In The News

Linked Global Groups Are Not Political Parties: Hizb ut-Tahrir and the Fantasy of the Caliphate

Jean-Pierre Filiu June 3, 2008
Some Islamists believe that establishing a broad jurisdiction under an Islamic leader, last seen with the Ottoman Empire in 1924, could deliver stability. Calling for such a caliphate is Hizb ut-Tahrir, or the Islamic Party of Liberation, which has re-emerged in Palestine since the divisive clash between Hamas and Fatah. Hizb ut-Tahrir refuses to participate in elections, and its supporters blame...

New Friends and Old

May 30, 2008
Nations with diverse populations and interests tend to collect a variety of allies. India and the US have enjoyed closer relations in recent years, particularly since the two nations began negotiating a civil nuclear cooperation agreement. But India’s friendship with the US is hardly exclusive and the country also pursues relations with nations at odds with the US, including Iran. India and Iran...

Resourcing Outsourcing

Tamer Hafez May 29, 2008
Rapid growth is anticipated in outsourcing of information-technology, particularly with the rise in energy prices. Infrastructure, low wages, an educated work force and language skills have contributed to Egypt moving up the list as one of the best destinations for outsourcing. “Yet even the seemingly organized IT and call center market is fragmented, spanning from brand-name supported regional...

Grand Designs Should Look to the Future

Chandran Nair May 28, 2008
Governments can spend today’s wealth on today’s luxuries or invest to ensure the comforts of tomorrow. The United Arab Emirates, rich with oil wealth, continues to invest in novel construction, including a sail-shaped hotel, an underwater hotel and a ski resort – all with the help of foreign designers and architects. But with fast-paced economic growth and per-capita carbon dioxide emissions...

Facing Facebook

Magda El-Ghitany May 7, 2008
Facebook, an online social networking site, encourages young users to share photos, hobbies and cultural opinions. But in Egypt, the social site has emerged with a strong political edge. In April, a 27-year-old Egyptian woman was detained for 16 days after organizing a Facebook protest on rising food prices – and Egyptians expect the government to pursue online monitoring and regulation. But some...

We Can Accept Israel as Neighbor, Says Hamas

Rory McCarthy April 22, 2008
Peace comes by way of tiny little steps in the Middle East, moving forward and backward with diplomatic and military acts. The leader of Hamas said that his group would “respect Palestinian national will,” even if that meant some form of a Palestinian-Israeli peace agreement, during a meeting arranged by former US President Jimmy Carter. Currently, two rival parties, Fatah and Hamas, are deeply...

Labor Pains in the Middle East

April 1, 2008
Oil-rich states in the Middle East have long depended on migrants from countries such as India and Bangladesh to fill the demand for labor in capital-intensive projects and protected indigenous labor by promoting large civil service classes. But global inflation has reduced real wages while increasing the price of goods, with effects magnified for those countries with currencies pegged to the...