No 'I' in 'Team,' but Plenty of 'I' in India
Joel Brinkley

A new government report lists 22 nations that maintain significant business relationships with Iran, despite new United Nations sanctions and even more restrictive laws enacted in Europe and the United States. But one nation dominates the list -- India allows more companies to do business with Iran than any other

Obama's Juggling Act in the Middle East
Jules Witcover

With the American combat involvement in Iraq finally winding down, even as it continues to surge in Afghanistan, President Obama is engaged in a political juggling act on which the fate of his presidency might eventually hinge.

Defusing Lebanon's Powder Keg
Mohamad Bazzi

Tensions are high in Lebanon, as a UN tribunal is reportedly due to hand down indictments in the 2005 assassination of Lebanese prime minister Rafik Hariri. The Obama administration can help avert a new conflict by supporting current Prime Minister Saad Hariri's government and helping to strengthen the Lebanese army

Iraq - Mission Accomplished II
Cal Thomas

President Obama claims to have kept his campaign promise to cease American combat operations (though not U.S. troop presence) in Iraq by the end of this month. But it's not about his keeping promises about a war and an objective he never supported. It's about whether the mission has been a success. And the answer to that question is: we don't know yet.

Behind Iraq's Long Political Indecision
Reidar Visser

The Iraqiya Party emerged from Iraq's parliamentary elections with a two-seat lead over the State of Law Party. But Iraq still has no government. American combat troops are scheduled to leave at the end of August, and there doesn't seem to be any rush to compromise. Iraq expert Reidar Visser says U.S. influence in Iraq is waning

For Israel a Two-State Proposal Starts With Security
Mortimer B. Zuckerman

Israelis have lost trust in the possibility of peaceful coexistence. They have observed that every effort to make peace breeds new aggression. They have realized, with understandable bitterness, that every defensive military operation that leaves the aggressor still in control of the attack base results only in the enemy being better prepared the next time.

Turkey Takes the Veil
Paul Greenberg

See what's happening in Turkey, the West's old ally and new adversary. The danger to freedom there becomes ever more clear and present every day. But the tragedy of it can scarcely be apprehended without an appreciation of the dark past out of which this current Turkey arose, and to which it is about to return.

The Middle East's Private Little War
Joel Brinkley

It's not at all surprising that one of the Arab world's most senior diplomats is eager for the United States to attack Iran. The unusual part is that the diplomat said that at a very public forum. There seems to be an unwritten rule that little if anything be said in public, even though Iran and the Arab world are actually fighting a private little war. The reason for that is simple.

Israel Should Selectively Reveal Its Nuclear Arsenal
Louis R. Beres

Israel now requires a complex and nuanced counter-terrorism strategy to survive. At the same time, the major threats to its physical survival lie in certain mass destruction attacks by enemy states. Israel's existential security, therefore, must ultimately rest upon nuclear deterrence.

Israeli Flotilla Raid Raises Tensions Over Gaza
Alex Kingsbury

When Turkish activists organized a flotilla of six aid ships to test the Israeli blockade of Gaza, they sought to provoke a response from the Jewish state and draw international attention to the plight of Palestinians living in the coastal territory. In that, they succeeded. The blockade controversy has complicated Washington's strained relationship with the Israeli government

The New Wannabe Ottomans
Victor Davis Hanson

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan clearly identifies more with the old transnational Ottoman sultanate than with Kemal Ataturk's modern, secular and Western nation-state. Indeed, he has bragged that he is a grandson of the Ottomans and announced that Turkey's new goal was to restore the might of the Ottoman Empire

Managing a More Assertive Turkey
F. Stephen Larrabee

Turkey's recent diplomatic differences with the United States and its sharpened deterioration of relations with Israel come from Turkey's desire to reestablish its role as a major influence in the Middle East and Central Asia, says F. Stephen Larrabee, an expert on Turkey

Israel Is a Key Ally and Deserves U.S. Support
William Pfaff

If the Obama administration wants to leave a decent mark in history for its handling of the Middle East it should do something right now that would clear the air. It's simple. Just invite the Palestinians to declare that both sides have genuine claims to this land, that both sides have the right to live in peace, and that a viable compromise is possible.

Israel: Re-Run
Cal Thomas

Does it strike anyone else as beyond coincidence that within hours of Israel's commando raid on a flotilla of ships bound for Gaza that demonstrations broke out in Europe and outside the Israeli Embassy in Washington? And how about the U.N. Security Council, which often acts in slow motion, except when it has the opportunity to criticize Israel.

Sticking to the Iraq Withdrawal Timetable
Jules Witcover

While President Obama grapples with his proper role in dealing with the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, his administration is pressing on with the fight against terrorism, seeking to pivot from seven years in Iraq to the growing challenge in Afghanistan and new threats at home.

Farideh Farhi on Shifts in Iran on Nuclear Policy
Bernard Gwertzman

The agreement reached in which Iran would send about half of its low-enriched uranium to Turkey to be enriched signaled a new unity in the leadership in Tehran, says analyst Farideh Farhi. She says that while the regime continues to worry about its perceived legitimacy domestically, the agreement with Brazil and Turkey has strong public support

The U.S. Mission in Iraq
Jules Witcover

As the rival political parties in Iraq maneuver for control in the wake of March's indecisive parliamentary election, it may be a propitious time for a reminder of why American forces are supposed to be in the country.

On Israel: Obama Playing the Middle East Game Wrong
Mortimer B. Zuckerman

The Middle East peace process is stalled thanks to a second deadlock engineered by the United States government. President Obama began the process with his call for a settlement freeze in 2009 and escalates it now with a major change of American policy on Jerusalem.

Exaggeration of Iranian Threat Could Have Dire Consequences
William Pfaff

It is a dismaying reflection that the facilitators of major violence thus far in the 21st century have been lies told by democratic governments. The lies are continuing to be told, about the supposed 'existential' menace posed by Iran to Israel, America and Western Europe

U.S. and Russia Should Share Anti-Iran Missile Defense
Henry Kissinger

I favor developing a joint missile defense with Russia against Iran. But the U.S. also needs missile defenses controlled by the United States against strategic attack from other directions. So, let's cooperate with Russia on Iran, but we cannot relinquish missile defenses aimed at other threats

What's Happening With Israel?
Victor Davis Hanson

Current American relations with our once-staunch ally Israel are at their lowest ebb in the last 50 years. The Obama administration seems as angry at the building of Jewish apartments in Jerusalem as it is intent on reaching out to Iran and Syria, Israel's mortal enemies. President Obama himself, according to reports, has serially snubbed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

Iran - Sanctions on Iran
Louis R. Beres

President Barack Obama finally acknowledges that Iranian threats to annihilate Israel are serious. Still, Obama fails to understand that applying so-called economic sanctions to Iran will be ineffectual. Somehow, despite very good reasons to the contrary, the president is now insisting that Israel learn to 'live' with a nuclear Iran

Iraq Elections - So What Happened to Iraq?
Victor Davis Hanson

Indeed, as we look back at our years in Iraq, almost all of what once passed for conventional wisdom has been proven wrong. Yes, there is still terrorist violence in Iraq -- especially recently as the leadership of the country's next government remains in doubt. And, yes, there are still around 130,000 American soldiers in Iraq. However, ...

Iran - Sanctions on Iran
Bernard Gwertzman

A consensus seems to be growing for a resolution punishing the economic activities of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards, which control much of Iran's domestic and foreign economic activity, says Kenneth Katzman, an expert on Iran sanctions

Dangerous Bias of United Nations Goldstone Report
Dore Gold

Last year's Goldstone Report by the U.N. on the Gaza War is not going away. It was promoted at the time by Cuba, Egypt, and Pakistan -- not exactly beacons of human rights -- and had no support from Western democracies. However, the number of states backing the report has been growing. And yet, it remains one of the most potent weapons in the arsenals of terrorist organizations.

Strange Sighting in Iraq
Paul Greenberg

What can this be approaching across the sands of Iraq? It can't be. It's not possible. It's not found in this unnatural habitat ... and yet there is. It shows the outward signs, including some of the innate strengths and inevitable weaknesses and distinctive eccentricities of that rarest of creatures in those Mesopotamian climes: democracy.

In Middle East Public Diplomacy Is Wrong Approach
Mortimer B. Zuckerman

Who would have thought that a decision by a community planning board in the third year and at the fourth level of a seven-step process that still has years to go before construction can begin could ignite a firestorm between Israel and the United States?

Iraq - Reflections on an Anniversary
Robert C. Koehler

'Everything feels obscene,' a friend said seven years ago, when we bombed Baghdad, launching the invasion. It still does, but in a dull, chronic, 'used to it' way -- outrage mixed, these last few years, with 'hope,' smearing the war effort with a thick, national ambivalence. It is still going on with a grinding pointlessness that's not worth talking about or even debating anymore

Iraq - The Story That Won't Go Away
Jules Witcover

As the Obama administration continues to leave the invasion of Iraq to history, the pesky British who believe they were hoodwinked into being a part of it are not letting this sleeping dog slumber on.

The Truth About American and Israeli Interests Comes Out
William Pfaff

The relationship between the United States and Israel has always rested on a number of pretensions, politically useful to politicians on both sides, but because they are untrue, certain eventually to prove destructive to both countries. The destruction has now begun, as the pretensions and hypocrisies begin to fall. The cause of this is external and unexpected

Israel's New Enemy: America?
Cal Thomas

Despite Joe Biden's recent pledge of unswerving fidelity to Israel, the rhetoric and pressure directed by the Obama administration against the only fully functioning democracy in the Middle East more accurately resembles the behavior of an enemy. The latest pretext for putting more pressure on Israel comes from a decision by Israel to construct 1,600 new housing units in east Jerusalem

Is There a Middle East Peace Solution
William Pfaff

Internationally speaking, there are only two subjects to talk about in the Middle East. These are Israel, the Palestinians and the Americans; and Iran and Israel. The two subjects dominated the annual meeting here of the Institute for Mediterranean Political Studies otherwise known as the Club of Monaco

Israel and Palestine: An Interim Agreement
Ehud Yaari

More than 16 years after the euphoria of the Oslo accords, the Israelis and the Palestinians have still not reached a final-status peace agreement. Indeed, the last decade has been dominated by setbacks -- the second intifada, Hamas' victory in the Palestinian legislative elections and then its military takeover of the Gaza Strip -- all of which have aggravated the conflict.

