There is an old joke in the Middle East that goes like this: One of Hosni Mubarak's advisers finally gets the courage to say, "Mr. President, maybe it's time to think about your farewell address to the Egyptian people." Mubarak looks at the adviser and asks, "Why? Where are they going?" In reality, Mubarak got the message loud and clear.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called on Wednesday for "bolstering Israel's might" in response to the turmoil unfolding in Egypt, while at the same time seeking to pursue peace efforts with the Palestinians.

President Ali Abdullah Saleh, moving to head off the kind of unrest roiling Egypt and Tunisia, announced Wednesday that he would not run for office when his term ends in 2013 or anoint his son as his successor.

In Egypt - as well as Tunisia, Sudan, Yemen and elsewhere - change is unfolding very rapidly. The reactions of the USA, EU, UN, and have positioned the international community well behind the curve. Developments on the ground have outpaced responses by a wide margin.

This is one of those rare, defining moments in world history. In Egypt - as well as Tunisia, Sudan, Yemen and elsewhere - change is unfolding at almost blinding speed. The reactions of the USA, EU, and UN so far have succeeded mainly in positioning the international community well behind the curve, scrambling to catch up. Developments on the ground continue to outpace responses by a wide margin.

Wellbeing in Egypt and Tunisia decreased significantly over the past few years, even as GDP increased. In Egypt, where demonstrations have prompted President Hosni Mubarak to give up power after elections this fall, the percentage of people "thriving" fell by 18 percentage points since 2005.

The massive, exhilarating protests in Egypt, Tunisia and Yemen mark a sea change for the better in the Arab world. But the implications of the uprisings for women in these countries have not yet been fully analyzed. All of the countries currently experiencing upheaval have made significant progress for women...

It's time to think the unthinkable: Saudi Arabia and other oil-rich Persian Gulf states may be next in line to confront widespread popular discontent. As a wave of mass protests sweeps the Arab world, shaking the regime of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak to the core, rumblings of popular restlessness are bubbling to the surface in the Gulf.