MENASource

Chronicle of a Death Foretold

By Karim Mezran

“Libya is finished.” “It is a failed state.” “There is not much more we can do.” These are just some of the comments I heard in the course of my visit last week to Tripoli and its surrounding environs. There is indeed widespread pessimism about the future of a viable Libyan state. It seems few […]

Top News: Egypt govt agrees on draft law for police; Shura passes amended political participation bill

By Egypt Source

The Egyptian government, headed by Prime Minister Hisham Qandil, agreed in principle on Wednesday on a draft law, proposed by the interior ministry, whose aim is to confront crimes which threaten national security, police officers as well as public and private property. GOVERNMENT & OPPOSITION Egypt govt agrees on draft law for police; Shura passes […]

Top News: Benghazi Tragedy Sidelines Congress Presidency Vote

The much anticipated vote for a new president of the General National Congress (GNC) to replace Mohamed Magariaf has been postponed to June 16 because of the Benghazi shootings last Saturday, which claimed thirty-one lives and injured dozens more.

Working Group on Egypt Writes to President Obama on the NGO Trial

Following the Cairo Criminal Court’s conviction of forty-three non-governmental organization (NGO) workers, among them sixteen Americans, concerns for civil society groups in Egypt have grown, particularly amidst ongoing discussion of a repressive NGO law drafted by Egypt’s presidency.  Download the PDF

Morsi Government Seeks to Institutionalize Authoritarian Relapse with NGO Law

By Dina Guirguis

In what has been the most serious affront to Egyptian civil society and prospects for democracy since the revolution and even well before then, last week brought the conviction of forty-three NGO workers and the closure of multiple NGO offices by court verdict. While a diplomatically expedient “resolution” may be pursued with the Egyptian government, […]

Top News: Morsi Calls for National Reconciliation; Opposition Rejects Call

By Egypt Source

During a conference of Islamist parties discussing the Nile Dam crisis on Monday, President Mohamed Morsi urged political groups to put their differences behind them and pursue comprehensive national reconciliation to face the myriad challenges currently facing Egypt.

Top News: Egypt Warns All Options Open for Ethiopia Nile Dam

Egypt’s president on Monday hardened his stance against Ethiopia and its construction of a Nile dam, warning that "all options are open" in dealing with the project that threatens to leave Egypt with a dangerous water shortage.

The President: The Arbiter between Powers / رئيس الجمهورية؛ الحكم بين السلطات

By Yussef Auf

In a surprise move just a few hours after Egypt’s Supreme Constitutional Court (SCC) issued its ruling, on June 2, on the Shura Council and the Constituent Assembly tasked with drafting the constitution, the Egyptian presidency issued an official statement responding to the two rulings. Despite its brevity, this statement deserves analysis and comment. The statement […]

Syria: Seven Qs and As on Military Intervention

By Frederic C. Hof

Question: Why should the United States intervene militarily in Syria and what could it accomplish? Answer: The United States would intervene to save lives and to help stabilize the region. It is militarily capable, without putting "boots on the ground," of destroying or seriously degrading the ability of the Assad regime, through shelling and bombing, […]

Top News: Qatar Preparing for Leadership Transition

Qatar’s powerful prime minister is preparing to step down as part of a wider power transition that may also see the country’s ruler ceding power to his son, Crown Prince Sheikh Tamim, Arab and Western diplomats said on Monday.