Original essays, research notes, and reports
Balancing political interests and religious idealism in Islamic Societies by Ahmed E. Souaiaia* Alarabiya channel cheered the ouster of Morsi and the Brotherhood Many analysts and observers of Middle Eastern affairs were surprised when the Salafi political party, al-Nour, supported the protest movement and the military that ousted Mohamed Morsi and his Muslim Brotherhood from Read more
Continue ReadingThe Coalition will either negotiate with the regime or it will become irrelevant by Ahmed E. Souaiaia* Responding to a non-scientific poll posted on the website of the National Coalition of Syrian Revolution and Opposition Forces (the Coalition), 66.2% of the respondents wanted the group to attend the Geneva-2 conference. In fact, 33.6% of the Read more
Continue Readingby Henelito A. Sevilla Jr* The ouster of the first democratically elected president of Egypt, Mohammad Morsi, puzzled many analysts and made it hard to predict the future of Egypt. People from the beginning of the revolution have been asking for economic and political reform. Instead, Morsi’s government first step was to amend the constitution, Read more
Continue ReadingNusra fighters transporting weapons in Syria, Monday. By Fawzi Najm* In a series of gruesome acts designed to be a show of force and to intimidate opponents, Islamist fighters affiliated with al-Qaidah have slaughtered rebel leaders belonging to the so-called Free Syrian Army (FSA) and confiscated their large cache of weapons. Parts of a plan Read more
Continue Readingby Ahmed Magdy Youssef* Egypt’s last two weeks’ incessant events not only gripped the minds and hearts of the Egyptians, but they captured the interest of the national and international media as well. For many Egyptians, mostly those who filled public squares across the country to demand Mr. Morsi’s removal and early presidential elections, the Read more
Continue ReadingMiddle East Politics Reshuffle: The Future of Islam in the public sphere by Ahmed E. Souaiaia* Ghannouchi to take a major role in Muslim Brotherhood International The overthrow of the Muslim Brotherhood’s government in Egypt on July 3rd, 2013 forced the group’s international leaders to rethink the movements options. This weekend, they gathered in Turkey. Read more
Continue ReadingBy Fahd Makhtul MENA The rulers of Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates have taken the lead to shore up the new regime in Egypt. The two countries together are to provide nearly $8 billion in the form of goods, grants, and loans. King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia ordered an aid package totaling nearly $5 Read more
Continue ReadingTunisia at a crossroads by Genevieve Theodorakis* A primary driver of the Tunisian revolution was the unanimous call for freedom of expression and mass participation in national politics. With the demise of the Ben Ali regime, Tunisians hoped their liberation would remove controls on freedom of speech and freedom of the press and further expand Read more
Continue ReadingHenelito A. Sevilla, Jr The Arab uprisings are redefining the political landscape of the Middle East and North African region. Despite recent transitional political processes being experienced by some Arab countries, chaos, uncertainty, fear, cases of sexual abuses against women, and struggle for power by sectarian groups still describe the general condition of affected countries Read more
Continue Readingby Ahmed E. Souaiaia* Gruesome killings of Egyptian Shi`as contributed to Morsi’s fall Many Arabs, thirsty for real change, look at the events of the Arab Spring positively. Liberal, secular, conservative, and ultraconservative groups and individuals in the countries transformed by the Arab Spring who supported the overthrow of the old guard agree that Read more
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