Warnings of Violence Ahead of Iraq's Election
Alex Kingsbury

Voting in Iraq has already started for the disabled and the military. The chief electoral issues are the same ones that have long mired Iraq in violence: dividing the country's immense oil revenues, the sectarian power balance, and the influence of neighboring countries, particularly Iran. Meanwhile, millions of Iraqis are still displaced, both internally and internationally.

Hubris Behind Brazil's Ties With Iran
Andres Oppenheimer

Brazil's key diplomatic support of Iran's increasingly isolated regime is baffling the international community. There are several theories about Brazil's behavior, some of them quite troubling.

Iran's Political 'Gridlock' - Farideh Farhi on Iran
Bernard Gwertzman

Analyst Farideh Farhi says Iran is in a state of stalemate as Iran marks the 31st anniversary of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini's revolution. This will remain true, she says, regardless of the type of street demonstrations that unfold or the government response to them. The problems of Iran, highlighted by ongoing protests since flawed presidential elections, remain unsolved

Iran's 'Excruciating' Human Rights Record
Bernard Gwertzman

The UN Human Rights Council issued its review of Iran's human rights record, on the heels of what was widely seen as the Iranian government's stifling of protests during the Islamic Revolution celebrations. The protests are an extension of the ongoing unrest in the country since the disputed presidential election results. Iran accepted some of the recommendations, but rejected many others.

A Less-Confident Iran May Become Even more Dangerous
Ian Bremmer

For those worried over Iran's nuclear ambitions, Iran's defiant and self-confident government created plenty of trouble. A wounded and more isolated Iranian regime will become more dangerous and less predictable. Sanctions won't be tough enough to force Iran to renounce its nuclear ambitions, but they'll be harsh enough to encourage an increasingly anxious Iranian government to lash out

New Palestinian Statehood Push and Nuclear Threat to Israel
Louis R. Beres

The Palestinian Authority still makes its aggressive intentions plain. On its official emblem, Israel is covered with an Arab Keffiyah headdress, next to a Kalashnikov rifle, and a picture of Yasser Arafat.

U.S. Must Remain Active Diplomatic Player in Iraq
Henry A. Kissinger

So far, the Obama administration has recoiled from discussing Iraq's geo-strategic significance and especially America's relation to it. Yet while Iraq is being exorcised from our debate, its reality is bound to obtrude itself on our consciousness. America's withdrawal from Iraq will not diminish the geo-strategic importance of the country even as it alters the context of it.

Upcoming Iraqi Elections - Political Tremors
Brett H. McGurk

Recent news that Sunni candidates were banned from upcoming Iraqi elections has focused attention on that March 7 vote -- a crucial election for a new government to serve through 2014. Much is at stake, and the United States will have to maneuver carefully, supporting but not overtly interfering with the vote, cabinet formation, and then a new Iraqi government.

Iran Sacrifices Its Future
Paul Greenberg

I have just read about a new high-water mark in the persecution of intellectuals. Or just the intelligent. For setting it, the world can thank Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, president of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and his clerical keepers, notable among them the Ayatollah Ali Khamenei

Tension Simmers in Iran
William Pfaff

Continued post-election protests in Iran identify either a pre-revolutionary situation or that condition which the French call 'fin de regime' -- political decadence suggesting that the end may be near, but might also be very bad. Recent events in Iran resemble those that led up to the revolution that compelled the Shah to flee Iran in 1979 and were followed by the creation of the Islamic Republic. The question is what will the outcpome be this time and what impact it will have on stability in the Middle East

Mind of Martyr: How to Deradicalize Islamist Extremists
Jessica Stern

Is it possible to deradicalize terrorists and their potential recruits? Saudi Arabia, a pioneer in terrorism prevention and rehabilitation, claims that it is. And yet so far, the Saudis have shared very little information about their program's successes and failures.

Voting Present on Iran
Victor Davis Hanson

Instead of complying with international requests to stand down, Iran has decided to step up efforts to enrich uranium, which, despite the government's denial, is all but certainly intended for a bomb. Here's why ...

Palestinians Start to Show Progress
Mortimer B. Zuckerman

There is still a ways to go, but the progress being made by the Palestinians, especially in terms of controlling the terrorists and criminal gangs, is one of the most promising developments to have occurred in decades.

Israel's Challenges from the United Nations to the J Street Lobby
Harold Evans

It's depressing that almost the only news you get about Israel is so determinedly negative. If you asked nearly anyone about Israel, it's a good bet nobody would say ...

Despite Obama's Concessions, Russia Remains Unhelpful on Iran
Joshua Kucera

The Obama administration's announcement last month that it was scrapping plans to build missile defense sites in Poland and the Czech Republic removed a prime irritant in the U.S.-Russian relationship; Russians felt the missile defense network was targeted as much at them as against the purported threat, Iran. And the move appeared at first to pay dividends. However ...

Obama Fumbling a Chance for Middle East Peace
Mortimer B. Zuckerman

Only four percent of Israelis see Obama as a friend. Obama should worry about this. So should we all, for the alienation has significant consequences for peace

On Gaza, the UN Targets Israel Again
Harold Evans

A new report is the gold standard of moral equivalence between killer and victim in Gaza.

Iran: Words Without Action or Resolved to Be Unresolved
Paul Greenberg

'Iran is breaking rules that all nations must follow, endangering the global nonproliferation regime, denying its own people access to the opportunity they deserve, and threatening the stability and security of the region and the world.' No, that wasn't Israel's tough-talking prime minister, Bibi Netanyahu, warning against Iran's aggressive tendencies again. It was Barack Obama addressing the UN Security Council.

Obama Faces Reality on Iran, Middle East
Kenneth T. Walsh

President Obama's disclosure that Iran has been building a secret uranium enrichment plant underscores a truism in foreign policy: Harsh reality trumps good intentions. Obama says the plant is further evidence of an Iranian nuclear weapons program, and he promises to push even harder for sanctions against the Tehran regime.

Consequences of the Palestinian-Israel Status Quo
William Pfaff

There seems to have been a mistake made when President Barack Obama named former Sen. George J. Mitchell his special representative concerned with settlement of the Palestinian-Israel impasse. The president and Mr. Mitchell seem to have believed that the problem is one of negotiation between adamantly opposed but ultimately reconcilable parties.

Shimon Peres on Peace, Obama's Tough Love, and Working in the Shadows
Arianna Huffington

It's hard to spend any time with Israeli President Shimon Peres and remain pessimistic about the possibility of peace. 'I'm 86,' he told me, 'and at a moment in my life when I have no personal agenda. I'm not interested in money. I'm not jealous of anyone. My only agenda is my country. I feel freer than I've ever felt before -- and with this freedom I can be most effective. At my age I don't want a suntan. I like being in the shadows.'

Iraq War -- What War
Victor Davis Hanson

The war in Iraq is scarcely in the news any longer, despite the fact that 141,000 American soldiers are still protecting the fragile Iraqi democracy, and 114, as of this writing, have been lost this year in that effort. But after the success of the surge, there are far fewer American fatalities each month

The Diplomatic Myths and Illusions of the Middle East
by Robert Schlesinger

Incorrect preconceptions and misguided conventional wisdom hamper American policy in the Middle East, Dennis Ross and David Makovsky write in Myths, Illusions, and Peace: Finding a New Direction for America in the Middle East.

Time to Get Out of Iraq
Joe Galloway

Defense Secretary Robert Gates has suggested that he might speed up our withdrawal from Iraq by pulling out an additional brigade combat team by year's end. Good idea! How about pulling out FIVE more brigades by then

Iran at Crossroads of History
Will this Regime Fall Like Shah's
Abolhassan Bani-Sadr

Within six short weeks since the recent election, the government of the Islamic Republic has been publicly divided, delegitimized, challenged and weak. As a result, we can now draw some analytical parallels between the current regime and the pre-1979 monarchy, and between the two occasions of political unrest.

Israeli - Palestinian Peace
(c) M. Ryder

Obama, Solana Mean Business About Two-State Solution
by William Pfaff

The Israeli press reports with alarm that the United States has threatened to reduce by $1 billion the guarantee the U.S. Treasury customarily provides for Israel state borrowings, which assure them the best commercial terms.

This is evidence that the Obama government is serious about halting Israel's colonization of the Palestinian territories -- and about imposing, rather than merely inviting, a two-state Middle East solution.

 

Israel Fortifies Presence in Latin America
Andres Oppenheimer

Following three years of frantic Iranian activities in Latin America that included three trips by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to the region -- a fourth visit is scheduled in August to Brazil -- and the opening or enlargement of a half-dozen Iranian embassies, Israel is beginning to raise its own profile in the region.

From Iraq to Afghanistan, U.S. Foreign Wars Not Going According to Plan
by William Pfaff

In Iraq, tension was reported to be increasing between the Americans and the Iraqi military and security forces, who were supposed to take over the Americans' responsibilities. Move to another front: Pakistan-Afghanistan. Here there was also supposed to be a straightforward job to do: drive the Taliban out of Afghanistan, into the Tribal Areas of the Pakistan border. There, the Pakistan army, with American urging and help, would defeat and disarm them.

