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Gareth Porter's new book chronicles American and Israeli efforts to ensure the perpetuation, rather than the resolution, of outstanding concerns about Iran's nuclear program

What has got into the Saudis? Their unprecedented decision not to take the Security Council seat, and their angst over Western policy towards Syria and what some in Riyadh perceive as a mating dance between the US and Iran, have sent a strong signal of unease

Three years ago, Hosni Mubarak, President of Egypt, stepped down amid historic protests against his dictatorial rule. His resignation marked the climax of an uprising that was quickly recognized as one of the most significant upheavals of the 21st century

This is probably, but not certainly, the year that sees the end to the United States' three-decades-long effort to establish permanent American strategic bases in the Muslim Middle East. The American departure will leave behind much carnage and ruin

What was believed by Americans to be the omnipotence of the U.S. in the Greater Middle East is today being replaced by a fear that the United States not only has decisively lost its power, but is also responsible for why everything seems to be going wrong

The Washington Post and New York Times had the same front-page headlines recently. Both had to do with the 'Power Void' in the Middle East, deploring that America's decade of attempting to create a new order in the region now is blowing up in its face

The Iraqi army has had to scramble to regain control over of the once-liberated Anbar province against the latest incarnation of the al-Qaida terrorist menace. Not surprisingly, the call has gone out for the U.S. to come running to the rescue again

What's the point of intervening in a foreign country under the guise of humanitarianism, or sending aid, if you're just going to end up importing its citizens en masse anyway? Isn't the whole idea to shape up the place so that its people can safely remain there?

Supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood claim that it was leading an attack on Egypt's authoritarian regime when it was stopped in its tracks. This is fiction. The Brotherhood's ambition was simply to replace the old ruling party at the pinnacle of power

If there is a nation that can successfully convince the Arabs, the Jews and the Persians to sit down simultaneously for a talk, it can only be the Chinese. With immense economic interests, China is both eager and able to lay the table

What the governments of Saudi Arabia and Israel fear most is not an Iran capable of producing a nuclear bomb, but rather the easing of the tension between the United States and Iran.

As in the 1940s in Palestine, some opposition recruits have gone to Syria motivated by extremist ideologies and with the intention to commit acts of terrorism. But most have more prosaic reasons for fighting

Mother Agnes-Mariam Warns that Islamic extremists undermine peace prospects in Syria. Her analysis of conditions on the ground in Syria is far more nuanced than those of the mainstream media in the United States

After months of commendable restraint, President Barack Obama has decided to send weapons to the besieged Syrian rebels. This is either a bid to overthrow a friend of Iran or a ploy to capture Syria's oil. Or both. Sound familiar? It should

Three days before the coup that removed Mohamed Morsi from the presidency, I marched with tens of thousands of Egyptians to the presidential palace. A sea of protesters had filled Cairo's streets, waving flags and chanting for the downfall of the regime

Can the former opposition avoid the fragmentation that played a significant role in catapulting the Muslim Brotherhood to power in the first place? There are many challenges to overcome, not the least of which is that the military ultimately holds the keys to power

In the short term, the Muslim Brotherhood will continue to denounce the coup and engage in protests Eventually, however, the group will try to revive itself by re-assimilating into Egypt's political institutions, though it is in no hurry to attempt to reclaim the presidency

While president of Egypt, Mohammed Morsi was the world's only democratically elected leader to motivate over 20 million of his people, one-quarter of the population, to sign a petition calling for his ouster. So why has the United States been so doggedly supporting Morsi?

