World View: Sinai 'Is Almost an All-Out War' as Attack Kills 24 Egyptian Policemen

by John J. Xenakis 

This morning's key headlines from GenerationalDynamics.com

• Tensions grow between Britain and Spain over Gibraltar
• Sinai 'is almost an all-out war' as attack kills 24 Egyptian policemen
• Former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak may be released from prison

Tensions grow between Britain and Spain over Gibraltar

A fisherman holds a Spanish flag during a protest in the bay of Algeciras, near the Rock of Gibraltar, on Sunday (AP)

The European Union is investigating a growing dispute between Britain and Spain over the enclave of Gibraltar, on the tip of Spain, but ceded to Britain in the Treaty of Utrecht in 1714, following on Britain's victory in the War of the Spanish Succession. ( "13-Aug-13 World View -- Britain sends warships to Gibraltar over border conflict with Spain")
The dispute began after Gibraltar used concrete blocks to build an artificial reef to prevent Spanish fishermen from fishing in waters near Gibraltar. This infuriated Spanish officials, who got revenge by toughening border checks at the crossing points, leading to enormous delays for workers and tourists entering Gibraltar.
On Monday, the European Commission issued a statement:

"[A] Commission fact-finding mission should as soon as possible examine in loco the border control, movement of people and goods questions. President [José Manuel Barroso] expressed his hope that Spain and the UK will address these matters in a way that is in line with their common membership in the EU."

Spanish fishermen, already struggling because of the financial crisis, say that Gibraltar's actions are hurting them the most. "Over there you can catch 30 to 60 kilos of clams a day, for which they pay us nine euros a kilo. But here you get thin shells that fetch two euros and moreover there are only a few of them," according to one Spanish fisherman. Reuters and AFP

Sinai 'is almost an all-out war' as attack kills 24 Egyptian policemen

Suspected Islamist terrorists killed 24 Egyptian policemen on Monday in Egypt's Sinai region, near the border with Gaza and Israel. Jihadists are increasingly teaming up with indigenous Bedouins in the Sinai, especially since the July 3 ouster of president Mohamed Morsi, taking advantage of the chaotic situation in Cairo. According to one analyst, the Sinai is almost three times the size of Israel and largely lawless, where there are no roads, there is no law, and the situation in Sinai "is almost an all-out war." However, according to another analyst, "Considering how big Sinai is, very few have properly observed that a large bulk of the violence is concentrated in a tiny portion of the peninsula, pushed right up against the border." Jerusalem Post

Former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak may be released from prison

A Cairo court has ordered the release of Egypt's former president Hosni Mubarak in an ongoing corruption case in which he is accused of squandering public funds to renovate his private residences, pending his trial. Mubarak was ousted early in 2011 at the beginning of the "Egyptian revolution," and he was jailed on corruption charges shortly thereafter. However, there are conflicting reports as to whether Mubarak will actually be released from custody, as he may be held by another court where he is facing additional charges. Al-Ahram (Cairo) and Bloomberg