Tarek Atia's web log
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out how
the world media sees Egypt...
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Bush arrives
US President George W Bush is in Sharm El-Sheikh for talks with Arab
leaders about terrorism and peace. Here's
the Yahoo page with lots of photos
of Mubarak greeting Bush at the Sharm El-Sheikh airport.
The
International Herald Tribune is skeptical
of the meeting's possible benefits, mirroring the attitudes of the
Arab pundits it interviews. Al-Ahram's Abdel-Moneim Said is quoted
as saying, "The United States is now the 26th Middle East
state"," along with 22 Arab nations, Turkey, Iran and
Israel.
AP does a roundup
of previous Sharm El-Sheikh peace meetings.
Powell meets
Arab ministers first.
"Security
is everywhere."
AFP does a story about
security precautions being taken in Sharm El-Sheikh and describes
the villa
Bush is staying at: "He will stay in a moorish-style villa with
three bedrooms, a swimming pool, and a private beach, all landscaped
with flowers and palm trees and offering a view of rocks plunging
into the sea.A hotel employee said the villa normally costs
8,000 dollars a night."
Meanwhile...
Trying to somehow get
into the Sharm El-Sheikh headlines, an Israeli official claims Sharon
didn't accept the idea of an Egyptian summit because of a jailed
Israeli spy.
Sick bathroom
humor
Fake
bomb threat on EgyptAir
Justice net
closes in on yellow press
Osbou
editor Mustafa Bakry goes to jail
Web
posted by Tarek Atia Tuesday, June 3, 4:00 CAIRO
Looking at
Iran
Are Egypt and Iran heading for normal diplomatic
relations? There have been hints of such for years now, but on the
Egyptian ministerial level, at least, a cool detachment from the
actual possibility. Now, suddenly, in the wake of an Organization of the
Islamic Conference meeting in Tehran, Foreign Minister Maher is
being quoted all over the place as having said that, "Constant
contacts are currently underway between the two states to resume
normal relations and Iran-Egypt communications are already launched
to the effect,"
But then, in
Sunday's Al-Wafd, it was revealed that Maher had actually placed
some serious preconditions on restoring the diplomatic track,
amongst which was Iran's handing over of some wanted terrorists.
This sort of one
step forward, one step back probably sounds familiar to those who have been watching the
progress (or lack of it) in Egypt-Iran relations over the past few
years.
Back in August
2001, I covered the evergreen story of an Iran-Egypt diplomatic
rapprochement for Al-Ahram Weekly -- the geopolitics of the day were
certainly different, but the mood seems to be the same -- summarized
quite well by Maher's quote to me at the time: "We've
seen trends from Iran to improve relations, and we've seen the
opposite of that. It's an Iranian-Iranian problem, more than an
Egyptian-Iranian problem... There should be clear positions on their
side, not ones that change every day. If we see that coming from their
side, we are willing to sit down and talk."
My prediction is
-- don't hold your breath.
Beauty on
parade
Nour ElSammary is Egypt's hope at the Miss Universe contest going on
in Panama City. This AP
photo caption is from the competition's swimsuit
round.
Web
posted by Tarek Atia Monday, June 2, 4:00 CAIRO
The D word
This article on a US website called The Day is an
interesting look at that well-worn topic -- the increasing calls for
democratization and political reform in Egypt in the wake of Iraq.
You can just see that
paragraph now, the one that starts with..."the
Anglo-American invasion of Iraq has given birth to unprecedented
public criticism of authoritarian Arab rulers and united political
activists of various stripes." The daring new spirit of
activism -- often times inspired by loathing for US policies in the
region -- is duly chronicled. If anything, the ironic thing seems to
be how all this democracy talk is taking its cue straight from the
widespread US mantra about reworking the map of the Middle East. And
how that's all it ever seems to be -- talk. Because nobody's talking democracy on
the street. This is pure ivory tower stuff here.
USA Today also gives the genre a try, arguing that
"On Cairo's streets, [there's] anxiety, anger toward U.S."
which means that any US-inspired democratization will probably not
go over too well. Amongst predictions that all the rebellious
internal politics of today will soon be shut down by the government,
the article concludes with an insightful quote by political science
professor Musata Kamel El-Sayed, ''The
Arab heart is easy to win. People here want to like the United
States... But you've got to give them a reason to like you now. This
is the time for diplomacy, to handle things with modesty and an
appreciation for Arab culture and tradition. There's no room now for
displays of arrogance and power.''
Is that what the
current Bush Middle East peace drive is all about?
Meanwhile...
The reform bug is also striking the Arab
League...
And then
there's...
Sawerki -- three
years in jail for having too many wives...
Web
posted by Tarek Atia Sunday, June 1, 3:00 CAIRO
Pure condemnation
Jailed Egyptian Gamaa Islamiya leaders
recently released a statement urging Muslim youth "to refrain from any
participation in the haphazard operations undertaken by al-Qaida".