The Middle East is becoming irrelevant. The discovery of enormous new oil and gas reserves along with new oil-recovery technology is steadily curbing the demand for Middle Eastern oil. Soon, Saudi Arabia and Iran are going to have less geostrategic clout

For so many years, Iran has been a popular neighbor among most Arab states, largely because of its unremitting hostility toward Israel and the West. But now, the tables have turned. Iran has lost the friendship and support of almost every Arab and Muslim state

The Washington Post editorial: 'No time for half-measures: Syria's rebels need a robust intervention.' The New York Times: 'After Arming the Rebels, Then What? President should be careful about being dragged into brutal Syrian war.' I'm on the side of the Times

The Iraqi state, post-Saddam and post-US occupation, struggles to hold together even on a good day. But events in Syria are testing its resilience more than any shock since the country was carved out of the ruins of the Ottoman Empire

Six years ago Iraq faced its own civil war, but managed to pull itself back from the brink. Now Syria threatens to unravel its politics once again, as competing Iraqi factions are tempted to support opposing sides in the Syrian conflict

Syria savaged by civil war, shows increasing signs of national breakdown. The regime of President Bashar al-Assad in Damascus is no longer in control of considerable swaths of the country. Like other Arab states, Syria is barely a century old

The Syrian war is spreading fast, engulfing all of its Middle East neighbors and risking even larger conflicts, while leaving the pertinent question: What's to be done before the region explodes? So what should the United States and Russia do now?

If there was a moment when the United States could have productively intervened in Syria, it looks like that moment has passed. Shiite militants, including Hezbollah -- partly at the behest of their paymasters in Iran -- are racing to the defense of Bashar Assad's regime

The war that was supposed to follow the Cold War, according to the late Samuel Huntington, was to be a war between civilizations, with Islam and China improbably allied against what Huntington called Western Civilization, by which he meant the United States

Theodore Roosevelt famously advised that America should 'speak softly and carry a big stick.' President Obama, in his approach to the civil war mayhem in Syria, has got it about half right. Nevertheless, speaking softly about his intent has come much too late

The current argument is over intervention in the Syrian civil war. But to what American purpose? As always, democracy promotion, Washington says. Is this either politically or militarily feasible in Syria today? What relevance has this to America's terrorist threat?

In an alternate history, the Egyptian monarchy would not have been deposed in June 1953 and King Farouk would not have gone into exile. Nasser would be a footnote to history. But if this had come to pass would Egyptian history have been dramatically different?

'A Dangerous Delusion: Why the West is Wrong about Nuclear Iran' is a small, short book that enters what Peter Oborne and David Morrison call 'a plea for sanity' over the Iranian nuclear issue

In what could prove to be a historic day for Turkey and the decades-old Kurdish issue, fighters from the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) started withdrawing from Turkish soil and returning to bases in the mountains of northern Iraq

The Americans and Europeans have had no appetite for intervention in Syria. At the same time, they have not wanted to be in a position where intervention was simply ruled out. As such, they identified the use of chemical weapons as a redline

Obama's recent announcement that he believes Syria has used chemical weapons ignited a debate. Has the Assad regime crossed the 'red line' the White House laid down? But politicians seem more concerned about credibility than suffering Syrians. So what's next?

Why did Salam Fayyad recently resign as Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority? Nathan Thrall explores the factors that led to his departure, including the challenges of holding a position widely backed by Western powers but only weakly supported by Palestinians

The present crisis with North Korea offers us a glimpse of what, and what not, to expect should Iran get the bomb. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad would gain the attention currently being paid to Kim Jong-un -- similarly not otherwise earned by his nation's economy or cultural influence

Iran's attitude to population control has see-sawed over the past fifty years as strategic and political imperatives have changed. Currently, financial incentives and housing concessions have now been reinstated for large families

The international community largely supports the United States and Saudi Arabia on Syria: hope for peace, but failing that, throw more money at the conflict

A recent Gallup poll says that 99% of the American public now has become convinced that Iran's civilian nuclear program will threaten 'the vital interests of the United States in the next ten years.' 83% say this will be 'a critical threat.' Why?

