Middle East Notes and Comment: Enlisting "B" Students

Intrastate turmoil and interstate tension have dominated Middle Eastern headlines for more than two years, but the underlying strategic challenges facing the region have not changed. The problem comes down to people.

A human capital problem is shared throughout the Middle East, but it has particular relevance to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, where the promise of economic progress has been central to state authority.

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Jon B. Alterman
Senior Vice President, Zbigniew Brzezinski Chair in Global Security and Geostrategy, and Director, Middle East Program