Iran Election Historical Analogies Misleading & Dangerous
by Paul J. Saunders

Many political leaders and pundits have called for more active and vocal American support of the Iranian opposition, typically on the basis of analogies to oppressive regimes of the twentieth century. Unfortunately, the vast majority of these analogies are misleading and even dangerous if used as guides to policy. The historical cases most similar to present-day Iran should instill caution.

On Iran, the U.S. Needs Handshakes and an Iron Fist
by Mortimer B. Zuckerman

The argument went, civilized dialogue with Iran was more likely if we chose to treat its external conduct separately from its internal character. Such an approach, not threatening the Islamic republic's claim, would give us a better chance of restraining its nuclear ambitions and its support for terrorism. Obama did his bit to press the reset button with grace and eloquence. And what was Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's response? ...

Diplomacy Can and Will Work With Iran
by Senator John Kerry

President Obama is right to open the door to direct engagement with Iran. Negotiations-backed by escalating sanctions to show we mean business if talks fail are the only way short of war that we can persuade Iran to rein in its nuclear ambitions and begin building a more stable and secure Middle East.

Islamic Republic Acronym
(David Horsey)

Iran Election Mess Is Just a Reflection of Global Human Failings
by Louis Ren� Beres

Today's dramatic Iranian instability is more a specific symptom of general civilizational fragility than an isolated disease.

Beneath the surface, all world politics readily reveals a distinctly common disorder. This is the incapacity of human beings to find both meaning and identity as individuals, within themselves.

CONTINUE >>

 

Missing Our Moment in Iran
by Victor Davis Hanson

Last month, hundreds of thousands of Iranians took to the streets to protest a rigged presidential election. Our president was extremely cautious in his initial criticism of the Iranian government's fierce crackdown against the protestors. At first, President Obama said that the United States -- given our history in Iran -- should not be "meddling" in

Obama Presses Israel on Settlements
by William Pfaff

The Obama administration's confrontation with Israel over its colonies inside the Palestine territories began as a test of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's willingness to enter serious negotiations on a Middle Eastern settlement.

'W' is For Withdrawal
by Robert C. Koehler

National Sovereignty Day, the day U.S. troops withdrew from Iraqi cities. Sorry, but Iraq is still America's sovereign lackey: broken and smoldering. Some 130,000 U.S. troops remain in the country, withdrawn for the most part to the permanent bases we've built over the last six years. The country's infrastructure is shattered, and shocking bursts of violence remain a common occurrence

U.S. Troops Leave Iraqi Cities, but Unsettled Issues Remain
by William Pfaff

If all goes correctly, when this column is read American troops will be gone from the cities of Iraq. Then the calculation must begin as to whether some half-million to million lives lost, and the infrastructure and social structure of Baghdad, and much of the rest of the Iraqi nation, ruined, have served some good purpose.

Violence Spikes as U.S. Troops Withdraw From Iraq's Cities
by Alex Kingsbury

Militants in Iraq staged a series of bomb and machine gun attacks in the past ten days that left more than 250 dead and the country on edge. Increased carnage as the U.S. forces prepare to depart was not unexpected, American and Iraqi officials say.

Attacks on U.S. Soldiers Show Iraq Is Not Yet Safe
by Anna Mulrine

U.S. combat troops officially withdrew from all Iraqi cities this week, and the Iraqi government declared a national holiday to commemorate the event. But with the celebration came a stark reminder that the war in Iraq continues for U.S. troops and that the country is far from safe.

Iranian Protests a Direct Challenge to Khamenei
by Anna Mulrine

"Flexing muscle on the streets after the election is not right," warned Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in the days before the bloodshed. "If they don't stop, the consequences of the chaos would be their responsibility." Those consequences included casualties that resulted from the worst upheaval in Tehran in 30 years, as well as mass arrests last week, with more than 600 protesters jailed ...

Iran Election Twitters In a Revolution
by Mary Kate Cary

It was a battle to show who could best harness the only real news source on the ground -- the new social media -- to report fast, accurate, and insightful information. Cable and network news lost both the battle and the war. Two of the journalists who won were Andrew Sullivan, a political blogger for the old-line magazine Atlantic Monthly, and Nico Pitney of the younger Huffington Post. Sullivan and Pitney looked at the gold mine of information sitting on the new social media platform and, with two staffers, jumped in. Sullivan and his staff cut and pasted the most interesting, useful, and profound tweets into a document he called "Live-Tweeting the Revolution," updated every few minutes.

Iran: Death to Election Fraud
by Rick Steves

Last year, while in Iran producing a documentary for public television, I observed freedom-loving people patiently making do under a repressive regime. Today, the relatively peaceful Iran I experienced is in turmoil.

As Iranians Revolt, Their Government Reveals True Self
by William Pfaff

The truly significant result of the suppressed Iranian revolt is that the most important Islamist radical movement in the contemporary world has demonstrated that it has become a brutally repressive dictatorship whose leaders rig elections and beat down clear popular demands for a true election count or repeat of the election itself.

The War Between Civilizations That Never Was
by William Pfaff

An important change is evident in what since Samuel Huntington's time has been mistakenly identified and manipulated as a war between Muslim and Western civilizations.

Iran's (So Far) Revolution-less Struggle
by William Pfaff

Iran's cosmopolitan and liberal middle classes and its students are making a revolutionary bid without intending a revolution. Few think that the demonstrations in Tehran, and now in other Iranian cities, can produce a change in regime.

Hungary 1956, Iran 2009
by Paul Greenberg

Liberty is not something that can be rationed; one freedom leads to another. Iran's demagogue-in-chief understands that old truth, which is why he is so determined to crush this peaceful revolution in today's Iran. All the odds are in favor of his doing just that, but Mahmoud Ahmedinejad has already lost something far more important than Iran's presidency; he has lost legitimacy.

Iran Elections: The Silent Revolution
by Paul Greenberg

This is something new: a Silent Revolution. The huge throng that marched through the Iranian capital last Monday spoke nary a word, Theirs was a silent vigil for a liberty not so much lost as never gained, from Shah to Ayatollah. Meanwhile, the White House and President Obama practiced its own form of silence. Things have changed since a president of the United States could be counted on to at least voice a protest when another people are cowed.

President Obama's Iran News Conference
by Cal Thomas

For the first time in a long time, the president was challenged about his positions on Iran, health care and his "occasional" smoking. This may be due to the heavy criticism the media have been getting from commentators who have accused them of not doing their jobs with coverage that has bordered on the worshipful.

Iranian Regime Change Is for Iranians to Decide
by Mary Sanchez

I find Iran's government structure of vaguely democratic elections and Islamic theocracy almost incomprehensible. However, if Iran's government needs reform, it is Iran's people that must make that case -- and they are, very eloquently and tragically even with their lives. The last thing Iranian reformers and protesters need is to be painted as agents of the Great Satan.

The 'Neda Moment' Shows Promise of Social Networking
by Leonard Pitts, Jr.

Maybe you were there when Neda died. If you were, you saw a tragedy, of course, a 26-year-old Iranian protester gunned down in the streets. But I am convinced you also saw the future -- a profound change in the way you and I will henceforth comprehend the world.

Obama's Iran Policy Is a Bomb
by Jonah Goldberg

Here is the one immutable fact of Barack Obama's foreign policy agenda as it relates to Iran: It's over. If the forces of reform and democracy win, Obama's plan to negotiate with the regime is moot, for the regime will be gone.

Obama's Choice Is Not to Choose on Iran
by Jonah Goldberg

Stop measuring the success of your diplomacy with Iran by the degree to which the grinning, hate-filled stooge of a clerical junta will "temper" his rhetoric about the pressing need to destroy Israel and slow his ineluctable pursuit of nuclear weapons.

Iran's Crisis of Legitimacy
Ramin Jahanbegloo - Global Viewpoint

Increasingly, Iran's divine sovereignty has been less about religion than about political theology. As for the popular sovereignty, it has found its due place in social networks and political action of Iranian civil society

Iran Must Void Elections to Restore Peace on Streets
Shirin Ebadi - Global Viewpoint

People's dissatisfaction with the results does not concern the present elections alone: Many objections were made four years ago when Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was first elected president. Ahmadinejad's most important position until then had been mayor of Tehran. He was, however, supported by Basij and Ayatollah Khamenei, the Islamic Republic's leader for life. Ahmadinejad's four years of presidency resulted in people's great dissatisfaction.

Will Iran Look More Like Turkey, or Turkey Like Iran
Nathan Gardels - Global Viewpoint

The effort to forge new forms of non-Western modernity in the Muslim world has pushed Iran into bloody civil strife while Turkey swirls with persistent rumors of military plots against the Islamist-rooted government. The great historical question is whether, at the end of the day, Iran will look more like Turkey, or Turkey like Iran

A Cedar Grows in Lebanon
by Paul Greenberg

The election returns in Lebanon represent an impressive comeback for the cause of the martyred Rafik Hariri. He led the party that finally drove the Syrians out of Lebanon in the Cedar Revolution of 2005. And paid for it with his life. His son Saad now leads the coalition of Sunni, Christian and Druze voters that emerged victorious. Its win revives hope -- not just for Lebanon but for democracy in the Middle East

Events in Middle East & Central Asia Challenge U.S's Conventional Assumptions
William Pfaff

Three recent developments in the Muslim Middle East and Central Asia challenge Washington's conventional assumptions about Pakistan, the Taliban, Lebanon and Iran.

Tehran's Take: Understanding Iran's U.S. Policy
by Mohsen M. Milani

Iran's foreign policy is often portrayed in sensationalistic terms, but in reality it is a rational strategy meant to ensure the survival of the Islamic Republic against what Tehran thinks is an existential threat posed by the United States

Essence of Islamist Resistance:
Different View of Iran, Hezbollah & Hamas
by Alastair Crooke

Most Western analysts of political Islam make the same mistake. They instinctively assume that conflict with the West has mainly to do with specific foreign policies, particularly of the U.S. with respect to Israel, the Arab world and Iran, and, if those changed, all would be well.

