The Berkeley Blog » Nezar AlSayyad http://blogs.berkeley.edu Provocative thinking from UC Berkeley Tue, 21 May 2013 23:33:42 +0000 en-US hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 The rapid encroachment of an Islamic state in Egypt: A timeline http://blogs.berkeley.edu/2013/01/07/the-rapid-encroachment-of-an-islamic-state-in-egypt-a-timeline/ http://blogs.berkeley.edu/2013/01/07/the-rapid-encroachment-of-an-islamic-state-in-egypt-a-timeline/#comments Tue, 08 Jan 2013 07:24:33 +0000 Nezar AlSayyad http://blogs.berkeley.edu/?p=10679 The election of Mohammed Morsi as Egypt’s first Islamist president, on June 24th, 2012, marked an important moment in the history of the country and promised to bring major change. In the past few months, as a popular uprising broke out against Morsi and his Islamization project, Egypt has inched closer to his vision.  When Morsi issued a decree granting himself unlimited emergency powers, allowing him to hold executive and legislative authority, while shielding himself from any possible judicial challenges, the opposition rightfully compared him to Mubarak and started to call him a dictator and a Pharaoh.

But whatever we may think ... More >]]> http://blogs.berkeley.edu/2013/01/07/the-rapid-encroachment-of-an-islamic-state-in-egypt-a-timeline/feed/ 4 The rise of a Pharaoh: The Arab Spring’s first dictator http://blogs.berkeley.edu/2012/11/24/the-rise-of-a-pharaoh-the-arab-springs-newest-dictator/ http://blogs.berkeley.edu/2012/11/24/the-rise-of-a-pharaoh-the-arab-springs-newest-dictator/#comments Sun, 25 Nov 2012 00:50:52 +0000 Nezar AlSayyad http://blogs.berkeley.edu/?p=10575 Over the course of the past two years, the Arab World celebrated the fall of several of its most brutal dictators but last week it witnessed the meteoric rise of yet a new dictator, President Mohammed Morsi of Egypt.

While the world was occupied with celebrating the cessation of hostilities between Hamas and Israel in Gaza and heaping praise on Morsi for his intervention, Morsi seized the opportunity to issue the most sweeping decree ever issued by an Egyptian President in history. With one Constitutional declaration, Morsi  — who has held both executive and legislative authority since he sidelined the Egyptian ... More >]]> http://blogs.berkeley.edu/2012/11/24/the-rise-of-a-pharaoh-the-arab-springs-newest-dictator/feed/ 7 Egypt: Military, money and motives http://blogs.berkeley.edu/2011/02/17/egypt-military-money-and-motives/ http://blogs.berkeley.edu/2011/02/17/egypt-military-money-and-motives/#comments Thu, 17 Feb 2011 18:17:14 +0000 Nezar AlSayyad http://blogs.berkeley.edu/?p=5032 “Egypt has passed through a critical period in her recent history characterized by bribery, mischief, and the absence of governmental stability . . . Accordingly, we have undertaken to clean ourselves up and have appointed to command us men from within the army whom we trust in their ability, their character, and their patriotism. It is certain that all Egypt will meet this news with enthusiasm and will welcome it.”

The statement above could have been uttered in the recent past by some YouTube revolutionary or Facebook organizer, but Free Officer Anwar Sadat made this early morning rally call nearly ... More >]]> http://blogs.berkeley.edu/2011/02/17/egypt-military-money-and-motives/feed/ 0