It’s been a big week for countries throughout the Middle East. People around the world were riveted by the sight of millions of Iraqis who defied insurgent warnings and went out to vote. Many Arab news sources focused on the violence of that day, others denounced the vote because of the numbers of Sunni Muslims who boycotted the election.
Now the U.S. President’s State of the Union address is raising questions about what’s next. Bush is calling on Saudi Arabia and Egypt to embrace democratic reform and he’s delivering direct threats to Iran and Syria. This hour we talk with the interim leader of an Egyptian opposition party and journalists to see if the Middle East really is ready for democracy.
Guests:
Magdi Abdelhadi, BBC’s Arab News Analyst
Mona Makram Ebeid, Professor at American University in Cairo and Secretary General of the the Party of Tomorrow
Salameh Nematt, Washington Bureau Chief of Al-Hayat, an international Arab daily and the LBC, the Lebanon-based Arab satellite channel
Abdul Bari-Atwan, Editor of Al Quds Daily newspaper.