In Libya, Ballots Triumph Over Bullets Huda Abuzeid took part in Libya’s first elections in 40 years, and the first since dictator Moammar Gaddafi’s regime fell last year. She says Libyans look forward to seeing what their first elected government can do to address the security and economic problems that have plagued the country in the past year. Libya
Libya's Elections Are Just a Step on Long Road to Healing As Libyans prepare to vote for the first time since 1965, uncertainty plagues the elections. No absentee ballots will be counted, leaving refugees from Libya's recent turmoil without a voice in the process, and lack of security remains a threat. Mustafa Fetouri writes that the country may need a reconciliation process before democracy can prevail. Libya
Israelis, Not MEK, Killed Iranian Scientists, New Book Says According to a new book by veteran US and Israeli journalists, Israelis were behind the killing of five Iranian scientists connected to Iran’s nuclear program. Barbara Slavin writes that Spies Against Armageddon is an account of Israeli intelligence triumphs and fiascoes, covering both notorious and less-known operations. Israel
Algerian Folk Singer Souad Massi Blends Sounds in America With Berber roots, Souad Massi picked up the guitar as a teenager, studied classical music in Algeria, and indulged in flamenco and Turkish music. Often compared to Tracy Chapman and Joni Mitchell, she is doing a series of concerts in the US to mark Algerian independence. Nafeesa Syeed talks the world music queen. Algeria
Egypt's Policy Makers Scramble To Avert Currency Collapse Egypt's currency is headed toward devaluation, and could lose as much as 50% of its value in the coming months. Carina Kamel writes that the only question is whether the pound’s fall will be messy and chaotic, or if Egypt’s new leaders can get their act together quickly enough to keep the process managed and orderly. Egypt
Why the Next Round of Iran Nuclear Talks Could Yield Results Recent nuclear negotiations in Moscow between Iran and major world powers yielded little more than a follow-on meeting at the level of experts. Ali Vaez writes that the prospects of reaching a limited negotiated solution at the next round of meetings in Istanbul this week may not be as bleak as they appear. Iran
Progressive Egyptians Seek A Unified Movement A group of more than 150 politicians and activists held a press conference at a downtown Cairo hotel to announce the launch of the much-hyped “Egyptian Third Current” last week. Bassem Sabry writes about the meteoric rise of the movement, which includes almost every major secular, liberal and leftist party or movement. Egypt
US and Europe Are Running Out Of New Sanctions On Iran Despite new European Union sanctions on Iranian oil that went into effect this week, Mohammad Ali Shabani writes, the Islamic Republic has the experience and capabilities to survive and even prevail in the nuclear standoff because its adversaries are running out of new economic “bullets” with which to target the regime. Iran
Tunisia Opposition: Extradition Was 'Secret Deal' with Libyans The Tunisian government’s decision to extradite the former Libyan prime minister without first consulting Tunisia's president has devolved into a full-blown scandal. Tunisian human rights activist Radhia Nasraoui writes that many of the government’s arguments for extradition fall flat. Tunisia
Lebanese Sunnis Unwilling To Challenge Hezbollah Lebanese Sunnis are tapping into deep-rooted feelings of bitterness caused by the suffering of their co-religionists in Syria and directed at the Damascus-backed Lebanese government and Hezbollah. Despite the radicalization, writes Nicholas Blanford, the majority of Sunnis seem unwilling to challenge Hezbollah on the battlefield again anytime soon. Lebanon
Israeli Security Fence Architect: Why The Barrier Had to Be Built Much like the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the story of the security fence between Israel and the West Bank consists of two different narratives, each claiming to be the more accurate, writes Col. (Res.) Dr. Danny Tirza. As head of the military body in charge of planning its route, he says the battle against terror may be won, but the war over public opinion is lost. Palestine
Morsi’s Win Is Al Jazeera’s Loss Al Jazeera Arabic’s love affair with the Muslim Brotherhood was clear from the channel’s beginning, writes Sultan al Qassemi. And since the Brotherhood decided to run a candidate for the Egyptian presidency, the channel has blatantly promoted him. What viewers end up with is propaganda, and it's damaged more than one revolution. Egypt
Syria Action Group Plan May Only Add to Muddle Aaron David Miller writes that right now, the conflict in Syria is less amenable to outside intervention than at any point since it began, precisely because it’s owned — as only a struggle for survival can be — by the parties waging it, not by the members of the Action Group on Syria. Syria
Draft Communiqué From Action Group on Syria Although Russia continued to oppose language in the Action Group on Syria statement calling for Bashar al-Assad to leave power, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton insisted the changes made at Saturday's meeting in Geneva did not alter that key demand. Al-Monitor's Laura Rozen obtained a draft communiqué, linked below. Syria