Left: Definition of Middle Eastern countries: Central Intelligence Agency Recent developments in the Middle East show a disturbing trend to add to all the other disturbing trends that have emerged in the region since the "Arab Spring" began in 2011. … [Read more...] about Increasing Militarization of the Middle East *
Arabian Peninsula
Feeding Iran’s Terrorist Agenda
Left: U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Iranian Foreign Minister Zarif waving [goodbye] to the Peace Dove. (cartoon by Keyvan Varessi, Iranian daily Iranian daily Ghanoon) - The lifting of the sanctions on Iran is significant not only because … [Read more...] about Feeding Iran’s Terrorist Agenda
Obama’s Millennial Problems
President Barack Obama, in his State of the Union address to Congress, along with calling Ukraine a Russian "client state", which infuriated the Ukrainians, referred to conflicts in the Middle East "...that date back millennia" It's not clear what … [Read more...] about Obama’s Millennial Problems
The Volcano of Islamic Terrorism*
Terrorism has dominated the history of Islam, as demonstrated by the murder of three of the first four caliphs who succeeded the Prophet Muhammad: Umar ibn Abd al-Khattab (644 C.E.), Uthman Ibn Affan (656 C.E.) and Ali ibn Abi Talib (661 C.E.). … [Read more...] about The Volcano of Islamic Terrorism*
The Petrokingdom In Peril*
"The decision makers of the Saudi government should not have any doubt that this blood will trouble them. It will haunt them."- Iran's Ayatollah Ali Khamenei - The eastern province, bordering on the Gulf, not only has a concentration of oil, it … [Read more...] about The Petrokingdom In Peril*
A Century after Sykes-Picot: Strategic and Geopolitical Aspects*
"The instability and the uncertainty that characterize the current state of affairs is best exploited, as mentioned before, by the most prominent enemies from the Radical Islamic camp – both Iran and its surrogates and the Sunni Radicals." The … [Read more...] about A Century after Sykes-Picot: Strategic and Geopolitical Aspects*
What Should Israel Worry About?
A former director of the Central Intelligence Agency recently stated that the intelligence community in the U.S. has a perfect record of identifying future threats: "We have never been right". The one thing we know nothing about is the future. … [Read more...] about What Should Israel Worry About?
Obama’s illogic
Left: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and US President Barack Obama. (Photo: Cihan), Nov.13, 2015 The confusion in the President’s thinking and strategy about the current terrorist crisis is frightening in its implications. As the tragic … [Read more...] about Obama’s illogic
What the Downing of the Russian Plane May Portend
Left: The remains of a Russian airliner are inspected by military investigators at the crash site at the al-Hasanah area in El Arish city, north Egypt. (Reuters). It is now generally accepted that the Russian commercial airliner that crashed in the … [Read more...] about What the Downing of the Russian Plane May Portend
The Iran Deal Encourages Tehran’s Regional Ambitions
Left: Iranian students hold pictures of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in front of an anti-US mural, painted on the wall of the former US Embassy in Tehran. (photo credit:REUTERS) In complete contrast to Obama’s claim that the … [Read more...] about The Iran Deal Encourages Tehran’s Regional Ambitions