The road to Arab democracy
By Shlomo Avineri JERUSALEM: During the turmoil of the French Revolution, a popular saying arose: “How beautiful was the republic — under the monarchy.” The revolution aimed at achieving liberty, equality,…
What’s in store for US-Pakistan relations post-bin Laden?
By Huma Yusuf WASHINGTON, DC: Scenes of rejoicing in Washington and New York accompanied the news that Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden had been killed by US special forces on Sunday.…
The new Arab spirit
By Mahmoud Amin Hishmeh AMMAN: Over the past few years, we have often heard about a new Middle East, as envisioned by the United States and its allies. What is happening…
All the Queen’s children
By Ian Buruma NEW YORK: Does monarchy — constitutional monarchy, that is, not the despotic kind — have any redeeming features left? The arguments against maintaining kings and queens are mostly…
Israel’s Egyptian dilemma
By Shlomo Ben Ami JERUSALEM: The Arab revolt against inertia, despair, and decline has rightly inspired the admiration of civilized people everywhere — everywhere, that is, except in Israel. The fall…
Bin Laden and the Afghan endgame
By Shahid Javed Burki ISLAMABAD: Osama bin Laden’s death in a firefight with United States special forces will profoundly affect Pakistan’s relations with America. The death of Al Qaeda’s leader deep…
A new vision for ending the Arab-Israeli conflict now
By Michael Felsen BOSTON, Massachusetts; As the turbulent winds of the Arab Spring continue to blow, and efforts to bring a September vote in the UN General Assembly to recognize the…
Congratulations to the Egyptian People on the occasion of World Press Freedom Day 2011
CAIRO: This year’s World Press Freedom Day, with its focus on social media, is an excellent opportunity to celebrate the extraordinary democratic transformation currently underway in Egypt. During the January…
Arab League delays summit by year to March 2012
CAIRO: An Arab League summit originally planned for March this year has been delayed by 12 months at the request of its host, Iraq, Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa…
Hundreds arrested as troops exit Syria protest hub
DAMASCUS: Syrian troops arrested 300 people in a Damascus suburb on Thursday even as they started to pull back from the protest hub of Daraa after a military lockdown of…