Democracy Lab Weekly Brief, June 23, 2014

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Christian Caryl laments the destruction of a unique Christian culture in northern Iraq.

Askold Krushelnycky reports from the front lines of a Ukrainian army victory over pro-Russian separatists.

Mohamed Eljarh warns that the U.S. arrest of a Libyan terrorist could trigger an anti-western backlash.

Peter Salisbury explains why a fuel crisis in Yemen has some there yearning for the old regime.

Lincoln Mitchell and Alexander Cooley find that the West has yet to learn from its mistakes in Crimea.

Juan Nagel profiles Rafael Ramírez, the man in charge of Venezuela’s economy.

And now for this week’s recommended reads:

In The New Republic, Mark Lilla explains why the dogma of democracy doesn’t always make the world better. Writing for The National Interest, John Allen Gay contends that the values underpinning American democracy are eroding.

Radio Free Europe/ Radio Liberty’s Malali Bashir reports on Afghan hopes that the West will continue to support democracy in the country even after the United States withdraws its forces.

CogitAsia looks at Burma’s democratic transition by the numbers. (In the photo above, refugees from Burma’s conflict-ridden Shan state rehearse for a U.N. performance for World Refugee Day.)

Christopher Walker, writing for The Washington Post, tracks how authoritarian regimes are working together to limit the spread of democracy. A new Freedom House report blames Russia for the decline of democracy across Eurasia.

In a profile for the Atlantic Council, Tik Root and Peter Salisbury examine Jamal Benomar, the man behind Yemen’s dialogue process.

An International Court for Transitional Justice briefing argues that Kenya failed to adequately address sexual and gender-based violence in its post-conflict resolution process.

The National Endowment for Democracy interviews human rights activist Charles Mangongera on Zimbabwe’s entrenched military and its impact on democratic reform.

And in the New York Times, Anne-Marie Slaughter urges the United States to intervene in Syria as well as taking military action in Iraq.