US President Barack Obama and Egypt’s President Hosni Mubarak in Cairo in 2009. REUTERS Obama Has Failed to Fulfill His Mideast Promise — David J. Kramer, Spiegel Online In recent months, the Obama administration has shifted its focus away from the Middle East. This approach might be justified if the situation were getting better there, but things are getting worse. Of the people living in the region, 88 percent live in countries that lack honest elections, a free press and rule of law. A few months into his presidency, Barack Obama delivered what still ranks as the most ambitious foreign policy address of his administration. Presented at Cairo University, the speech set forth the outlines of a “new beginning” between the United States and the Muslim world. Read more …. Commentaries, Opinions, And Editorials Could Syria be the next domino to fall? — Hugh Macleod, Global Post Egypt Is the Next Tunisia. What Is the Next Egypt? — Gordon Chang, Forbes Could China be next? No. — Christina Larson, Foreign Policy The Psychology of Food Riots — Evan Fraser and Andrew Rimas, Foreign Affairs Letter from Kabul: The Great Afghan Bank Heist — Dexter Filkins, New Yorker China: At What Cost Stealth? — David Axe, The Diplomat The case for mercenaries in Somalia — Jeff Jacoby, Boston.com Is Canada a soft mark? — Lysiane gagnon, Globe And Mail Report: Stuxnet could cause Iranian ‘Chernobyl’ — Joshua Keating, Foreign Policy Commentaries, Opinions, Editorials, And Analysis On The Crisis In Egypt What Obama Can Do to Save Egypt — Max Fisher, The Atlantic Obama is still behind the curve on Egypt — Jennifer Rubin, Washington Post Analysis: The US moral conundrum in Egypt — AP U.S. wary of what’s next for Egypt — Ben Smith & Laura Rozen, Politico Protests in Egypt: the real reason for Obama’s two-handed game — Anne Mariel Peters, Christian Science Monitor Our view on Egypt: Moment of truth for U.S. policies — USA Today Is U.S. on the side of Mideast democracy? — Khaled Elgindy, CNN What the U.S. Loses if Mubarak Goes — Tony Karon, Time Magazine As Egyptians Stand Up, the U.S. Must Follow — Romesh Ratnesar, Time Magazine Washington Plays for Time in Egypt and the Arab World — Massimo Calabresi, Time Magazine What’s at stake for U.S. in Egypt unrest — USA Today Time for the U.S. to put its money where its mouth is — Vickie Langohr, Foreign Policy Obama Doctrine is Failing in the Middle East — Heritage Foundation Wild Card – The Egyptian Military — Ron Beasley, The Moderate Voice Army As Kingmaker, Ctd — The Daily Dish, The Atlantic Egyptian Army Faces Difficult Choice as Situation Deteriorates — Heritage Foundation Egypt: Please, Not ElBaradei — Claurdia Rosett, Pajamas Media ‘The Pharaoh in the Führerbunker’ — Spiegel Online Why has Egypt’s army not confronted the protests? — McClatchy News A proud moment in Egypt’s history — L.A. Times editorial Egypt Updates: the “March of Millions,” the Role of the Army, and a Message from the American Embassy — Vanity Fair Muslim Brotherhood Poised for Power in Egypt — Robert Spencer, Human Events Analysis – Egypt’s Al Jazeera bans channel’s key role — Reuters Arab world transfixed by Egyptian protests — Liz Sly, Washington Post In Depth: Why Are Egyptians Protesting? — SKY News Egypt’s uprising should be encouraged — Anne Applebaum, Washington Post Lawlessness Could Hijack Egypt’s Popular Uprising — Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson, NPR Mubarak’s ouster looks more and more likely; but what then? — Jay Bookman, AJC What’s role of Islam in Egypt’s future? — USA Today Who Lost Egypt? — Dick Morris, FOX News Date With a Revolution — Mansoura Ez-Eldin, New York Times

In Haiti, Hillary Clinton Meets With Candidates, Pushes Preval On Elections — Washington Post PORT-AU-PRINCE, HAITI – Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton turned her attention Sunday from Egypt to a crisis closer to home – a disputed presidential election in Haiti that threatens to stall its recovery from a massive earthquake. Clinton’s visit to Haiti came as the U.S. government is pressing President Rene Preval to accept election monitors’ conclusion that his handpicked candidate did not qualify for a runoff. “We’ve made it very clear we support the OAS recommendations and we would like to see those those acted on,” Clinton told reporters, referring to the election monitors from the Organization of American States. Read more …. More News On Haiti Hillary Clinton presses Haiti’s René Préval to break election stalemate — Christian Science Monitor Clinton Urges Haiti to Persist in Bid for Fair Elections — Voice of America Clinton: Major concerns surround Haiti presidential elections — CNN Clinton urges adopting OAS report for Haitian elections — Miami Herald US won’t halt Haiti aid, Clinton says — Boston.com/AP Hillary Clinton: Haiti aid will not be suspended — BBC Clinton: No Plans to Suspend Aid to Haiti — Voice of America Aristide can have new passport, Haiti says — AFP Haiti opens door for return of ex-president Aristide — Reuters Lawyer: Aristide still in Africa, wants to return — Washington Post One Year After Haiti Earthquake, Reconstruction is Slow — Voice of America In Haiti, Return of Duvalier Reopens Old Wounds — New York Times In Haiti, Cell Phones Serve As Debit Cards — NPR Haiti polio scare may be rare complication of cholera — New Scientist

