Day: July 2, 2013

Tabler and Lynch go ten rounds

The Obama administration’s decision to arm the Syrian rebels is controversial in Washington.  While some support the decision, others consider it “probably [Obama’s] worst foreign policy decision since taking office.”  Last week, the Washington Institute for Near East Policy hosted a debate on Arming the Syrian Rebels: Sliding Toward Iraq or Inching Toward StabilityAndrew Tabler, a senior fellow in the Program on Arab Politics at the Washington Institute, argued for arming the rebels.  On the other side stood Marc Lynch, associate professor at George Washington University and editor of Foreign Policy’s Middle East Channel.  Robert Satloff, executive director and Howard P. Berkowitz Chair in U.S. Middle East Policy at the Washington Institute, moderated the discussion. Read more

Tags : , , , , , , , , , , ,

Tick tock

The 48-hour Egyptian army ultimatum expires tomorrow .  The military seems to have no intention of removing President Morsi, which would generate a destabilizing Muslim Brotherhood backlash.  Instead the army says failure of the politicians to reach an agreement would require the military to impose a road map for future elections, presumably including an early presidential poll.  This would be a soft coup.  A good part of Morsi’s opposition would welcome an army-imposed road map so long as they could expect it to lead to the end of his presidency.  The Cairo stock market rise yesterday suggests the idea is popular also in the business community. Read more

Tags :
Tweet