THE MIDDLE EAST, TURKEY & NORTH AFRICA :

See also Iraq, and Iran.

Christian Science Monitor, 21 Jun 11, by Dan Murphy
Even in Egypt, Arab Spring not yet secured
'Egypt may have swept aside Mubarak in the Arab Spring, but the real fight lies ahead.'

Christian Science Monitor, 20 Jun 11, by Nicholas Blanford
Assad's speech may buy time, but not survival
'Syrian President Bashar al-Assad gave his first speech in two months today, offering elections and reforms this summer in an apparent bid to secure the patience of Syria's silent majority.'

New York Times 'At War', 22 Jun 11, by C.J. Chivers
Down the Rabbit Hole: Arms Exports and Qaddafi’s Cluster Bombs
'The use of MAT-120s on a city in which civilians had no reliable route of escape drew wide denunciation. ... setting aside the firsthand field observations, what to make of claims by the Qaddafi government that it could not have fired MAT-120s on Misurata, in part because it did not possess munitions of this sort?'

Christian Science Monitor, 07 Jun 11, by Dan Murphy
Libya: Why the old 'quagmire' chestnut may not apply
'NATO bombs rained on Tripoli today and even the African Union seemed to be turning its back on Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi. But he has few incentives to surrender, even as his regime crumbles.'

New York Times, 07 Jun 11, by Katherine Zoepf and Anthony Shadid
Assad Brother Plays Big Role in Syria
'As reports mount of defections in the Syrian military and the government staggers from the killing of soldiers and police officers in a northern city this week, President Bashar al-Assad may turn increasingly to his brother, Maher, whose elite units in a demoralized army could prove decisive to his government’s survival, activists and analysts say.'

New York Times, 07 Jun 11, by Neil MacFarquhar and Robert F. Worth
Yemen Uncertainty Grows; Leader’s Burns Called Severe
'Accounts varied as to the severity of President Ali Abdullah Saleh’s wounds, and leaders in Washington and Riyadh continued in their efforts to stabilize the situation in Yemen.'

New York Times, 07 Jun 11, by John F. Burns
Qaddafi Compound Is Pounded in Day Raid
'In a sudden, sharp escalation of NATO’s air campaign over Libya, warplanes dropped more than 80 bombs on targets in Tripoli ... obliterating large areas of Colonel Muammar el-Qaddafi’s Bab al-Aziziya command compound and what NATO identified as other military targets around the capital.'

New York Times, 07 Jun 11, by
Israel Disputes Toll of Border Clashes, Saying Syria Has an Ulterior Motive
'... Israel said the government of President Bashar al-Assad in Syria was exploiting the Palestinian issue by sending unarmed protesters to the frontier in order to divert attention from its own antigovernment uprising and the bloody attempts to put it down.'

Washington Post/AP, 07 Jun 11, by Associated Press
In reversal of Turkey’s old order, relatives of military brass lobby for their release
'The government, which has Islamic roots, says a key goal is to replace a military-era constitution with a more democratic one.'

BBC News, 24 May 11
Libya: Nato steps up air strikes on Tripoli
'Nato launches some of its biggest air strikes yet on Libya's capital Tripoli, with UK and French attack helicopters also set to join the campaign.'

Washington Post, 21 May 11, by Sudarsan Raghavan
Libyan rebels accused of reprisal attacks
'With Libya essentially divided in half by conflict, the U.S.- and NATO-backed rebels who control much of the east are carrying out what many view as a campaign of retaliation against those once aligned with Gaddafi, according to relatives and rebel commanders and officials.'

Washington Post, 23 May 11, by Karen DeYoung
U.S., E.U. and Arab allies review support for Yemen in bid to resolve escalating crisis
'The Obama administration and its Arab and European allies are reassessing their military and economic support for Yemen in a desperate search for ways to force President Ali Abdullah Saleh’s resignation before civil war erupts.'

