North Africa

Egyptian Eradicators, the Algerian Black Decade, and Salvador Allende

By Karim Mezran

Despite the cacophony resulting from divergent opinions from Washington, Brussels, Ankara, Riyadh, and Doha, about the suspension of aid to Egypt, one consistent warning has been iterated to remind Egyptians that the current situation can only end badly: the Algerian black decade.

The People Chose Us: Inside the Mind of the Muslim Brotherhood

By Jayson Casper

It is a simple matter, really. No matter how many people poured into the streets on June 30 to demand early presidential elections, Mohamed Morsi had a mandate to govern for four years. “We cannot accept the loss of legitimacy because this is not our demand to compromise,” said Ahmed Kamal, youth secretary for the […]

Top News: Articles in Constitution Committee’s Draft Rejected by NSF, Nour Party

By EgyptSource

The amended draft of Egypt’s 2012 constitution will be announced Thursday or next Saturday, said Ali Awad, the head of a ten member technical committee entrusted with amending the national charter. Both the National Salvlation Front and the Nour Party have announced their rejection of articles within the draft. 

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 […]