than did his predecessor in December 2011. Hamadi Jebali, the outgoing prime minister, was known to be conciliatory and an avoider of conflict. He took office in the afterglow of democratic elections, in a coalition between Ennahda (his own moderate Islamic party) and two secular parties. Fourteen months later, after the assassination of opposition leader Chokri Belaid, Tunisian politics are significantly more partisan.

After 23 months of fighting, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's grip on power is increasingly tenuous. Fearing its greatest ally could be ousted, Iran has reportedly begun forming large sectarian militias in Syria to bolster the regime in the short term, and also to preserve its influence should Assad be overthrown.

President Barack Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry have chosen wisely to visit the Middle East early in Mr. Obama's second term, but when they go, will they have anything new to say? U.S. interests are at significant risk as the region continues to undergo profound changes and instability, and Arab and European allies are asking for greater U.S. engagement and leadership.

NPR’s Michele Kelemen reports ahead of Secretary of State John Kerry’s first overseas tour, Frederic C. Hof, senior fellow with the Hariri Middle East Center, comments on the US envoy’s scheduled talks with Syrian opposition leaders and the chances for a diplomatic solution to the Syria crisis.

Nancy Messieh, the associate director of the Hariri Center for the Middle East and editor of EgyptSource, published an op-ed in Egypt Independent on the fallout from the assasination of Tunisian opposition leader Chokri Belaid.

The objective of US policy for Syria should be a Syria fundamentally inclined to cooperate with the United States in the region and beyond, as discussed in a previous commentary. Achieving this objective would involve seven conditions: elimination of the Assad regime; its replacement by a non-sectarian government of citizenship and civil society, one governing the entire country; a total break with the nefarious practices of Iran and Hezbollah; a complete end to terrorism as a tool of state; commitment to comprehensive Middle East peace and nonviolence in the pursuit of Syrian objectives; respect for the independence and territorial integrity of all neighbors; and openness to ridding Syria of weapons of mass destruction.

Senior fellow at the Rafik Hariri Middle East Center, Frederic C. Hof speaks to BBC World News about the future of US policy in Syria, and his recommendation for a constructive US role in the conflict.