Washington Post, 22 May 11, by Ernesto Londoño and Greg Miller
Yemen’s Saleh refuses to sign deal to quit
'Gulf Arab states on Sunday suspended an effort to give Yemen’s embattled president a dignified exit after Ali Abdullah Saleh refused at the last minute to sign a U.S.-backed deal that would have given him immunity.'

NPR, 24 May 11, by Michele Kelemen
Mideast Peace Deal 'Must Leave Israel With Security'
'Netanyahu: Peace with the Palestinians ... will not be a panacea for the region's troubles. Still, Netanyahu said he plans to outline to Congress what sort of deal Israel could accept.'

Christian Science Monitor, 20 May 11, by Joshua Mitnick
Netanyahu brings starkly different vision to Obama's White House
'While President Obama has voiced support for pro-democracy uprisings across the Middle East, the instability has made Israel's Netanyahu wary of making concessions for peace.'

New York Times, 20 May 11, by Steven Lee Myers
Divisions Are Clear as Obama and Netanyahu Discuss Peace
'In a meeting with President Obama, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel listed a series of nonnegotiable conditions for a deal with Palestinians.'

New York Times, 20 May 11, by Isabel Kershner
Palestinian Sees Prospects of Deal Receding
'Nabil Shaath, a leader of the Palestinian president’s party, said President Obama’s speech had “contained little hope for the Palestinians.”'

Christian Science Monitor, 20 May 11, by Joshua Mitnick
Netanyahu brings starkly different vision to Obama's White House
'While President Obama has voiced support for pro-democracy uprisings across the Middle East, the instability has made Israel's Netanyahu wary of making concessions for peace.'

Christian Science Monitor, 19 May 11, by Kristen Chick
Obama's Middle East speech missed 'historic opportunity,' say many Arabs
'While those involved in Arab uprisings welcomed Obama's support, others were disappointed with his failure to apologize for US support for Middle East dictators.'

New York Times, 20 May 11, by Anthony Shadid
Syrian Protesters Defy Crackdown and Gain Momentum
'Thousands of Syrians took to the streets in virtually every region of the country on Friday in what appeared to be a sign of new momentum and a potentially dangerous turn in the nine-week uprising.'

New York Times, 20 May 11, by Charlie Savage and Thom Shanker
As NATO Claims Progress in Libya, a U.S. Deadline Is Put to the Test
'With NATO officials expressing increased confidence on Friday that Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi’s military position in Libya was weakening, the Obama administration appeared to ignore a statute requiring hostilities to cease after two months if Congress had not authorized them to continue.'

Christian Science Monitor, 20 May 11, by Scott Peterson
NATO airstrikes cap week of rising pressure on Libya
'NATO destroyed eight Libyan warships Friday in a week that saw a push for ICC arrest warrants for Qaddafi and a tough speech from Obama supporting the rebellion.'

New York Times, 26 Apr 11, by Anthony Shadid
Syria Crackdown Could Signal Brutal New Phase
'Syria’s bloody crackdown on protesters ... provoked growing international concern on Tuesday with calls for the violence to stop and talk of possible sanctions.'

Washington Post, 26 Apr 11, by Liz Sly and Edward Cody
Global condemnation, but no action, against bloody Syria crackdown
'A bloody crackdown against protesters draws condemnation from world leaders but no commitments to act.'

New York Times, 25 Apr 11, by Michael Slackman and Mona El-Naggar
Embattled Arab Leaders Decide It’s Better to Fight Than Quit
'Arab leaders facing public revolt have increasingly concluded that it is better to shoot to kill, or at least to arrest and imprison, than to abdicate and flee.'

Christian Science Monitor, 25 Apr 11, by Dan Murphy
Qaddafi's compound hit: Is NATO trying to kill him?
'Yes and no. ... it appears that the Western allies are once again expanding the definition of "civilian protection."'

