Steven A. Cook

From the Potomac to the Euphrates

Cook examines developments in the Middle East and their resonance in Washington.

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Showing posts for "Libya"

Weekend Reading: Egypt’s Bassem Youssef, Politics of the Arabic Language, and Videos from Syria

by Steven A. Cook
A general view of the Dubai skyline shows the Burj Khalifa building (Mohammed Salem/Courtesy Reuters). A general view of the Dubai skyline shows the Burj Khalifa building (Mohammed Salem/Courtesy Reuters).

Al-Monitor outlines the investigation of Egypt’s beloved comedian, Bassem Youssef.

Muftah discusses how nuances of the Arabic language reflect and affect the ever turbulent politics of the region. Read more »

Weekend Reading: Egypt’s Other Dialogue, Libya’s Revolution, and Saudi’s “Code”

by Steven A. Cook
Cars drive past parliamentary election campaign posters at a roundabout in central Amman (Ali Jarekji/Courtesy Reuters). Cars drive past parliamentary election campaign posters at a roundabout in central Amman (Ali Jarekji/Courtesy Reuters).

Nour Youssef on The Arabist offers her thoughts on the recent dialogue held between Egyptian comedian Bassem Youssef and al-Gama’a al-Islamiyya member Nageh Ibrahim. Read more »

The Middle East in 2013: Don’t Count on It

by Steven A. Cook
Egyptian flags are displayed for sale during New Year's Eve celebrations at Tahrir Square in Cairo (Amr Dalsh/Courtesy Reuters). Egyptian flags are displayed for sale during New Year's Eve celebrations at Tahrir Square in Cairo (Amr Dalsh/Courtesy Reuters).

It is finally the second week of January, meaning that the annual year-end/beginning lists and prognostications are mercifully behind us.  Some of these catalogues of best-worst and “what to expect” are more interesting than others—my favorites are best books and articles—but mostly, these exercises are filler for the December 20-January 5 slowdown.  The problem with the annual lists is that because they are done with one eye on the snow conditions at Aspen or the water temperature in the Caribbean or the traffic on I-95, they are often dashed off in a vacuum— with no context and no sense of how these observations connect to each other in useful analytic ways. Read more »

Hello, West? It Really Is About the Movie

by Guest Blogger for Steven A. Cook
Hardee's and a Kentucky Fried Chicken fast food outlet burns after protesters set the building on fire in Tripoli, northern Lebanon (Stringer/Courtesy Reuters). Hardee's and a Kentucky Fried Chicken fast food outlet burns after protesters set the building on fire in Tripoli, northern Lebanon (Stringer/Courtesy Reuters).

My friend and tweep, Ramy Yaacoub, penned today’s post. He disagrees with my piece, Mohammed, KFC, and US. He argues that the protests in the Muslim world are actually about an offensive movie and differing worldviews rather than a history of subordination to the West. It’s well done. I’m sure you’ll be hearing from Ramy again. Follow him on Twitter: @RamyYaacoub Read more »

Weekend Reading: Snapshots of Protests in the Middle East

by Steven A. Cook
Protesters climb a fence at the U.S. embassy in Sanaa (Mohamed Al-Sayaghi/Courtesy Reuters). Protesters climb a fence at the U.S. embassy in Sanaa (Mohamed Al-Sayaghi/Courtesy Reuters).

Nafeesa Syeed provides a closer look at the ongoing protests at the U.S. embassy in Sana’a, Yemen.

Evan Hill offers an interesting analysis of the anti-American demonstrations sweeping the Arab world. Read more »

Weekend Reading: Syria’s Revolution, Egypt’s Crossroads, and Turkey’s EU Bid

by Steven A. Cook
A view of mosques in Old Cairo is pictured before sunset during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan (Amr Dalsh/Courtesy Reuters). A view of mosques in Old Cairo is pictured before sunset during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan (Amr Dalsh/Courtesy Reuters).

Husam Dughman writes for Informed Comment on why Syria’s revolution is different than Libya’s.

Shahira Amin says that in light of Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi’s recent military purge, it is up to him to show that authoritarianism is a thing of the past in the country. Read more »

Weekend Reading: Egypt’s Past is Present, Libyan Islamists, and Jordanian Challenges

by Steven A. Cook
Kuwaiti citizen Abu Ail Walima reads a newspaper in downtown Kuwait City (Stephanie McGehee/Courtesy Reuters). Kuwaiti citizen Abu Ail Walima reads a newspaper in downtown Kuwait City (Stephanie McGehee/Courtesy Reuters).

Amin Shalabi wonders if history will repeat itself in the U.S.-Egypt relationship.

Alison Pargeter offers the deeper story on Islamism in Libya on Open Democracy. Read more »

Weekend Reading: Egyptians Getting Down to Business, Freedom of the Press in Morsy’s Egypt, and Libya’s Stalled Revolution

by Steven A. Cook
A bookseller sleeps in his store in Marrakesh (Lucy Nicholson/Courtesy Reuters). A bookseller sleeps in his store in Marrakesh (Lucy Nicholson/Courtesy Reuters).

Issandr al-Amrani says Egypt’s new government can waste no more time getting down to business in solving the country’s exigent problems, after its lengthy transitional period. Read more »