Category: Blogs

Islamist Napoleonic Syndrome as a Barrier to Public Diplomacy in Egypt

By Ahmed Younis

In policy circles throughout the Arab world, the phrase ‘Public Diplomacy’ is used as an epithet; a foul phrase that describes massaging the imperial interests of the United States by assuaging the needs of the rich and ruining the children of the poor with sugared candy, rock music, porn and video games. The perception is […]

Russia claims ‘NATO is moving towards engagement’ in Syria

By Adrian Croft, Reuters

Dutch government agrees to send Patriot missiles to Turkey

By AP

From AP:  The Dutch government approved a NATO request Friday to send two batteries of Patriot missile defense systems to Turkey, following in Germany’s footsteps, Foreign Minister Frans Timmermans said.

Why did the Brotherhood Demonstrate at the Palace?

By Jayson Casper

Politics in Egypt has degenerated into the question: Who do you trust? A more critical question right now is: What was their plan? President Morsi addressed the nation late Thursday evening and tied Wednesday’s violence at the presidential palace to undefined ‘political parties’. If the vagary was intended to present the clashes between supporters and […]

Michele Dunne on Protester Clashes in Cairo and President Mohamed Morsi’s Response

Appearing on PBS Newshour, Michele Dunne, Director of the Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East, broke down President Mohamed Morsi’s Thursday night speech, following violent clashes at the presdential palace which left at least 7 dead and over 450 wounded.  Commenting on the speech Dr. Dunne said: "He offered a very small crumb, I […]

The tide has turned in Syria, is the West ready for the fall of Assad?

By Shashank Joshi, Telegraph

From Shashank Joshi, Telegraph:  [W]e are witnessing the beginning of the end for the Assad dynasty, the last republican monarchy of the Middle East. And events, as they often do, are moving quicker than our policies. At the end of November, the CIA is reported to have estimated that President Bashar al-Assad had just eight […]

Canada’s Fighter Future

By Stephen M. Saideman

The future of the F-35 for the Royal Canadian Air Force is now in doubt. After years of stubborn, contradictory insistence that Canada had not made a decision but that the F-35 was the only choice, it seems to be the case that the mounting costs overwhelmed whatever virtues the Joint Strike Fighter had for the […]

An economic NATO would strengthen the U.S. and Europe

By Robert Nolan, U.S. News & World Report

From Robert Nolan, U.S. News & World Report:  As the European economy continues to tank, I’m often asked what the United States can do to help its friends across the Atlantic

Top News: Civil powers condemn Morsi’s speech, may boycott meeting

By Egypt Source

For live updates on protests around Egypt, click here. Despite the president’s attempts to calm the conflict, reactions to the speech by politicians and representatives of civilian groups have been broadly negative.