Christian Science Monitor, 25 Apr 11, by Nicholas Blanford
Syria's military shows signs of division amid crackdown
'Some soldiers reportedly refused to open fire against civilians in Deraa today, sparking clashes between units. A divided military could prove the undoing of Assad's regime.'

BBC News, 22 Apr 11
Libya: Stalemate looms, warns Admiral Mike Mullen
'The most senior US soldier, Adm Mike Mullen, has said the war in Libya is "moving towards stalemate", even though US and Nato air strikes have destroyed 30-40% of Libya's ground forces.'

Christian Science Monitor, 22 Apr 11, by Ariel Zirulnick
US to begin drone strikes in Libya
'Secretary of Defense Robert Gates rejected concerns of mission creep, saying the US mission in Libya always left room for actions such as drone strikes.'

Christian Science Monitor, 22 Apr 11, by Dan Murphy
Why the West need not fear Libya's Islamic warriors
'Many Libyan rebels are devout Muslims; some have even supported Al Qaeda against US troops abroad. But Western support has raised their opinion of the US.'

New York Times, 22 Apr 11, by Anthony Shadid
Security Forces Kill Dozens in Uprisings Around Syria
'Security forces in Syria met thousands of demonstrators with fusillades of live ammunition ... in the bloodiest day of the five-week-old Syrian uprising, according to protesters, witnesses and accounts on social networking sites.'

Christian Science Monitor, 22 Apr 11, by Nicholas Blanford
Syrian protesters set sights on riskier goal: Unseating Assad
'Syrian security forces used live ammunition and tear gas to disperse crowds as tens of thousands of protestors gathered in the largest and bloodiest anti-regime protest in six weeks.'

Christian Science Monitor, 20 Apr 11, by Michael Steininger
Italy and France join UK sending advisers to Libya, testing limits of UN resolution
'In addition to dispatching military experts with Italy and Britain, France has pledged to increase airstrikes as Europe steps up military operations in Libya.'

New York Times, 25 Apr 11, by Laura Kasinof
Yemen’s Opposition Accepts Deal for Transfer of Power
'Questions remain about the terms of the plan and whether the street protesters will accept it.'

New York Times, 14 Apr 11, by Judy Dempsey and Alan Cowell
Libya Crisis Spawns Diplomacy on Many Fronts
'Diplomats wrestled with the conflict in Libya on several fronts on Thursday as differences over NATO’s bombing campaign spread fresh discord, not only within the region but also among some of the world’s leading emergent powers.'

New York Times, 13 Apr 11, by Rana F. Sweis
Uneasy Balancing Act in Jordan
'With unrest continuing in Syria, violence between Israel and Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, and repression elsewhere in the region, Jordan is trying to walk a narrow path of managed reform.'

New York Times, 13 Apr 11, by Josh Wood
In Lebanon, a More Patient Protest
'In Lebanon there is no single dictator to confront. Rather, protesters are challenging the powerfully entrenched fiefs of sectarian politics.'

Christian Science Monitor, 13 Apr 11, by Kristen Chick
Mubarak and sons' detention a victory for Egypt's opposition
'Egypt's military rulers appear to be responding to escalating public pressure to see the former president behind bars.'

Christian Science Monitor, 13 Apr 11, by Joshua Mitnick
Palestinians build support for statehood at Brussels meeting
'The Palestinian Authority has gained a crucial boost from the IMF and World Bank ahead of a possible UN vote on statehood in September, as Arab unrest adds urgency to their cause.'

Christian Science Monitor, 12 Apr 11, by Dan Murphy
Qaddafi's credibility gap
'The day after African Union leaders said Muammar Qaddafi agreed to a cease-fire, he resumed shelling two Libyan towns.'

New York Times, 13 Apr 11, by Steven Lee Myers and Eric Schmitt
Pace of Attacks in Libya Conflict Is Dividing NATO
'With the United States limiting itself to a supporting role in the conflict in Libya, fissures opened among NATO allies on Tuesday over the scope and intensity of attacks against the forces of Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi ...'

