Middle East

EU Foreign Ministers Speak Out on Cutting Arms Sales to Egypt

By Claire Rosemberg, AFP

The European Union agreed Wednesday to restrict exports of security equipment and arms to Egypt in response to the mounting violence but opted to maintain economic assistance.

EU Suspends Military Exports to Egypt

The EU condemns in the clearest possible terms all acts of violence.

An Open Letter to Supporters of Deposed President Mohamed Morsi

By Iyad El-Baghdadi

The whirlwind of events since June 30 which led to the ousting of former Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi has served only to polarize Egyptian society even further, forcing people to take positions either with the coup and army, or against the coup and Morsi. This attempt to characterize the current situation in Egypt in simplified […]

No No-Fly Zone over Syria

By Paul Rasmussen

Last week’s meeting between General Dempsey and King Abdullah II of Jordan was noteworthy in that the subject of military intervention in Syria was not discussed.  After two years of endless strategic and political debate it seems that recent events have put an end to the suggestion that the United States should intervene in Syria.  […]

Zidan Between a Rock and a Hard Place?

By Karim Mezran

Libyan Prime Minister Ali Zidan has a full plate as he tries to steer the country towards empowering state institutions and building a nation. The recent resignation of his deputy prime minister, Awadh al-Barassi, followed by the shocking resignation of Interior Minister Mohammed Khalifa al-Sheikh after his appointment less than four months ago, point to […]

America’s Missed Opportunity in Egypt

By Matthew Bryza

The brutal crackdown on August 14 by Egypt’s interim government on supporters of ousted President Mohammad Morsi will produce no winners. Both the secular interim government and its Islamist predecessor demonstrated they lack the intellectual and political tools required to cope with Egypt’s complex challenges. Now, all Egyptians will suffer as the country descends into […]

Who Loses from Cutting Off US Military Aid to Egypt?

By Mohsin Khan

Whether Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi’s recent ouster was a coup or not is a much debated topic in Washington circles, as analysts, government officials and pundits struggle over the question of suspending military aid to Egypt. Most analysts and many US politicians conclude that a coup is a coup and US law says military aid […]

Turkey Blocks Egypt from Joining NATO Naval Exercise

By Today's Zaman

Turkey has canceled two naval military drills with Egypt over the Arab nation’s violent crackdown on Muslim Brotherhood protesters that has killed more than 600. . . .