Middle East

My essay is out in The Nation, entitled “The Great Arab Revolt”. ‘These governments took steps in recent decades toward neoliberal policies of privatization and a smaller public sector under pressure from Washington and allied institutions—and the process was often corrupt. The ruling families used their prior knowledge of important economic policy initiatives to engage […]

Egypt

Egypt Situation Still Explosive

Juan Cole

The military government of Gen. Mohammad Hussein Tantawi, the minister of defense, has taken important steps toward mollifying the Jan. 25 protest movement, but it is not clear that these measures can succeed in forestalling further clashes and severe conflicts in Egypt. The government has appointed respected jurist Tareq al-Bishri to head a committee charged […]

Saudi Arabia

Bahrain: US Naval Base or Iranian Asset?

Juan Cole

What is at stake for Americans in the Bahrain unrest? 1. Bahrain is a major center for the refining of crude petroleum, refining some 270,000 barrels a day. This amount is not large, but given tight petroleum supplies and a price of over $100 a barrel for Brent Crude, an outage there would certainly put […]

Egypt

Fear Not the Muslim Brotherhood Boogeyman: Cole in Truthdig

Juan Cole

My column in Truthdig is out, entitled Fear Not the Muslim Brotherhood Boogeyman Excerpt: ‘ The hysteria in American media about Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood is not only ignorant and demagogic, it is hypocritical. The United States has actively promoted Muslim Brotherhood branches in other countries when it suited its purposes, including in Afghanistan and Iraq. […]

Egypt

Iran, Bahrain Crack down on Protesters, as Rallies Held in Yemen

Juan Cole

Last Friday, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad expressed support for Egyptian protesters. “Despite all the [West’s] complicated and satanic designs … a new Middle East is emerging without the Zionist regime and U.S. interference, a place where the arrogant powers will have no place…” Yet on Monday, Iran reacted to its own street protests in a […]

Egypt

Top 5 Effects of Egyptian Revolution

Juan Cole

5. Thousands of protesters marched Sunday on the presidential palace of Yemen’s Ali Abdullah Salih, who has ruled since 1978. The United States has increasingly forged a relationship with the Yemeni military aimed at destroying the alleged al-Qaeda operatives in that country. Aljazeera English has video on Yemen: 4. After 3,000 protesters came out in […]

Egypt

Communique No. 5 Suspends Constitution, Prorogues Parliament

Juan Cole

The Egyptian military high command council issued Communique no. 5 Sunday, answering some of the lingering questions being posed by protesters on Sunday. McClatchy has the translation. The communique makes it clear that Minister of Defense Mohammad Hussein Tantawi is the provisional head of state. Despite his closeness to the Mubarak regime before the revolution, […]

Egypt

Egypt Protests Spark Confrontations in Yemen, Algeria

Juan Cole

An attempt by the military police to clear Tahrir Square in downtown Cairo Sunday of all protesters seemed as though it were succeeding until mid-morning. They removed most of the tents, and made a path for traffic through the area, a vital artery. There were some beatings of protesters and minor scuffles. Then protesters poured […]

Egypt

Scenarios for Egypt’s Future: How Democratic Will it Be?

Juan Cole

Hosni Mubarak is gone to the wild elation of Egyptian crowds. The country is now being run by a council of military officers. They say that they want a transition to a civilian elected government this fall. What do the people who made the revolution want? I argued in Detroit News that this movement is […]