ABC News (Australia), 13 Apr 11, byAnne Barker
Libyan rebels take to world stage
'Rebel leaders in Libya are taking their cause to a meeting of world powers in Qatar, hoping to find solutions to the two-month conflict.'

Christian Science Monitor, 10 Apr 11, by Kristen Chick
Tensions high as Egypt protesters accuse Army of turning on them
'More than 1,000 pro-democracy protesters continued to occupy Cairo's Tahrir Square Sunday, one day after the Army – until now seen the guardian of the revolution – appeared to have fired live rounds into crowds, killing at least one protester.'

Christian Science Monitor, 08 Apr 11, by Tom A. Peter
NATO blames 'fluid' ground situation for airstrikes hitting Libyan rebels
'NATO airstrikes in Libya may have killed rebel forces, but commanders have refused to apologize despite increasingly strained relations between the rebels and the military alliance.'

New York Times, 07 Apr 11, by Neil MacFarquhar
Egypt Protests Go On, Seeking New Beginning
'In government ministries, factories and especially universities, daily protests have focused on those viewed as Mr. Mubarak’s surrogates. Demonstrators complain that the dreaded secret police vetted every candidate for an important job under Mr. Mubarak, and that now the country deserves a clean slate.'

Christian Science Monitor, 04 Apr 11, by Nissa Rhee
US officials weigh how to fight terrorism in a post-Saleh Yemen
'Reports that US support for Yemen's President Ali Abdullah Saleh is waning raises the question of whether a new leader would continue helping the US fight the local Al Qaeda franchise.'

New York Times, 01 Apr 11, by Neil MacFarquhar
Protesters Scold Egypt’s Military Council
'Thousands of demonstrators filled Tahrir Square on Friday for the largest protest in weeks, demanding that the ruling military council move faster to dismantle lingering aspects of the old regime.'

Washington Post, 01 Apr 11, by Joby Warrick and Liz Sly
Stalemate in Libya increasingly viewed as a likely outcome
U.S. officials are becoming increasingly resigned to the possibility of a protracted stalemate in Libya, with rebels retaining control of the eastern half of the divided country but lacking the muscle to drive Moammar Gaddafi from power.'

New York Times, 01 Apr 11, by David D. Kirkpatrick and C.J. Chivers
Anxiety Roils Libyan Capital Amid Top-Level Defections
'Anxiety seized the Qaddafi government on Thursday over the second defection in two days of a senior official close to Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi, stirring talk of others to follow and a crackdown to stop them.'

Christian Science Monitor, 01 Apr 11, by Kristen Chick
Bahrain's calculated campaign of intimidation
'Bahraini activists and locals describe midnight arrests, disappearances, beatings at checkpoints, and denial of medical care – all aimed at deflating the country's pro-democracy protest movement.'

New York Times, 31 Mar 11, by C.J. Chivers and David D. Kirkpatrick
Retreat for Rebels; Libyan Foreign Minister Quits
'Libya’s foreign minister defected to Britain on Wednesday, dealing a blow to Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi’s government even as his forces pushed rebels into a panicked retreat and seized valuable towns they ceded just days ago under allied airstrikes.'

New York Times, 31 Mar 11, by Thom Shanker and Charlie Savage
NATO Warns Rebels Against Attacking Civilians
'As NATO takes over control of airstrikes in Libya, and the Obama administration considers new steps to tip the balance of power there, the coalition has told the rebels that if they endanger civilians, they will not be shielded from possible bombardment by NATO planes and missiles, just as the government’s forces have been punished.'

Washington Post, 31 Mar 11, by Greg Jaffe and Karen DeYoung
In Libya mission, war blurs humanitarian focus
'An operation billed as a humanitarian intervention in Libya by President Obama was described in starkly more military terms Thursday by the administration’s top two defense officials.'

