Democracy
Muslims do want democracy: An Interview with Radwan Masmoudi
 In this interview published in the Charlotte Observer, college professors Paul Kengor and Michael Coulter ask Radwan Masmoudi, founder of the Washington-based Center for the Study of Islam and Democracy, tough questions about democracy, shari"˜a and the Muslim world. Do Muslims want democracy? Is it possible in Iran? In Iraq? What elements of Islam could be considered "liberal"? |
Balancing realism and reform on the Arab periphery
 Washington, D.C. - In an ironic turn of events, Yemen's September 20 presidential and local elections garnered extensive favourable coverage by the normally critical Al-Jazeera, while they received only scant attention from the U.S. government, heretofore eager to highlight any sign of reform in Arab states. Why did U.S. officials refrain from highlighting what many foreign observers have praised as successful elections? Possible explanations include a return to traditional priorities in which security interests supersede democracy promotion, a calculated U.S. effort to promote Arab reform more quietly, or simply an oversight due to other distractions. by Jeremy M. Sharp |
A call for cool heads
While the international boycott of the Hamas-led government might bring about its collapse simply out of practical necessity, it most likely will also leave Hamas as popular as ever since that collapse will be seen as a direct result of external pressure rather than any failing of the government itself.
by Ghassan Khatib
Upping the Ante in Egypt's Parliamentary Elections
ALTHOUGH critics across the board have skewered Egypt's top-down reform efforts as deeply flawed and inherently self-serving, it is clear that measures taken in recent months nonetheless have greatly raised the stakes of political activity. Imbued with new significance, the Egyptian political arena has been swept by a heightened flurry of campaigning, mudslinging and undermining, with competition at times becoming literally cutthroat.
By Jennifer Peterson
Middle East democracy should focus on variations of Islamic parties
 I am an enthusiastic supporter of President George Bush's (anybody else's, for that matter) mission to spread democracy. I would argue, as Bush has done, that this is the most natural yearning of all peoples. My problem is that the US and its lead regional ally seem to stop short of their zeal for democracy once the results don't please them.by Daoud Kuttab |
Middle East Democracy: For Better or for Worse
| On Tuesday a front page article in the New York Times revealed that a plan is afoot in Washington D.C. and Tel Aviv to starve the PNA of funds and international support. Such a tactic is collective punishment dressed up as bilateral sanctions. Yet the "you reap what you sow" policy (i.e., Palestinians elected Hamas, so Palestinians suffer the consequences) is a dangerous, double-edged sword that should not be wielded without adequate appreciation for the possible outcomes. by Maggie Mitchell Salem |
Palestine after the elections
| The results of the Palestinian elections continue to reverberate throughout the occupied territories, with a surprising positive reaction even from many liberal circles. by Daoud Kuttab |
