Category: Blogs

Top News: Supreme Council Overseeing Egypt’s Constitution Poll Formed

By Egypt Source

For an unofficial translation of Egypt’s draft constitution, please click here

Turkey requested NATO missile defenses over Syria chemical weapons fears

By Julian Borger, Guardian

From Julian Borger, Guardian:  A request by Turkey for Nato Patriot missile defences to be deployed on its territory followed intelligence that the Syrian government was contemplating the use of missiles, possibly with chemical warheads, Turkish officials have told the Guardian.

Clinton: U.S. will act if Syria uses chemical weapons

By Anne Gearan, Washinton Post

From Anne Gearan, Washinton Post:  The United States will not tolerate any use of chemical weapons in Syria and will act quickly if that threat appears imminent, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said Monday.

Egypt’s New Constitution: Entrenched Despotism

By Ragab Saad

President Mohamed Morsi’s recent constitutional declaration was a blow to the goals of the revolution; to achieve a real democratic transformation, to establish the rule of law, a separation of powers, and an independent judiciary. In effect, the president declared himself Pharaoh, putting himself above any challenge or opposition. Despite the decree extending the deadline fir Egypt’s draft […]

Western intelligence officials: New signs of activity at chemical weapons sites in Syria

By Michael R. Gordon, Eric Schmitt, and Tim Arango, New York Times

Will Morsi’s Push for a National Referendum Worsen the Judicial Crisis?

By Nancy Messieh

As hundreds of thousands of President Mohamed Morsi’s supporters gathered in Cairo and Assiut on Saturday, the president announced that Egypt’s draft constitution would be put to a national referendum on December 15, 2012. The referendum will be held in just over two weeks, in the midst of an ongoing struggle between the president and the judiciary.  […]

Egypt’s Economic Plan: Something Old, Something New

By Mohsin Khan

Following weeks of criticism for a lack of transparency in negotiations, Prime Minister Hisham Qandil’s cabinet finally unveiled the economic plan it presented to the IMF outlining the policies the government intends to follow to qualify for a $4.8 billion loan.  In IMF parlance, the document is the ‘Letter of Intent,’ agreed to by IMF […]

An Unclear Path for Egypt’s Judiciary

By Yussef Auf

It’s been twenty two months since the Egyptian revolution was sparked in Tahrir Square. Despite the many achievements and positive results to come out of those 18 days, several crises have accompanied this difficult period in Egypt. Astute observers of current affairs will no doubt be aware of the significant negative repercussions the post-revolutionary period […]

US Commanders in Chief Should Heed the Military Consequences

By Harlan Ullman

To ensure civilian control over its military, the US Constitution specifies that the president, and not a general or an admiral, is commander in chief of the armed forces.