James M. Dorsey

Ahmadinejad looks to Soccer to Boost Image

Ahmadinejad looks to Soccer to Boost Image

JAMES M. DORSEY: Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is following in the footsteps of deposed autocrats by associating himself with one of Iran’s greatest passions: soccer.

 Common Ground News Service

Since The Revolution: Victories and Losses

Since The Revolution: Victories and Losses

AKREM KAABI, CGNEWS: There are significant threats to democracy and to hard won freedoms but huge progress has been made.

 Michael J. Totten

To Tunisia: The Arab Spring’s ‘Bellwether’

To Tunisia: The Arab Spring’s ‘Bellwether’

MICHAEL J. TOTTEN: Largely forgotten in the West, Tunisia is where the great movements and ideas of the Arab Spring are fighting a huge battle.

 James M. Dorsey

Pork, Alcohol and Qatar: Setting the Limits to ‘Modernity’ and Global Ambition

Pork, Alcohol and Qatar: Setting the Limits to ‘Modernity’ and Global Ambition

JAMES M. DORSEY: The debate will determine Qatar’s effort to become a global sports hub, and its positioning as a forward-looking sponsor of change.

 Juan Cole

‘All Praise to George W. Bush’: The Top Ten Myths of the Arab Spring

‘All Praise to George W. Bush’: The Top Ten Myths of the Arab Spring

JUAN COLE: So much that is misinformed, over-hyped and simply plain wrong has been written about the Arab Spring. So let’s sort the wheat from the chaff.

 Juan Cole

Netanyahu: The ‘Mr Wrong’ of the Middle East

Netanyahu: The ‘Mr Wrong’ of the Middle East

JUAN COLE: If there’s one person you can count on to mis-read virtually every aspect of developments in the Middle East today it’s Binyamin Netanyahu.

 James Mullan

News Analysis: ‘Are You Lookin’ at Me, Ben Ali?’

News Analysis: ‘Are You Lookin’ at Me, Ben Ali?’

NEWS ANALYSIS: Legendary American film star, supporter of the Doha Tribeca Film Festival, Robert de Niro, is sure events in the Arab world will inspire very interesting film-making.

 James Mullan

News Analysis: Tunisia Goes to the Polls

News Analysis: Tunisia Goes to the Polls

NEWS ANALYSIS: With their erstwhile leader rattling around a presumably luxurious villa in Jeddah, Tunisians have had their first shot at genuine democracy.

 The Moor Next Door

Game On in Tunisian Election Campaign

Game On in Tunisian Election Campaign

THE MOOR NEXT DOOR: With a week to go before Tunisia’s national election anticipation is mounting. With more than 100 parties contesting which of them is set to emerge victorious?

 Common Ground News Service

Tunisian Media – It’s ‘Not Up to the Mark’

Tunisian Media – It’s ‘Not Up to the Mark’

MOURAD TEYEB, CGNEWS: ‘With freedom comes responsibility’ goes the saying. The Tunisian media need to start taking their’s seriously.

 Juan Cole

Democracy: More Valued by Arabs than Americans?

Democracy: More Valued by Arabs than Americans?

JUAN COLE: Al Qaeda’s vision for the Arab World has been comprehensively rejected. It appears that Arabs – in particular, young Arabs – are prepared to put their lives on the line, not for a Caliphate, but for parliamentary democracy.

 Juan Cole

Top Ten Myths about the Libyan Revolution

Top Ten Myths about the Libyan Revolution

JUAN COLE: It is worthwhile reviewing the myths about the Libyan Revolution that led so many observers to make so many fantastic or just mistaken assertions about it.

 Juan Cole

Assad Plays the ‘Palestinian Card’ – Again

Assad Plays the ‘Palestinian Card’ – Again

PAUL NOTAR, INFORMED COMMENT: He’s always been a skilful player of ‘the Palestinian Card’ but as the region changes his hold on that particular narrative is no longer exclusive.

 Common Ground News Service

Hip Hop: The Music that Inspired the ‘Arab Spring’

Hip Hop: The Music that Inspired the ‘Arab Spring’

ROSE HACKMAN, CGNEWS: Arabic ‘hip-hop’ with a political twist has been the soundtrack of the revolutions over the past eight months

 Tabsir

Yemen, the Reality: ‘It Ain’t Over ‘Til it’s Over’

DANIEL M. VARISCO: He’s clearly been badly wounded and his confidence in those who surround him must have been rocked but it’s still possible Salih will try to stage a comeback.

 Shelina Zahra Janmohamed

What Kind of Leader Do Young Arabs Want?

What Kind of Leader Do Young Arabs Want?

SHELINA ZAHRA JANMOHAMED: Whether it’s Mubarak, ben Ali or bin Laden it’s clear what sort of leadership Arabs don’t want. It’s far less clear however what they are looking for in their leaders.

 M.-Lynx-Qualey

Censors ‘Making a Comeback’ in Tunisia and Egypt

Censors ‘Making a Comeback’ in Tunisia and Egypt

M. LYNX-QUALEY: Following a relatively brief lull in censorship activity in Tunisia and Egypt it appears they’re back in business again.

 Syria News Wire

Reaction to ‘The King’s Speech’: ‘Disappointment’

Reaction to ‘The King’s Speech’: ‘Disappointment’

NEWS FROM SYRIA: Expectation was high in advance of the speech delivered by President Assad yesterday. By the time he had finished speaking I was left with a sense of confusion, anger, depression but most of all disappointment.

 Omar al-Issawi

Syria: Carrots on the End of a Very Long Stick

Syria: Carrots on the End of a Very Long Stick

OMAR AL-ISSAWI: It’s a ‘plot’, ‘foreign elements’ are at work, the word ‘conspiracy’ is never far from the lips of Syria’s official spokespeople. We’ve heard it all before – from Ben Ali, Mubarak, Gaddafi and Ali Abdullah Saleh.

 Omar al-Issawi

Syria: It’s Crunch Time for President Assad

Syria: It’s Crunch Time for President Assad

OMAR AL-ISSAWI: He has support among sections of society in Syria but Assad needs to show resolute leadership if he is to avoid his country spinning into turmoil.