Middle East
The conventional wisdom in Washington and beyond is that Bashar al-Assad will fall on his own and that an intervention would be counterproductive, but with thousands dying we need to reconsider those assumptions
Middle East
It’s Time to Think Seriously About Intervening in Syria
The conventional wisdom in Washington and beyond is that Bashar al-Assad will fall on his own and that an intervention would be counterproductive, but with thousands dying we need to reconsider those assumptions
Palestinian Statehood at the UN
The creation of an independent Palestine, side by side with Israel, is broadly supported internationally, formally backed by successive U.S. administrations, and enjoys popular support in Israel, according to polling data.
From 9/11 to the Arab Spring
Omar Ashour is Director of Middle East Graduate Studies at the Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies, University of Exeter (UK), and a visiting fellow at the Brookings Doha Center.
The rise and fallo of Iran’s Admadinejad
While Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s demagoguery and Holocaust revisionism on the world stage have earned him alarmist comparisons to Adolf Hitler, his recent, ignoble fall from grace reveals the Iranian president for what he really is: the dispensable sword of Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Yemen Tensions at the Tipping Point
Renewed fighting in Yemen's capital between a powerful tribal group known as the al-Ahmar family and President Ali Abdullah Saleh's forces has reportedly killed over one hundred people in the past week (al-Jazeera) and raised questions about whether the country is on the brink of civil war. The possibility looms large if the military gets involved in the conflict between the government and tribal forces, says Yemen expert Gregory Johnsen. While the United States has been a generous benefactor to Yemen over the years, the aid has fluctuated with the perceived terrorist threat, says Johnsen.
Who’s Who in the Syrian Opposition
Meet the brave souls who dare to stand up to the guns of Bashar al-Assad.
Israel fears the alternative if Syria's Assad falls
Syria is one of Israel's strongest enemies, but it has been predictable and relatively stable.
A Deepening Rift Between Germany and Israel
BERLIN — On Feb. 18, Germany did something unthinkable. It voted in favor of a U.N. Security Council resolution calling the Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territory illegal and demanding the immediate halt of all settlement activity.
Iran is celebrating Mubarak downfall with Suez crossing
Iran is underlining an improvement of relations with Egypt - perhaps at the chagrin of Cairo's military regime - while at the same time indirectly threatening Israel.
When Arab Regimes Tremble
There have been many instances when leaders in the region feared for their survival. The uprising in Tunisia is the least of them.
How to squeeze Iran on the nuclear issue
In an all-too familiar ritual, the United States and Iran are once more contemplating their diplomatic dance. The question that has perennially bedeviled Washington and its allies is how to compel the theocratic regime in Tehran to alter its objectionable practices. As a rational and pragmatic democracy, the United States perceives that economic pressure will compel Iran's leaders to yield on strategic priorities in order to relieve financial distress.
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