February 23, 2012

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Why Egypt’s Holding Americans Hostage and How The Obama Administration’s Destroying Its Own Credibility

By February 12, 2012
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A reader asks: Why is Egypt keeping Americans who have been working with pro-democracy NGOs from leaving the country and threatening to put them on trial as criminals? Here’s the answer: 1. The military rulers want to show they cannot be pushed around by the United States. This is, of course, also a big way to muster popularity within Egypt. The resentment of foreign intervention is very high and as I pointed out in a recent article, even a U.S. Navy anti-disease program is being … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Egypt, Regional Security, U.S. Policy on the Middle East

Egypt Et Cetera: When the Moderates are Radicals You’re in Trouble

By February 6, 2012
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Dear readers, I’d like to share with you a secret. Every day I read and hear things by people who claim to be experts on the Middle East. I have read them on the land; I have read them on the sea; I have read them in the air. And they will never surrender to reality. Here are the two main causes of error: --They think the Middle East is just like the West so they can extrapolate from their own experience. When someone would say, “If I were Yasir Arafat, I’d….” My response … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Egypt, Radical Movements, U.S. Policy on the Middle East, Understanding the Middle East

Egypt’s Parliament 75 percent Islamist; Egypt-Israel Peace Agreement is Dead Even if Treaty Still Exists

By January 23, 2012
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We’re starting to get a good picture of what the lower house of Egypt’s parliament will be like, though it will take another month to be certain. Close to 50 percent of the seats will be held by the Muslim Brotherhood. Another 25 percent will be held by the al-Nour party of Salafists. With 75 percent the two Islamist parties will be able to do as they please. But, they—or at least the Brotherhood—are determined to be cautious. Note that there is a big difference between actually being … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Egypt, Israel, Radical Movements

If Tourists Can Wear Bikinis But Local Women Must Wear Chadors Does That Prove the Muslim Brotherhood is Moderate?

By January 15, 2012
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The answer to that headline is, “No. But seeming to answer ‘yes’ proves the West is hypocritical about supporting human rights.” Oh, wait, what if a democratically elected government decides to enforce such a system in a law legally passed by a democratically elected government? I guess that’s just democracy in action. The Western media is obsessed with whether the new, Islamist-dominated Egyptian government will let tourists wear bikinis. When some Islamist leader says that … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Egypt, Media Coverage of the Middle East, Middle East Politics

Friedman Cheers as Egyptians Are Enslaved

By January 12, 2012
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It is distasteful when Western intellectuals, politicians, and journalists who pride themselves on their enlightened, humanitarian views watch people abroad fall subject to ruthless forces of dictatorship and dogma. When these same people actually cheer the new tyrannies, put their arms around the shoulders of those who despise them, and tell everyone else that there’s nothing to worry about, that’s actively disgusting. Many in the West have so acted toward Egypt during the last year. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Egypt, Media Coverage of the Middle East, Middle East Politics

Hamas Openly Joins Brotherhood; Brotherhood Openly Joins Hamas’s War on Israel

By January 3, 2012
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Hamas, the Palestinian Islamist group which rules the Gaza Strip and has been moving toward a partnership with the Palestinian Authority’s ruling Fatah party, has openly proclaimed itself the Palestinian branch of the Muslim Brotherhood. This development took place during the visit to Cairo of Hamas’s Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh. It should be remembered that Hamas not only calls for Israel’s destruction but for genocide against Jews generally. It was Haniyeh’s first trip abroad … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Egypt, Israel-Palestinian Issues, Middle East Politics

Egypt: As Grim Islamists March Toward Power, The Naïve Dance in Tahrir Square

By December 26, 2011
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Almost 80 percent of Egyptian Muslims in nine provinces voted for radical Islamist parties in the second round of Egypt’s election. Roughly 5 percent voted for a moderate Islamic party and about 15 percent voted for liberal parties. That says it all. In the overall vote—that is, including the Christian voters–70 percent supported  radical Islamists, 47 percent (4 million) the Muslim Brotherhood (86 of 180 available seats so far; they might win more) and 32 percent for the Salafists … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Egypt, Middle East Politics

A Coming War Threat: Terrorists Are Developing A Safe Haven in Egypt to Attack Israel

By December 18, 2011
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  First, a word on contingencies. Governments and political analysts are supposed to examine likely problems in order that they can be evaded or minimized. The time to be alarmed is not when problems become visible but when governments refuse to recognize their existence. Western regimes and analysts are generally taking a best-possible-case view on Egypt and other developing issues in the region. I’m tempted to say they are taking a fantasy view. They dismiss not just worst-case but … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Egypt, Israel, Regional Security

Muslim Brotherhood and Salafists: Same Goals; Different Strategies

By December 17, 2011
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The two parties with the largest number of votes in Egypt have been the Muslim Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice Party along with the Salafist al-Nour Party. Both are Islamist parties. Yet Western observers—including the Obama Administration—claim that the Muslim Brotherhood is a “moderate Islamist” group while the Salifists are radical. There are indeed important differences between the Muslim Brotherhood and the Salafists but they are really issues of timing and tactics rather … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Egypt, Middle East Politics, Radical Movements

Flash: What, Me Pessimistic? Egyptian Election Outcome is Worse Than I Expected

By December 1, 2011
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Since last February I have predicted that the Muslim Brotherhood would win elections in Egypt. People have thought me very pessimistic. Now the votes are starting to come in and…it’s much worse than I thought. But my prediction that the Brotherhood and the other Islamists would gain a slight majority seems to have been fulfilled and then some. According to most reports the Brotherhood is scoring at just below 40 percent all by itself. Why worse? For two reasons: First, the votes we now … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Egypt
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