Regaining the Russian Patron

The sudden Russian rise in the international arena aroused a question: Would Russia revitalize its role in the Middle East as the Arabs’ patron? No doubt that the Arab media had special interest to the Russian role since Russia attacked Georgia, lots believed that its an opportunity that would offer the Arabs a margin for [...]

Bombings in Islamabad

The recent bombings that took place in Pakistan raised several questions related to the Pakistani-US cooperation, and to what direction it is heading now? Pakistani journalist Ahmed Rashid, author of “Descent into Chaos” and correspondent for the Daily Telegraph has an excellent article analyzing the reasons behind the failure thats facing the US in [...]

Shiite invasion to Sunni societies

Questionable statements by Prominent Islamic scholar Shiekh Al-Qaradawi warning from the “Shiite invasion” to the Sunni societies, his statements aroused a big controversy in the Sunni societies where some approved with his point and some rejected it. The Iranians severely attacked Al-Qaradawi for his statements and described his language as being “characterized by hypocrisy, quackery, and sectarianism”. [...]

State and Religion in Egypt

Editor’s Note: We are pleased to announce Fluffygirl’s first debut. I would like to say that Fluffy girl is a well-informed Egyptian scholar who studied Egyptian politics in Cairo University, and now pursuing her postgraduate studies in Europe, I’m gonna say that it is important to consider her views closely. [I would like also to remind [...]

Al-Qaeda Back in Afghanistan

Last week the US conducted it’s first-ever operation in Pakistan, and decalred that forces in Iraq would be reduced by 8,000 troops, and 4,500 additional troops will be sent to Afghanistan. A step that only indicates that violence in Afghanistan has risen sharply. Al-Quds Al-Arabi commented on the US strategy to tackle Al-Qaeda and Taliban [...]

Jordans Talks to Hamas

So king Abdulah of Jordan authorized secret talks with Hamas. Clearly, he realized that the power relationships has changed significantly in favor of Hamas. Since 1999 relations has been cut off with Hamas, its leader was banned from entering the kingdom and Hamas was considered as a threat to the Jordanian national security. Although, the [...]

Walk like an Egyptian

The Daily News Egypt has an outstanding article on how to make your stay in Egypt pleasurable as possible. In Cairo there are several challenges that can face you as a foreigner visiting it for the first time, and planning to stay for a short while, primarily difference is a symbol of this crowded noisy [...]

Rock slide disaster in Cairo

A horrific disaster took place in the eastern end of Cairo last Saturday, where a huge chunk of a stone cliff towering that part of the city crushed down killing and trapping whole families and residents. Expectations refers to the destruction of at least 50 homes filled with people beneath the debris.
From the very first [...]

Egypt is a secular state.

Al-Masri Al-Youm, one of Egypt’s top independent newspapers had an interesting interviewwith the famous Islamic thinker Dr.Abdel Sabour Shahin. The long interview tackled mainly applying the Islamic law (shari’a) along with many other critical issues that haunts the Egyptian society.
I’d like to highlight one of the basic points he went through, which is the state. According to [...]

Mahmoud Abbas vital for Israel?

The Jerusalem post has a good piece about who will succeed the Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. The ramifications of Abbas’s departure was described as a “looming threat” particularly to the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) and the IDF. Expectations is that a Hamas member is very likely to become a President, the thing that [...]