On Thursday,  Tunisian opposition officials expressed concern over the recent announcement that elections for the constitutional assembly will be postponed from July 24th to October 16th.  Opposition groups stated that they fear the delay may lead to the interim government reneging on its commitment to Tunisia's democratic transition.  Other parties have supported the delay, stating that the additional time will allow them to better prepare their campaigns and candidates.

The Supreme Council of Armed Forces (SCAF) has arrested four activists since Wednesday for handing out flyers advertising Friday’s demonstrations over former President Hosni Mubarak's trial and greater involvement of civilians in the decision making process during the transitional period.   Graffiti artist Mohamed Fahmy, film director Aida al-Kashef, musician Abdel Rahman Amin, and April 6 Youth Movement member Ibrahim Abed have been held for questioning.   ...

Anouar Boukhars, writing at the Arab Reform Bulletin, discusses the Gulf Cooperation Council's invitation to Morocco to become a member of the bloc.  Boukhars notes the diplomatic, political and economic boost membership would bring to the country, especially in light of its ongoing conflict with Algeria.  However, he states, many Moroccans oppose joining the group as they see it as an attempt by Gulf countries to forestall the reforms promised ...

Ahead of appearing at the G8 summit, World Bank Group President Robert B. Zoellick announced up to $6 billion in new support over the next two years for Egypt and Tunisia linked to progress by the two post-revolutionary countries to modernize their economies."The new public engagement in many countries in the Middle East and North Africa offers an opportunity for the region's people to take their destiny in ...

The Tunisian High Authority for Elections has voted 14-2 in approval of resolution that calls for constituent assembly elections to be delayed to October 16th. The body, which is independent from the interim government, first proposed the delay on Sunday after concluding that logistical conditions would be inadequate for the scheduled election date of July 24th.  Issander El Amrani considers the political reasons for delaying elections in Tunisia and Egypt. He ...

On Tuesday, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee held a nomination hearing for William J. Burns to become Deputy Secretary of State. The hearing was presided over by Committee Chairman Senator John Kerry (D-MA) with Senators Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Jib Webb (D-VA), Robert P. Casey Jr. (D-PA), Richard Lugar (R-IN), and Marco Rubio (R-FL) in attendance. William J. Burns is a career foreign service officer and former U.S. Ambassador to Russia and ...

In a joint letter by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Secretary of Treasury Timothy Geithner to fellow G8 minister, the two called for the Middle East and the world "to work together to support successful transitions toward democratic societies and more inclusive economies." They argued that G8 countries "share a compelling interest in seeing the transitions in Egypt and Tunisia succeed and become models for the region." ...

In joint remarks with British Foreign Secretary William Hague, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton reaffirmed U.S. positions on Middle East unrest. The most pointed rhetoric was aimed at Syria and Yemen. She called on the Assad regime to "top the killings, the beatings, the arrests; release all political prisoners and detainees; begin to respond to the demands that are upon you for a process of credible and inclusive democratic change." If ...

On Sunday, the Saudi government detained Manal al-Sharif on charges of "disturbing public order and inciting public opinion by twice driving in a bid to press her cause."  Sharif's drives are part of a campaign to highlight Facebook and Twitter campaigns she has organized to encourage women across Saudi Arabia to participate in a collective protest, supporting the right of women to drive,  scheduled for June 17.  Wajiha Howeidar stated that ...

Last week, following President Barack Obama's address on the Middle East, Senator John McCain (R-AZ) delivered the Dean Acheson Lecture at the United States Institute of Peace where he discussed the Arab Spring.  McCain opened by noting that the uprisings  in the Middle East represent a repudiation of Osama bin Laden and al-Qaeda and stated that Arab Spring should be "a clarifying event for the United States" which presents an ...

During a press briefing on Monday, State Department spokesman Mark Toner expressed the United States' disappointment at President Ali Abdullah Saleh's continued refusal to sign the transition agreement brokered by the Gulf Cooperation Council.   He stated that the U.S.  is looking at a number of different options in regards to the situation in Yemen, but hopes that Saleh will take action to resolve the situation. Toner also addressed questions ...

Steve Coll, writing in The New Yorker, discusses the complexities associated with current U.S. policy towards Syria, in light of the recent uprisings.  Coll begins by noting that while many had hoped that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad would be a reformer when he came to power, his actions over the years have proven otherwise and states that "American policy toward Syria presents mainly a record of failure."  U.S. pressure and ...

Hussein Tantawi, head of Egypt's ruling military council, announced on Saturday that Saudi Arabia has pledged $4 billion dollars in aid to Egypt in the form of long-term loans and grants. Al-Ahram reports that the package will include a $1 billion deposit at the Central Bank of Egypt and $500 million in bond purchases. The announcement follows an investment promotion tour to the Gulf by Egypt's prime minister Essam Sharaf ...