Five Years In: The Legacy of the Arab Spring

The Shirazi Foundation attended an event hosted by the Wilson Center titled “Five Years In: The Legacy of the Arab Spring”. An expert panel offered its assessments on whether ISIS is different from other terrorist organization because it wants to establish itself as a government and as its own independent structure and a rule base order. Experts suggest that across the board that it is seen that it has been a breakdown in the legitimacy of the state while they search for new ways to gain legitimacy but has failed.  Experts posed the question does sectarianism define the divide?.  Panelist suggested that it will take 50 years to rebuild the country, and that the effects of the conflict will lead to the next generation of youth in the areas affected by violence being illiterate as a result of no access to schools and education.