Arab World

One of the three women awarded the Nobel Peace Prize this year is Tawakul Karman, 32, a Yemeni activist and mother of 3. Aljazeera has an interview with her in English about how she carries on demanding democracy in Yemen in the face of threats to herself and her family. For videos of her leading […]

Egypt

Panetta Slams Israeli Isolation; Is Israeli Policy Destabilizing US Allies?

Juan Cole

Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta , on a visit to Israel and Palestine before heading to Egypt, publicly upbraided the Likud government of Israel for having become isolated diplomatically in the Middle East in the wake of the Arab Spring, and warned direly that brute military force would not be enough to provide for Israel’s […]

Egypt

New York and Cairo Protests Show Egyptian 1% more Responsive than the American

Juan Cole

In two protests thousands of miles away from one another on Saturday, a similar spirit of demand for government responsiveness to the people was made. In both cases there was a police crackdown and some clashes broke out. But in one case, the government showed flexibility and attempted to take steps to calm the anger […]

al-Qaeda

Al-Qaeda Brands Ahmadinejad a Conspiracy Theorist!

Juan Cole

The al-Qaeda-linked magazine “Inspire” has reprimanded Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for indulging in “stupid” “conspiracy theories” because of his stance, repeated at the recent United Nations meeting, that 9/11 was a Bush administration inside job. When al-Qaeda accuses you of being a conspiracy theorist, you’re really a space cadet. Incidentally, a far rightwing Muslim fundamentalist […]

Bahrain

Arab Spring Roundup

Juan Cole

A pro-Baath mob in Damascus attacked the convoy of US ambassador Robert Ford, pelting his and other vehicles with tomatoes and eggs. Ford has visited dissident cities as they protested the regime of President Bashar al-Asad, and been denounced by the government for interfering in Syrian politics. The regime has consistently attempted to paint the […]

Saudi Arabia

Saudi Women’s Vote: Does it Go Far Enough?

Juan Cole

The surprise announcement on Sunday by King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia that women will be allowed to vote in and run for office in the municipal elections scheduled in four years is another sign of the pressure the kingdom is under to reform. Although this announcement wasn’t anticipated, it comes as a result in part […]

Syria

Greater Middle East Turns More Dangerous for US

Juan Cole

Here are some troubling reports suggesting trouble ahead for the United States in the Greater Middle East, and, indeed, trouble for the region internally: 1. The surprise return to Yemen on Friday of President Ali Abdullah Saleh has been followed by a bloody Saturday. Some 40 persons were killed yesterday in Sanaa, as forces loyal […]

Iraq

Iraq Denies calling for Syrian President’s Resignation

Juan Cole

According to Agence France Presse’s Arabic service, Ali Moussawi, the spokesman for the office of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, is now denying that he told the New York Times that the Iraqi government had repeatedly suggested to Syrian President Bashar al-Asad that he resign. He gave a similar interview denying the remarks to a Kurdish […]

Libya

Libyan Transitional Troops enter Sabha

Juan Cole

Reuters reports that Libyan troops of the new government have taken the airport of the southern desert city of Sabha, a key site on the route down to Niger. Sabha is one of four small cities of about 120,000 each that are still held by pro-Qaddafi forces. AP reports that the Transitional National Council fighters […]