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MENASource

Feb 3, 2014

Syria: What Next for Geneva II?

By Frederic C. Hof

The idea of convening warring parties to negotiate peace is, under normal circumstances, honorable, praiseworthy, and practical. Yet there is nothing normal about the Geneva II initiative. These parties—Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime and the Syrian National Coalition—have been convened as if there are misunderstandings to clear up and compromises to reach. Getting the parties […]

Syria

SouthAsiaSource

Jan 31, 2014

This Week in South Asia: January 25-31

Commentary from the South Asia Center on the most relevant news from the region, and suggested “must-read” analyses from the week. India: Following Japan’s Prime Minter Shinzo Abe’s visit to India last weekend, India and Japan have signed agreements on cooperation in areas including energy, telecommunications, and tourism. The two countries also agreed to hold […]

Afghanistan India

MENASource

Jan 31, 2014

The Port Said Massacre: A Photo Essay

By Jonathan Rashad

On February 1 2012, the Port Said stadium witnessed one of the biggest catastrophes in Egypt’s recent history, in a match between Cairo’s al-Ahly club and Port Said’s al-Masry club. Under the auspices of the police, seventy-two football fans from al-Ahly’s biggest fan club ‘Ultras Ahlawy’ were slaughtered in the stadium by football fans from […]

North Africa

In the News

Jan 31, 2014

Hof on Geneva II Talks

By Frederic C. Hof

Bloomberg Businessweek quotes Rafik Hariri Center Senior Fellow Frederic Hof on the first round of the Geneva II talks:

Syria

MENASource

Jan 30, 2014

Hamas and Hezbollah Agree to Disagree on Syria

By Giorgio Cafiero and Peter Certo

Born of a common struggle against Israel and nourished by common benefactors in Syria and Iran, Sunni Hamas and Shiite Hezbollah have long been natural allies despite their sectarian differences.

Syria
Admiral Edouard Guillaud

NATOSource

Jan 30, 2014

France Dismisses Military Call for Intervention in Libya

By Libya Herald and AP

From Libya Herald:  France has firmly rebuffed suggestions that it should join an international force and intervene in the south of Libya to end instability there and prevent it becoming a regional base for Al Qaeda.

France Libya

New Atlanticist

Jan 30, 2014

Obama Skirts Egypt in State of the Union Address

By Barbara Slavin

In his State of the Union address, President Barack Obama devoted most of a limited section on foreign policy to the Middle East but uttered not one word about that region’s most populous and influential nation: Egypt.

Middle East North Africa

MENASource

Jan 30, 2014

Egypt’s Uprising: The Impact of Three Years on a Photojournalist [Video]

By Mohamed Abdelfattah

Three years after a popular uprising ousted Hosni Mubarak, as Egypt witnesses a volatile transitional period, EgyptSource looks at how these events have affected individual Egyptians.

North Africa

MENASource

Jan 30, 2014

Egypt’s Military Protects its Turf

By MENASource

With the rapid ascent and all-but-certain candidacy of General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi for Egypt’s presidency, many have questioned the motivation behind the Egyptian military’s desire to reenter the political arena and manage the messy transition. 

North Africa

In the News

Jan 30, 2014

Hof Talks Kerry’s Geneva II Strategy

By Frederic C. Hof

Al Arabiya quotes Rafik Hariri Center Senior Fellow Frederic C. Hof on John Kerry’s strategy for the Geneva II Syria peace talks:

Syria

Experts

Events