Egyptian presidential candidate Amr Moussa, on what he'd be like as a possible successor to Mubarak.
A documentary tracing the transformation of a son of Saudi privilege into the world's most wanted terrorist. WATCH ONLINE
by Lucky Gold
There is no such thing called an Islamic democracy
Mohamed Morsi, one of three leading candidates for the presidency of Egypt, appeared on Amanpour on Wednesday. The American-educated engineer leads The Freedom and Justice Party, the political wing of the Muslim Brotherhood.
As Egypt’s most powerful political movement, controlling half of parliament, winning the presidency would give the Muslim Brotherhood – and Mr. Morsi - sweeping power to control Egypt’s future.
But what would that future look like? He was asked if a Morsi government would tilt toward a fundamentalist theocracy, reflecting the Muslim Brotherhood slogan - “Islam is the solution.”
Morsi answered in Arabic with an English translator: “The Egyptian people are freely making their choice now… We want to transform from a president of the institution to an institution of the presidency. To an executive branch that represents the people’s true will and implements their public interest.”
He was asked if Morsi’s (and the Muslim Brotherhood’s) Egypt be more like secular Turkey or fundamentalist Iran?
“There is no such thing called an Islamic democracy,” said Morsi. “There is democracy only…The people are the source of authority...that’s democracy. And that agrees with consultation called for in Islam.”
Part 1: The story behind Yemen bomb plot One of the world's top experts on Yemen tells Christiane Amanpour about the al Qaeda bomb plot. Part 2: U.S. tribunals at Guantanamo Christiane asks the lead prosecutor at Guantanamo about the criticism of U.S. tribunals.
One of the world's top experts on Yemen tells Christiane Amanpour about the al Qaeda bomb plot.
CNN's Christiane Amanpour asks the lead prosecutor at Guantanamo about the criticism of U.S. tribunals.
Episode #17: Tuesday, May 8, 2012.
by Lucky Gold
As dangerous as you can get
An al Qaeda plot, hatched in Yemen, to blow up a commercial aircraft over United States air space was exposed by the CIA, but many questions remain unanswered.
Ali Soufan, former FBI counter terrorist agent and leading expert on al Qaeda in Yemen, appeared exclusively on Amanpour Tuesday. His unique insights help provide the story behind the story.
It begins with Fahd al-Quso, a Yemeni national and top leader of al Qaeda in the Arabian Penninsula, a man with a five million dollar price tag on his head.
“We first identified Fahd al-Quoso,” said Soufan, “as being a member of the (al Qaeda) cell that conducted the USS Cole attack (in 2000). We were able to arrest him and interrogate him and he provided a significant amount of intelligence about his connections to al Qaeda, about al Qaeda’s role in the USS Cole bombing and t he murder of seventeen sailors…and also about his relationship to Osama bin Laden.”
Soufan added, “He also provided us some information about a meeting…that was a planning summit for the 9-11 attack. So he is as dangerous as you can get.”
Part 1: France's austerity showdown France's Socialist president-elect Francois Hollande says austerity isn't inevitable but Angela Merkel shoots back. Part 2: An austerity alternative? As France and Greece look to deploy alternative economic policies, what does this mean for Germany? Christiane speaks to Germany's Foreign Minister, Guido Westerwelle. Part 3: Does the Tzar still rule? President Putin has now held power longer than any Russian leader since Joseph Stalin.
France's Socialist president-elect Francois Hollande says austerity isn't inevitable but Angela Merkel shoots back
As France and Greece look to deploy alternative economic policies, what does this mean for Germany?
President Putin has now held power longer than any Russian leader since Joseph Stalin.
Episode #16: Monday, May 7, 2012.
by Christiane Amanpour
This is my share and tell – the stories you need today and why they matter. Take a read and respond on Facebook or Twitter.
Journalism students explore the different perspectives and conflicting narratives and biases in some of the top stories of our time:
Bahrain arrests human rights activist: http://reut.rs/JUXqRW
Two sides of the same coin
Guido Westerwelle, Germany’s Foreign Minister, appeared on Amanpour Monday, as Europe was still feeling the political aftershocks of Sunday’s elections.
Interviewed Friday, just prior to the elections, he was asked if the falling governments in France and Greece are a repudiation of the fiscal austerity policy championed by Germany.
“I think some of these governments came out of office because they worked too slowly,” said Westerwelle. “They didn’t do the reforms…Our policy is more than austerity and fiscal discipline. Our policy is both. Growth and fiscal discipline. These are two sides of the same coin.”
Westerwelle responded to the campaign promise of newly elected French President, Francois Hollande – that he would renegotiate the existing pact with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and the other member states of the European Union.
“We cannot renegotiate this fiscal compact,” said Westerwelle, “because…this sends a signal, for example, to Italy, Spain, Portugal – they all implemented these reforms. They know they cannot survive…with always new debts.”
He added, “Our offer to France, to all our friends in the European Union, is to let us implement the fiscal compact because this is necessary to overcome the debt crisis.”
He rejected the idea that a choice must be made between austerity and spending: “Of course, we can spend more money. The only result will be more debt. And then we are once again in the same difficulty, in the same problem.”