Israel's Cuban Missile Crisis All the Time
by Victor Davis Hanson

Why would the Iranian government spend billions of dollars on trying to develop a few first-generation nuclear bombs when the country is so poor that it has to ration gasoline? A lot of reasons have been offered by various experts.

Today, North Korea; Tomorrow, Iran - Nuclear Weapons
By Paul Greenberg

North Korea has been playing around with nuclear weapons again, this time setting off an even bigger underground explosion. To which the five veto-wielding powers at the United Nations have responded much as they did the first couple of times the North Korean regime defied the UN by setting off nukes: with oh-so-serious, oh-so-official statements.

The Nation-State is Back & How
International Politics & Foreign Affairs
by Paul Kennedy

About 500 years ago, in parts of Western Europe, a funny thing happened to human society. The national state had arrived, and the world would never be the same.

Waiting For Netanyahu
International Current Events, News & World Affairs

As President Obama prepares to receive Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for their first meeting, the situation is very similar to what it was in 1978.

Now as then, Israel is ruled by a rightwing coalition. Now as then, some of its elements are more hawkish than the prime minister and his Likud Party is. Now as then, talks with the other side are ongoing but leading nowhere.

Middle East talks 'constructive'
Israeli and Palestinian leaders meet in Washington for the first direct peace talks in nearly two years and agree a framework for negotiations.

Egypt spy chief poster campaign
Posters promoting Egypt's intelligence chief appear on the streets of Cairo, amid growing speculation over who will succeed President Hosni Mubarak.

US hails end of operation in Iraq
The US president hails the end of US combat operations in Iraq, saying the US has paid "a huge price" to "put Iraq's future in its people's hands".

Netherlands frees Yemeni suspects
Two Yemenis arrested in Amsterdam on suspicion of planning a terror attack are released, prosecutors in the Netherlands say.

Iran's Bruni slurs 'unacceptable'
France says that "insults" in Iran's media aimed at France's first lady, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, are "unacceptable".

Israel academics shun settlements
More than 150 Israeli academics say they will no longer lecture or work in Jewish settlements in the West Bank.

Rabbi calls for Abbas to 'vanish'
An Israeli rabbi says the world would be better without Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas, prompting strong criticism from US officials.

Biden in Iraq for mission change
US Vice President Joe Biden arrives in Iraq ahead of the official end of the US combat mission there at midnight on Tuesday.

Nails removed from 'abused' maid
Doctors remove 13 nails and five needles from a Sri Lankan housemaid who said her employer in Saudi Arabia hammered them into her body.

Call for Iraq deaths inquiry in UK
A full judicial inquiry into all those killed in the war in Iraq should be held, the UK-based Iraq Body Count campaign group says.

Cairo zoo puts lions on the pill
Vets at Cairo's Giza Zoo are experimenting with the human birth control pill in an attempt to slow their rapidly expanding population of lions.

Syrian soaps confront taboos
Syrian soaps have become popular across the region in recent years due to their realistic plots which have also caused controversy.

Algeria
Key facts, figures and dates

Bahrain
Key facts, figures and dates

Egypt
Key facts, figures and dates

Iran
Key facts, figures and dates

Iraq
Key facts, figures and dates

Israel/Palestinian territories
Key facts, figures and dates

Jordan
Key facts, figures and dates

Kuwait
Key facts, figures and dates

Lebanon
Key facts, figures and dates

Libya
Key facts, figures and dates

Mauritania
Key facts, figures and dates

Morocco
Key facts, figures and dates

Oman
Key facts, figures and dates

Qatar
Key facts, figures and dates

Saudi Arabia
Key facts, figures and dates

Sudan
Key facts, figures and dates

Syria
Key facts, figures and dates

Tunisia
Key facts, figures and dates

United Arab Emirates
Key facts, figures and dates

Yemen
Key facts, figures and dates

Golan Heights
A profile of the Syrian plateau captured by Israel in 1967

Israeli novelist on Middle East conflict
The Israeli novelist David Grossman on how the Middle East conflict tore his family apart.

Raising the stakes
Why Middle East peace is so important to President Obama

On the cards
Where are Iraq's 55 "most wanted" as the US combat mission ends?

Helicopter tour
Troubled geography of Israel and West Bank as seen from above

Fresh fears
Teen death renews concern over female mutilation in Egypt

Rural exodus
Syria struggles as farmers flee four-year drought

American misadventure?
John Simpson on the legacy of America's 'imperial moment'

Bittersweet memories
Life in Iraq during the US occupation

BBC News - Middle East
The latest stories from the Middle East section of the BBC News web site.

 

UN human rights chief joins condemnation of deadly West Bank attack
The United Nations human rights chief today added her voice to the chorus of condemnation of the killing of four Israeli citizens in the West Bank this week and urged that the perpetrators be brought to justice.

Recent border skirmish tops UN talks with Israeli, Lebanese military officials
The investigation by the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Lebanon was the focus of today's talks with Israeli and Lebanese senior military officials today.

Ban condemns West Bank shooting of four Israelis
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has condemned the killing of four Israeli citizens in the West Bank city of Hebron on Tuesday, just days before Israeli and Palestinian leaders are set to begin face-to-face talks in Washington.

Palestinian economy in modest growth amid Israeli occupation - UN
The occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) recorded marginal economic growth last year, and unemployment remained high, with Israel's closure policy in the West Bank and the blockade of the Gaza Strip continuing to inhibit the territory's potential for rapid economic expansion, the United Nations reported today.

UN official shocked by killing of Israeli civilians in the West Bank
A senior United Nations official has expressed his shock over this evening's killing of four Israelis in the West Bank, as long-awaited direct talks are set to begin later this week in Washington between Israelis and Palestinians.

UN committee welcomes resumption of direct talks between Israelis, Palestinians
A United Nations committee on Palestinian rights today welcomed the recent decision by Israelis and Palestinians to resume direct talks with the aim of resolving all permanent status issues.

Lebanon: UN envoy holds talks with Prime Minister
The top United Nations envoy to Lebanon has met with that country's Prime Minister as part of his continuing efforts to promote stability and dialogue in the Middle Eastern nation.

Security Council extends mandate of UN force in Lebanon
The Security Council today extended the mandate of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) for another year, saying its presence there, as well as that of the Lebanese armed forces, is helping to promote stability in the south of the Middle Eastern country.

UN backs call for dialogue in wake of Lebanese clashes
The top United Nations envoy to Lebanon today backed the call made by the country's leaders for dialogue to avoid further tensions following armed clashes earlier this week between Shi'a and Sunni Muslim groups in the capital, Beirut.

UN Human Rights Council mission on flotilla incident concludes visit to Turkey
The United Nations Human Rights Council's international, independent fact-finding mission of high-level experts inquiring into the Gaza flotilla incident on 31 May has wrapped up a week-long visit to Turkey.

UN News Centre - Middle East
A world of news from the world organization.

 

Leaders agree to meet again on Mideast
The Israeli and Palestinian leaders agreed to negotiate a 'framework' for peace talks and to hold a second direct meeting in two weeks' time

Bahrain faces unrest ahead of elections
The holy month of Ramadan has erupted into a nightly routine of violence in Bahrain, where the Sunni monarchy of King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa rules a Shia majority

Mideast yawns at hopes for new dawn
Barack Obama may be disappointed to know Washington's optimism on the Middle East is unlikely to enhance significantly US standing in the region

Obama makes big push on Mideast talks
The US president declared that 'the hard work is only beginning' after he held one-on-one meetings with the Israeli and Palestinian leaders, as his administration embarked on its most concerted effort yet at brokering peace in the region

Israeli settlement timebomb threatens talks
US is clearly hoping one of the parties will back down in the coming weeks. If not, the Washington meeting may go down in history as one of the shortest-lived attempts to bring peace

Iraq exit not as clear cut as it seems
Barack Obama fulfilled what had initially been his biggest campaign selling point to bring the US war in Iraq to a close – 'to be as careful getting out, as we were careless going in'

Qatar's community builder
The emirate's leading educational foundation is beginning to win over sceptics with its approach to education and research and many cultural events and initiatives

Favourable valuations attract investors
Analysts and fund managers appear to be eyeing more aggressive picks – particularly companies that have been trading at bargain prices

The best way to diversify
The diversification dilemma will persist until the issue of non-oil taxation can be tackled

Israeli settlers threaten to restart building
Jewish settler groups plan to resume building in settlements across the occupied West Bank at 6pm, in defiance of a partial construction moratorium imposed by the government

Mission over but no claim of victory
US civilian and military officials are all too aware that Iraq's military capabilities are not fully formed and the country's political deadlock has yet to be broken

Saudi Tadawul poised to exercise more global appeal
Hedge funds and asset managers have in the past year begun to place small bets on the Tadawul

Shootings overshadow Mideast talks
Barack Obama will meet the Palestinian and Israeli leaders in the White House as the US president's administration makes its most concerted push for a Middle East peace accord

Obama marks end of US combat in Iraq
President Barack Obama declared it was 'time to turn the page' on disagreements over the war in Iraq, as he marked the end of the US's combat mission and attempted to chalk up a success

Former chief sues Abu Dhabi energy company
The former chief executive of a state-controlled energy company in Abu Dhabi, is suing his former employer, alleging that he was sacked after trying to put a stop to "kickbacks, bribery, accounting fraud and corruption" at the company

FT.com - World, Middle East
FT.com - World, Middle East

 

Iraq: 'I Just Want to Go Home'
As the drawdown of U.S. troops continues in Iraq, it’s a battle to sustain morale.