Washington Post, 31 Mar 11, by Tara Bahrampour
In Libya’s rebel base, a mix of hope and fear
'Benghazi, Libya’s second-largest city and the stronghold of the uprising that swept through the nation six weeks ago, is suspended in a delicate balance between exuberance and apprehension.'

Washington Post, 30 Mar 11, by Karen DeYoung and Greg Miller
In Libya, CIA is gathering intelligence on rebels
'The Obama administration has sent teams of CIA operatives into Libya in a rush to gather intelligence on the identities and capabilities of rebel forces opposed to Libyan leader Moammar Gaddafi, according to U.S. officials.'

New York Times, 30 Mar 11, by David D. Kirkpatrick
Qaddafi Forces Said to Lay Land Mines at City
'... both antivehicle and antipersonnel mines had been found in the ground.'

New York Times, 01 Apr 11, by Liam Stack
Syrian Protesters Urge Renewed Protests Despite Offer of Change
'... analysts said they were doubtful that the changes, coming a day after President Bashar al-Assad pointedly refused to make concessions, would amount to more than window dressing ...'

Washington Post, 31 Mar 11, by Sudarsan Raghavan
Yemen’s future hinges on its two most powerful men
'For 32 years, Ali Abdullah Saleh and Maj. Gen. Ali Mohsen al-Ahmar have controlled this poor but strategic Middle East nation, the former as its ubiquitous president and the latter as its invisible yet most influential military leader. Now, they are engaged in a highly personal battle to shape the future of Yemen and their own places in history.'

Christian Science Monitor, 24 Mar 11, by Scott Peterson
Despite Libyan claims, little evidence of civilian casualties
Libyan state media showed images of those it claimed were killed and wounded in ongoing Western airstrikes, but civilian casualties have been difficult to independently verify.

Christian Science Monitor, 24 Mar 11, by Ariel Zirulnick
Gaza militants strike within 16 miles of Tel Aviv
In addition to Gaza violence, allied forces ramped up efforts in western Libya and more than two dozen are reported dead in Syria protests Wednesday. Yemen could be inching closer to civil war.

Christian Science Monitor, 22 Mar 11, by Dan Murphy
Libya's rebels struggle to retake territory, despite UN help
A key test of whether Libya's rebels will be able to make headway is Ajdabiya, a hotbed of anti-Qaddafi sentiment. So far, it's not looking promising for the rebels.

Christian Science Monitor, 22 Mar 11, by Anna Mulrine
American F-15 crashes in Libya, a reminder of mission's potential costs
'As it stands now, the no-fly zone has rendered Qaddafi’s air force “largely ineffective,” [Adm. Samuel J.] Locklear said. To date there hasn’t been “any significant movement” among Libyan aircraft, which Locklear said is a “good indication that our air strikes were effective.”'

Christian Science Monitor, 20 Mar 11, by Dan Murphy
How French jets saved Libya's rebels at the last minute
International airstrikes led first by France devastated an armored column loyal to Muammar Qaddafi overnight – saving the rebellion with little time to spare.

Christian Science Monitor, 20 Mar 11, by Brad Knickerbocker
With no-fly zone in Libya now, US-led coalition freer to attack
Missile attacks on Libyan air defenses have freed US jets to attack ground targets. But questions remain, including the use of human shields and the chance that Qaddafi might remain in power.

New York Times, 12-13 Mar 11
Middle East Protests: A Country-by-Country Look
'The latest reports from Times correspondents along with social media updates on the protest movements shaking countries across the Middle East and northern Africa.'

New York Times, 14 Mar 11, by Anthony Shadid
Pro-Qaddafi Forces Press Rebels East and West of Tripoli
'Military forces loyal to Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi cranked up military and psychological pressure against rebels on two fronts on Monday, offering an amnesty to those who surrendered their weapons while bombing a strategic town in the east and surrounding a rebel-held town in the west.'

