Tabsir

My New Year’s Resolution? No New Year’s Resolutions!

My New Year’s Resolution? No New Year’s Resolutions!

DANIEL M. VARISCO: It’s a curious tradition and one worth burying, in my humble opinion – the bore that is the New Year’s Resolution.

 Ramzy Baroud

Controlling Syria’s Future: In Whose Hands?

Controlling Syria’s Future: In Whose Hands?

RAMZY BAROUD: The lines are thus drawn, between US-led Western camp and Russia and its own camp, which vehemently rejects a repeat of a Libyan scenario.

 David Westley

News Analysis: World’s Most Powerful People

News Analysis: World’s Most Powerful People

NEWS ANALYSIS: So how does the Middle East do? Not great, but Saudi’s King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz al Saud is in the top 10, at number 7.

 Shelina Zahra Janmohamed

Women and Marriage: What’s in it For Us?

Women and Marriage: What’s in it For Us?

SHELINA ZAHRA JANMOHAMED: Why should women get married? The lived reality for women that is wildly different from the theory of matrimonial bliss.

 Steve Royston

Saudi Arabia: A Glimpse Through the Myths

Saudi Arabia: A Glimpse Through the Myths

STEVE ROYSTON: Received wisdom portrays a backward, oppressive society, dominated by religious extremists and a monarchy whose main mission is self-preservation.

 thehedonista

The Joys and Chores of Buying ‘Dubai Kitsch’

The Joys and Chores of Buying ‘Dubai Kitsch’

THE HEDONISTA: ‘No photos’, ‘No Fixed Price’, ‘Come back later?’ Ah yes, the recurrent phrases heard buying ‘Dubai Kitsch’. So what’s the best way to go about it?

 Common Ground News Service

Tunisian Media – It’s ‘Not Up to the Mark’

Tunisian Media – It’s ‘Not Up to the Mark’

MOURAD TEYEB, CGNEWS: ‘With freedom comes responsibility’ goes the saying. The Tunisian media need to start taking their’s seriously.

 Juan Cole

Steve Jobs and Barack Obama: Sons of Muslims, Distinctly American

Steve Jobs and Barack Obama: Sons of Muslims, Distinctly American

JUAN COLE: Both the U.S President and arguably America’s most creative entrepreneur provide proof of the value of multiculturalism.

 Lucy Emmerson

Syria: Growing Pressure on Assad to Stand Down Falling on Deaf Ears

Syria: Growing Pressure on Assad to Stand Down Falling on Deaf Ears

LUCY EMMERSON: There are still more who believe that a regime which has killed in excess of 2,200 peaceful protesters in the past 6 months cannot stand

 Naseem Tarawnah

Pop Patriotism: The Picture that Tells a Story

Pop Patriotism: The Picture that Tells a Story

NASEEM TARAWNAH: There’s a certain inevitability about how ‘pop patriotism’ is played out in Jordan. It was clearly on show during yesterday’s international football game in Amman.

 The Moor Next Door

Algeria & Libya: The Big Questions To Answer

Algeria & Libya: The Big Questions To Answer

TMND: It’s becoming clearer by the day that Algeria played a key role in supporting the Qadhafi regime, particularly in its dark, late days. The Algerians face some very uncomfortable questions

 James M. Dorsey

Damage limitation: China and Russia’s Options

Damage limitation: China and Russia’s Options

JAMES M. DORSEY: China and Russia could quietly establish relations with Syrian protesters if and when Mr. Assad is forced to relinquish power.

 Steve Royston

Riots in the UK – “It was the best day of my life”

Riots in the UK – “It was the best day of my life”

STEVE ROYSTON: There will be riots again. If we live in a society prizing individual liberty and “order”, the balance will go out of kilter from time to time.

 Juan Cole

Aqaba: To Boldly Go Where No King Has Gone Before

Aqaba: To Boldly Go Where No King Has Gone Before

JUAN COLE: Klingons and Romulans wandering through the souk in Aqaba? Could be sooner than you think if King Abdullah’s ambitious plans come to fruition.

 James M. Dorsey

Syria: Where Inaction Becomes Complicity

Syria: Where Inaction Becomes Complicity

JAMES M. DORSEY: Syria’s increasingly brutal crackdown on anti-government protesters begs the question: when does inaction morph into complicity?

 James M. Dorsey

Strauss-Kahn Arrest puts European control of IMF at risk

Strauss-Kahn Arrest puts European control of IMF at risk

JAMES M. DORSEY: Emerging markets are demanding that the heads of major international institutions be chosen on the basis of merit…

 Steve Royston

Reasons For, and Against, Working in the MidEast

Reasons For, and Against, Working in the MidEast

STEVE ROYSTON: One year ago I wrote the 10 good reasons to work in the Middle East. I would not change one of them. I have, however, added 10 reasons you may not want to.

 Crossroads Arabia

Strange Timing: Saudi Announces Nuclear Deal

Strange Timing: Saudi Announces Nuclear Deal

CROSSROADS ARABIA: With demand for energy soaring in the Kingdom it’s no surprise that the authorities are looking at nuclear energy. In the wake of the Fukushima catastrophe they will, though, face questions from an uneasy public.

 Mishaal Al Gergawi

Dismal Education System Threatens GCC Future

Dismal Education System Threatens GCC Future

MISHAAL AL GERGAWI: We seem to be in a constant state of ‘re-assessment’ or ‘re-evaluation’ of education in the region. Bottom line: We’re still not delivering.

 Juan Cole

Arab World Democratists, Meet Thomas Jefferson

Arab World Democratists, Meet Thomas Jefferson

JUAN COLE: I am hopeful that the book will find an eager reception in Egypt, Tunisia and other countries yearning for democracy in the Arab world.