The jailed leaders said that "that terror
attacks like those in Saudi Arabia and Morocco "put the whole
(Islamic) community in a state of enmity with the rest of the
world," reported AP.
They also said these kinds of acts are based on "based on
obvious religious mistakes."
Why hasn't this condemnation -- from a group that
itself espoused violence once, and are in jail now as a result --
gotten as much press coverage as the latest Ayman El-Zawahiri tape?
Probably because
it's not as exciting when Muslims -- even the angry
looking bearded types -- don't quite fit the maniacal cartoon bomber
cliche...
More Arab condemnations of terrorism:
"Terrorism is an enemy for all of us, an enemy
for our societies, an enemy for our religion
and an enemy for our culture," Arab League Secretary General Amr
Moussa said on Wednesday...
Far flung
An Australian
national arrested in Egypt for possible links to al-Qaeda
3rd mobile
crisis continues...
Now Telecom Egypt is considering trying to buy
equity in one of the already existing mobile operators
Bedouin
adventure
Grateful Dead smoke hash in Egypt
Web
posted by Tarek Atia Saturday, May 31, 2:00 CAIRO
A matter of
timing?
Cairo Times does justice to the emerging controversy over the racy
Baywatch-copycat Egyptian TV series currently in pre-production in
Hurghada . The story makes a point of putting the producer's timing --
immediately following a highly unpopular American invasion of the
region -- right into the line of fire. Actor Amr Waked -- who is
completely against the show -- is quoted as
saying, ""It is a kind of treachery to be openly promoting
the worst of American culture so soon after the war."
The article also
makes clear why the series and its
premise -- bikini clad babes frolicking on the beach -- is also not
very in tune with the Amr Khaled-inspired prevailing cultural
atmosphere of the day.
Amazing
fact
Consider the marshmallow, a treat that dates to ancient Egypt. According to this
article,
last year,
Americans dropped nearly $125 million on marshmallows, flaming them on sticks
over campfires or dissolving them in cups of steaming cocoa.
What's that
smell?
French
Egyptian perfumes exhibition tours the world.
Web
posted by Tarek Atia Thursday, May 29, 1:00 CAIRO
Double resort
tour
This article provides all the latest
details on the possible Bush meetings in Sharm El Sheikh and
Aqaba next week.
It now looks
fairly likely that the peace summit between Bush, Abu Mazen and
Sharon is set to take place in Aqaba.
But Bush will
also be meeting Arab leaders, including the kings of Morocco,
Bahrain and Jordan, in Sharm El-Sheikh as well.
The itineraries
are based on statements made by the Jordanian foreign ministry and
the state-run Egyptian Middle East News Agency.
The White House
has not confirmed any of it yet -- saying Bush is still studying his
options.
Instant judgment
US Congressman Darrel Issa, an Arab-American, meets with Mubarak and
tells reporters
afterwards that Egypt can help build Iraq's new justice system.
We did it!
Egypt's
population hits 70 million.
Meanwhile...
A 1
billion dollar loan from the World Bank is in the works.
Web
posted by Tarek Atia Wednesday, May 28, 5:00 CAIRO
Rolling with
it...
Egypt's leverage, as well as its relations with the Palestinians,
Israelis, Americans and all the other players in the upcoming Mid East
transition phase, is being heavily highlighted in the press at
present.
An article in the Philadelphia
Inquirer posits that the US still depends on Egypt to pave the way
for peace (one professor calls Egypt a "junior mediator",
while a government spokesman says Egypt is the region's
"political barometer"), with detailed descriptions of
Egyptian efforts to broker ceasefires amongst Palestinians factions,
both military and political.
The crux in the
end seems to always be -- however -- that whatever Egypt's role, and
however influential, everything comes back to how seriously the United
States will pressure Israel into accepting terms that the other side
in the conflict -- the Palestinians -- have already accepted.
The Washington
Post, meanwhile, broke on Sunday with an analytical piece
arguing that Egyptian-US relations are at an all time
"uncomfortable" low. The article -- which includes an
interview with Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher -- seems to be
attempting to weigh whether or not Egypt's support of and practical
efforts towards the peace process allow it to sidestep -- or at least
delay -- Washington's wide-ranging calls for more democratic reform in
the Middle East.
Maher says, "The
United States knows the importance of the role of Egypt... We are not
in competition with any other country. We are in a different
league." President Mubarak's advisor, Osama El-Baz,
meanwhile, suggests that, ""Top-notch intellectuals should
be told every now and then that they cannot re-create or reshape the
world with the image they have in mind... They don't have the
experience. They don't know the limitations."
Note...
How it's rapidly becoming a sort of beauty contest -- with
Jordan, Egypt, and lately, Turkey,
offering to host the upcoming peace summit, with each country shyly saying
they hadn't been asked yet. Israel, has, in a strange move, supposedly
said Sharon won't go to a summit in Sharm because Egypt has been hostile
towards Israel. This just a few weeks after it was reported that
Sharon had accepted an invitation to visit Mubarak.
