Category: Blogs

Top News: January 31, 2012

By Mara Revkin

Political coalitions led by the Revolutionary Youth Union as well as women’s groups are organizing mass marches on January 31, dubbed, “Determination Tuesday,” converging on the parliament building to demand an end to military rule.

NATO Chief: “From mid-2013 there will be a gradual change of the role of our forces in Afghanistan”

By Anders Fogh Rasmussen, NATO

From Anders Fogh Rasmussen, NATO:  First, let me stress that we stick to the road map that was outlined at the NATO Summit in Lisbon in November 2010, according to which we will gradually hand over lead responsibility to the Afghans; a process that has been started and hopefully will be completed by the end […]

Flournoy on Afghanistan Strategy and Military Capabilities Gap in NATO

By Jim Garamone, American Forces Press Service

From Jim Garamone, American Forces Press Service:  I think we’ve turned around the strategy in Afghanistan,” she [Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Michelle Flournoy] continued. “I think there has been a lot of progress there. For the first time in five years, violence is down in Afghanistan.”

Why are so many upset about al-Azhar?

By Nathan Brown

In the past few days, Egyptians of various religious and political perspectives have expressed outrage about a decree-law on al-Azhar, Cairo’s millennium-old mosque and educational institution, that just appeared in the country’s Official Gazette.

NATO allies grapple with shrinking defense budgets

By Craig Whitlock, the Washington Post

From Craig Whitlock, the Washington Post:  NATO allies are confronting a sustained weakening of the military alliance as ailing economies are forcing nearly all members, including the United States, to accelerate cuts to their defense budgets at the same time. The Pentagon’s recent decision to eliminate two of the Army’s four brigades in Europe is […]

Top News: January 30, 2012

By Mara Revkin

The SCAF is considering ways to speed up the transition to civilian rule, including moving up the date for presidential elections.

Sandmonkey and the Salafis Go to Court: One Egyptian Activist Challenges Ultraconservative Islamists with the Law

By Kurt Werthmuller

Egyptian blogger and political activist Mahmoud Salem, more commonly known by his online persona Sandmonkey, filed a civil lawsuit on Thursday, January 26th against the well-known and influential Salafi preacher Yasser al-Bourhami for the latter’s incitement of violence against Coptic Christians.

France may be the first in a stampede for the exits in Afghanistan

By the Editors of the Wall Street Journal

German Angst as U.S. troops bid “Auf Wiedersehen”

By Alexandra Hudson, Reuters

From Alexandra Hudson, Reuters:  Walter Brunner, a lively 82-year old whose blue baseball cap matches the color of his eyes, leans across a red leather booth at the American-style diner in this southern German town and tries to make light of the looming pullout of U.S. troops.