If you have something to say...
Say it on the Huffington Post
If you have something to say...
Say it on the Huffington Post
With the revolution in Egypt, freedom can be misunderstood. Locals are learning that on a busy urban street, unbridled freedom can become a straitjacket for all.
Bassem Youssef, the famous host of an Egyptian satire news show, is being sued. Bassem is no hero of mine, and there are countless others who share my...
It would be easy to blame the economic woes that now threaten to engulf Egypt on political uncertainty, corruption and bad policies, but in truth, Egypt's troubles have been a long time in the making.
Ensuring that the elections are free, fair, and open, and that President Morsi fully embraces religious tolerance and democratic pluralism is vital. We need to be strong and consistent about that, for Egypt's sake and ours.
The renewed clashes on Mohammed Mahmoud Street are as much a protest against Mr. Morsi's granting to himself of powers that include immunizing his decisions against legal challenges as they are the highlighting frustration the failure to address reform of the security forces.
The real surprise from Egypt is the ritual Western "surprise," another indication of the disconnect between a liberal Western view of the world and that of veteran Islamists and long-time members of the Muslim Brotherhood, such as President Muhammad Morsi.
Egypt's militant soccer fans, one of the country's largest civic groups, have emerged from a week of street agitation politically strengthened as they seek to chart a course in the post-Mubarak era.
Religion in Egypt in particular, and in the wider Arab region, is very important to the local population. The question is, how is it going to be utilized, and how will different political groups and personalities react and engage with it?
Terrorism usually leads to bad results, but hopefully not this time. The Sinai incident can be the exception, and a very significant one for the future of Egyptian-Israeli relations.
The Egyptian interior ministry has handed newly elected president Mohammed Morsi an unexpected asset to garner public support in his struggle for power by refusing to lift a six-month old ban on professional soccer.
This is a phase that requires wisdom and maturity on the part of all players in the entire Arab region, not just in Syria, Libya or Egypt, where the challenge is clearer than it is in other parts of the Arab region.
Morsi must act quickly to win the trust of his country's long-standing allies; the world needs a strong and stable Egypt and Egypt needs the world's confidence to boost its economy and regain stability.
We needed time to build our emotional and physical identity. So why is it that we are so critical of other nations, like Egypt and Tunisia, which have barely had a year to finalize their new constitutions, or a four-year term to test out their newly elected parties?
That rarest of birds, an Egyptian female judge, is at the center of a controversy about how the military colluded with the judiciary to keep control over the reins of power even as the Muslim Brotherhood was winning the popular vote.
"We're going to have some great material." -- Bassem Youssef, Egyptian political satirist after hearing the results of the first round of the 2012 Eg...
Morsi has a unique opportunity to demonstrate what a fair and democratic leader can do in the region. If we truly believe in the value of democracy, the value of freedom, and the power of the people's voice, we will support Egypt and its new president on their journey towards a free and democratic society.
