Geography Archives: Middle East

Egypt’s revolution is still cooking, but not boiling yet.  Today the people took to the streets in a fragmented way, after the police heavy-handedly dispersed the crowd yesterday. In Cairo one demonstrator and one police officer died today in the clashes.  That gives an idea of the level of protest; the government is denying this, […]

It is commonly said that “an investment in gold represents an investment in fear.”  Indeed, reports that recently deposed Tunisian leader Zine Ben Ali absconded with 1.5 tons of gold bars from that country’s central bank would seem to highlight the truth of this maxim.  Here in Egypt, it was reported two days ago in […]

Yasmine, 22, recently graduated from Cairo University.  She plans to work in law and currently interns at the Center for Egyptian Women’s Legal Assistance (CEWLA).  She deems herself an activist, but really, she says, she’s “just an Egyptian with a vision.” Imbaba, Cairo, Thursday, January 27 Yasmine: I love the idea of going to the […]

كن مع الثورة Mohamed Gaber is a graphic designer and photographer in Cairo, Egypt.  Check out his blog at .  Gaber has created and published 13 other revolutionary posters for the ongoing mobilization in Egypt, under a Creative Commons license and downloadable at . | Print

Anger over unemployment and poverty continue driving people to protest.  So far six people have died, and many more injured.  Hundreds have been arrested, even journalists since Tuesday. . . .  All eyes are on Friday, when various organizations are calling for the largest demonstration yet. This video was released by Daily News Egypt on […]

On 26 January 2011, Fars News, a semi-official news agency of the Islamic Republic of Iran, reported that Antonio Cassese, the president of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (commonly called “Hariri Tribunal”), was a legal adviser to a powerful committee to de-list Mojahedin-e Khalq (“People’s Mojahedin of Iran,” aka MEK, MKO, and PMOI) from the […]

25 January 2011 They do not belong to a political party, they do not follow a particular ideology, they make an appointment on Facebook, an appointment we all laughed about, telling them you cannot have a revolution like you have a blind date, but today in tens of thousands they came. . . .  They […]

Carlos Latuff is a Brazilian cartoonist.   | Print

“We heard that [US Assistant Secretary of State] Jeffrey Feltman visited Tunisia.  This is a bad omen.  The Tunisian people should be on guard: when Feltman wants to discuss processes and elections with the interim Tunisian government,* it definitely means an American conspiracy in the making.  Wherever this sorcerer Feltman appears, strife and ruin follow […]

Listen to the interview with Hossam el-Hamalawy: Hossam el-Hamalawy: Egypt yesterday witnessed its strongest protests in probably four decades, since 1977: tens of thousands have taken to the streets in virtually all the cities of our country, chanting against Mubarak, chanting against the U.S., which is backing Mubarak, calling for internal reforms and for democracy. […]

  Tahrir Square Amr Waked: “Change Is Coming” Shubra Matariyyah In Front of the Parliament In Front of the Dar Al Hekma Hospital Qasr El Aini Street Alexandria Smashing the NDP Headquarters, Mansoura The videos above were released by Al-Masry Al-Youm on 25 January 2011 under a Creative Commons license.  Cf. “After violent clashes with […]

  Why Are We in Afghanistan?  Written and directed by Michael Zweig.  Illustrated by Mike Konopacki.  Edited by Trish Dalton.  Produced by Trish Dalton, Michael Zweig, and the Center for Study of Working Class Life. As we approach the 10-year anniversary of the US invasion of Afghanistan, polls show that 63% of Americans now oppose […]

  Miqati to Be PM by Andrew Bossone Miqati and Hizbullah Out-play the Analysts by Nicholas Noe I must say I was also taken by surprise at the pace of events and the relative success THUS FAR of the opposition. Ever since the government fell, an almost UNIFORM consensus among the analysts was that there […]

A Plenary Address at the American Studies Association Presidential Panel, San Antonio, Texas, 18 November 2010 For Ruthie Gilmore. I am an imposter here: not a real American Studies scholar.  I went to graduate school in the late 1980s to study History and Anthropology.  My interest was in the contemporary history of India.  When I […]

Carlos Latuff is a Brazilian cartoonist.  Cf. We Are All Khaled Said; “#Jan25 Is Official Menace to the Regime” (Egyptian Chronicles, 23 January 2011). | Print

Predictably, the Istanbul talks have ended without positive results.  And, it seems clear that the discussion came to a dead end over two issues: the Islamic Republic wanted explicit recognition of its right to enrich uranium which the United States (at least) was not prepared to do; and the United States proposed a plan for […]

  Listen to the interview with Dyab Abou Jahjah: 4th World War: To what extent do you think this popular revolution can achieve not just democratic rights but also something else: social change? Dyab Abou Jahjah: After the dictator left the country, many people of what was the legalized opposition, the parties that were legal […]

  This cartoon was first published by Dostor (Egypt); it is reproduced here for non-profit educational purposes.  Cf. We Are All Khaled Said; “#Jan25 Is Official Menace to the Regime” (Egyptian Chronicles, 23 January 2011). | Print  

  Calls are mounting for disbanding the Rassemblement constitutionnel démocratique (RCD) or at least banning it from participation in the transition government of Tunisia.  Amid streets chants of “RCD out,” the RCD leadership (such as it still exists) first kept a low profile and then felt compelled to do “something.”  That something translated into a […]

  Mubarak to Ben Ali: “I’m coming to stay with you in a few days.  Get me reservations at a good place.” Le journal du ZABA / يوميات زين العابدين بن علي The videos above were released by Kharabeesh on 19 January 2011, 27 January 2011, and 3 February 2011.  For more information about Kharabeesh, […]