I don't see how PI#1 wins this argument. If he is right, and American pressure did lead to Ibrahim's release, the Egyptians won't admit it for fear of being criticized for yielding to American pressure when the American government is unpopular with the Egyptian public. The State Department won't confirm the story in detail for fear of losing its ability to secure Egyptian cooperation on other matters (or with other dissidents). Even Ibrahim is unlikely to make a big deal of this publicly, out of concern for other dissidents now being held in Egypt. And possibly to avoid a domestic quarrel. It can be such a downer to get out of prison only to get into one of those.

Sometimes good deeds have to be their own reward.

That's funny stuff.

Ah yes, the joys of conference comments: Enough about your paper, let's talk about me!

Thanks for sharing this delightfully humorous moment.
:)

You are on the same trajectory Dr. Drezner. Trust me. You will be in the position of #1 or #2 in just a few years. Being invited to an esoteric conference sponsored by an esoteric foundation, and then bragging about it publicly, is the path to academic hell.

I asked local activists if a letter writing campaign to the Bush admin to help on Ibrahim would help or harm, and I got a 50/50 response. His wife, the head of the Population Council Cairo Chapter, I believe did indeed feel it would do more harm than good. Some Israeli activists whom I am also in touch with were very involved in helping and tried to do so unobtrusively in order to not make the situation even worse. Middle Eastern politics are really, really difficult. He's out now, and we should all be happy, whether or not Bush had anything to do with it.