Epstein Secrets

rhood backers battled over several hours in the bloodiest clash between the nation's secular and Islamist currents since the revolution that ousted Hosni Mubarak 20 months ago. More than 100 people were injured. The demonstrators on Talaat Harb, their passage into the iconic square blocked by a phalanx of s

vents Friday were troubling. The Brotherhood has a hard time accepting dissent. Its avowed reason for occupying Tahrir — the acquittal last week of Mubarak-era officials accused of involvement in the deadly camel charge on protesters in the square last year — looked like righteous camouflage for suppre

4. The Washington Post Obama and Romney's empty talk on Syria Richard Cohen Article 5. Spiegel Iran's Secret Plan to Contaminate the Strait of Hormuz Erich Follath Article 6. The Christian Science Monitor NATO must offer Turkey military support in Syria crisis Jorge Benitez Article 7. NYT N

's debate, the two front-runners, Moussa and Aboul Fotouh, dug at each other's records. Aboul Fotouh portrayed Moussa as a corrupt, weak stooge for Mubarak who will continue the old regime's authoritarian ways. Moussa attacked Aboul Fotouh as a fire-and-brimstone Islamist who founded a radical group in

ypt had been supplying gas to Israel. This followed months of demonstrations in Cairo by the youthful protestors who succeeded in deposing autocrat Hosni Mubarak and are now seeking a more independent Egyptian foreign policy—one less beholden to the United States and Israel. It also followed scores of attac

leaders on all sides say they are fully prepared to employ force if the peace talks fail. For the Iranians, this means blocking [34] the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow channel through which one-third of the world's tradable oil passes every day. The United States, for its part, has insisted that it wil

June 18, 2012 -- The once-promising democratic transition in Egypt is in peril after a power grab by the generals and the courts — holdovers from Hosni Mubarak's repressive regime. This is not what Egyptians rallied and EFTA00671813 died for in Tahrir Square. It guarantees more turmoil. Given Egypt's imp

urmoil. Given Egypt's importance in the Arab world, it sets a terrible example for other societies trying to get beyond autocratic rule. After Mr. Mubarak was deposed 16 months ago, the generals promised to transfer power to a civilian government by July 1. We were always skeptical, and they have now

70 percent of its total consumption. Most of that imported energy comes through a handful of vital marine bottlenecks: principally, the straits of Hormuz and Malacca and the Suez Canal. Yet China contributes almost nothing to stability in the oil-producing heartland of the Arabian deserts and barely

Israel. In this context, if Palestinian-Israeli violence erupts in the West Bank, there will be no firewall — the role played by former President Hosni Mubarak — to stop the flames from spreading directly to the Egyptian street. Moreover, with the rise of Islamists in Tunisia, Libya, Egypt and Syria, Isra

wall — the role played by former President Hosni Mubarak — to stop the flames from spreading directly to t

. More important, Israel cannot strike Iran without U.S. permission because Israel cannot guarantee that the Iranians would not mine the Strait of Hormuz. Only the United States could hope to stop the Iranians from doing so, and the United States would need to initiate the conflict by taking out the

on of the economic conditions faced by the majority of Egyptians. These were the factors that resulted in the revolution that toppled the regime of Hosni Mubarak. The meeting between high-level Egyptian officials and the IMF's managing director have led various political forces to question the economic prog

better exert its political influence over the region. In 1997, China and Egypt concluded an agreement that did not end up coming into effect under Mubarak. According to the agreement, a Chinese- Egyptian common industrial zone would be established in the Suez, which would later have been developed into

military officials say is a demonstration of unity and a defensive step to prevent Iran from attempting to block oil exports through the Strait of Hormuz. In fact, the United States and Iran have each announced what amounted to dueling defensive exercises to be conducted this fall, each intended to d

s debate, the two front-runners, Moussa and Aboul Fotouh, dug at each other's records. Aboul Fotouh portrayed Moussa as a corrupt, weak stooge for Mubarak who will continue the old regime's authoritarian ways. Moussa attacked Aboul Fotouh as a fire-and- brimstone Islamist who founded a radical group in

ypt had been supplying gas to Israel. This followed months of demonstrations in Cairo by the youthful protestors who succeeded in deposing autocrat Hosni Mubarak and are now seeking a more independent Egyptian foreign policy—one less beholden to the United States and Israel. It also followed scores of attack

leaders on all sides say they are fully prepared to employ force if the peace talks fail. For the Iranians, this means blocking [34] the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow channel through which one-third of the world's tradable oil passes every day. The United States, for its part, has insisted that it wi

not against the paramilitaries linked to radical Islamists who have increased their activities in the peninsula since the fall of former President Hosni Mubarak in February 2011. Last week, they attacked an Egyptian military post on the Gaza border, killing 16 Egyptian soldiers. This followed several attack

an President of 30 years was unceremoniously shunted out of power by SCAF, a coterie of generals he appointed. That was a reminder, of course, that Mubarak's regime hadn't been created in his image and was no personality cult; he'd simply inherited the reins of power when his predecessor, Anwar Sadat,

nd to launch such an attack. And it is not clear that such an attack would succeed. It is also not clear that the Iranian counter at the Strait of Hormuz wouldn't leave Israel in a difficult political situation, and above all it is not clear that Egyptian and Syrian factions would even be impressed b

he big question is whether the inevitable change will come from inside or outside the current system. Putin could be another Gorbachev — or another Mubarak. Some people believe that he will slowly allow liberalization. But his conduct of the election campaign — founded on excluding opponents and bad- m

a move designed to cripple the Islamic Republic's ability to sell oil overseas. Iran responded by threatening to militarily shut down the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow shipping lane out of the Persian Gulf through which 20 percent of the world's oil trade passes. On January 8, three days before the att

alysts tell me that if Assad goes down, the Kremlin will earn a reputation of supporting allies-something the United States lacks after letting the Mubarak regime go down quickly. The real question is whether Russia will keep the Soviet-era naval base in Tartus on Syria's Mediterranean coast. While th

ghts. There are five reasons (I am told) why Israel should not attack Iran: 1. The Iranians would retaliate with great fury, closing the Strait of Hormuz and unleashing the dogs of terror in Gaza, Lebanon, and Iraq. EFTA00687003 2. The entire region would be set ablaze by irate Muslims; the Arab S