Islam Archives - Page 9 of 25 - Foreign Policy In Focus

Is Algeria Next?

by Wided Khadraoui | Feb 24, 2011

Protesters in Martyr’s Square chanted “yesterday Egypt, today Algeria” during demonstrations in the Algerian capital Algiers on February 12. The Algerian government’s response to the protesters was reminiscent of Egypt’s ex-President Hosni Mubarak during the last five days of the 18-day protest in Cairo. Armed riot police and pro-government thugs attacked pro-democracy protesters to provoke violent clashes. The same aggressive approach to the protesters was seen again on February 19 when military-style armored police vehicles deployed throughout Algiers to prevent the protests from even forming.

American Conservatives Choking on Arab Democracy

by M. Junaid Levesque-Alam | Feb 23, 2011

Freedom is to conservatives what a scabbard is to a swordsman: a means to protect and conceal the implement of choice.

Interview with Phyllis Bennis

by John Feffer | Feb 18, 2011

In our special focus on Islamophobia, FPIF talks with Phyllis Bennis: activist, analyst, and writer on Middle East and UN issues for many years.

Egypt Has Already Experienced Islamic Rule — and Found It Wanting

by Russ Wellen | Feb 14, 2011

To curry favor with Egyptians, President Mubarak adopted the social conservatism of the Muslim Brotherhood.

Using Islamophobia as a Pretext for Withdrawing From Afghanistan

by Russ Wellen | Feb 9, 2011

According to a prominent national-security expert, if a clash of cultures is inevitable, U.S. foreign policy must reflect the inherent antagonism.

Two Cheers for the Brotherhood

by John Feffer | Feb 1, 2011

In the latest news out of Egypt, where people power is confronting regime rigidity, President-for-life Hosni Mubarak is doing what he can to maintain his perch. He has named a new cabinet, deployed more troops in the cities, and blocked al-Jazeera broadcasts. The opposition, meanwhile, hopes to bring a million people into Cairo’s streets to give the regime a final boot.

Interview with John Esposito

by John Feffer | Jan 27, 2011

In a new special focus on Islamophobia, Foreign Policy In Focus interviews prolific author and professor John Esposito about prevailing political and media myths about Muslims and the Muslim world.

The Power of Political Islam

by Daniel DePetris | Jan 17, 2011

When western governments focus on political Islam, the debate gravitates toward the national security domain. Western governments and policy analysts routinely portray the role of Islam within Arab political life as a danger to western interests. In reality, Islam is an integral component of contemporary Muslim politics. With some innovative thinking, the United States and its western allies can use the power of Islam to their advantage as well as the advantage of people in the region.

Review: Cutting the Fuse

by Greg Chaffin | Jan 13, 2011

Foreign occupation is the common thread tying suicide terrorism together the world over. In Dying to Win and again in Cutting the Fuse, Robert Pape argues that the United States must endeavor to draw down its occupation of Middle Eastern countries and return to a policy of offshore balancing to maintain its regional interests.

Islamists Bite the Ballot

by Saif Shahin | Dec 23, 2010

Recent elections in Bahrain and Egypt are being criticized for all the usual reasons. Authoritarian regimes — one a monarchy, the other a quasi-military dictatorship — cracked down on the media and the small opposition forces that challenged them in the run-up to the polls, eventually holding ballots with little or no monitoring.