Christian Science Monitor, 14 Mar 11, by
How far – and how fast – will Qaddafi's forces push into Libya's 'liberated' east?
'Benghazi, the de facto capital of Libya’s rebellion, has become a city where fear-driven rumors are rapidly replacing the heady optimism of just one week ago ...'

Christian Science Monitor, 14 Mar 11, by Kristen Chick
Saudi troops arrive in Bahrain as protests escalate
'Amid concerns of a Shiite uprising in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia sent troops to support the Sunni monarchy. Bahrain's opposition denounced the move as an "occupation."'

Christian Science Monitor, 13 Mar 11, by Arthur Bright
Arab League approves no-fly zone in Libya. But is it too late?
'The US and UK expressed support for the Arab League's approval of a no-fly zone as Libyan rebels beat a hasty eastward retreat from forces loyal to Col. Muammar Qaddafi.'

New York Times, 12 Mar 11, by Anthony Shadid
Veering From Peaceful Models, Libya’s Youth Revolt Turns Toward Chaos
'It is a bromide of dictators like Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi that they stand as the only bulwark against forces of chaos and religious militancy. The tragedy of Libya’s uprising, its genesis in peaceful protests over a government’s disdain for its people, is that Colonel Qaddafi’s own brutal repression from Tripoli east to Ras Lanuf and beyond may make the platitudes reality.'

The Guardian, 11 Mar 11, by Chris McGreal
Libya rebels appeal for air strikes against Gaddafi
'Diplomacy not enough when people are dying, spokeswoman tells EU leaders as Gaddafi's forces begin to regain control.'

BusinessWeek, 11 Mar 11
EU Wants Qaddafi Out, Sees Libyan Rebels as Partners for Talks
'European Union leaders demanded Libyan ruler Muammar Qaddafi step down and said they would talk with insurgents, stopping short of agreeing to military steps or following France in granting the rebels diplomatic recognition.'

New York Times, 08 Mar 11, by Anthony Shadid and Kareem Fahim
Opposition in Libya Struggles to Form a United Front
'In less than three weeks, an inchoate opposition in Libya, one of the world’s most isolated countries, has cobbled together the semblance of a transitional government, fielded a ragtag rebel army and portrayed itself to the West and Libyans as an alternative to Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi’s four decades of freakish rule. '

Christian Science Monitor, 04 Mar 11, by Kristen Chick
How Egypt's protesters will change US ties
'The new Egypt is likely to emerge as more independent, diverging from US wishes in certain areas – such as reaching out to Iran. But the allies still have long-term common interests.'

Washington Post, 24 Feb 11, by Leila Fadel and Sudarsan Raghavan
Gaddafi tightens grip on Libyan capital as rebels swiftly advance west
'... enormous questions remained about whether any foreign powers could wield the influence necessary to head off Libya's dizzying plunge into disorder, much less persuade Gaddafi to reconsider his vow to fight to the death in defense of his 41-year-old regime.'

Washington Post, 23 Feb 11, by Sudarsan Raghavan
New clashes reported in Tripoli; U.S. citizens to evacuate
'The violence engulfing Libya is already the worst in more than a month of unrest that has toppled regimes in Tunisia and Egypt as it has spread across North Africa and the Middle East.'

Christian Science Monitor, 21 Feb 11, by Dan Murphy
Libya protests spread as barrier of fear crumbles
'The son of Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi tried to intimidate Libyans Sunday, warning in a TV speech of civil war and foreign plots. But Libya's wave of democracy protests is strengthening as protesters ignore violence that has claimed more than 200 lives.'

Christian Science Monitor, 18 Feb 11, by John Yemma
After Egypt revolt, Mideast regimes decide to take off the gloves
'From Libya to Bahrain to Iran, Mideast leaders are concluding that force, not freedom, is the answer to protest movements.'

New York Times, 18 Feb 11, by Jack Healy And Alan Cowell
Popular Rage Is Met With Violence in Mideast
'Defying threats of reprisals in several cities, thousands of Libyan protesters mounted one of the sharpest challenges to Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi’s 40-year rule ...'

