French intervention in Mali is motivated by economic rather than democratic concerns
In 2003, the Bush administration justified the invasion of Iraq on the grounds that Saddam Hussein had ties with Al-Qaeda and possessed weapons of mass destruction. (...)
A conference for the support of the oppressed Ahwazi people in Iran was initiated in Cairo on 10 January this year. The Ahwaz province (also known as Arabistan or Khuzistan) has an indigenous Arab minority who have historically suffered, and more so (...)
Mustafa Salama
No one can deny that the current liberal discourse addressing ongoing affairs in Egypt and the Middle East is at large is filled with anger. The discussions are not only confined to conventional political struggles, rather these (...)
Mustafa Salama
A few days ago a rumour circulated that Sami Anan, former chief of staff, had left Cairo for the United Arab Emirates. The rumour was soon refuted, despite the fact that many were not particularly surprised by his destination.
It (...)
Authenticity is a trait that almost all politicians like to claim one way or another. Whether it is an American presidential incumbent speaking of how he stands for real American values versus his opponent or here in Egypt where a liberal may speak (...)
Mustafa Salama
As Islamic discourses become mainstream in several Muslim countries, one wonders what is there to make out of it? After all practically all modern Islamic movements came about with the objective of reviving an Islamic society, polity (...)
For the most part media has portrayed the protests in front of American embassies as just as a protest over the amateur video insulting Islam and prophet Muhammad peace and blessings be upon him. Moreover, it is surprising how some media outlets (...)
Mustafa Salama
Don't fear all Islamists, fear Salafis, was the title of a dubious recent op-ed written in a prominent American online news-paper. While many Islamists have thought that finally silly accusations and sweeping generalizations about (...)
The current international political system is the result of dominant power relations between the biggest nations and also the smaller ones. The way the UN is managed, global trade is conducted, and security issues are settled are all created by man, (...)
Mustafa Salama
President Morsy certainly took Egypt and world by surprise by sacking the heads of SCAF. Utter and sheer joys were expressed in Tahrir as Egyptians filled the square to support the latest decisions of their recently elected (...)
The new Minister of Endowments or Awqaf has been named; Dr. Mohamed Yusri, who also heads the Committee of Rights and Reform, an Islamic advocacy organisation which includes many different Islamic organisations and factions in Egypt including The (...)
Essam Al-Eryan, a leading Muslim Brotherhood figure who also heads the Committee of Foreign Relations in the post-revolution parliament wrote on his twitter account: “Democracy, free elections, and peaceful transition of power, will change the map (...)
The month of Ramadan has just begun for Muslims, while to a distant observer it may be just about overcoming hunger and thirst, it is actually much more than that.
Ramadan is a blessed month for Muslims, where they fast from dawn to beginning of (...)
The continuing fall of Arab old regimes is raising plenty of questions for academics and policy makers alike. After all, authoritarianism has been the overarching normality for decades in the Middle East and more specifically Egypt, one of the (...)
Mustafa Salama
Back in 2008, as I was doing my first graduate studies course in political science at The American University in Cairo, discussions revolved around democratisation in the Middle East, and of course Islamists.
You can't really escape (...)
Mustafa Salama
The Egyptian revolution has certainly given the vast majority of un-politicised Egyptians a crash course in politics, at times quite harsh and full of emotions.
Some Egyptians were shocked when they found out that the cronies of the (...)
The moment of announcing Morsi as president was an extraordinary moment for Egyptians. Tahrir was screaming and crying in joy and celebrations did not stop during the night.
Pleasure expressed was not limited to Egypt; especially in Gaza that has (...)
Mustafa Salama
Much of the general public as well as revolutionaries are not the only ones frustrated with Islamists' lack of revolutionary furor. Islamist masses themselves are frustrated with their leadership's incompetence and their inability to (...)