Philip Zimbardo's TED Talk on Abu Ghraib and 'The Psychology of Evil' is up to 2,374,000 hits. Apparently people are hungry to know about the deep psychology of American foreign policy

The central problem behind Egypt's problems is its president, Mohamed Morsi. He quite obviously has no idea what he's doing. The brotherhood hadn't governed anything of consequence -- certainly not a fractious nation of 82 million people

Is Saudi Arabia synonymous with status quo'ism and Iran with revolution? This contrast may now have to be adjusted. The Arab Spring has introduced new political variables that Riyadh and Tehran must account for while pursuing their competing priorities

Iran's regional status has been compromised by the Arab Spring, ongoing civil unrest in Syria and continued tensions over its nuclear program. Indeed, Tehran could soon find itself regionally isolated to a degree that is unprecedented in its recent history

Syria is fast becoming the new Somalia -- a nation whose central government wields little control over the bulk of the country while feuding sects and gangs fight each other as well as the thoroughly discredited president, Bashar al-Assad

As Syria's civil war enters its third year, the country's humanitarian crisis worsens each day. Unless a tactical shift in the balance of power occurs, it is unlikely that either the regime or the rebels will gain control of Syria's entire territory

When an important opposition leader hints that a military coup might be preferable to the current chaos, and when a major financial organization proposes an economic program certain to spark a social explosion, something is afoot

The 10th anniversary of the American invasion of Iraq seems an appropriate time to look back at how it all happened and what it has wrought, not so much for Iraq as for the United States, which poured its own troops, treasure and world reputation into that colossal misadventure

We've lost a war without being able to surrender -- and thus divest ourselves of the consciousness that got us into it. We are unable to look honestly at what we did and why, and determine not to do it again. Ten years later, how do we get the poison out of our system?

Secretary of State John Kerry says there is a 'finite amount of time' for talks on Iran's nuclear program. Kerry made the warning during talks with Gulf Arab leaders, as he continues his first overseas trip as America's top diplomat

The leader of one of the most popular political parties in Tunisia says his model for the development of democracy in the Muslim world is Turkey. Experts debate whether secularism could take root in countries like Egypt or Tunisia

The world's driest region, the Middle East, is getting drier at an alarming rate. And yet, despite massive population growth predictions of so-called 'water wars' have failed to materialize

The Syrian government says it does not use cluster bombs against rebels or civilians. Human rights groups, however, say they have accumulated an array of evidence that are proving otherwise

A Syrian watchdog group is reporting that rebels battling troops loyal to President Bashar al-Assad have taken over large parts of the northern city of Raqa after days of fierce fighting

Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak says Iran's nuclear program is the biggest challenge facing Israel, the Middle East and the world, and that 'all options' remain open to addressing possible atomic weapons development

A look at Iraq by the numbers, the impact of war in Iraq on the United States and the Iraqi population

The U.S. assessment seems to be that there is not enough 'blowback' to its counterterrorism operations to warrant a policy shift. But for many Yemenis, America's shadow war is out of step with their aspirations for democracy and the rule of law

Military interventions by powerful nations into lesser ones, such as now continues in Mali (and Afghanistan), and is being urged by many into the Syrian civil war, are inherently reckless since even the most powerful states can have the whole project blow up on them

Supporters chanted slogans in favor of deposed president outside courtroom; opponents, families of protesters killed during 2011 revolution demonstrated nearby

Iran's foreign ministry issued a statement saying Tehran hopes that Chuck Hagel will change U.S. foreign policy towards Iran and 'favor peace instead of warmongering'

Salima Hamid jerked her hips to the musical chants as the older male youths clapped their hands. Behind them in the crowd, Amal Nuran and her head-scarf-covered friends exchanged pictures snapped at the day's anti-regime rally

Iran's leaders are the first to admit that Western sanctions have had a devastating impact on the country, but they're confident they can ride out the storm

There has been so much change in Egypt in the past two years, it is sometimes hard to remember how little there was for so long. Hosni Mubarak's near 30-year rule was a weight that seemed, to many, impossible to lift

Russia is calling for a political transition process in Syria, but has stopped short of saying President Bashar al-Assad should relinquish power as part of a deal to end Syria's conflict

Iran says it is prepared to return to talks with major world powers over its nuclear program. As Iran's uranium enrichment program continues, Western countries have tightened economic sanctions against Tehran