New York Times, 16 Feb 11, by Neil MacFarquhar
Unrest Spreads, Some Violently, in Middle East
'From northern Africa to the Persian Gulf, governments appeared to flounder over just how to outrun mostly peaceful movements, spreading erratically like lava erupting from a volcano, with no predictable end.'

Christian Science Monitor, 17 Feb 11, by Raymond Barrett
Where is Bahrain's unrest headed?
'Bahrain, a tiny island nation flanked by Saudi Arabia and Iran, showed its willingness today to use force to stymie growing calls for reform. At least three protesters were reported dead in an overnight raid.'

PBS NewsHour, 17 Feb 11, by Francine Uenuma
Bahrain Cracks Down on Protesters
'In addition to protesting against the al Khalifa monarchy, marchers also want Prime Minister Sheikh Khalifa Bin Salman Al Khalifa to step down. He has been in office for four decades.'

Christian Science Monitor, 18 Feb 11, by Dan Murphy
Egypt revolution unfinished, Qaradawi tells Tahrir masses
'Leading Islamist theologian Yusuf al-Qaradawi delivered a sermon to hundreds of thousands at Tahrir Square today. Political Islam is likely to play a larger role in Egypt now.'

New York Times, 18 Feb 11, by Liam Stack
Egypt’s Missing Stir Doubts on Military’s Vows for Change
'While Egyptians have cheered the military for pledging to oversee a transition to democracy, groups say it was involved in recent disappearances and torture.'

New York Times, 17 Feb 11, by David D. Kirkpatrick
Egyptians Say Military Discourages an Open Economy
'Since the ouster last week of President Hosni Mubarak, of course, the military also runs the government. And some scholars, economists and business groups say it has already begun taking steps to protect the privileges of its gated economy ...'

New York Times, 11 Feb 11, by David D. Kirkpatrick and Anthony Shadid
Mubarak Steps Down, Ceding Power to Military
'Mr. Mubarak’s vice president and longtime intelligence chief, Omar Suleiman, announced during evening prayers that Mr. Mubarak had passed all authority to a council of military leaders, bowing to a historic popular uprising that has transformed politics in Egypt and around the Arab world.'

Al Jazeera, 12 Feb 11
Egypt's military leadership
'Brief profiles of members of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces as it assumes power from Hosni Mubarak.'

Christian Science Monitor, 11 Feb 11, by Ben Lynfield
Israel fears loss of a crucial ally with Mubarak's fall
'Israel is concerned that the ouster of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak will give rise to the Muslim Brotherhood and create an 'encirclement' of hostile states.'

Christian Science Monitor, 23 Feb 11, by Caryle Murphy
Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah promises $10.7 billion in benefits
'King Abdullah returned home today to a Saudi Arabia seemingly moored in the eye of the storm howling from Libya to Bahrain. But reformers are intensifying calls for political change.'

New York Times, 02 Feb 11, by Anthony Shadid
Arab World Faces Its Uncertain Future
'Words like “uprising” and “revolution” only hint at the scale of events in Egypt, which have already reverberated across Yemen, Jordan, Syria and even Saudi Arabia, offering a new template for change in a region that long reeled from its own sense of stagnation.'

New York Times, 01 Feb 11, by Anthony Shadid and David D. Kirkpatrick
Mubarak’s Grip on Power Is Shaken
'The momentous events in Egypt, the most populous Arab country and once the axis on which the Arab world revolved, have reverberated across the region.'

NPR, 03 Feb 11, by Jackie Northam
U.S. Reviews Relationship With Muslim Brotherhood
'With the departure of Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak looking increasingly likely, the Obama administration has been meeting regularly to discuss the situation there. In particular, what a new government in Egypt might look like.'

