Evolution of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula
In order to improve security and stability in Yemen, U.S. policy should focus on addressing the systemic sources of instability in the country.
experts
Christopher Boucek
Associate, Middle East Program
about
November 4, 2011
Dear Friend,
I write to share the sad and shocking news that our colleague and friend Chris Boucek died of a heart attack on November 2 at home.
Chris joined the Carnegie Endowment’s Middle East program near the outset of his career. He not only met but far exceeded our expectations. As those of you who know his work appreciate, he made a big impact in many communities in the Middle East and in the US. In a very short time, he built up a unique body of expertise on Islamic extremism in the Arabian Peninsula and the Sahel. He had recently returned from Yemen, full of thoughtful analysis on where the region was heading. From academia to the military, his insights and advice were in wide demand. He was also a sparklingly nice human being, of quiet warmth and humor who leaves a very big hole behind. We will miss him deeply: he was an admired colleague and a great friend.
We invite you to contribute your thoughts and memories of Chris to a book we are preparing for his family. If you would like to contribute a comment, please click on the image above. Your note will be included in the book.
A memorial education fund for Chris's young daughters has been established, and gifts can be sent to:
College of America
c/o Raymond James & Associates, Inc.,
Attention: M.S. McCormick
550 West Washington Street, Suite 1050
Chicago, Illinois
60661
In Sadness,
Jessica Mathews
Christopher Boucek was an associate in the Carnegie Middle East Program where his research focused on security challenges in the Arabian Peninsula and Northern Africa. He was a leading authority on disengagement and rehabilitation programs for Islamist militants and extremists and a recognized expert on terrorism, security, and stability issues in Saudi Arabia and Yemen.
He frequently briefed U.S. and European governments and government agencies on terrorism, Islamist militancy, and security issues in the Arabian Peninsula, and regularly provided expert analysis for domestic and international media.
His research projects included clerical politics in Saudi Arabia and the confluence of challenges to Yemeni stability. He provided expert testimony before the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the House Armed Services Committee.
Before joining the Carnegie Endowment, he was a postdoctoral researcher at Princeton University and lecturer in Politics at the Woodrow Wilson School. He was also previously a media analyst at the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Washington, D.C., and worked for several years at the Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies in London. From 2003 to 2005, he was a security editor with Jane’s Information Group.
Boucek had written widely on the Middle East, terrorism, and counter-radicalization for a variety of publications including the Washington Post, International Herald Tribune, Independent, Christian Science Monitor, Foreign Policy, Atlantic Monthly, Jane’s Intelligence Review, Journal of Libyan Studies, Strategic Insights, and Terrorism Monitor.
affiliations
education
Ph.D. and M.A., School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London; B.A., Drew UniversityAll work from Christopher Boucek
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126 Results
Yemen After Saleh’s Return and Awlaki’s Exit
While recent U.S. drone strikes in Yemen have been successful, Washington can’t rely on a remote control to defeat terrorism. Improving governance and the lives of Yemenis will do more to reduce violence than drones ever will.
· October 27, 2011
Rivals—Iran vs. Saudi Arabia
The Arab awakening is changing fronts in the proxy battles between Saudi Arabia and Iran as the two rivals vie for greater influence in a new Middle East.
· September 20, 2011
Amid Renewed Violence in Yemen, It's Unclear Who is in Charge
Yemen continues to face political uncertainty and escalating violence, and it remains unclear who is in charge and what steps need to be taken to achieve a stable transition of power.
Ten Years After 9/11: Managing U.S.-Saudi Relations
September 12, 2011
Ten years after the September 11 attacks caused tensions between the United States and Saudi Arabia, the two countries are facing a crisis of relations in the wake of the Arab Spring.
- +5
- Marina Ottaway,
- Christopher Boucek,
- Marwan Muasher,
- Abdulaziz Sager,
- Mustapha Alani,
- Gregory Gause,
- Chas Freeman,
- Christian Koch
Terrorism Out of Saudi Arabia
Washington and Riyadh have enjoyed a successful relationship in combating global terror and Saudi Arabia is remarkably effective in containing the terrorist threat—but if the country loses focus on this priority, terrorism could come back with a vengeance.
· September 12, 2011
Carnegie Guide to the Saudi Eleven
The Carnegie Endowment offers a first-of-its-kind interactive site to explore the people, places, and organizations that impacted the lives of eleven prominent Saudi terrorists known as the “Saudi Eleven.”
· September 7, 2011
Yemen’s Challenges Demand a Balanced Approach
Washington must do more to address underlying sources of instability—a collapsing economy, rampant corruption, unemployment, and resource depletion—if Yemen is to avoid becoming a failed state.
Yemen in Crisis
Until Yemen is able to address its confluence of crises, including poor governance, rampant corruption, major security concerns, unemployment, and a lack of desperately needed resources, terrorists operating in the country will continue to pose a threat to the international community.
U.S.-Saudi Relations in the Shadow of the Arab Spring
Tensions between the United States and Saudi Arabia are seemingly on the rise as protests continue to roil the Arab world. Some fear that an unfriendly relationship with Riyadh will damage Washington’s interests in the region.
· June 21, 2011
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