Update: Egypt revolution reading list

The Egyptian people’s uprising is undoubtedly one of the most shocking, significant and, some would say,  hopeful major socio-political events (update: and now must be said highly dangerous!) that we’ve seen in our 16 years of business in the Arab world. So, as many are, we’re following developments quite closely and have been glued to Al Jazeera over the weekend and following journalists and activists in Egypt via Twitter (even though most of the country has been cut off, a few people have been tweeting over the weekend using sat phones, GSM roaming and other technologies).

Here’s a working list of our ”must read’ analysis and opinion about the demonstrations in Egypt, world opinion and the Egyptian people’s self-determination. Update: this list is not meant to be comprehensive and there are many journalists that have done an amazing job at reporting on Egypt that are not mentioned here.

Cairo is not Tehran (6 February 2011)
Some commentators are already warning that we’re seeing a remake of Iran’s Islamic revolution in Cairo: Washington columnist for the Los Angeles Times Doyle McManus disagrees.

The west should cheer, not fear, this cry for freedom in Egypt (6 February 2011)
The Observer’s award-winning chief political commentator Andrew Rawnsley believes the West’s values and its long-term self-interest demand that it backs the struggle for democracy in the Middle East.

Why Israel fears a free Egypt (6 February 2011)
Veteran negotiator US Aaron David Miller on why Israel fears a free Middle East and the risks Israel sees resulting from major changes in Egypt’s politics and government.

In Egypt, the ‘lamestream media’ shows its courage and value (6 February 2011)
The Washington Post’s Kathleen Parker argues that mainstream media covering the turmoil in Egypt deserve credit for being there and getting the news out despite the now obvious risks.

The wrong Mubarak quits. Soon the right one will go (6 February 2011)
The Independent’s Middle East correspondent Robert Fisk writes that protesters in Tahrir Square are right to be sceptical despite the apparent shake-up in Egypt’s ruling party.

Lies, damned lies (5 February 2011)
Chief Editor of Daily News Egypt Rania Al Malky gives her personal account and analysis of the Mubarak regime’s propaganda machine.  

It’s not radical Islam that worries the US – it’s independence (4 February 2011)
Famous American linguist, philosopher and political activist Noam Chomsky argues that the nature of any regime the USA backs in the Arab world is secondary to control. (The Guardian)

How to Deal with Egypt — the West’s Dilemma (4 February 2011)
Firas Al-Atraqchi Associate Professor of Practice in Journalism at American University in Cairo explains the quandry faced by Western governments in reacting to Egypt’s pro-democracy protests.

What Al Jazeera shows and doesn’t show (4 February 2011)
Sheila Carapico professor of political science at the University of Richmond and the American University in Cairo writes about how television is no longer an independent messenger, but rather a force that’s helping shape the story.

Understanding Revolutionary Egypt (4 February 2011)
Foreign Policy magazine asks three experts to to discuss how the world should adjust to Egypt’s rapidly shifting reality.

Authoritarian states in focus after Mideast turmoil (4 February 2011)
Reuters Political Risk Correspondent Peter Apps writes how demands for democracy remain a powerful force around the world.

Egypt violence exposes secret tools of state repression (4 February 2011)
BBC security correspondent Frank Gardner writes that events in Egypt during the past few days have given the world a small but painful taste of “the dark side” of President Mubarak’s regime.

Have Egypt’s rulers thought about the isolation that awaits them? (4 February 2011)
American historian, foreign policy commentator and Washington Post columnist Robert Kagan asks have Egypt’s rulers and military leaders asked themselves, after they finish bloodying the opposition, what’s next?

Egypt protests: An endgame seems to be approaching, but whose? (3 February 2011
Dan Murphy asks in the Christian Science Monitor if the intimidation of the press and human rights groups on Thursday is a prelude to a crackdown intended to ‘break the back’ of the demonstrators?

Egypt: What will happen next? (3 February 2011)
Osman Mirghani Senior Editor-at-Large for Saudi Arabia’s influencial  newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat calls for real focus on dialogue between different parties to help shape Egypt’s future.

Blood and fear in Cairo’s streets as Mubarak’s men crack down on protests (3 February 2011)
Veteran Middle East correspondent Robert Fisk calls February 2nd’s protests “final vindication of all Mubarak’s critics and a shameful indictment of the Obamas and Clintons who failed to denounce [him]”.