Iraq: Spate of Bombings as U.S. Exits
Terrorists demonstrate Iraq’s weakness.

Is Iraq About to Fall to Iran?
Remember this Trumpet headline—from 1994.

The Return of the Mahdi Is Nigh
Can anyone stop Iran?

Why the Mideast Peace Talks Will Fail--Again
The U.S. has called for a final round of talks to settle the world’s most pressing security problem.

Iran's uncontested nuclear march

Stepping Toward Nuclear Armageddon
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is a step closer to his goal of setting off a nuclear apocalypse.

Terrorists Exploit Pakistan Floods

Why Peace in the Middle East Is a Fantasy
Failing to defeat Iran could be America’s greatest foreign-policy blunder.

Israel: The Tension Builds
That Israel is gravitating toward war is an inescapable reality.

Iraq Violence Flares as U.S. Prepares to Exit

Oldest script found in Jerusalem

The WikiLeaks: Anything new?

Unwinnable Wars
The experts seek ways out of Iraq and Afghanistan without loss of face and credibility. Their efforts are doomed to fail.

Afghanistan--to Stay or Not to Stay
One thing was on the mind of most nations gathered at the Kabul conference: How soon can we get out of this mess?

Egypt: New Government Imminent?
A change of leadership in Cairo will have major implications for the Middle East, particularly Israel.

Cannibalizing Iran
The leadership in Tehran is being devoured by a violent Islamic military movement.

Iran Builds Radar Station in Syria
Iran helps build up Hezbollah as a threat to Israel.

He Was Right

Fighting Terrorists With Rifles
Obama picks a new general for Afghanistan. But will he revamp the war strategy?

Iran offers to show America how to plug the leak

Israel: EU May Monitor Gaza Checkpoints

America's Agenda in Afghanistan
Is America really after Afghanistan’s mineral riches?

Iran's 'remarkable resilience' to sanctions

A Good Excuse to End a Bad Relationship
Turkey’s leaders have jammed a stake into the heart of their alliance with Israel. Here’s why it was inevitable.

theTrumpet.com: Middle East
theTrumpet.com -- Understand your world.

 

Ayatollah urged to protect opposition leader's family
Karroubi's wife asks supreme leader to help end harassment by regime's militias

Iran's warring factions reignite tensions
Iran's radical and conservative fundamentalists have ignored the orders of the regime's supreme leader and reignited their war of words

Tehran exchange extends advance
Gains of 53 per cent so far this year have added to fears that the bourse is entering bubble territory

Cracks widen in theocratic facade
The cracks in the cohesion of Iran's theocratic regime that opened after the violent imposition of Mahmoud Ahmadi-Nejad in last summer's presidential election have not closed

How Khamenei used alliance with hardliners
While Mahmoud Ahmadi-Nejad, his vociferous president, has won a higher international profile, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei takes the final decision on all significant policy questions

Ayatollah rebukes warring factions
Iran's supreme leader has taken the unprecedented step of publicly rebuking his political allies after cracks emerged between the conservative and radical fundamentalists who dominate the government

Shia split deepens Ahmadi-Nejad's woes
The infighting between Iran's fundamentalists has deepened the gulf between supporters and opponents of President Mahmoud Ahmadi-Nejad

Iran struggles with synthetic drugs
Young people in particular are being trapped by addiction to substances as patterns of use are changing

Iran unveils bomber drone
Two days after it launched a new missile, Iran has unveiled its first domestically produced drone in a show of military strength to the country's "enemies"

Iran begins fuelling nuclear power plant
Iran began fuelling its first nuclear power station on Saturday, in a crucial step toward activating the Russian-designed Bushehr plant on the Gulf coast

Iran announces launch of new missile
Iran announced that it had launched a new missile, in defiance of western concerns about its weapons and nuclear projects. Defence minister Ahmad Vahidi said the Qiam 1 surface-to-surface missile had 'new technical features'

Saudi arms deal set for smooth US passage
One of the largest arms deals in US history, involving the sale of weaponry worth some $60bn to Saudi Arabia, is likely to go through Congress without significant objections, according to people on Capitol Hill.

Banks put on notice over Iran business
US will take action against banks involved in "significant" transactions anywhere in the world, warns Treasury sanctions point man

Iran's new deceptions at sea must be punished
Iran has used an array of deception practices to conceal its identity and skirt sanctions – including falsifying shipping documents, changing names and nominal ownership of vessels, and even repainting ships, writes Stuart Levey

Russian fuel to help start Iran nuclear site
Country's first nuclear power plant will start generating electricity by the end of this year, after more than three decades of delays in construction

FT.com - Iran
FT.com - Iran

 

US Launches Direct Mideast Peace Talks
Both sides agree to second round of talks to be held in Middle East later this month

Israelis, Palestinian West Bank Residents Say No Compromise on Settlements
Presence of Jewish settlements in Israeli-occupied West Bank at heart of impasse facing negotiators

Obama Urges Israel, Palestinians to Seize Opportunity for Peace
One by one, Mr. Obama welcomes leaders of Israel, Palestinian Authority, Jordan, and Egypt to Oval Office

Obama, Mideast Leaders Begin Peace Talks
US president holds meetings with Israeli PM, Palestinian President a day before they begin direct negotiations

Basketball Stars Bring Hope, Fun to Israeli Children
Dwight Howard, Allan Houston, Jerome Williams on goodwill tour of Israel this week

Palestinian Security Cracks Down on West Bank Hamas Forces
Crackdown comes after group claimed responsibility for killings of four Jewish settlers in West Bank on the eve of peace negotiations

Obama Global Health Initiative Targets Maternal, Child Health, Disease
Initiative also focused on family planning, programs to fight infectious diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS

US Formally Ends Combat Mission in Iraq
Vice President Joe Biden, Defense Secretary Gates preside over formal change-of-command ceremony in Baghdad

Gates Visits Birthplace of Iraqi Turnaround
US defense secretary stops in al-Anbar Province on way to Baghdad to mark formal end of US combat operations in Iraq

Gaza Lessons Harden Israeli Views on Security, Ahead of Peace Talks
Many feel unilateral pullout from Gaza Strip has not reduced violence in area

For Palestinian Refugees at Shatila, 'Going Home' Holds Different Meanings
Middle East peace summit in Washington sets goal of one year to resolve final status issues including Palestinians' right of return

Obama: Time To Turn The Page On Iraq
US president told Americans in a nationally broadcast speech from the Oval Office that the US combat mission in Iraq is over

Former British PM Reflects on Iraq War in Long-Awaited Memoir
Tony Blair says he does not regret his decision to take Britain to war in Iraq, but did not foresee nightmare that had unfolded there

Ramadan Tests US Teen Athletes
Abstaining from food and drink during the daylight hours proves challenging for Muslim high school sports players

Four Israelis Dead in West Bank Shooting
Attack took place near Hebron in the West Bank; militant group Hamas says its military wing carried out the attack

VOA News: Middle East
Middle East Voice of America

 

US Launches Direct Mideast Peace Talks
Both sides agree to second round of talks to be held in Middle East later this month

Israelis, Palestinian West Bank Residents Say No Compromise on Settlements
Presence of Jewish settlements in Israeli-occupied West Bank at heart of impasse facing negotiators

Obama Urges Israel, Palestinians to Seize Opportunity for Peace
One by one, Mr. Obama welcomes leaders of Israel, Palestinian Authority, Jordan, and Egypt to Oval Office

Obama, Mideast Leaders Begin Peace Talks
US president holds meetings with Israeli PM, Palestinian President a day before they begin direct negotiations

Basketball Stars Bring Hope, Fun to Israeli Children
Dwight Howard, Allan Houston, Jerome Williams on goodwill tour of Israel this week

Palestinian Security Cracks Down on West Bank Hamas Forces
Crackdown comes after group claimed responsibility for killings of four Jewish settlers in West Bank on the eve of peace negotiations

Obama Global Health Initiative Targets Maternal, Child Health, Disease
Initiative also focused on family planning, programs to fight infectious diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS

US Formally Ends Combat Mission in Iraq
Vice President Joe Biden, Defense Secretary Gates preside over formal change-of-command ceremony in Baghdad

Gates Visits Birthplace of Iraqi Turnaround
US defense secretary stops in al-Anbar Province on way to Baghdad to mark formal end of US combat operations in Iraq

Gaza Lessons Harden Israeli Views on Security, Ahead of Peace Talks
Many feel unilateral pullout from Gaza Strip has not reduced violence in area

For Palestinian Refugees at Shatila, 'Going Home' Holds Different Meanings
Middle East peace summit in Washington sets goal of one year to resolve final status issues including Palestinians' right of return

Obama: Time To Turn The Page On Iraq
US president told Americans in a nationally broadcast speech from the Oval Office that the US combat mission in Iraq is over

Former British PM Reflects on Iraq War in Long-Awaited Memoir
Tony Blair says he does not regret his decision to take Britain to war in Iraq, but did not foresee nightmare that had unfolded there

Ramadan Tests US Teen Athletes
Abstaining from food and drink during the daylight hours proves challenging for Muslim high school sports players

Four Israelis Dead in West Bank Shooting
Attack took place near Hebron in the West Bank; militant group Hamas says its military wing carried out the attack

VOA News: Middle East
Middle East Voice of America

 

Maids in the Middle East: Little better than slavery

Domestic workers in the Middle East have a horrible time

AS a maid working in Saudi Arabia, Lahanda Purage Ariyawathie suffered at the hands of her Saudi employer and his wife, who skewered her body with at least 24 nails and needles (pictured). Her case was unusually brutal, but the abuse of domestic workers in the Middle East is all too common.

