Tag: egypt

Egypt: Revolution or Coup?

Four days after the stunning departure of Hosni Mubarak from the presidential palace in Cairo, analysts are still trying to determine whether his ouster represents a revolution heralding the advent of democratic governance or a coup d’etat staged by the already dominant military. Despite the media euphoria, skepticism among Egypt specialists about the military’s intentions … Continue reading “Egypt: Revolution or Coup?”

Weapons of Mass Disruption

Here’s the truth of it: You don’t need an $80-billion-plus budget and a morass of 17 intelligence agencies to look at the world and draw a few intelligent conclusions. Nor do you need $80 billion-plus and that same set of agencies to be caught off-guard by developments on our sometimes amazing planet. Last Thursday, Leon … Continue reading “Weapons of Mass Disruption”

The US Versus the Egyptian People

The last thing the U.S. policy elite wants is real democracy in Egypt. That country has been a linchpin of American foreign policy for more than 30 years precisely because its government has been able to defy the will of the Egyptian people. If that should change now, America’s rulers and their Israeli partners will … Continue reading “The US Versus the Egyptian People”

It’s Always About Israel

While most of the rest of the world, minus Glenn Beck, was celebrating the overthrow of one of the world’s most repressive dictatorships, over in Israel – which bills itself as the only real democracy in the region – they were sour-faced and ready to rumble. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly told his cabinet … Continue reading “It’s Always About Israel”

The Freedom Reading List

With Hosni Mubarak gone, let’s do a little Egyptian math on the Mubarak years. According to experts, the fortune amassed by Egypt’s former president and his two sons (both billionaires) could reach $70 billion. That includes funds in secret offshore bank accounts and investments in residences and real-estate properties reaching from Rodeo Drive in Beverley … Continue reading “The Freedom Reading List”

The Brotherhood Bogeyman

While the many and far-reaching implications of Friday’s transfer of power to what is apparently a military junta in Egypt have yet to be absorbed in Washington, the role of the Muslim Brotherhood in any transition to a more democratic regime is certain to figure high on the political agenda. For a number of prominent … Continue reading “The Brotherhood Bogeyman”

People Power Pushes Mubarak Out

CAIRO — Several hundred thousand protesters massed in Cairo’s central Tahrir Square exploded into joy Friday, after Vice-President Omar Suleiman made the announcement that Hosni Mubarak had resigned as president of Egypt after three decades in office. Finally heeding to 18 days of calls from protesters, the surprise statement marks Mubarak as the second Arab … Continue reading “People Power Pushes Mubarak Out”

Egypt’s US-Armed Military in Transitory Commanding Role 

When embattled Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak reluctantly called it quits after more than two weeks of mass demonstrations against his 30-year-old authoritarian regime, he temporarily turned over the country to an institution trained, armed and nurtured by the United States: the 350,000-strong military. "Mubarak was essentially a military man sustained by the military," says an … Continue reading “Egypt’s US-Armed Military in Transitory Commanding Role “