Washington Post, 01 Feb 11, by Griff Witte
In Egypt, an opposition without a clear leader gathers in Tahrir Square, vowing to bring out 1 million people
'Army tanks and troops continued operate checkpoints around the square and throughout the city, and authorities closed streets and halted public transportation, AP said. But no clashes were reported.'

BBC News, 31 Jan 11, by Paul Reynolds
Managing Egypt's revolution
'The United States is trying to steer Egypt away from revolution towards evolution. It is seeking a middle, managed course towards change. It does not want simply to dump an ally of 30 years, one who has stood by the treaty with Israel which is of great importance to US Middle East policy. But it is now signalling that President Hosni Mubarak's departure - if not now, then later - has to be part of that change.'

Christian Science Monitor, 31 Jan 11, by Scott Peterson
Hosni Mubarak names new cabinet, but his future is in military hands
'The Egyptian military is now center stage in the battle between President Hosni Mubarak and the demonstrators demanding that he end his 30-year rule.'

Christian Science Monitor, 31 Jan 11, by Kristen Chick
Egypt's Hosni Mubarak: following missteps of ousted Tunisian leader?
'Egypt's Hosni Mubarak at first ignored protesters, and then responded with force. 'I don’t think Mubarak learned anything from the Tunisian case,' says one observer.'

New York Times, 29 Jan 11, by Helene Cooper
With Egypt, Diplomatic Words Often Fail
'The chaos unfolding in Egypt is laying bare a stark fact, Middle East experts say: In the Arab world, American words may not matter, because American deeds, whatever the words, have been pretty consistent.'

New York Times, 29 Jan 11, by David D. Kirkpatrick
Egyptians Defiant as Military Does Little to Quash Protests
'President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt struggled to maintain a tenuous hold on power on Saturday as the police withdrew from the major cities and the military did nothing to hold back tens of thousands of demonstrators defying a curfew to call for an end to his nearly 30 years of authoritarian rule.'

Al Jazerra, 31 Jan 11
Anger in Egypt: 'Anxious' Israel backs Egypt regime
'As US and EU leaders urge Egypt to reform in face of popular uprising, Israel voices support for Mubarak's government.'

New York Times, 30 Jan 11, by Ethan Bronner
Israel Shaken as Turbulence Rocks an Ally
'The street revolt in Egypt has thrown the Israeli government and military into turmoil, with top officials closeted in round-the-clock strategy sessions aimed at rethinking their most significant regional relationship.'

The Guardian, 30 Jan 11, by Ian Black
All eyes on Egypt's military as Hosni Mubarak fortifies position
'Army has played leading role in managing events and may well determine next stage of crisis.'

Washington Post, 31 Jan 11, by Liz Sly
Arab world transfixed by Egyptian protests
'... it may already be too late to stem the tide of revolutionary fervor unleashed by the scenes of turmoil broadcast from Egypt across the one part of the world that had remained stubbornly immune to the surge of democratization that swept Europe, Asia, Latin America and Africa in the 1980s and 1990s.'

Washington Post, 31 Jan 11, by Sudarsan Raghavan
In Yemen, calls for revolution but many hurdles
'... Yemen's situation is distinct from its neighbors, even as many Yemenis share the same grievances and frustrations driving the upheavals in Egypt and Tunisia.'

Washington Post, 04 Feb 11, by Sudarsan Raghavan
Anti-government rallies in Yemen stay calm
'The sentiments exemplified how much the uprisings in Egypt and Tunisia have altered mind-sets across the region. Among both groups of protesters in Yemen's capital, a long-standing fear of autocracy had vanished, replaced by a boldness that may represent in the years ahead the most far-reaching change that emerges from the wave of populist rebellions.'

Washington Post, 30 Jan 11, by Sandhya Somashekhar
Clinton calls for democracy in Egypt, but not Mubarak's ouster
'She offered support to the pro-democracy movement there but declined to say if Mubarak should step down, saying it was "up to the Egyptian people" to decide who should lead their country.'

See Middle East, Turkey and North Africa archive for past stories.