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MENASource

Dec 10, 2014

The Morsi Leaks: Not Much of a Scandal

By Khaled Dawoud

The Egyptian government spent much of this week denying the authenticity of a series of leaked alleged conversations between senior military aides. According to the leaks, official records were tampered with to show that former president Mohamed Morsi was not illegally imprisoned after his removal by the army on July 3, 2013. They allege that […]

MENASource

Dec 10, 2014

EconSource: Iraq Economy to Shrink 0.5 Percent in 2014

By EconSource

According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Iraq’s oil-dominated economy is expected to shrink 0.5 percent this year, a significantly smaller contraction than the 2.7 percent fall forecast two months ago. While the first forecast was attributed to the oil production drop caused by the Islamic State insurgency, the renewed figures reflect recent higher figures […]

MENASource

Dec 10, 2014

Reading Saudi Tea Leaves in Yemen

By Danya Greenfield and Owen Daniels

The international press reported on December 4 that Saudi Arabia had suspended most financial aid to Yemen as a result of the Houthi movement’s ongoing occupation of Sana’a. As the most overt Saudi policy move in Yemen since the northern Houthis captured the capital in mid-September, it set off a chain of worrying political and […]

Saudi Arabia Yemen

MENASource

Dec 9, 2014

Top News: UN to Include Rival Government in Postponed Libya Peace Talks

By MENASource

The United Nations will widen a new round of negotiations by including the rival General National Congress (GNC) based in Tripoli, Special Representative Bernardino Leon said on Monday. After the first unsuccessful round of talks held in September, a second round was meant to begin on Tuesday but is postponed until the beginning of next […]

MENASource

Dec 9, 2014

Top News: Egypt’s State Council Approves “Terrorist Entities” Draft Law

By EgyptSource

Egypt’s State Council on Monday approved the draft law on “terrorist entities,” which would allow for the dissolution of these entities and ending their activities.

MENASource

Dec 9, 2014

EconSource: Libya’s Budget Income Falls Sharply; Tobruk Struggles to Exert Influence Over Central Bank

By EconSource

Libya’s central bank said the country’s budget income fell to around $15 billion in the period from January to November from $45 billion a year before, blaming the situation on the 40 percent fall in oil prices since June and the state’s inability to collect customs duties. Expenditure in the period was $30 billion.

MENASource

Dec 8, 2014

What King Abdullah Gets Right and Wrong about Islamic Extremism

By Richard LeBaron

King Abdullah had a forthright conversation with Charlie Rose last Thursday about the need for the Islamic world to take ownership of the task of confronting extremism that has besieged the Middle East. His analysis and general approach to solutions was sensible, with a lot of detail hopefully to be filled in soon, in coordination […]

MENASource

Dec 8, 2014

Top News: US and Yemeni Raid on al-Qaeda Unable to Save Hostages

By MENASource

Thirteen people, including a woman, child, a local al-Qaeda leader, an American journalist, and a South African preacher, were killed Sunday when US-led forces fought Islamist militants in a failed rescue mission in Yemen.

MENASource

Dec 8, 2014

Top News: Morsi’s Defense Pushes for Charges to be Dismissed after Alleged Leaks

By EgyptSource

The defense of ousted Islamist president Mohamed Morsi requested Saturday in a court hearing over espionage charges that leaked recordings of top post-3 July leaders be investigated for their authenticity, in hope that charges might be dropped against the ousted president.

MENASource

Dec 8, 2014

Is Assad a Stabilizing Factor?

By Frederic C. Hof

As discussion intensifies over the possibility of the United States and Turkey establishing a protected zone in northern Syria, apologists for the Assad regime deploy the usual array of arguments: beware the slippery slope to invasion and occupation; do nothing until the Syrian opposition overcomes its dysfunction and presents an attractive alternative to the regime; […]

Syria