A 15-year-old Saudi girl married off by her parents to a 90-year-old Saudi man against her will won a divorce with the help of a human rights group

Kuwait sentenced a local tweeter for criticizing the ruling emir on his Twitter account. Ayyad al-Harbi was released on bail while he appeals the verdict

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad made a public address calling his countrymen to unite and defend the country against a 'bunch of criminals' and 'enemies of God' armed by Western 'puppets'

Clashes during the second anniversary of the revolution which deposed Egypt's former president Hosni Mubarak have brought the number of Egyptians killed since the uprising began to at least 1,085

Egypt should invest more in modernizing its roads and railways if it wants to bring down the shockingly high number of accidents and fatalities

The second phase of the Israeli election ritual is underway with the president's mandate to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu to form a government

Analysts say a solution could be a long time coming. ​Through the 21-plus months of Syria's civil war, there has been no shortage of diplomacy, but a significant shortage of progress

The Syrian government is releasing 2,130 mostly Syrian prisoners in exchange for 48 Iranians whom rebels released earlier

Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi will ask U.S. President Barack Obama to release from a North Carolina prison a blind Muslim preacher when he visits Washington

Police and soldiers moved into a Palestinian tent camp just outside Jerusalem, evacuating about 100 squatters

An Israeli parliamentarian has proposed paying each Arab $500,000 to leave Israeli-occupied West Bank using defense funds

The loosening of the grip of the old order is taking place partly because of mortality. Within five weeks in the summer, three of the pillars of the 20th century Arab security state system passed away in quick succession

Turkey seemed to be on course to fulfil its neo-Ottoman ambition and lead the Middle East. But the Arab uprisings, and in particular the Syrian crisis, exposed the limits of Ankara's influence

The proliferation of players in the Israeli-Hamas cease-fire negotiations highlight the major shift in the regional strategic environment since the fall of former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak

The West Bank has been calm in recent years, but significant protests have been taking place across the eastern Palestinian territory. These developments have implications in Jordan, where the regime of King Abdullah II is also struggling with political unrest

The strategic environment during the 2008-2009 Operation Cast Lead was vastly different from the one Israel faces in today's Operation Pillar of Defense. To understand the evolution in regional dynamics, we must return to 2006

The Gaza conflict comes at an interesting time in Egyptian-Israeli relations. Cairo recently saw the Muslim Brotherhood candidate assume the Egyptian presidency, while in the past two years Israel has approved Egyptian military increases in the Sinai Peninsula

Iran needed a distraction from the conflict in Syria. It now has that, at least temporarily. Iran also needed to revise its relationship with Hamas and demonstrate that it retains leverage through militant groups in the Palestinian territories

The Syrian crisis poses problems not only for refugees. The host states themselves are wary of the social, economic and political pressures their new guests have brought. Here we look at the effects on Jordan and Turkey

Benjamin Netanyahu is so eager to see Mitt Romney elected president that he's making a fool of himself

When the United States and its allies began imposing sanctions on Iran to persuade its leaders to reconsider their policy toward its nuclear program, they promised the world that the sanctions would be 'smart' and 'targeted'

The Iranian nuclear crisis is, in many ways, the story of missed opportunities borne of bad timing and diplomatic failure

The legacy of tradition will not guarantee that sovereigns are immune forever. One of the lessons of the Arab awakenings has been that a heavy-handed state response to protests can lead to an escalation in protesters' demands

In the film 'Groundhog Day,' Bill Murray wakes up each morning and relives the previous day. A similar scenario is playing out in the Middle East between Israel and her enemies

Benjamin Netanyahu is so eager to see Mitt Romney elected president that he's making a fool of himself

It is almost a year since the last US troops pulled out of Baghdad, so can Afghanistan learn any lessons from the state of Iraq's media sector?