Huge numbers of migrant domestic workers, mostly from Asia and Africa, are employed throughout the region. Some 1.5m work in Saudi Arabia, 660,000 in Kuwait and 200,000 in Lebanon. Many work very long hours and receive little food, no time off and pay that is a fraction of any minimum wage, if it materialises at all. Human Rights Watch (HRW), a New York-based group, says at least one domestic worker died every week in Lebanon between January 2007 and August 2008. Almost half were suicides and many were as a result of falling from high buildings, often while trying to escape their employers. Mistreatment is so widespread that the Philippines, Ethiopia and Nepal no longer let their citizens go to Lebanon to work as maids, though such bans have had little effect. ...

Middle East peace talks: Back to the table

Israel’s prime minister sounds upbeat, even if no one else does

YET another bout of Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations was launched this week amid a splurge of pious public talk tempered by sceptical punditry. Not much new in that, it seems, though it is almost two years since the previous direct talks took place (and ran aground).

Nothing new, either, in two ghastly shootings on the West Bank in the days before the talks. The first left four Israeli civilians dead, two of them the parents of six children and another a pregnant woman. Hamas proudly took the “credit” as a means of exposing, it said, the collusion between the Palestinian Authority and the occupying forces of Israel. The following day two more Israelis were wounded. ...

South African politics: With friends like these

President Jacob Zuma is badly bruised by weeks of crippling strikes

THE public-sector strikes that have paralysed hospitals, schools and other essential services across the country since August 18th have damaged South Africa’s image abroad. They have also undermined relations between the ruling African National Congress (ANC) and the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu), part of the ruling tripartite alliance, together with the communists. On September 1st Cosatu rejected the latest pay offer from the government, so as The Economist went to press the strikes seemed destined to continue, and even intensify. President Jacob Zuma, who ordered both sides back to the negotiating table on August 30th in a last-ditch attempt to end the strike, has emerged weakened from the fray.

Cosatu, with a membership of 2m, has been feeling increasingly aggrieved since Mr Zuma took over as president 16 months ago. Having helped elevate him to power, the country’s biggest union federation thought that he was their man. Cosatu had expected to play an important role in the new administration. Instead, it has repeatedly found its policies ignored. In June relations reached near breaking-point when the ANC threatened to bring disciplinary proceedings against Cosatu’s leader, Zwelinzima Vavi, for having accused the government of failing to take action against corrupt ministers. ...

Rwanda's meddling in Congo: Revisiting the killing fields

A leaked UN report looks very bad for Rwanda’s government

IN 1996 Rwandan troops descended on the Chimanga refugee camp in east Congo, to which their compatriots had fled to avoid genocide at home. The soldiers gathered the refugees together with promises of meat to fortify themselves for a promised return to Rwanda. “At a given moment,” says the draft of a new report from the United Nations, “a whistle sounded and the soldiers positioned all around the camp opened fire on the refugees. According to different sources, between 500 and 800 refugees were killed in this way.”

In the 16 years since his rebel forces halted the Rwandan genocide, the country’s president, Paul Kagame, has earned a reputation for steering his country firmly towards stability, economic growth and a measure of reconciliation. Lately, that reputation has come under attack. Before a landslide election victory in August Mr Kagame found himself under heavy fire for the mysterious murders, oppression and censorship that marred the run-up to the polls. Grim-faced and impatient of critics, Mr Kagame weathered the storm. ...

Iraq's uncertain future: The reckoning

American troops are leaving a country that is still perilously weak, divided and violent. Little wonder that some Iraqis now don’t want them to go

THE last American combat soldiers in Iraq shuffle through a half-empty base as they prepare for the one-way journey to the Kuwaiti border. Some recall their exploits during many tours of duty over the past seven years, charting their fortunes with language that has become common currency on television back home. The shock and awe of the invasion was eclipsed by insurgents using IEDs. Backed by contractors who erected blast walls around a green zone, the soldiers eventually inspired an awakening among Iraqi tribes that, aided by a surge of extra troops, in time brought something like order. In the soldiers’ telling, the names of places that were little known before the war have acquired the resonance of history: Najaf, Sadr City, Abu Ghraib.

Some 50,000 American troops will stay on in a support role, to “advise and assist” the Iraqi forces that are now supposed to be in charge of the country’s security. Nonetheless, August 31st marks the official end of Operation Iraqi Freedom, the combat mission that began with the invasion in March 2003. As a sign of America’s changing role in the country, the State Department will now assume some of the responsibilities that were previously undertaken by the Pentagon. Chief among them is the training of Iraqi policemen, a key to keeping the peace. Consular offices will be opened across the country to replace military bases. Since the State Department does not have its own forces, it is hiring private gunmen. They will fly armed helicopters and drive armoured personnel carriers on the orders of the secretary of state long after the last American soldier has gone home. ...

Egypt's presidential hopeful: Of course I don't want to be president

Gamal Mubarak begins to test the ground for his bid for the succession

FOR the past decade, Gamal Mubarak, the son of President Hosni Mubarak and now the number two in Egypt’s ruling National Democratic Party (NDP), has denied any wish to succeed his father. When asked about his future, the younger Mubarak prefers to say only that his work in the party is quite enough to keep him busy.

But this summer’s speculation that the president is grievously ill is now rekindling interest in Gamal. His 82-year-old father flew abroad for hospital treatment in March; there are unconfirmed reports that he has cancer. Then, a month or so ago, posters calling for his son’s candidacy for president began to spread in cities and in the countryside. They are usually presented as private initiatives backed by local businessmen wanting to pledge their affection for the self-styled reformer. ...

Iran's nuclear programme: Game resumed

Iran pockets Bushehr and plays on

IT WAS meant as a marker for the world’s readiness to accept Iran’s right to benefit from the peaceful uses of nuclear power, despite its provocative behaviour. By this reasoning, the fuelling this week by Russia of the Bushehr nuclear reactor, Iran’s first power-generating nuclear plant that is due to start supplying electricity to the national grid by year’s end, could help persuade the regime to return to the negotiating table over United Nations demands that it suspend more troubling nuclear work.

For Iran, however, Bushehr symbolises something altogether different: the fruits of defiance. It comes alongside recent reports that Iran has acquired a clutch of advanced air-defence missiles on the black market, developed its own new attack drone and supplied advanced radar to Syria, a neighbour of Israel, a country that Iran’s fiery president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, has talked of being wiped off the map. Such an attitude augurs ill for new talks about talks that Iran hints might resume in September with the six countries (America, Russia, Britain, France, Germany and China) that have been trying to negotiate it round. ...

South Africa's strikes: After the party…

…comes an almighty hangover

THE warm, fuzzy feeling of national pride and unity engendered by South Africa’s hosting of the football World Cup did not last long. As a strike by more than 1m public-sector workers enters its second week, hospitals, schools and other services across the country remain closed. Women in labour are being turned away from hospitals, the sick and the dying left unattended and pupils trying to get into school beaten up by their own teachers. The army has been called in to help. Police have been using water cannon and rubber bullets to break up the most violent protests. Dozens have been arrested.

The Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu), the biggest union federation and a supposed ally of the ruling African National Congress, is now threatening to shut down the entire economy by calling all its members out in a sympathy strike next week unless the government gives in to the public-sector unions’ demands for an 8.6% wage rise—more than double the inflation rate—plus a housing allowance of 1,000 rand ($135) a month. The government says it cannot afford more than its final offer of a 7% rise plus a 700 rand allowance along with a previously agreed on 1.5% performance bonus. ...

Ethiopia's capital city: Make it prettier and cheaper

Architects want to make the city that hosts the African Union so much nicer

AMHARIC has no precise word for architecture, but it needs one. Ethiopia’s capital, founded by Emperor Menelik II in 1886, now has 4.6m people but that figure may well double by 2020. Dirk Hebel of Addis Ababa’s revamped architecture school says that “the first thing we do is to sit down with the students for a day and explain what [it] is”.

According to the UN, Addis has one of the higher densities of slum dwellers in the world. But their geographical pattern is unusual. Most African cities separate fairly neatly into poor and rich areas “like a sunny-side-up egg”, with slums spreading out from the rim, says Mr Hebel. But Addis is “more of a scrambled egg”. A lack of crime and a tradition whereby the rich seem to tolerate the poor living among them mean that Addis’s slums often lie in the seams between office buildings and flats in the more affluent parts of the city. ...

The Israel-Palestine peace process: Talk of talks

Negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians are proving hard to revive

TOUGH beginnings often make things easier later on. Inveterate Middle East optimists clung to this dubious reasoning as diplomats strained this week to get direct peace talks going again between the Israelis and Palestinians.

The proposed choreography is intricate. The peacemaking Quartet (the United Nations, the European Union, America and Russia) was meant to issue a statement on August 16th urging direct talks based on Israel’s 1967 borders and aimed at setting up a Palestinian state within two years. The Palestinians were expected to welcome this and the Israelis to balk at it, claiming it smacked of “preconditions”. Then the Americans would invite the two parties to Washington, or perhaps Egypt, for a formal opening of negotiations. The American letter was to be vague enough for Israel’s Binyamin Netanyahu to accept it without rocking his rightist-religious coalition, and the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, would point to the Quartet document to ward off his critics. ...

Congo's conflict minerals : Clean them up

American lawmakers want to break the link between laptops and war

MANY of the rebel groups still fighting across swathes of the Democratic Republic of Congo get their cash from rocks. Apart from gold, they illicitly sell cassiterite (used in laptops), coltan (mobile phones) and wolframite (light bulbs). Hundreds of the mines containing such treasures, especially in the country’s troubled east, where conflict has long been fiercest, are targets in turf warfare. Reducing the illicit trade will not bring peace, but it may help.

New legislation passed by America’s Congress is intended to curb the black market and boost the legal one. Companies that report to the American Securities and Exchange Commission now have to reveal whether they buy minerals from Congo or from any of its nine neighbours and, if so, from where. New regulations likely to be proposed by the State Department next year may follow guidelines being drafted by the UN and the OECD, a rich-country club, that will advise companies on how best to trace the origin of their materials. ...

