Tag Archives: Middle East

HISTORY / Bob Feldman : A People’s History of Egypt, Part 6, 1890-1917

Cairo street scene, early 1900’s. Image from mfish. A people’s history: The movement to democratize Egypt Part 6: 1890-1917 period — Early union-building and calls for economic reform. By Bob Feldman | The Rag Blog | August 13, 2013 [With … Continue reading

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Jack A. Smith : What’s Up With the Egyptian Coup?

A man in Tahrir Square with his face painted in Egyptian colors. Image from CNN. Egypt’s coup:Progressive or regressive? It is ironic that the military — formerly loathed for upholding the dictatorship for decades, then further reviled during its controversial … Continue reading

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Robert Jensen : Peace Talks Are New Chapter in an Old Book

Peace talks: the players. Image from AP Graphics Bank. Peace talks:A new chapter in an old book Discussions about the issue, whether among citizens or by officials at the negotiating table, must begin with an acknowledgement of the power wielded … Continue reading

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HISTORY / Bob Feldman : A People’s History of Egypt, Part 4, 1849-1879

Building the Suez Canal. Image from Modern School. A people’s history: The movement to democratize Egypt Part 4: 1849-1879 period — From free trade and the Suez Canal to bankruptcy and austerity By Bob Feldman | The Rag Blog | … Continue reading

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Harry Targ : Egypt, Popular Uprisings, and 21st Century Social Movements

Gamal Abdel Nasser emerged as a powerful charismatic figure in Middle East politics. Image from The Majalla. Egypt, popular uprisings, and complexityof 21st century social movements On one side are those who remember military coups supported by the United States … Continue reading

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Tom Hayden : Does Egyptian Coup Augur an Arab Winter?

Throngs in Cairo celebrate the military’s overthrow of Mohamed Morsi, July 3, 2013. Photo by Amr Nabil / AP. An Arab winter?The coup in Egypt If Morsi couldn’t create a new center, the reason might not have been because he … Continue reading

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Ron Jacobs : Onward, Through the Fog of War

Syrian refugees in Arsaal, Lebanon, on the Syrian border. Photo by Ed Ou / NYT. Enter Obama:Onward, through the fog of war There will be no progressive secular government in Syria after the bloodshed ends. Indeed, there may not even … Continue reading

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Harry Targ : Waist Deep in the Big Muddy, Again!

Smoke from fighting in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo, December 1, 2012. Photo by Javier Manzano / AFP / Getty Images. One more time:Waist deep in the Big Muddy The case is clear that increasing the United States’ military … Continue reading

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Jack A. Smith : Obama, China, and the Middle East

Samantha Powers, Susan Rice (“two cats among pigeons”), and President Obama. Photo by Charles Dharapak / AP. Foreign policy pivot?Obama, China, and the Middle East Obama has transferred the brunt of U.S. foreign/military policy away from the Middle East and … Continue reading

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Harry Targ : Benghazi is the Perfect ‘Scandal’

Political cartoon by Daryl Cagle / Cagle Cartoons. Benghazi:The perfect ‘scandal’ The real ‘scandal’ is the cover-up of what the U.S. was doing in Libya. By Harry Targ | The Rag Blog | May 30, 2013 On the night of … Continue reading

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Robert Jensen : Important Truths Behind an Anti-War Slogan

Image from deepforest.org. ‘No blood for oil!’  Important truths behind an anti-war slogan Underneath the complex relationships and shifting strategies, the obvious question lingers: If the Middle East were not home to the largest reserves of the most easily accessible oil … Continue reading

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David McReynolds : After the Truce in Gaza

Political cartoon by Paul Jamiol / Jamiol’s World / Informed Comment.EdgeLeft:After the truce in Gaza This was not only a victory for Hamas, but also for Israel, which achieved at one stroke a deep division between the two sides of … Continue reading

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