Obama and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have never been friendly. But then Netanyahu openly supported Mitt Romney for president, the first time an Israeli prime minister has so publicly taken sides

While the appetite for cheap and tasty fare offers an ever-expanding market, the business climate in the Muslim world has a habit of turning nasty for outlets of America's fast-food chains

'Responsibility to Protect' is a doctrine which aims to end impunity for the perpetrators of atrocities such as those being committed in Syria. Gareth Evans, explains why the UN is now powerless to stop the bloodshed, and offers ideas on restoring consensus

As evidenced by the assassinations in Beirut, any type of protective security program can be defeated if it allows potential attackers to operate freely against it. The solution lies in denying potential attackers that advantage

When the United States and its allies began imposing sanctions on Iran to persuade its leaders to reconsider their policy toward its nuclear program, they promised the world that the sanctions would be 'smart' and 'targeted'

It is almost a year since the last US troops pulled out of Baghdad, so can Afghanistan learn any lessons from the state of Iraq's media sector?

Salman Rushdie just published his memoir about his years under the 'fatwa' by Ayatollah Khomeini. It is named 'Joseph Anton' after the alias he used in those years

Militants in the Sinai have targeted tribal leaders, though whether this is wise remains to be seen

As soon as we were on Syrian land, we were quickly greeted by the cruelties of war. Thousands of Syrians who had fled their homes in recent days are stranded along the border

Israel faces a crisis stemming from unraveling regional strategies, a lack of confidence and a political system incapable of unity

A conference in Jerusalem has launched an element new to the mix of public battle: the rights of 850,000 Jewish refugees forced from Arab countries between 1948 and 1951

One cultural problem is Muslim theocracy, a fundamental element in Islam. The Quran's authority over all of society has been a barrier to political and social progress

The Obama administration has authorized covert support of rebel groups, with the goal of destabilizing al-Assad. The interesting consequence is that al-Qaeda is among the groups the directive now supports

These days, more and more Muslim travelers are looking for the 'halal' label on hotels, restaurants and even airlines when they travel

King Abdullah II of Jordan has stepped in to stop the government from imposing an increase on gasoline prices, a move apparently aimed at easing growing public discontent over the government's economic policy

As the conflict in Syria continues, Lebanese officials worry that their small country will be squeezed by the conflict

As fighting in Syria intensifies, those trying to stay out of the conflict are increasingly getting caught in the crossfire

WMD insinuations, debates over impending genocide in Aleppo, and swelling ranks of refugees, all point to an orchestrated shift that makes external intervention an inevitability

The unclarified mystery about the struggle in Syria is what it is all about. Did it begin in repercussion to the Arab uprisings elsewhere? Or is there a sinister external explanation?

One potential geopolitical consequence has garnered a great deal of media attention in recent days: the possibility of the al Assad regime in Syria regime losing control of its chemical weapons stockpile

Amid all the stories about the ongoing violence in Syria, the most disturbing is the possibility that Syrian President Bashar Assad could either deploy chemical and biological weapons, or provide it to terrorists

In this strategic dialogue about Syria, Islam Qasem and Phyllis Bennis square off on the question of military intervention in Syria

Islam Qasem argues that the United States and other countries should stop making excuses and intervene to save Syrian civilians

Phyllis Bennis argues that military intervention in Syria would only make a civil war that much worse

When Yemen's President Ali Abdullah Saleh agreed to step down, many hoped Yemen was on the road to democracy. But much of the country's military remains loyal to Saleh

Located in southern Tel Aviv, Hatikva was the site of the worst race riots since Israel's founding. Egged on by Likud Party politicians, local Jewish residents brutally assaulted migrants and looted their stores

As the world struggles to deal with its two largest foreign-affairs dilemmas, Syria and Iran, resolutely standing in the way are the BRICs

A year and a half after the Tahir Square uprising, the Egyptian military used its power to offer the Egyptian people the same electoral non-choices they have had in the past

If we truly believe in the value of democracy, the value of freedom, and the power of the people's voice, we will support Egypt and its new president

Iran can no longer count on its partners in the developing world in its standoff with the West

Iran's response to sanctions deadlines has been relatively nonchalant. It suggests that the American-led sanctions are likely a sideshow to a much more serious negotiation in play