Despite its defeat, he praised the Greek government for its attempts at reform: “I think this was a brave and courageous government,” said Westerwelle, “which brought through the reform. The problem for Greece is that they have a lack of competitiveness…They need companies – small and medium sized companies – which are the backbone of the economy.”
Part 1: Olmert on America's influence The second part of former Israeli Prime Minister's exclusive interview with Christiane Amanpour. Part 2: Israel's ultra-Orthodox Israeli feminist Anat Hoffman on the power of Israel's ultra-Orthodox. Part 3: Surviving cut-throats The survivor of a pirate attack talks about an eleven-day ordeal.
The second part of former Israeli Prime Minister's exclusive interview with Christiane Amanpour.
Israeli feminist Anat Hoffman on the power of Israel's ultra-Orthodox.
The survivor of a pirate attack talks about an eleven-day ordeal.
Episode #15: Friday, May 4, 2012.
by Samuel Burke
Israeli feminist Anat Hoffman has just finished a tour in the U.S., campaigning for support over her arrest in the ongoing struggle between secular and Orthodox Jews in Israel.
Hoffman is the Executive Director of the Israel Religious Action Center and was arrested at the Western Wall in Jerusalem in 2010 for carrying a Torah at the holy site in Jerusalem. She told CNN’s Christiane Amanpour, “I was conducting a religious act that offends the feelings of others – and that’s against the law.” While women carrying a Torah in Reform Judaism is common place, it’s not sanctioned by Orthodox Jews, whose customs have become the norm at the Western Wall. Hoffman was never charged with a crime.
Hoffman said that even though women’s rights are a problem only within a very small group inside Orthodoxy, her arrest and the schisms between religious and secular Jews over women’s rights are indicative of the growing power of ultra-Orthodox Jews in Israel.
“Secular politicians in Israel make greater and greater concessions to the ultra-Orthodox,” Hoffman said, “because they are a very obedient crowd in a democratic game – they vote in a block, in one way.”
Hoffman is also a member of the so called ‘Freedom Riders,’ reminding Israeli passengers that public buses cannot be involuntary segregated, which the Israeli Supreme court ruled in a case brought by an Israeli woman in 2011.
As a matter of custom, on some Israeli bus lines women sit in the back of the bus, because the ultra-Orthodox avoid mixing of men and women. But in 2011, a woman named Tanya Rosenblit sat in the front of an inter-city bus bound for Jerusalem and was dubbed Israel's 'Rosa Parks' when she refused to give up her seat.
Hoffman and other ‘Freedom Riders’ post sings to remind riders of the Supreme Court’s decision. Hoffman told Amanpour, “We went to court representing a variety of Orthodox women. We won the case and [the sign] is hanging in every Israeli bus, right behind the driver.” The sign reads, “Passengers may sit in any seat of his or her choosing… harassing a passenger regarding his or her seating choice may constitute a crime.”
When asked how the rise of Orthodoxy and its political impact affect any possibility of a peace accord between Israel and the Palestinians, Hoffman said, “I look at Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu – deeply religious people that used religion to mend their country. When you think of South Africa, you see how religion can actually act not as an obstacle – the peace and reconciliation committees are drenched in religious rhetoric. You see religion at its very, very best.”
Highlights
– Ehud Olmert says extreme right-wing elements in the United States helped derail his peace plan
– They poured millions of dollars into efforts to topple him from office, he says
– Olmert, who quit as prime minister amid corruption allegations, does not name the right-wing figures
– His 2008 peace plan proposed a two-state solution based on the 1967 borders
By the CNN Wire Staff
(CNN) - Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has said millions of dollars from the "extreme right wing" in the United States helped oust him from government and derailed a peace plan with the Palestinians.
In an exclusive interview aired Friday with CNN's Christiane Amanpour, Olmert said his attempts to make peace had been "a killer" for him as prime minister.
In 2008, Olmert sought a "full comprehensive peace between us and the Palestinians" - a two-state solution based on the 1967 borders. But the plan was never realized and Olmert was forced from office accused of corruption, which he denies.
"It was a killer for me, not only because of the opposition in Israel. I think that, by the way, in Israel, the majority of the Israelis would have supported my plan, had it come for elections," Olmert said.
"But I had to fight against superior powers, including millions and millions of dollars that were transferred from this country (the United States) by figures which were from the extreme right wing that were aimed to topple me as prime minister of Israel. There is no question about it."
Pressed to name names, Olmert replied: "Next time."
Part 1: Advising Chen Guangcheng Jerome Cohen is a lawyer, adviser and friend of Chen Guangcheng. He talks to CNN about the Chinese activist. Part 2: Madeleine Albright on Chen Former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright says she thinks Chen Guangcheng will come to America. Part 3: Press freedom in China In certain parts of China, many people do not know about Chen Guangcheng.
Jerome Cohen is a lawyer, adviser and friend of Chen Guangcheng. He talks to CNN about the Chinese activist.
Former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright says she thinks Chen Guangcheng will come to America.
In certain parts of China, many people do not know about Chen Guangcheng.
Episode #14: Thursday, May 3, 2012.
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