Press "Enter" to skip to content

Author: Khaled Fahmy

Khaled Fahmy ‎‎is professor of history at the American University in Cairo and a visiting professor at Harvard University. His research interests include the social and cultural history of the modern Middle East, with an emphasis on the history of law, medicine, the army and the police in nineteenth-century Egypt. In addition to his academic publications, he also writes newspaper articles in both Arabic and English.

When historians read WikiLeaks

Published in Egypt Independent on December 26, 2010 Ever since WikiLeaks began posting some quarter million leaked cables sent by US embassies on 28 November, people around the world have eagerly read about secrets revealed by what the WikiLeaks website calls “the largest set of confidential documents ever to be released into the public domain.” Given America’s heavy involvement in the Middle East, it was only natural to expect the uncovering of a large number of cables sent by US embassies and consulates in the region. And again, as expected, many of the leaks have revealed details embarrassing to US…

Leave a Comment

The Suez Canal Crisis, 50 Years Later

A radio interview with Scott Simon of NPR on the 50th anniversary of the Suez War, recorded on October 28, 2006. SCOTT SIMON, host: Fifty years ago, while much of the world watched the nationalist uprising in Hungary, another crisis broke out in the Middle East, war over control of the Suez Canal, President GAMAL ABDEL NASSER (Egypt): (Speaking foreign language) SIMON: Egypt’s President Gamal Abdel Nasser had called the Suez Canal a symbol of oppression. When Western nations withdrew their offer to finance construction of the Awan Dam, Nasser decided to national the British and French company that operated…

Leave a Comment