Despite the seismic changes occurring throughout the Middle East, the Israel-Palestine conflict seems frozen in amber. The politicization of archaeology by both sides merely reinforces the status quo

Israelis are known for their gregarious behavior and love nothing more than spending time with their group of close friends. It's a trait that is wreaking havoc among the quickly mushrooming singles population

In an effort to broaden its appeal among Syria's diverse ethnic groups, the largest Syrian opposition group has selected a Kurd as its new leader. But it is not yet clear whether it will be enough to convince Kurdish political parties to be more defiant against President Bashar Al-Assad's regime

After the Syrian downing of a Turkish air force jet, some things are becoming clear. Turkey, while refraining from doing anything rash and doing all it can to get international and NATO backing for its diplomatic efforts, is also leaving itself with a military option for responding to Syria's action

Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi urged Syria and Turkey to peacefully resolve their differences for the sake of security in the region

When Syria shot down an Israeli-upgraded Turkish fighter jet it was delivering a message that the air force, despite the defection of a senior pilot a day earlier, was still in control and a force to be reckoned with

It was hoped that the Arab Spring would bring freedom and democracy to the Middle East and North Africa. However, continued unrest in Libya and Syria points to a potentially bleaker future for the region

Insurgent forces have been forced to withdraw from territories they once held. Loss of territory will not mean an end to insurgent forces. The reason for this rests in the very nature of insurgent warfare

Israel's government is shaken by public demands for equal army service including Israeli Arabs and 'ultra-religious'

One of the major results of the social justice protests in Israel in the last year has been a renewed debate about the budgetary priorities of the state

From furniture to cosmetics to food, dozens of Palestinian companies are seeking new markets in Jordan. Palestinian companies were in Amman for the first-ever exhibition in Jordan

Hamas police forces brought in bulldozers to begin demolishing houses belonging to Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, forcibly evicting the families authorities said were squatting on government land

Whatever may be the eventual outcome in Syria, there is no denying the fact that for all practical purposes the dream of establishing democracy and the rule of law and the institution of human rights in the Arab World is almost over

The continuing massacres in Syria present a horrid picture far more disturbing than we saw in Bosnia during the 1990s, before NATO intervened

Putin's support for the Assad regime will have long-term cost implications for Russia

The Russians could be very useful in finding a settlement and seem to ask simply that their own interests in the Middle East be respected

Washington should remember the lessons of blowback and avoid intervention in Syria

Syrians face another threat beyond the massacre of its civilians by the Assad regime

While Syria's opposition -- in larger part due to international inaction -- faces these pitfalls at present, it is Damascus's forces that bear the greatest resemblance to these long-dead atamans

We have seen Tuareg militants, previously employed by the regime of former Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi, leave Libya with sizable stockpiles of weapons and returning to northern Mali, where they have successfully wrested control of the region away from the Malian government

Egypt's presidential election ought to be celebrated as a great success for the forces of democracy in Egypt and the Arab world

The parties must come to a compromise through negotiations

The West needs to give states with weak institutions space while they sabotage their own nuclear-weapons scientists by micro-managing and strong-arming them

Many share the assumption that unless outside powers intervene in a dramatic fashion, it is inevitable that Iran will achieve its nuclear goals. Yet there is another possibility

Does Iran's Ayatollah Khameini or doesn't he condone nuclear weapons?

The success of future nuclear talks between Iran and the West will depend in part on whether the West is able to treat Iran as an equal in word as well as in deed

The possibility that the government of Iran will agree to a compromise has grown considerably

A Kuwaiti man accused of using Twitter to defame the Prophet Muhammad has ignited a debate in the tiny but wealthy Gulf country about imposing the death penalty for the crime of blasphemy

The dilemma facing Iran has been guaranteeing national survival and autonomy in the face of stronger regional powers

Anybody familiar with the Iranian economy - whether before or after the recent US and EU sanctions were stepped up - will be skeptical of simplistic judgments

In the middle of all the discussion of the possibility of attacks on Iran, one factor in particular has been largely overlooked. The Iranians have evidently fallen in love with submarines

So far no tangible progress has been made in resolving the Iranian nuclear situation

Both elections were both exercises in political theatre, in which the middle classes were absent, the grateful poor voted en masse, the opposition protested, and fraud was alleged

Nuclear deterrence has rested squarely upon assumptions of rationality. But what, exactly, is meant by 'rationality,' and does present-day Iran really meet this expectation?

