On February 28, Dr. Tamara Wittes, Director of the Brookings Institution`s Saban Center for Middle East Policy, gave a talk at Georgia Tech presented by the Sam Nunn School of International Affairs Center for International Strategy, Technology, and Policy (CISTP) and the General Ray Davis Memorial Fund.  View video > (75 minutes)

During the exciting period of the Arab Spring and the hopes that it brought for democratic transitions, Dr. Wittes was Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs (2009-2012) and was Deputy Special Coordinator for Middle East Transitions (2009-2012).

Dr. Wittes opened her talk at Georgia Tech by pointing out the reality that 1/3 of Egyptians are under thirty and many are unemployed. If they are unemployed, they can`t move out of their parent`s house, can`t get married, can`t even date, and are at great risk for drug addiction. At the same time, Egyptians are exposed to new media, by which Wittes emphasized not only means social media like Facebook, but even more importantly satellite TV. There is immense pressure for change, but this does not mean that the victors are committed to democracy or equality.

For years, the US has had a Middle East strategy based on ensuring the flow of oil and preventing war between Arab countries and Israel. Dr. Wittes now argues we are forced to move beyond this old strategy and must create a coalition of cooperative ties to support the transition to democracy in the Middle East. The risks are high. Citizens under new democratic institutions that cannot deliver will lose faith in politics and will "whisper about other ways to get things done."

Dr. Wittes concluded her talk by arguing that though there is much pressure for the U.S. and the President to close the door on the Middle East, there are many reasons to keep the door open.

After her talk, Dr. Wittes met with a group of students from the Sam Nunn School of International Affairs who are considering careers at the Department of State. From her interactions with the students it was obvious that Dr. Wittes believes strongly that you can make a difference in Washington, DC.

Now at the Brookings Institution, Dr. Wittes is both trying to provide realistic insights into the major difficulties that many of the countries in the Middle East face, while at the same time trying to convince the US government to make a concerted effort to continue to engage Middle Eastern countries like Egypt. On February 26, 2013, Dr. Wittes testified before the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Subcommittee on Middle East and North Africa about "Egypt Two Years After the Revolution: Where Egypt Stands, What the United States Can Do" This excellent testimony is available at:  http://www.brookings.edu/research/testimony/2013/02/26-middle-east-north-africa-wittes.