Nigeria's coming election: Will he, won't he?

Speculation has been growing as President Goodluck Jonathan, who was appointed to his post earlier this year, ponders whether to run for election

ON THE streets of Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, unusual posters are appearing. Hastily formed lobby groups are plastering the city with banners encouraging Goodluck Jonathan, the president, to run in next year’s presidential election. “We have found our champion”, declares one. “You can do it”, urges another. Newspapers carry headlines speculating about who might back his bid. But, amid the clamour, the man himself is staying silent.

The election in Africa’s most populous country—a heady mix of 150m people, 250 ethnic groups and 36 billion barrels of oil reserves—is due in January. Many Nigerians hope it will prove different from those of the past decade, in which the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has used ever more violence and fraud to keep its grip on power. But with only five months to go, the man most likely to win has not said if he will even run. ...

Iraq's oil: Hard to get out

Foreign oil companies are still finding Iraq a tough place to do business

THE besuited band of executives from an international oil company had expected a different reception when they arrived in Baghdad to sign a deal with senior government officials to develop one of the world’s largest untapped oilfields. Instead of being whisked through the airport, they were held for several hours by immigration officers who thought them “suspicious”. Eventually they were let go. But plenty of others have to wait even longer.

Iraq’s bloody-minded and inefficient bureaucracy is one of several problems oil majors face. Many are still hopeful about the country’s prospects, but the euphoria of last year, when the government started auctioning large fields, has given way to caution. Increasing Iraqi oil production from 2.5m barrels a day to 12m, a quarter more than Saudi Arabia pumps now, will take more than the six to seven years that the government projects, not least because of Iraq’s continuing political violence. ...

Yemen's dwindling Jews: The last of the Jewish Arabs

An ancient community is finally abandoning its Yemeni homeland

THE government of Yemen and its people are vociferously anti-Israel. Three of the country’s members of parliament were on the aid flotilla to Gaza that was lethally raided by Israeli commandos at the end of May. They were later given a hero’s welcome home. Yemenis rarely protest publicly against their own miserable circumstances at home. But when tensions rise in Gaza, they happily hold parades in Sana’a, the country’s capital. Comedies on television often feature stupid Israeli soldiers outwitted by plucky Palestinians.

Yet Yemenis also say they appreciate the heritage of their country’s Jews. In the Great Mosque in Sana’a’s ancient city, a guard, whispering as pious men pore over Korans, points out Jewish carvings. In the village of Jibla, south of Sana’a, locals show the star of David on an ancient synagogue, now a mosque. Market traders boast that their wares are made of traditional Jewish silver. A stern police officer gives a permit to a Jewish-American to let him visit an old Jewish village. ...

Kenya’s new constitution: Tribal loyalty still wins the day

Ethnic differences overshadow a strong endorsement for a new constitution

BY A margin of two to one, on August 4th Kenyans endorsed a new constitution. It retains a presidential system, though with stronger checks and balances, plus a measure of devolution to 47 new counties. But differences between the country’s leading ethnic groups were huge, illustrating a persistently worrying ethnic polarisation of politics.

Of Kenya’s five most populous groups, the Luo, who account for about 12% of the total, voted overwhelmingly yes en bloc, as requested by their undisputed leader, Raila Odinga, who hopes, under the new deal, to become the next president. The Luhya, the other main western group, who number a shade more than the Luo, were nearly as keen to say yes. Somalis, coastal people and Kenyan Muslims in general, also gave a uniform nod of approval. ...

Ramadan in Morocco: To fast or not to fast

Some harassed libertarians say you should be free not to observe Ramadan

THE law in several countries, mostly in the Persian Gulf but also in the Maghreb and parts of Indonesia, provides for stiffer penalties for those who break fast in public, ranging from fines to flogging. Take article 222 of Morocco’s penal code, dating from the era of the French protectorate, which states that “a person commonly known to be Muslim who violates the fast in a public place during Ramadan, without having one of the justifications allowed by Islam [such as travelling or sickness], shall be punished by one to six months in prison,” as well as a fine.

Last Ramadan, a small group of young Moroccans calling itself the Alternative Movement for Individual Freedoms decided to hold a picnic near Casablanca, the country’s commercial capital, to protest against this law. They argue that article 222 clashes with Morocco’s international obligations and its constitution, which guarantee freedom of conscience. They were arrested before getting a chance to take a bite. ...

Trouble in Sudan's Darfur region: The perils of peacekeeping

The UN is caught between squabbling rebels and a ruthless government

PITY the United Nations Africa Mission in Darfur, better known by its acronym UNAMID. Despite its best intentions, it has come in for regular criticism since the very start of its task in January 2008. A hybrid combination of peacekeepers under the joint aegis of the UN and the African Union, its 22,000 or so soldiers and policemen have been accused of doing more to protect each other than the wretched displaced Darfuris they were sent to defend. Aid-workers, Darfuris and the Sudanese government have all been loth to trust them. However, for all UNAMID’s flaws, it has improved security a little, at least in the main towns. But now the peacekeeping mission faces a choice which could cost it the last of its credibility.

Late last month fighting broke out in Kalma, a vast camp for internally displaced people near the town of Nyala in south Darfur. It is home to more than 100,000 angry residents, many of them previously victims of the deadly government-supported militias known as the janjaweed. The recent violence flared between supporters of two different rebel groups, a faction of the Sudan Liberation Army (SLA), led by Abdul Wahid al-Nur, and the Liberty and Justice Movement (LJM). The SLA is boycotting the current round of Darfur peace talks being chaired by the Qataris in their capital, Doha, while LJM, a coalition of several minor rebel movements, is the only rebel group attending the talks with representatives from the Sudanese government. ...

Ramadan in the summer heat: When everything slows down

Is it much harder when Ramadan falls in the boiling months of summer?

THE Muslim calendar, now in its 1,431st year, follows the cycle of the moon rather than the sun. This means it shifts by 11 days a year in comparison with the Gregorian calendar, completing a full cycle in about 33 years. And it ignores the seasons. Ramadan, the month of fasting which this year began on August 12th, is now taking place slap in the middle of the Arab world’s summer holiday. Those who observe the fast must not only put up with the heat and the ensuing dangers of dehydration and exhaustion. There are economic costs that did not weigh a generation ago, when consumer culture had yet to take hold. Across the Arab world, for instance, the price of cooking oil shoots up, since fried sweets are a Ramadan speciality. The cost of sugar rises too. So does the price of honey, especially in the Maghreb. Food importers do particularly well out of pistachios, dates and dried apricots. Cafes close by day but often make up for that with late-night revels. Many big new television shows are launched during Ramadan, accounting for a third of annual advertising revenue for Arab satellite television stations.

But for many businesses, especially government ones, productivity plummets as the working day shortens by two or three hours. The stock market, however, usually surges, according to a recent study by Ahmad Etebari, a professor at the University of New Hampshire. Studying market patterns in Muslim countries between 1989 and 2007, he found that returns during Ramadan were almost nine times higher than in the rest of the year. The reason, he says, is that the seasonal cheer encourages optimism and thus risk-taking. ...

Palestine's Jerusalem MPs: Just get out

The Israeli authorities try to expel Hamas’s MPs from East Jerusalem

HAMAS members of parliament who live in Israeli-occupied East Jerusalem have not only lost their jobs, since the Palestinian Authority (PA) closed down their legislature; they are also losing their homes.

Perhaps they were too successful. Four years ago a more conciliatory Israeli government let East Jerusalem’s Palestinians, including Hamas, compete in the Palestinian legislative elections. Though still banned as a terrorist outfit, Hamas swept all four of East Jerusalem’s contested seats in the Palestinian parliament. ...

The Economist: Middle East and Africa
Middle East and Africa

 

American power: After Iraq

America has had a bruising decade. But do not underestimate either the superpower or its president

WHEN Barack Obama confirms next week that all American combat forces have left Iraq, you can be sure of one thing. He will not repeat the triumphalism of George Bush’s suggestion seven years ago that America’s mission there has been accomplished. Mr Obama always considered this a “dumb” war, and events have proved him largely right. America and its allies may have rid the Middle East of a bloodstained dictator, but Saddam Hussein’s vaunted weapons of mass destruction turned out to be a chimera and the cost in American and especially Iraqi lives has been hideous. Iraq, it is true, is no longer a dictatorship. Thanks in part to Mr Bush’s lonely refusal in 2007 to heed the calls to cut and run, the sectarian bloodletting that followed the invasion has abated. But the country’s new democracy remains chronically insecure (see article), which is one reason why some 50,000 American “support” troops are to stay behind to shore it up.

To many Americans, the misadventure in Iraq has come to symbolise a broader wrong turn America made after Osama bin Laden assaulted it on September 11th nine years ago. Nearly six out of ten Americans now say that they oppose even Mr Obama’s “good” war—the one against al-Qaeda and the Taliban. An America that is bleeding economically at home, with unemployment stuck at nearly 10% and debts as tall as the eye can see, is losing confidence in its ability, and perhaps in its need, to shape events in far-flung regions such as Central Asia and the Middle East. Even in an age of austerity America still towers above all-comers in military power, as well it should given its annual defence spending of $700 billion, almost as much as the rest of the world put together (see article). But the past decade has laid bare the limits of high-tech power. Whizz-bang technology enabled America to conquer Afghanistan and Iraq in the twinkle of an eye with negligible losses. Subduing them has been harder. Of the 2m Americans who have served in the two wars over the past decade, some 40,000 have been wounded and more than 5,000 killed. ...