In a clip I keep replaying, a young Iranian woman dressed in black runs towards a wall, skips a good few paces up it and flips full circle through the air, landing back on her feet

Turkey appears to be moving closer to creating a buffer zone across the Syrian border as the refugee situation worsens in the regional tinderbox

Ever since Islamists took office in Tunisia, Libya and Egypt, they have been trying to convince us that they are advocates of moderation, democracy, women's rights and individual freedoms

Trying to defend a state with illegal nuclear weapons over one with none is a recipe for disaster

This article examines the political and economic ties between Israel and Azerbaijan and the discussion of Israeli plans to attack Iran from Azerbaijan

Israel has squandered its cherished state-sponsor-of-terrorism card on a bad bet

Ethics aside, democracy promotion in Iran would take too long to prevent an attack by the West

It's deeply worrying that the Saudi government is seeking to create a surveillance culture that encompasses spying on all digital media

Nearly three months after Egyptian authorities arrested three Iranians, the legal advisor of the Saudi Arabian embassy disclosed that Egypt had foiled a plot to assassinate Saudi ambassador to Cairo Ahmed Qattan

Long suppressed, Egyptian anger at Saudi Arabia's treatment of its expats emerges in protests over an activist's arrest

Declassified letters written by former al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, discovered in his hideout in Pakistan where he was killed one year ago, reveal details about the organisation's inner workings and the backlash it suffered as a result of targeting civilians

Social media has been a boon for democratization forces around the world. But a recent tragedy in Turkey helps highlights the fact that social media also has a potentially dark side for democratization efforts

Turkey provides an interesting case study of a minor country becoming a great power

After a 2011 that most of the region's economies would rather forget, the Middle East looks set for more of the same this year

Less than a third of the people surveyed in Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Morocco said they are 'extremely satisfied' or 'very satisfied' with their current economic situation

A Harvard scholar points to medieval conquests as the basis for modern autocracy in the Middle East

The Tunisian Islamist party Ennahda's moderate Islam wins few friends, lots of distrust, and comparisons with Ben-Ali

More than seven months after Muamar Al-Qaddafi was toppled from power, his legacy of divide, rule and suppress has bequeathed Libya with simmering grievances now boiling over into fierce turf wars

Despite some success the interim government has had ahead of the planned June 2012 national elections in bringing militias to heel several obstacles remain

In Libya, many positive signs are emerging from the debris of battle. But much remains to be done, in particular with regard to security, justice and human rights

Days before Bahrain's Formula One Grand Prix, a campaign mounts to force its cancellation

India's growing economy needs a steady diet of Iran petroleum and resents pressure to join the sanctions regime. On the other hand, India isn't anxious to see another Muslim nuclear power emerge

The United States is now being pressed to launch two new wars

While the West continues to read Iran as a threat to world peace, the Middle Eastern nation aggressively seeks non-traditional friends and markets elsewhere

Despite the fact that they are citizens, they are not entitled to the same level of rights as other citizens of Israel. Why? Because they are living in unrecognized villages

Living and working on the edges of Israel's Start-Up Nation, Palestinian and Israeli Arab high tech entrepreneurs are trying their hand getting companies aloft by leveraging their closeness to Israel's technology juggernaut and the low cost of Palestinian engineers

Israel's middle class is shrinking even as the economy is thriving and unemployment is at its lowest in decades

The task of writing Egypt's new constitution will be in the sole hands of the Islamists after liberals and leftists said they were opting out of a process they say is destined to be dominated by the Muslim Brotherhood and Salafists