A lesson from Midtown

My rosy view of the future of Egypt is becoming ever more smudged with the soot of evidence to the contrary.  What I was hoping was a revolution in the making, has more in common with a Saturday night I once spent in New York.  There in the middle of a Manhattan bar, was a mechanical bull.  Everyone took their turn, thinking this time things would be different, there would be a fleeting moment of glory, but ultimately everyone was ousted.  To compare Egyptian politics to the frivolities of a Manhattan weekend would be crude and incomplete.  Still, I can't help but be saddened by the cyclical nature of what is happening in the streets of Cairo.  Just a couple of years ago, Mubarak and his thugs were attempting to do what Morsi and his men are attempting now.  Consolidate and maintain power no matter the cost.

This just happened.  Is it really happening again?

Maybe they were all too busy getting drinks at the metaphorical bar to learn their lessons.  Maybe they're only interested at having a shot at being on top.  Whatever the motivation behind Egypt's current decision makers, I hope they wise up before they repeat all the mistakes of the last guy who got thrown off the bull.

New Chapter, Same Book

My latest on the WIIS Israel blog:

http://blog.wiisisrael.com/2012/11/new-chapter-same-book/

Enjoy!

There Are No Palm Trees Here

It's been an odd morning, or maybe a better word for it would be disconcerting.  I woke up to news about a bus bombing in Tel Aviv, just another plot point in this awful week of violent conflict between Israel and Gaza.  That no one was killed and that supposedly a second bomb failed to explode is a nod to the divine at this point.  But let's not pretend any of this has heavenly sanction.

This morning I eventually pulled myself away from my computer (kudos to the Times of Israel blog for decent reporting) to get ready for my meetings.  With Tel Aviv on my mind, I stepped out into the Arlington air.  Cold, crisp, and a stark reminder that there are no palm trees here.  Which is to say I feel far away.  Starbucks has officially converted to their red holiday cups.  Friends on facebook still post about the demise of Hostess and their beloved Twinkies.  (If you loved them so much, the company probably wouldn't be bankrupt....)  And everyone seems ready for yet another Thanksgiving.

Yet, the holiday spirit escapes me.  Since I arrived to my first meeting early, I had the cursed opportunity to check Facebook.  Earlier I had posted a link to an article about the bus bombing.  I included a caption that summed up my feelings on the subject, "this makes me mad."  In response, I found a comment from someone I know from school.  He asked if the 139 civilian deaths in Gaza did not also make me mad, reminding me that many of the casualties were children.  I didn't respond because impassioned political debates on Facebook do more to annoy than to convince.  But if I did venture a retort, it would be that it all makes me mad.

I'm now being told by my friends in Israel that no one there wants a ceasefire.  Well I guess I'm out of the loop then.  Guess I'm stuck in my Arlington holiday bubble.  Because I do.  I want a ceasefire.

I wish I could be in the negotiating room, making a difference.  Humility aside, I think I would be good at it.  But I'm not there yet.  Instead, I'll get back to editing my resume and peddaling my wares.  But while everyone else talks of parades and sweet potatoes, I'll be here, wondering where all the palm trees are.

The Day After Tomorrow

Hey everyone,

Here's my latest.  This one is for the National Security Network's blog, Democracy Arsenal.

Enjoy!

http://www.democracyarsenal.org/2012/11/the-day-after-tomorrow.html

Yesterday's Tomorrow

Hello readers!  The site for the Women in International Security Israel blog has changed.  It can now be found at blog.wiisisrael.com.

Check out my latest post at: http://blog.wiisisrael.com/2012/11/yesterdays-tomorrow/

The Middle East From Within

Check out my latest post on WIIS Israel!  The post is a recap of a presentation by renowned analyst Asher Susser.  Some really good points about the U.S. election and the Middle East and what to consider should either candidate win.  Enjoy!

http://www.wiisisrael.com/en/2012/10/the-middle-east-from-within/

Yes we can, but should we?

I don't wear my watch in the shower.  I can, it is waterproof, but there is something about the idea of testing the limits of what my watch can do that deters me.

Three incidents of late have something in common with my watch policy.  First, after the shooting in Aurora, Colorado, gun ownership has risen significantly across America.  Second, an American citizen produced a blasphemous video the wreaked havoc across the Middle East.  Third, a judge ruled just yesterday that anti-Muslim posters must be allowed in the Washington metro and New York subway systems.

All three incidents involve the exercise of protected rights; specifically the right to bear arms and the right to free speech.  These rights are fundamental to the identity of our nation and their protection is of the uptmost importance.

At the same time, I look around and wonder if it might be time for a little self-policing.  Sure, we can do these things, but does it mean we should?  Can't we acknowledge our rights without forcing them upon others?  Gun ownership may or may not make us safer, with emphasis on the latter.  The free speech as of late has ranged from blatantly offensive to a signifcant security threat.

While we are lucky to live in the land of the free, home of the brave, it wouldn't hurt to get away to the timeshare of the wise every now and again.