Home >> Middle East Egypt Egypt: Back to the Future (Interview with Sam Vaknin)
Koshan Ali Khidhir (Zamanee) - 11/30/2011
Sam Vaknin is an economic and political analyst and the Editor-in-Chief of "Global Politician". Egyptian authorities commits a heinous crime against Coptic Christians
Elias Bejjani - 10/13/2011
What is a shame and a disgrace, when the Military Egyptian authorities with no mercy, and with cold blood commits a heinous and barbaric massacre against unarmed Coptic Christian civilians who were just protesting in a peaceful and civilized manner the shameful atrocity of burning one of their churches by fundamentalist (in the village of Elmarinab in Edfu, Aswan). Arab Spring Falls on Egypt's Coptic Christians
Walid Phares, Ph.D. - 10/11/2011
The credibility of the Arab Spring took a bloody hit today (Sunday October 9th) when Egyptian Army forces shot dead more than thirty Christian Copts and wounded scores of them. Revolution And The Egyptian Labour Movement
Dr. Gary K. Busch - 2/20/2011
Mubarak has gone and the spirit of revolution is in the air in Egypt, despite the fact that the military remain in control. The Army has pledged to meet the democratic demands of the protestors and have promised elections in the near future. Despite this, there is still unrest in the country and tens of thousands of workers are staying away from their workplaces. They say they are on strike. Striking may seem to be a normal reaction for dissatisfied workers anywhere, but these strikes are structured and conducted in way not immediately familiar to analysts in the West and pose serious challenges to the revolution. Tourism Boycott for Egyptian Reforms
Joel S. Hirschhorn - 2/14/2011
How wonderful that the Egyptian dictator Mubarak has finally stepped down. But there are considerable uncertainties about when and how a fully functioning democracy that benefits ordinary Egyptians, especially the poorest, will be formed. Restoring the Egyptian economy and ensuring that it benefits not just the existing upper class that supported Mubarak is a key challenge. Economic reforms, however, are hardly mentioned by all those talking so much about the wonderful transformation in Egypt. People in the mood of throwing away the Despots
Tanveer Jafri - 2/13/2011
February 11, 2011 has gone down the pages of history as a day when 82 years old Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, as a result of the people’s anger, had to escape his Presidential palace after 30 years of autocratic rule. Like the dictators and despots in other countries, President Hosni Mubarak also had a strong hold on the administration. It did not seem that Mubarak will have to do away with power during his lifetime. But the 18-day vigorous nationwide protest of people against the government ultimately succeeded in dethroning Mubarak. While three decades of Mubarak’s reign witnessed the sp... "Democracy", Egyptian-style
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 2/11/2011
The revenant (many would say ersatz) Egyptian, Mohamed ElBaradei, self-appointed and self-imputed leader of the "democracy" movement in his newly-discovered homeland, called yesterday on the army to commit a putsch against the government. The fawning, cliche-ridden, politically-correct, navel-gazing, and effete media in the West did not question this abrupt ideological shift: ElBaradei and the protesters in Tahrir Square have always claimed to be upholding Western values. Now, they are calling for yet another round of military dictatorship to replace Mubarak's. This is not reminiscent of other... Why Egyptians do not Deserve Democracy
Dr. Islam Qasem - 2/11/2011
About a year and a half ago the people of Iran said enough to tyranny. They poured into the streets to claim their freedom, their dignity, and their right for free and fair elections. The rest of the world watched with a sympathetic eye. Western governments simmered in optimism, hoping that the Iranian repressive regime would be swept away by the sea of protesters. The US government imposed unprecedented sanctions against senior Iranian officials for “sustained and severe violations of human rights.” Western pundits and politicians swiftly embraced the Iranian Green Movement. Egypt Unravels
Ron Coody - 2/4/2011
Ten years ago just after the bombing of the USS Cole on October 12, 2000 in the port of Aden, Yemen, I had a short business trip to Cairo. The bombing claimed the lives of several US sailors and heightened tensions between various Jihadist groups and the West. My trip to Egypt coincided with the bombing of the Cole and gave me a chance to see Middle Easterners up close and personal during a period of political uncertainty and conflict. The attack on the Cole preceded the two later events that would come to define much of the attitude of the majority of Muslims in the Middle East. These eve... Egyptian 'Moderate Democratic' Leader Negotiating Coalition Government With Islamists
Prof. Barry Rubin - 2/3/2011
As I've been warning, Muhammed al-Baradei, seen as the leading "moderate, pro-democratic" leader in Egypt is negotiating with the Muslim Brotherhood to form a national unity government. That doesn't mean the negotiations will succeed but it gives a clear glimpse of what a post-Mubarak regime Egypt would mean. Egypt: The American Debate Has Gone Stark, Raving Crazy
Prof. Barry Rubin - 2/3/2011
As I pointed out recently the mass media in America generally presents only one side of the debate nowadays. Then, it publishes nonsense which survives because it is protected from the withering critique it deserves. And even people who should know better are just losing it. Riots in Egypt about Food and Jobs, not about “Freedom” and "Democracy"
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 1/31/2011
In the wake of the Great Recession of 2008-9, riots erupted all over the world, from Thailand to the Ivory Coast and from Yemen to Albania. For some reason, the demonstrations in Tunisia and Egypt were singled out by the international media and cast as the Middle-Eastern equivalents of the French Revolution involving the overthrow of stale dictators and the eternal cry for freedom and “democracy”. Why would Egyptians and Tunisians who have never experienced either freedom or democracy clamour for both was left unexplored. Son of Mubarak: Succession Without Success?
