For Obama, 2010 in the Middle East Looks More Like the Precipice of Doom than Achievement

Posted by Matt in December 25th, 2009 | no comment

Published in Middle East, Arab Israeli Conflict, Barack Obama, Barry Rubin, Cairo, Concessions, Diplomatic Breakthrough, Doom, Extent, Fun, Gloria, Israel, Israel Relations, Late September, Middle East, Palestinian Authority, Palestinians, Precipice, Predecessors, Quick Solution, Status Negotiations

By Barry Rubin*
December 25, 2009
http://www.gloria-center.org/Gloria/2009/12/for-obama-2010

The year 2010 is going to be interesting. Well, all years in the Middle East are interesting; many of them are far too interesting.
For the Obama Administration, I’m going to predict, it will not be a fun year. True, the best face will be put on things. Since it is [...]

DEBKAfile – Egypt’s abrupt shutdown of operations against tunnels revives missile flow to Gaza

Posted by Matt in November 20th, 2009 | no comment

Published in Egypt, Cairo, Clarifications, Consequences, Debkafile, Egypt, Gaza, International Accords, Jerusalem Report, MiddleEast, Military Sources, Missile, Special Forces, Stoppage, tunnels

Egypt’s special forces and engineering units suddenly shut down operation against the smuggling tunnels to Gaza without warning to Washington or Jerusalem, DEBKAfile’s military sources report. US and Israeli requests for clarifications from Cairo, which must have ordered the stoppage, were not answered. So the Obama administration signaled Egypt that if it continues to violate [...]

The world tires of the Palestinian cause | The Daily Star

Posted by Matt in November 18th, 2009 | 1 comment

Published in Middle East, Arab Country, Arab World, Arabs, Atmosphere, Cairo, Daily Star, Governments, incompetence, Palestinian Cause, Palestinian Leadership, Palestinians, Star World, Tires

The atmosphere in Cairo this week tells us much about the contemporary Arab world’s view of the Palestine cause in relation to domestic issues in every Arab country. Ordinary Arabs and their governments alike seem fed up with the incompetence of the Palestinian leadership, while remaining strongly committed emotionally to the justice and rights of [...]

Young and Arab in Land of Mosques and Bars

Posted by Matt in September 21st, 2008 | no comment

Published in Dubai, Middle East, Cairo, Choices, Drinks, Dubai, Egypt, Fate, Freedom, Galal, Girlfriend, Maintenance Man, Mosque, Mosques, Prostitute, Rami, Uae, United Arab Emirates, United Emirates

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — In his old life in Cairo, Rami Galal knew his place and his fate: to become a maintenance man in a hotel, just like his father. But here, in glittering, manic Dubai, he is confronting the unsettling freedom to make his own choices.
Here Mr. Galal, 24, drinks beer almost every [...]