Encouraging Democracy by Undermining International Law?
Assad, for example, would be less likely to resign if it meant that the ICC would subsequently attempt to arrest him. Refusing to bring in the ICC means sacrificing justice to ensure – or at least encourage – a peaceful end to a conflict.
Minor Thoughts on the Shalit Deal
Both of these moves signify minor, yet important shifts in Israeli policy, but does this mean anything? Does it show an Israeli government that is belatedly reacting to its own self-isolation? Or is there something bigger afoot?
Saddam Hussein’s Doppleganger Kidnapped for Porn Film
Mohamed Bishr, an Egyptian man who greatly resembles former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, was injured last Sunday when three armed men attempted to kidnap Bishr in order to force him to impersonate Hussein in a pornographic film.
Will Oil Drown the Libyan Revolution?
Michael Ross wrote a pretty interesting piece in the latest Foreign Affairs (subscription required) about the possibility that the prevalence of oil in many Arab countries will dampen the effects of the Arab Spring. The boiled down thesis is that monarchs and dictators who are fortunate enough to run countries blessed with immense oil wealth … Read more
Why Has the Egyptian Revolution Stalled?
In addition to the regular reading list, I am offering a pretty good selection on Egypt. I am crazy behind this week and have not really had time to comment on all I want to, including many issues that are covered in these readings. Unsurprisingly, the main constant through all of these pieces is the … Read more
Obama’s UN Speech
One could have easily predicted what Obama was going to say at the UN. Hooray for the fall of dictators; Iran is evil; doesn’t everyone love Israel; change can happen, guys! It is a pretty trite storyline that predictively had very little substance to it. And, of course, that is not the fault of Obama. … Read more
Rebuttal against Daniel Ayalon’s New YouTube Video
I do not know if anyone else is as sick of this stupid hasbara (propaganda) videos by Israeli MK and Deputy Foreign Minister Daniel Ayalon as I am but I feel the need to retort. Not that this has some profound legitimate points. He picks and chooses convenient lies and exploits them to fit a … Read more
On the Attack on the Israeli Embassy in Cairo, Part II
My reaction to the attack on the Israeli embassy was pretty straight forward: the refusal of SCAF to protect the embassy was unforgivable and a poor attempt to deflect the council’s own shortcomings, but the anger that fueled the attack was certainly provoked in part by the murder of five Egyptian police by Israel – … Read more
YNet: Arabs Unprepared for Democracy
Yigal Walt at YNet News writes: IDF Major General Arab Spring” may ultimately turn into a “radical Islamic winter.” Recent events in Egypt and elsewhere in the region indicate that this grim assessment is materializing at a rapid pace right before our eyes. Foolish Western observers who lauded the “great revolutions” sweeping the Middle East have displayed … Read more
Chris Keeler
Chris Whitman