Prof. Barry Rubin - 12/27/2010
Some of the more interesting Wikileaks concern the U.S. diplomatic perspective on the succession in Egypt from President Husni Mubarak to his son, Gamal. Let's remember that Egypt is the single most important country in the Arabic-speaking world. Dramatic instability there would be disastrous for U.S. interests. And it might happen. Egypt Versus Gaza
Prof. Barry Rubin - 7/17/2010
There is a bit of silver lining, even in the Gaza cloud. It's this: the Egyptian government, aware that the West won't help it get rid of the revolutionary Islamist regime there, that Israel cannot do it, and that Hamas won't voluntarily accept subordination to the Palestinian Authority, now understands it has to protect itself from that threat. The Symbolic Victims of Egypt
Adel Guindy - 5/4/2010
On January 6, 2010, at 11:30 p.m., gunshots were heard in Nag Hammadi, Egypt (a town situated 80 kilometers, or 50 miles, north of Luxor). The shooting was aimed at a group of Copts leaving church following the midnight Christmas Mass (which the Coptic Church celebrated on January 7, 2010, in accordance with the old Julian and Coptic calendars). Seven people were murdered, including a Muslim who happened to be in the vicinity. In addition, nine Copts were injured, one later succumbing to his wounds at the hospital. The victims were all 17 to 29 years old. The Common Hatred
Jonathan Spyer, Ph.D. - 8/21/2009
Last week's arrest of the "Zeitoun terror cell" was a significant moment in the ongoing battle between the Egyptian security forces and homegrown Islamist extremism. The cell, we are told, plotted to assassinate the Israeli ambassador to Egypt, Shalom Cohen. It is also thought to have been involved in a series of acts of terror in Egypt earlier this year. Egypt: Between the Devil and the Blue Sea
Prof. Barry Rubin - 5/1/2008
Egyptian President Husni Mubarak is 80. After over a quarter-century in office he is ready for more. But how much longer will his rule—or regime—continue? Family Status Among Egyptian Copts
Adel Guindy - 9/15/2007
The following article discusses the impact of the Egyptian Family Status Law of 1955 (which is still in effect) on the country's Coptic population. It provides a concise overview of these laws, especially in light of the dearth of resources in English on the topic. While the Family Status Law is considered part of the "civil" code of law, it still has religious elements, referring to the Shari'a as a basis for Muslims, and to the corresponding religious principles or regulations for each of the non-Muslim communities. However, due to the general constitutional stipulation "Islam is the religio... EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Deputy Head of Muslim Brotherhood of Egypt Mohamed Habib
Joseph Mayton - 6/6/2007
As rumors of a split within the Muslim Brotherhood came to light in local Egyptian press, Global Politician's Joseph Mayton sat down with a leading deputy of the group, Dr. Mohamed Habib, to discuss the so-called turmoil in the group as well as other pertinent issues facing the group. Al-Azhar: The Egyptian University of Terrorism
Kareem Amer - 4/13/2007
I was not surprised when some security bureaus announced that one of those who executed the recent Sinai Peninsula bombings was an Al-Azhar University student from the Faculty of The Fundamentals of Religion. I am well aware that this university is one of Egypt's important producers of terrorism through its academic curricula, with which it strongly fills students' minds, and so turns them into human monsters that do not hesitate to harm whoever announces his disagreement with them. This is because their curricula have taught them – in all simplicity – that those who differ from them do not have a place in this life. Free World's Obligation To Protect Middle East Minorities
Elias Bejjani - 4/18/2006
Islamic extremists posing as beggars attacked three churches in north Egypt on Good Friday, killing one worshipper and injuring 16 others. A security source told United Press International that the incident occurred in the morning as worshippers attended mass in the churches of Saint Georges, the Two Saints and Abu Keer in the city of Alexandria on the Mediterranean Sea. The source said the three attackers wearing rugged clothes used swords and knives in their attacks, before managing to flee. Police imposed a cordon around the churches and began a thorough search for the attackers. Hundreds o... Anti-Christian and Anti-Semitic Book At A Cairo Book Fair
Jeremy Reynalds, Ph.D. - 2/17/2006
A number of anti-Semitic and anti-Christian publications were on display at the recent Cairo International Book Fair. Sample images of these books are still displayed at www.baladynet.net, an Islamic news site apparently hosted by an American Internet Service provider. According to the blog www.freecopts.blogspot.com, these publications are also sold throughout Egypt. Publications on display included “It is not holy,” (referring to the Holy Bible) and “Why they broke the Cross,” (attacking Christian beliefs). Egypt's Cosmetic Democracy
Angelique van Engelen - 5/29/2005
The Egyptian referendum on a constitutional amendment paving the way for a more convincing democracy has turned out as expected - a "yes" vote with 82.9% approval, making the French Pro-Constitution "Yes" camp envious. The event has strongly been rejected by the country's handful of opposition parties, who claim that the change is biased in favor of the ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) and could be facilitating the takeover of the presidency by Hosni Mubarak's son, Gamal. Allowing Political Pluralism in Egypt
Manuela Paraipan - 2/28/2005
Post 9/11 President Bush called for a perestroika in the Arab world, and some in the United States believed that this process might start with Egypt. However, many others in Egypt and elsewhere in the region, seriously doubted it. Egypt cannot be a pioneer of democracy in the region without accepting a more participatory politics. Corruption, nepotism, an almost non-existent social and political development and frequent scandals have been the emblem of the Egyptian political system for decades. To change the course of such a decadent system is not an easy task and it is unlikely to happen over... |
