How An Entrepreneur Sparked the Arab Spring

I recently had the great pleasure of hearing economist Hernando de Soto speak to a group of think tank types and media members about his perspective on the Arab Spring. De Soto is most famous as an advocate for property rights for the world’s poor. Henando de Soto’s big argument about the …

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Written by Noah Kristula-Green on Thursday December 8, 2011

Mob Rule Comes to Libya

If there was any doubt in my mind that the so-called Arab Spring was nothing more than a backdrop to a long winter freeze, that doubt was set aside by the gory scenes of the death of Col. Gaddafi, played again and again on TV networks. The mad dog of the Middle East was dead, but not before he was  …

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Written by Tarek Fatah on Monday October 24, 2011

The Murder War Against Egypt's Christians

Egypt was not a congenial place for its Christian minority even under Hosni Mubarak. Now conditions are getting worse, writes Peter Goodspeed in Canada's National Post : Last weekend’s massacre of Coptic Christians in Cairo is just a symptom of a more dangerous disease, as the transition to …

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Written by David Frum on Tuesday October 11, 2011

Don't Expect Democracy in Libya

From the widespread reaction, you’d think the collapse of Muammar Qaddafi's regime in Libya was a World War II-type victory. In fact it took six months of U.S., Canadian, British, French and NATO air strikes–most of the target practice with no return fire–before the “rebels”  broke through to …

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Written by Peter Worthington on Thursday August 25, 2011

Obama's Hazy Mideast Policy Reboot

There was scarcely a line in Obama's speech for me to disagree with; but what's troubling is the vagueness about what America will actually do. JOIN THE LIVE CHAT VISIT WHITEHOUSE.GOV Eli Lake reminds us that this is the same president who as …

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Written by David Frum on Thursday May 19, 2011

Obama Stays Silent on Syria

The uprising in Syria gives the U.S. a chance to advance its interests and ideals, but Obama's insistence on engaging authoritarian regimes may squander the opportunity. The U.S. response to the recent events in Syria reveals that the Arab revolts have not completely shaken President Obama’s faith …

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Written by Lauren Noble on Wednesday April 20, 2011

Is Iran Helping Assad Crush the Syrian Revolt?

According to Israeli sources, some security personnel unleashed on Syrian anti-regime activists have been speaking in Farsi. Is Iran helping defend their only Arab ally? According to Israeli sources, Syrian dissidents have reported some of the gun- and baton-wielding security personnel unleashed …

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Written by Tim Hodgson on Monday March 28, 2011

New Media Holds Back Assad's Crackdown

Unlike his father, Syria's Bashar al-Assad can't respond to an uprising with brutal force. In the new media age, bloodbaths don't play with the Arab street or TV audiences. The traditional rules of engagement between the Syrian regime and its opponents have been suspended. The Carthaginian …

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Written by Tim Hodgson on Saturday March 26, 2011