Mr. Mubarak holds Egypt hostage (3 February 2011)
Michael Wahid Hanna fellow and program officer at the Century Foundation writes on Foreign Policy that since the Egyptian military have been implicated in Wednesday’s violence, there should be a clear public statement from the US on Egypt.

Watching Thugs With Razors and Clubs at Tahrir Sq. (3 February 2011)*
New York Times columnist and two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Nicholas D. Kristof’s personal account of the Tahrir Square violence on Wednesday February 2nd.

It feels good to be Arab these days (3 February 2011)
Lebanese philosopher, linguist and freelance writer Goufrane Mansour writes in The Guardian “The revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt are a great awakening for Arabs led to believe they were incapable of change”.

U.S. Interests in Peril as Youth Rebel, Leaders Quit in Mideast (3 February 2011)
Bloomberg analysis on how the events of the past few weeks have irrevocably altered politics of the Middle East making new demands on the way the US deals with countries in the region.

In Cairo streets, a fight for the Arab future (2 February 2011)*
Anthony Shadid, foreign correspondent for the New York Times, on how the Arab world may never be the same again.

Game over: The chance for democracy in Egypt is lost (2 February 2011)
Robert Springborg, professor of national security affairs at the Naval Postgraduate School and Program Manager for the Middle East for the Center for Civil-Military Relations, describes on Foreign Policy how the Egyptian president and military have outsmarted the opposition and the Obama administration.

The New Arab World Order (31 January 2011)
Robert D. Kaplan sums up the dangers of a revolution for US interests and what action President Barack Obama should take on Foreign Policy.

Pharaoh’s End (31 January 2011)
Foreign Policy asks five top experts how Barack Obama should respond to the growing signs of revolt on Egypt’s streets.

Arab rebellions puncture Qaeda propaganda (31 January 2011)
Reuters Security Correspondent William Maclean reports than some sources see the pro-democracy demonstrations in Egypt as a huge defeat for Al Qaeda.

Egypt: a day of deadlock (31 Jan 2011)
Brian Whitaker sums up the impasse between President Mubarak and the popular movement of demonstators calling for democracy very well.

Washington Plays for Time in Egypt and the Arab World (30 Jan 2011)
Massimo Calabresi writes about Tunisia revolutions past and the US position on the Egypt demonstrations on TIME’s politics and policy blog.

Egyptian army holds key to Mubarak’s fate (30 Jan 2011)
Alistair Lyon, Reuters Special Correspondent, reviews the role of the Egyptian military establishment.

Investors face risks however Egypt plays out (30 Jan 2011)
Reuters Political Risk Correspondent Peter Apps weighs the economic risk now associated with Egypt, with or without Hosni Mubarak.

Mubarak’s dictatorship must end now (30 Jan 2011)
The UK’s Sunday Observer on the impasse and unsustainable deadlock between Egypt’s people and president.

A test of Egypt’s military and its relations with U.S. (30 Jan 2011)
Washington Post Staff Writers Howard Schneider and Greg Jaffe review the USA-Egypt military relationship.

Obama Presses for Change but Not a New Face at the Top (29 Jan 2011)*
New York Time’s David E. Sanger and Helene Cooper on Egypt, US policy and the Obama adminsitration’s recent statements.

President Obama: here is your “game changer” (29 Jan 2011)
Amaney Jamal, Ellen Lust and Tarek Masoud on the Foreign Policy blog on the fears of the Obama administration.

Yearning for Respect, Arabs Find a Voice (29 Jan 2011)*
Anthony Shadid, foreign correspondent for the New York Times, writing on the shared destiny that is driving change in Egypt and Tunisia.

Arab rulers’ only option is reform (29 Jan 2011)
Editorial in Lebanon’s Daily Star: Arab autocrats should learn it is too late for them to undertake reform, but it is their only way forward.

Why Egypt matters (28 Jan 2011)
Roger Hardy, Middle East analyst at Woodrow Wilson Center, on BBC News website.

The scent of jasmine spreads (27 Jan 2011)
The Economist calls it again. “the real question for Mr Mubarak is whether he wants to leave his country with a chance of peaceful change, or to leave it ablaze.”

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Last updated  6 February 2011, 8pm UAE / 4pm GMT