Iraq's uncertain future: The reckoning

American troops are leaving a country that is still perilously weak, divided and violent. Little wonder that some Iraqis now don’t want them to go

THE last American combat soldiers in Iraq shuffle through a half-empty base as they prepare for the one-way journey to the Kuwaiti border. Some recall their exploits during many tours of duty over the past seven years, charting their fortunes with language that has become common currency on television back home. The shock and awe of the invasion was eclipsed by insurgents using IEDs. Backed by contractors who erected blast walls around a green zone, the soldiers eventually inspired an awakening among Iraqi tribes that, aided by a surge of extra troops, in time brought something like order. In the soldiers’ telling, the names of places that were little known before the war have acquired the resonance of history: Najaf, Sadr City, Abu Ghraib.

Some 50,000 American troops will stay on in a support role, to “advise and assist” the Iraqi forces that are now supposed to be in charge of the country’s security. Nonetheless, August 31st marks the official end of Operation Iraqi Freedom, the combat mission that began with the invasion in March 2003. As a sign of America’s changing role in the country, the State Department will now assume some of the responsibilities that were previously undertaken by the Pentagon. Chief among them is the training of Iraqi policemen, a key to keeping the peace. Consular offices will be opened across the country to replace military bases. Since the State Department does not have its own forces, it is hiring private gunmen. They will fly armed helicopters and drive armoured personnel carriers on the orders of the secretary of state long after the last American soldier has gone home. ...

The Chilcot inquiry: A spy speaks

A former head of Britain’s domestic spy agency gives her take on the Iraq war

THESE days Britain’s secret services have websites, press offices and public-recruitment drives. The names of their bosses are freely available, as is the nature of their work. Yet for all this openness, it is rare to hear the spies themselves speak. When Sir Richard Dearlove, a former head of the Secret Intelligence Service—better known as MI6, Britain’s foreign spying outfit—gave evidence to the Chilcot inquiry into the Iraq war, he insisted on doing so in private. But on July 20th, when Eliza Manningham-Buller, once boss of the Security Service, or MI5, MI6’s domestic counterpart, appeared before the same inquiry, she made her statements in public.

That ensured plenty of interest, and those who watched were amply rewarded by her testimony. Lady Manningham-Buller agreed that the invasion of Iraq in 2003, coming two years after the attack on Afghanistan, was seen by many British Muslims as part of a more general attack on Islam, an argument that the Labour government which launched the war refused to accept publicly for years. “Arguably,” she said, “we gave Osama bin Laden his Iraqi jihad.” ...

Flights to Iraq: You're welcome!

Airlines are starting to fly again to Iraq

DESPITE continuing violence and a four-month stalemate over forming a new government, at least you now can fly to Iraq a little more easily. On July 16th flydubai, a low-cost airline based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), launched no-frills flights to Erbil, capital of Iraq’s Kurdish region. A day before, Basra airport welcomed the first civilian flight from Saudi Arabia to Iraq for 20 years, courtesy of a charter airline, Al-Wafeer. Bahrain’s Gulf Air started flights to three Iraqi cities last year and will add two more by the end of 2010. Etihad, an airline based in Abu Dhabi, the richest of the UAE’s seven statelets, started flights to Baghdad in April. Not to be outdone, its closest rival, Emirates, which is based in Dubai, another UAE state, has started too.

Fewer European airlines have yet been tempted back—and go only to the safer Kurdish area. Austrian Airlines has led the way, followed by Sweden’s Viking Airlines. Germany’s Lufthansa will start flying to Baghdad in September. Scandinavian Airlines plans a Basra route. ...

Iraq's economy : Why business is still in the dumps

Violence and a shortage of electricity hobble manufacturing

A TANGY sweet smell wafts through a factory south of Baghdad as 1 tonne of brown goo per hour is funnelled into glass bottles for transporting to local supermarkets. Hello is a best-selling barbecue sauce. It is made by Iraqis in a factory owned by Iraqis using Iraqi raw material, mostly dates, which are deemed the perfect culinary accompaniment for grilled lamb. Yet in Iraq itself Hello is still a rarity. ...

Iraq's divisions: Sectarian animosity still prevails

With little sign of a genuine cross-sectarian consensus, Iraq’s fledgling democracy remains frighteningly fragile

MORE than three months after a general election, Iraq’s new parliament met for the first time on June 14th—but still with no new government in sight. The post of prime minister remains up for grabs, and no one knows who will get it. So the time-wasting hiatus that has kept the country adrift since the general election on March 7th could stretch for several more nerve-jangling months.

During this time, no new laws have been passed, no new national vision enunciated. Violence, though far less bloody than three years ago, has risen again. Worst of all, Iraq’s ethno-sectarian divisions seem as deep as ever. No Iraqi equipped to appeal across them looks likely to emerge as prime minister. Indeed, though a party strongly backed by the Sunni Arab minority narrowly won the most votes and seats in the March election, the two biggest mainly Shia alliances, which came second and third, have agreed to gang up in a wider front to form a ruling coalition in which the Sunnis may not play much of a part. Since the two mainly Shia alliances teamed up only recently, it is unclear whether the constitution should treat them as the election winners and give them first shot at forming a government. ...

The Economist: Iraq's troubles
Iraq's troubles

 

Yemen on the Brink
With al Qaeada activity increasing, oil reserves running out, and poverty and disorder rampant, Yemen is in need of vast infrastructure reform across all levels of its governmental and economic institutions.

Jordan: Success Story of the IMF
The IMF has earned a reputation internationally for its draconian lending policies, but Jordan may owe much of its economic turnaround to the assistance of the Fund.

Israel's Second Disengagement from Gaza
In what could possibly be a small step forward between Israel and Palestine, Israel has put forth a proposal to disengage from the Gaza Strip, hopefully helping to stabilize the area.

A Role for the U.S. in Afghan National Reconciliation?
Nine years of entanglement in Afghanistan have produced little result. It is time for the United States to consider a wholly different approach.

Journalist Abused in Iranian Prison
Since the crackdown on the Green Movement, reports of prisoner abuse have been common. Abdolreza Tajik, a human rights activist, is the latest victim.

BP's Other Disaster (continued)
The United States and the United Kingdom have a long history of trying to play puppeteer with Middle Eastern countries in the interest of natural resources, a history that is far from written.

BP's Other Disaster
BP is not new to making a mess. Sixty years ago the oil company helped oust Iran's popularly elected government, and the blood and chaos has been spilling in the Middle East ever since.

Israel, Vatican: a Magdalene Meeting Point
Magdala serves as a holy place for all Abrahamic religions-a rich place of history and also a hot spot for contention among religious leaders laying claim to it.

Hydro-Politics in the Arab World
Not unlike the role oil has played, water is going to be increasingly important in determining power-sharing strategies and political alliances in the Middle East.

Want to Cut the Deficit? Start by Getting out of Afghanistan
With military spending out of control and the war in Afghanistan now more protracted than Vietnam, the United States simply refuses to downscale its biggest liability.

Re: An Unbreakable Bond?
The U.S. administration is filled with blatant pro-Israeli people.

An Unbreakable Bond?
Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu is heading to the U.S. to meet President Obama next week, with the pair expected to discuss the series of rocky moments that have dogged their special relationship.

Tensions Remain despite Pledge to Ease Gaza Blockade
Despite Israel's announcement that it will ease its blockade, forces inside and outside Gaza remain in a volatile tug of war.

Jerusalem Day
With control over the Holy City, Isrealis celebrated Jerusalem Day with such enthusiasm, one might think they were oblivious to the enmity on the other side of the wall.

The Legacy of T.E. Lawrence
The man known as Lawrence of Arabia is regarded as a hero in British history, but his legacy in Arab culture has faded, with opinions of him often mixed and sometimes based on falsities.

Sadr's Political Role in Iraq
Moqtada Sadr has built support over time from a base of frustrated Shiites, and Sadrists now play a pivotal role in the Iraqi power structure.

Interview with Hamas Leader in Lebanon
Ousama Hamdan used to be the go-between between Hamas and Iran, but for years has been the Hamas leader in Lebanon. He talks about problems with the peace process in the Middle East and the challenges of political partnerships.

The Radicalization of Saudi Arabia
While U.S. focus has been on Iran, much of Saudia Arabia's extremism has slipped under the radar; and extremism there is nothing new.

Behind the Scenes with Emile Lahoud
Lebanon's former President Emile Lahoud reveals insider stories about how he came to be elected, negotiations between statesmen and the benefits of having a guerrilla army on your side.

A Palestinian Village that Started a Movement
The acclaimed documentary Budrus shows how Palestinians and Israelis joined in on a nonviolent movement, and illuminates the possibility for cooperation between divided people.

Jahanbegloo on the Green Movement in Iran
Professor Ramin Jahanbegloo discusses in an interview the significance of the civil resistance that has taken root in Iran over the last year, and what he sees in the movement's future.

Where Is the Philanthropy of Muslim Millionaires?
It is true that many rich Muslims do not make an effort to help the lower class.

Austria's Marriage with Iran: a Perilous Relationship
While members of the European Union are vocal about sanctions against Iran, Austria remains silent on account of its many business connections.

Where Is the Philanthropy of Muslim Millionaires?
Actress Angelina Jolie opened a school for Afghan girls. Where are the privileged elite in the oil-rich Muslim countries who could be lending a hand?

Crackdown in Egypt
The repression on April 6 of peaceful protestors in Cairo was a move by the security apparatus toward confiscating the right of Egyptians to choose who governs them.

The Nuclear Issue in Iran
Scholar Jalil Roshandel discusses in an interview what can be expected on the subject of a nuclear Iran, and explains some of the thinking behind the interested parties.

An Iraqi Perspective on the Recent Elections
Although it was accompanied by violent attacks, the recent election in Iraq marked an important step forward for the country, with the democratic process shining through more than it did five years ago.

Middle Eastern News from World Press Review
World News Review