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MENASource

Jan 23, 2013

Syria: Strategy for What?

By Frederic C. Hof

There has been no shortage of editorializing commentary laying out recommended strategies for the Obama administration to deal with the Syrian crisis since it began nearly two years ago. Although often well-written and soundly reasoned, many of these essays skirt the most pertinent definition of the word “strategy” offered by Webster’s: “the art of devising […]

Syria

MENASource

Jan 23, 2013

In Jordan’s Elections, Widespread Apathy but Also a Silver Lining

By Danya Greenfield

It is tempting to dismiss the January 23 parliamentary elections in Jordan as irrelevant given widespread voter apathy and the boycott by the largest opposition party (the Islamic Action Front), both due to the lack of substantive political reforms. The bright spot in this relatively bleak picture is that there is some value to holding […]

MENASource

Jan 22, 2013

The Economics of Uncertainty

By Hoda Youssef

The vast majority of economic literature acknowledges the effects of uncertainty on economic activity, suggesting that it could play an important role in driving business cycles. This finding is quite intuitive. In times of uncertainty, investment and employment decisions are delayed because reversing these decisions is costly and leads to the contraction of the economy. […]

MENASource

Jan 22, 2013

Top News: FJP MPs from last Parliament return to campaign trail, predict winning 55% of the seats

By Egypt Source

The Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) plans to field 60 percent of its MPs from the last Parliament as candidates in the next parliamentary elections. The names of the individual runners would be announced within three days, the FJP said.

MENASource

Jan 17, 2013

The Mubarak Retrial: A Principled Quest for Justice

By Basil El Dabh

As with most things in Egypt, just when it looks like something is over, it isn’t. Last week, Egypt’s Court of Cassation ruled that ousted President Hosni Mubarak, his Interior Minister Habib al-Adly, and six of their aides would be retried.  The initial sentence, handed down last June, sentenced the defendants to 25-year life sentences […]

MENASource

Jan 17, 2013

Top News: Islamist MPs to rubber stamp a new election law Thursday

By Egypt Source

The 270-member upper house of parliament, the Shura Council, today began debating the new controversial election law, approved by the council’s Legislative and Constitutional Affairs Committee Tuesday, with the majority of Islamists expected to rubber-stamp the legislation at the end of a plenary meeting Thursday.

MENASource

Jan 16, 2013

My Enemy is Injustice – A Résumé of Limited Revolutionary Credentials

By Wael Eskandar

Like all Egyptians I was disenchanted by both opposition and ruler. I never queued up to vote and never joined a party. I was nothing more than an Egyptian, degraded as that may be. I have no tolerance for extremism and that is why I am appalled by the continued efforts of a patriarchal society […]

MENASource

Jan 16, 2013

Top News: Eight parties form cross-ideological coalition for coming parliamentary elections

By Egypt Source

Eight opposition political parties and prominent figures have formed an alliance to contest the upcoming House of Representatives elections.

MENASource

Jan 15, 2013

The Growing Pains of Salafi Politics

By Jayson Casper

The Salafi political movement experienced massive transition in the past two weeks, enduring splits, recriminations, and leadership changes. Having long foresworn the political process, it is right and natural for growing pains to characterize their apparent embrace of democracy. Taking stock, three observations describe their current standing. The process is transparent, but is the result […]

MENASource

Jan 15, 2013

Top News: Brotherhood blames Mubarak corruption for train disaster; NSF condemns govt

By Egypt Source

Nineteen Central Security Forces conscripts were killed and 120 injured when a train carriage derailed minutes before midnight on Monday in the town of Badrashin in Giza, the transport ministry said on Tuesday morning.