Monthly Archives: September 2011

Libya’s decentralized rebellion: will it produce a weak state?

Posted on September 18, 2011 by

I have a short blurb up on CNN.com, along with four other Libya commentators, on the challenges facing the new interim government. Others mentioned the political transition, disarmament, and changing the Qaddafi-era habit of reliance on connections and corruption. I mentioned the … Continue reading →

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Israeli embassy gets breached

Posted on September 10, 2011 by

My thoughts on the “storming” (more properly, the reception room-trashing) of the Israeli embassy last night on Arabist.net, along with more analysis by Issandr and an excellent glimpse at Egyptian soccer fandom by Ursula. (The Ahli Ultras had a big … Continue reading →

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The main factor preventing another 9/11 was not counterterrorism, but simple awareness that another attack could happen

Posted on September 8, 2011 by

A lot of the 10-year retrospection discussion on 9/11, the extent to which al-Qaeda has been degraded, the necessity or non-necessity of an Afghan invasion, seems to me to be missing a key point: We could have taken no action … Continue reading →

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SCAF may tighten easy entry for foreigners

Posted on September 8, 2011 by

Egypt may be cancelling the practice of allowing visitors from Western and other (mostly wealthy) countries to get visas at the airport. Okay, as a citizen of a country which requires Egyptians and visitors from many other nations to jump … Continue reading →

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What’s next in Libya?

Posted on September 8, 2011 by

Here are a couple of articles I recently wrote from Libya for the Economist and Foreign Policy, largely looking forward to the kinds of issues which the country might face after the rebel victory: For the atmosphere in Tripoli, I … Continue reading →

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