Egypt Crisis: Country Braced For ‘March Of A Million’ — The Telegraph A “march of a million” against the Egyptian regime has been called for Tuesday in Alexandria after one was announced in Cairo and all train services were canceled, an aide to dissident Mohamed ElBaradei said. Protest organizers announced earlier that they would stage a mass march from Cairo’s Tahrir Square, the epicenter of nationwide protests against President Hosni Mubarak’s regime that have been raging for a week, leaving at least 125 people dead. “We wanted to take part in the march from Tahrir Square tomorrow but given that all the trains have been stopped and there’s no other means of transport we have decided to stay and organise a march of a million tomorrow,” Abeer Yussef told AFP on Monday by telephone from Alexandria. Read more …. More News On Egypt Getting Ready for Tuesday’s ‘March Of A Million’ Egypt set for mass protest as army rules out force — The Guardian ‘Million man march’ planned to bring Mubarak down — Hindustan Times/AFP Protestors in Cairo remain on main square, prepare for million-strong rally — RIA Novosti Egypt protesters call for million-man march — ABC News (Australia) Cairo protest aims to draw one million (VIDEO) — Global Post Mubarak proposes talks as opposition calls for massive protest — Washington Post One million called to march Tuesday in Cairo – -International Business Times Egypt military promises no force against protests — Yahoo News/AP Government Offers Talks With Protesters After Army Says It Will Not Fire — New York Times Egypt army backs people’s demands, holds fire — Yahoo News/AFP Egypt crisis: Army rules out force as Mubarak clings to power — The Telegraph Egypt Military Promises No Force Against Protests — ABC News

Israel Allows First Egyptian Troops Into Sinai Since 1979 — M&C Jerusalem – Israel has allowed Egyptian troops into the Sinai Peninsula for the first time since 1979, Israeli radio reported Monday, while the Israeli president warned of the possibility of the radical Islamist opposition rising to power in Egypt. A high-ranking member of the government had confirmed that at Egypt’s request hundreds of troops had been allowed on to the peninsula because of ongoing protests in the country. Since the 1979 peace agreement between the two countries, Egypt had only been allowed to station police forces there. Read more …. More News On Egypt Sending Troops Into The Sinai Israel agrees to some Egyptian troops in Sinai — AP Israel lets Egpyt move its troops into Sinai — Irish Times Israel allows 800 Egyptian troops into the Sinai — Global Post Israel approves first Egyptian military deployment in Sinai since 1979 — L.A. Times Egyptian troops hunt Hamas gunmen fighting to control N. Sinai. Two captured — Debka File 12 dead as Egyptian police, Beduins clash in Sinai — Jerusalem Post Palestinians shell western Negev with Grads, mortar attacks — Jerusalem Post 2 rockets fired from Gaza explode in Israeli towns, causing damage, no injuries — Canadian Press My Comment: The Sinai is a very big place …. positioning 800 soldiers will have zero impact.

Kim Jong-un (in black), Vice-Chairman of the Central Military Commission of the Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK) and Kim Jong-il Photo: REX The Incredible Kim Jong-il And His Amazing Achievements — The Telegraph Known to his people variously as The Supreme Leader, the Dear Leader, Our Father, the General, Lodestar of the 21st Century or Eternal President, Kim Jong-il has been credited with a mind-boggling series of achievements. * Even before his birth, the future leader of North Korea was triggering miracles. Official biographers say his birth in a cabin on the slopes of Baekdu Mountain in February 1942 was foretold by a swallow and heralded by a double rainbow. When he was born, a new star appeared in the night sky. * The first time he picked up a golf club, in 1994, Kim reportedly shot a 38-under par round on North Korea’s only golf course, including 11 holes-in-one. He then decided to retire from the sport for ever. Read more …. More News On What is Happening In North Korea’s Ruling Class N.Korean Regime Intensifies ‘Reign of Terror’ — Chosun ilbo North Korea prepares for annual flowery tribute to its ‘Dear Leader’ — The Telegraph N.Korea Revamps Party Rules to Easy Hereditary Succession — Chosun Ilbo Power Shift Detailed in North Korean Party Charter — Voice of America Kim Jong-il’s Oldest Son Slams Hawks in the N.Korean Regime — Chosun Ilbo Kim Jong-il ‘opposed succession’ — The Independent Furry Hat Offers Clues to Progress of N.Korean Succession — Chosun Ilbo North Korea: where a hat is not just a hat — Christian Science Monitor Analysis: North Korea’s bizarre personality cult and why it has worked – so far — The Telegraph My Comment : Thank God I do not live there.