The Arabist

The Arabist

By Issandr El Amrani and friends.

Links 1 April 2011

What is Missing or Exaggerated in News of the Uprising? – Heydemann, Lawson, Lesch, Seale
a good read

Libya's challenge: democracy under the gun | openDemocracy
Move to diplomacy fast or risk public-demobilisation, this argues.

In Egypt’s Democracy, Room for Islam - NYT
The Mufti: "Islamists must understand that, in a country with such diverse movements as the Muslim Brotherhood; the Wasat party, which offers a progressive interpretation of Islam; and the conservative Salafi movements, no one group speaks for Islam."

Learning to love change - The Boston Globe
Thanassis Cambanis on "Why America needs to end its obsession with stability", feat. me: " If America can shift its framework for thinking about the region, as Issandr El Amrani, an expert on Arab politics who blogs at The Arabist (www.arabist.net), puts it, the Middle East will no longer be populated by two teams: rogue states and American clients."

لجنة الشرطة قبل وبعد ٢٥ يناير « 3arabawy
This is funny - police before and after the revolution in Egypt.

Arab Reform Bulletin - Obstacles on the Path of Tunisia’s Democratic Transformation

3 top Mubarak cronies banned from leaving Egypt
In which I'm quoted arguing that Egypt needs Tunisia-style commissions rather than ad hoc court cases.

Rights group: Bahrain targets wounded protesters
In hospitals.

Saudi firm sues American over alleged $10B fraud
Involving al-Gusaibi family.

A New Palestinian Movement: Young, Networked, Nonviolent - Yahoo! News

Libya vs. Bahrain: danger of the West's double standard - Yahoo! News
Alastair Crooke.

Al Qaeda Magazine
Looks like an in-flight mag.

Why did protests in Algeria fail to gain momentum? by Lahcen Achy | The Middle East Channel

"...We could never guarantee how the intelligence might or would be used by the state of Israel.."
On UK-Israel intelligence collaboration.

Egypt's Top Spy a U.S. Concern - WSJ.com
Hopefully it won't be business as usual.

Latest Updates on Libyan War and Mideast Protests - NYTimes.com
great post on qadhafi spokesman's wife's blog

Conflict in Ivory Coast Threatens to Destabilize Its Neighbors - NYTimes.com
meanwhile...

SS ‘leaders’ assigned new posts
Again: Egypt needs serios truth commission.

Video of Landis Commentary on Assad’s Speech
A pretty forgiving take.