National Security is Everyone's Business

April 20th, 2024 | 6:52 AM ET

What Are Protests in the Middle East Signaling?

Posted: November 4th, 2019

By Norman T. Roule

Norman T. Roule is a geopolitical and energy consultant who served for 34 years in the Central Intelligence Agency, managing numerous programs relating to Iran and the Middle East. He served as the National Intelligence Manager for Iran (NIM-I) at the ODNI from 2008 until 2017. As NIM-I, he was the principal Intelligence Community (IC) official responsible for overseeing all aspects of national intelligence policy and activities related to Iran, to include IC engagement on Iran issues with senior policymakers in the National Security Council and the Department of State.

Protesters came out in support of Lebanese President Michel Aoun on Sunday but they were followed by anti-government protesters who have been calling for a change in the ruling class.   Prime Minister Saad Hariri stepped down last week under pressure from protesters.

Meanwhile, there is growing unrest in Baghdad as protesters there blocked one of the capital’s main traffic routes, also demanding changes in government.  Iraqi President Barham Saleh has said that Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi will step down if there is cooperation on finding his replacement.  

“The Cipher Brief has become the most popular outlet for former intelligence officers; no media outlet is even a close second to The Cipher Brief in terms of the number of articles published by formers.” —Sept. 2018, Studies in Intelligence, Vol. 62

Access all of The Cipher Brief’s national security-focused expert insight by becoming a Cipher Brief Subscriber+ Member.

Subscriber+

Categorized as:Hezbollah Iran Iraq Middle East national securityTagged with:

Related Articles

Israel Strikes Iran

BOTTOM LINE UP FRONT – Less than one week after Iran’s attack against Israel, Israel struck Iran early on Friday, hitting a military air base […] More

April 19th, 2024 by The Cipher Brief

Search

Close