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Archives: July 2011

Top Developments in the Arab Spring this Weekend

As usual, Friday was a big day for the popular Arab reform movements that are challenging dictatorial governments. 1. Syrian security forces are alleged to have killed about 20 protesters on Friday,…
European Extremism Scares Arabs

European Extremism Scares Arabs

Egyptian newspaper Al-Shuruq in Arabic for July 29, 2011: Article on Anders Breivik with the title, "Europe's Extreme Right: A Hatred Factory"
Controversies over Younis assassination in Libya

Controversies over Younis assassination in Libya

Abdel Fattah Younis, military leader of the Free Libya Forces, was assassinated Thursday. Younis was too close to Qaddafi, despite his defection, to remain truly popular with the rebels, and it is…

Dear Foreigner-Haters: Immigration is Good for You

Why is there such strong anti-immigrant sentiment in the industrialized democracies, and why does it get focused on Muslims? The shooting rampage and bombing by anti-immigrant Islamophobe Anders Breivik has raised these…

The Irrelevance of the Knights in a Global Society

Norwegian right wing Christian terrorist Anders Breivik spoke of being a member of the "Knights Templar," and if anything is further terrorizing about Friday's attacks beyond their own horror, it is the…

When Extremism Learns to Blow things Up

The revelation by CNN that Norwegian right wing terrorist Anders Behring Breivik kept a diary in which he obsessed about the dangers of cultural Marxism, multiculturalism, and the "Islamification" of Europe will…

Is the Arab Spring Coming to Palestine?

Marwan Barghouti, a jailed Palestinian leader who was important to the "Second Intifada" or Palestinian uprising against Israeli occupation, has called for "million-person marches" in support of the Palestinian bid for membership…

Can Bookstores be Saved?

I like bookstores. I savor being in a place with book-lined walls. I love the covers, the titles, the blurbs. Some bookstores have jazz playing in the background. Some have coffeeshops. I…
Free Libya Offensive in Brega Begins

Free Libya Offensive in Brega Begins

Update: Midday Monday Libyan time, Free Libya forces announced that the bulk of the Qaddafi brigades at Brega had retreated to Ra's Lanuf and that Transitional National Council troops had taken much…
32 Nations Recognize Free Libya

32 Nations Recognize Free Libya

The 32 nations of the Libya contact group, meeting in Istanbul, have decided to recognize the Transitional National Council in Benghazi as the legitimate government of Libya. The US was among those…

Is Murdoch’s Media Empire a Cult?

The scandals besetting billionaire media mogul Rupert Murdoch's British properties simply cannot be ignored in the United States. Murdoch owns a newspaper of record, the Wall Street Journal, and his Fox Cable…

Ahmad Wali Karzai Killing Points to More Instability

The murder Tuesday of Ahmad Wali Karzai, the behind-the-scenes authority over Qandahar province and brother of Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai, shows the continued instability in that country. It is not entirely clear…

On Panetta and Defeating al-Qaeda

Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta said on his arrival in Kabul that the US could be on the verge of defeating al-Qaeda, and could do so in the wake of the killing…
Egyptian Revolution 2.0?

Egyptian Revolution 2.0?

Thousands of protesters came back to Cairo's Tahrir Square on Friday. Despite the sometimes dark depictions of continuing unrest in the Western press, from all accounts the atmosphere was light and carnivalesque.…

Anthony Case Index

Number of murders in US in 2009: 13,636 Number of murders committed by firearm: 9,146 Number of alleged murders discussed for past 3 years by t.v. "news": 1 Number of most-talked-about accused…
Free Libya Forces Advance in Western Mountains

Free Libya Forces Advance in Western Mountains

Rebel forces took the city al-Qawalish on Wednesday, extending their control toward the capital and putting them in striking distance of the key city of Gharyan. Meanwhile, a Russian report said that…
Syrian Tanks enter Hama

Syrian Tanks enter Hama

Syrian tanks entered the outskirts of Hama on Monday morning, killing 3 as they cracked down on the protests that have wracked this city in recent days. The large protests in this…

The Arabs’ Fourth of July

The United States today is celebrating the declaration of independence issued by a murky group of dissidents in 1776, who, had they been rounded up by the duly constituted authorities, would have…

Rebels offer Qaddafi Libyan Retirement

Free Libya leader Mustafa Abdel Jalil said Sunday that Muammar Qaddafi could remain in Libya in retirement if he gave up power. This offer is the first time the rebel forces in…

Syrians Protest in the Thousands, 24 Killed

Protesters came out in rural towns such as Amouda and Deraa again on Friday, calling for the ouster of the Baath regime of Bashar al-Asad. Some reports estimated that hundreds of thousands…

US Reaching out to Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt

The Obama administration has decided to open direct contacts with the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood. The Brotherhood long ago gave up violence and has been a responsible parliamentary actor for many years, though…