Left: Credit: political cartoonist Latuff, for التقرير (Altagreer) Once NATO’s formidable eastern anchor, Turkey is increasingly becoming a major problem for Washington policymakers and a contributor to the Mideast chaos. The change is all the more … [Read more...] about Turkey’s Growing Instability*
Shia
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
Obama, ISIS, the Pope and the Palestinians
While cache of computers, cell phones, and documents that was captured during the raid will provide important information about ISIS financial operations in Iraq and Syria and possibly on its support of its branches in North Africa, South-East Asia … [Read more...] about Obama, ISIS, the Pope and the Palestinians
Syria breaking up – Lebanon next?*
Left - Members of al Qaeda's Nusra Front in Lebanon. The already extremely complex Middle East may be on the verge of becoming even more so. At this point, the Sh'ia northern arc of Iran, Iraq, Assad and Hezbollah is in confrontation with the … [Read more...] about Syria breaking up – Lebanon next?*
Yemen War – Water and the Houthi Homeland
Aden: Despite Saudi led coalition airstrikes on the city of Aden, Huthi rebels backed by Iran and other Shia states are continuously advancing in the city cause shortage of water for locals. Multiple disasters are looming for Yemen. One that is … [Read more...] about Yemen War – Water and the Houthi Homeland
Iran’s Nuclear Framework: Insights and Recommendations*
President Barack Obama speaks the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, Thursday, April 2, 2015, about the breakthrough in the Iranian nuclear talks. The president heralded a framework nuclear understanding with Iran as an "historic" … [Read more...] about Iran’s Nuclear Framework: Insights and Recommendations*
The “Historic” Agreement That Ignores History*
No-one agrees on what was agreed with Iran, but in any case the precedents are hardly encouraging. By this time hordes of commentators have chewed over Mr. Obama's "historic" agreement. Some aspects, however, have been overlooked or … [Read more...] about The “Historic” Agreement That Ignores History*
Can Saudi Arabia Form a United Sunni Front?
Left: Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud (r) with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Riyadh, March 2, 2015; picture provided by the Saudi Press Agency; AFP Photo/SPA/HO The attempt to establish a Sunni pact against the background of the … [Read more...] about Can Saudi Arabia Form a United Sunni Front?
Weekly Briefing – March 1-7, 2015
Right: TEHRAN (FNA)- Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister and senior negotiator Seyed Abbas Araqchi described the removal of all sanctions against Tehran as a precondition for a comprehensive deal with the world powers, underlining that Tehran is standing … [Read more...] about Weekly Briefing – March 1-7, 2015
The Obama Persian Mystery
Obscured by all the hullabaloo over the Congressional speaking invitation to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is the more fundamental mystery of the Obama Administration’s Iranian strategy. Laying aside the increasingly evident incompetence … [Read more...] about The Obama Persian Mystery