Barry Rubin: Egypt is a Volcano, The West Snoozes, But Israel Won’t Play the Role of Pompeii

Egypt is a Volcano, The West Snoozes, But Israel Won’t Play the Role of Pompeii

By Barry Rubin

“Interchangeable ever were the terms of abuse with which the aggressor discredits those about to be ravaged!”
–Malcolm Lowry, Under the Volcano

By Barry Rubin

Reality: Those who are, or will soon be, governing Egypt view themselves as being at war with Israel for all practical purposes. It matters relatively little that there is still a peace treaty. In Cairo, there are no thoughts of peace.

This is the second biggest disaster of the “Arab Spring.” The same applies to the Egyptian government’s attitude to the United States. That is the biggest disaster.


It is a disaster that U.S. policymakers and journalists have not even begun to recognize, much less counter. Same applies to the British.

Here’s the latest example.

Continue reading Egypt is a Volcano, The West Snoozes, But Israel Won’t Play the Role of Pompeii

Barry Rubin is director of the Global Research in International Affairs (GLORIA) Center and editor of the Middle East Review of International Affairs (MERIA) Journal. His latest books are The Israel-Arab Reader (seventh edition), The Long War for Freedom: The Arab Struggle for Democracy in the Middle East (Wiley), and The Truth About Syria (Palgrave-Macmillan). His latest book is Israel: An Introduction, to be published by Yale University Press in January 2012. You can read more of Barry Rubin's posts at Rubin Reports, and now on his new blog, Rubin Reports, on Pajamas Media

Technorati Tag: Israel and Egypt and Middle East.