Condolences
Famous
painter Tahiya Halim passed away. She was 83
A follow up on the sad child custody case in Maryland...
Egyptian
Grandmother's Sentence Shortened
And it's
official:
Egypt
announces candidacy to host 2010 World Cup
Web
posted by Tarek Atia Tuesday, May 27, 5:00 CAIRO
Now what?
A painful article appears in today's Washington Post about 6 Egyptian
men in Evansville, Indiana who were held in federal prison for
a month after the 9-11 attacks.
They were being
held as material witnesses -- a murky classification that allows the
government in terrorism cases to detain people nearly indefinitely
without charges .
Eventually they
were let go, and cleared of all involvement in the crimes.
But life became
quite difficult for these men after that. They had been paraded on the
front pages of the papers. One of them -- Tarek Al-Basti -- owned a
successful restaurant --that business starting going down the
drain. The other men worked with Al-Basti, who is married to an
American who had once come to Cairo to study. They moved back to
Illinois, and he went from busboy to manager at the restaurant. Then
he and his wife brought the place, and he started creating opportunities
for his friends and relatives back in Egypt -- many of whom, this
intriguing Washington Post account reveals, happened to be all on the
same rowing team...
A fairly typical
story of the immigrant-driven American dream structure. Until
9-11 that is.
But why
were Al-Basti and his crew so suspect? First, because he had once
taken flying lessons (They had been a gift from his father in law).
But then, more damagingly, because the wife of one of the men, in a
moment of anger, lied to police about her husband being suicidal and
planning to killed himself in a plane crash.
The Post article
is triggered by a recent FBI apology to the men and to the entire
Evansville Muslim community. The FBI apologized for the trouble they
had caused, admitting they were wrong. But there was nothing they
could do about it, they said, considering the nation's state at the
time.
Web
posted by Tarek Atia Monday, May 26, 2:00 CAIRO
All the steps
are in place
Sharon has accepted the Road Map (although,
according to the Washington Post,
it will still face steep resistance in the cabinet, and Sharon is only
accepting it because he's gotten assurances that it will be changed to
his liking.)...
Meanwhile...
Bush has indicated that he wants to do a tour of the region after the
G8 summit and a visit to Aushwitz.
Once in the Middle
East, Bush
says he might meet with Sharon and Abu Mazen to help bring forth a
Palestinian state.
Egypt has been suggested as a venue, and in fact, Egypt says it
wouldn't mind hosting such a peace conference, with officials being
quoted as saying they accept the idea with open
minds, hearts and arms -- but that, at the same time, no official
request has yet been made.
Observers have suggested that
the proposed Bush Mideast peace summit may take place in Sharm
El-Sheikh, where, all the news reports mention, Clinton met world
leaders for peace in 2000. The question is implicit, but remains
unasked for now -- Is Bush going down Clinton's well-worn failed peace
road?
Meanwhile,
the Arab League's Amr Moussa also
welcomed the tour, but only if the US
leader sought a comprehensive dialogue.
If the situation in Iraq and Palestine
remain as they are, or get worse, Moussa
predicted a flood
of terror.
Media becoming
too religious?
Wahid Abdel-Meguid
writes in Al-Hayat of the problems with using the word "martyr"
in Arabic news coverage of things like the train disaster, and the
conflicts in Palestine and Iraq.
Inserting
such a clear religious dimension into news coverage is not necessarily
the right way to deal with what he says is a journalistic duty to
defend the Palestinians in a war that has taken on an increasingly
religious dimension.
Using religion
could play into the wrong hands since the real catch here is the public.
Meanwhile...
The Boston Globe editorializes that when it comes to public
opinion, the recent violent
attacks will have a far more negative effect on al-Qaeda itself. The
Islamic groups are going too far and will lose their popularity by
killing innocent civilians, like Islamic Jihad did in Egypt in the
90s.
And finally...
Samir
Ragab gets mentioned in the Washington
Post
Web
posted by Tarek Atia Sunday, May 25, 2:00 CAIRO
Origins of
ideas
According to an online article, "Zahi Hawass will dispatch his men up
the sides of the pyramid seeking clues which, he hopes, will prove
whether the so-called "air shafts" from the
"Queen's" chamber deep inside this architectural wonder
actually reach the outside."
Actually, this article takes its nod from cairolive. It says that
"Hawass's choice of words mark an extraordinary change in his
attitude towards people he once branded "Pyra-mad-ologists".
Back in September, while covering the National Geographic special
"Secret Chamber",
we reported that "in many ways programs like this, with their
hyped-up talk of secrets and mysteries, actually show that [this] form
of archaeology is gaining popularity and coloring the lingo of more
traditional archaeology." Posing the question to Hawass, who was
a major force on the show, the antiquities chief said, "The
Pyramids are all mysteries. The most important thing is that when you
want to respond to the extreme popularity of others, you have to use
the same exciting methods. That way you'll reach a wider audience with
the truth."
Web
posted by Tarek Atia Sunday, May 25, 2:00 CAIRO
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