Shelina Zahra Janmohamed

The Influence of The Father: Strong But Varied Views

The Influence of The Father: Strong But Varied Views

SHELINA ZAHRA JANMOHAMED: The influence that ‘the father’ has exerted over leading female politicians has varied considerably

 Common Ground News Service

Palestine: Educational Boycotts Are ‘A Very Bad Idea’

Palestine: Educational Boycotts Are ‘A Very Bad Idea’

DR DANIEL MOSES, CGNEWS: Ecomomic boycotts are one thing but banning people from both sides speaking to each other for educational purposes is wrong.

 Ramzy Baroud

The Plan To ‘Capture Gaza’ Is Nearing Critical Point

The Plan To ‘Capture Gaza’ Is Nearing Critical Point

RAMZY BAROUD: The ‘pampered men’ of the PNA are in no hurry to take on a ‘national liberation project’. The attack on Gaza continues.

 Juan Cole

Israel and Iran: A Lot More In Common Than They Think

Israel and Iran: A Lot More In Common Than They Think

JUAN COLE: Binyamin Netanyahu’s observations on Iranian jeans-wearing provoked much mirth but the two countries have a lot in common.

 James M. Dorsey

Football ‘Ultras’ At The Heart of Egypt’s Latest Unrest

Football ‘Ultras’ At The Heart of Egypt’s Latest Unrest

JAMES DORSEY: They’re trying to maintain a balance but given the fact that the regime is increasingly painting them as Islamists how long can that last?

 Common Ground News Service

Tunisian Youth ‘Turned Off’ By Politics To Effect Change

Tunisian Youth ‘Turned Off’ By Politics To Effect Change

GHADA DALY, CGNEWS: The apathy that Tunisian young people feel for politics is being re-directed in a positive direction into varied civil projects

 Naseem Tarawnah

Melancholy Meets Impotence: Being An Arab In the Middle East

Melancholy Meets Impotence: Being An Arab In the Middle East

NASEEM TARAWNAH: It’s curious watching while other countries decide what to do with the place where you live.

 Steve Royston

Why Are There So Few Good Books About Saudi Arabia?

Why Are There So Few Good Books About Saudi Arabia?

STEVE ROYSTON: A recently published book on the Kingdom seems to be designed to pander to all of the usual Western prejudices. Why so?

 mai abdul rahman

Twenty Years On: The Lies We Are Still Told

Twenty Years On: The Lies We Are Still Told

MAI ABDUL RAHMAN: The hope has long since disappeared. Since the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin Israel has pursued a relentless course.

 Ramzy Baroud

Gaza and Ramallah, Apart: Fragmentation of Identity

Gaza and Ramallah, Apart: Fragmentation of Identity

RAMZY BAROUD: The physical distance between Gaza and Ramallah belies the significant issues surrounding Palestinian identity today.

 Mondoweiss

The Poison of ‘Exceptionalism’: Putin and Obama Compete

The Poison of ‘Exceptionalism’: Putin and Obama Compete

MONDOWEISS: It’s come to something when Barack Obama has to take a lecture on the evils of ‘exceptionalism’ from, of all people, Vladimir Putin

 Common Ground News Service

#RumorControlLibya: Authorities Try to Seize Initiative

#RumorControlLibya: Authorities Try to Seize Initiative

MAROUANE BAKIT, CGNEWS: Rumor is the new currency in post-revolutionary Libya. Its effects are widespread and damaging.

 Juan Cole

“Thank You, Vladimir.” What Obama Should Say to Putin

“Thank You, Vladimir.” What Obama Should Say to Putin

JUAN COLE: By taking the words of John Kerry and quickly formulating a new policy on Syria Putin has saved Obama from a major political embarrassment

 Ramzy Baroud

The Weird World of Mahmoud Abbas: No-One’s Listening

The Weird World of Mahmoud Abbas: No-One’s Listening

RAMZY BAROUD: Israel has consistently tried to mould Palestinian leaders in its ideal image. In Mahmoud Abbas they have an unqualified success

 Mondoweiss

Strike on Syria: The Lobby’s In Overdrive

Strike on Syria: The Lobby’s In Overdrive

MONDOWEISS: As the vote in Congress nears there is one group of ‘cheerleaders for war’ who are working particularly hard.

 Mondoweiss

So What Exactly Does Barack Obama Stand For?

So What Exactly Does Barack Obama Stand For?

MONDOWEISS: Is he about extracting the U.S from costly and involved foreign conflict or in favour of same? Maybe he’s the Drone Strike President?

 The View From Fez

‘Isolated and Abandoned’: Morocco’s Islamists On the Ropes

‘Isolated and Abandoned’: Morocco’s Islamists On the Ropes

THE VIEW FROM FEZ: Two years after sweeping to power Morocco’s ruling party is living on borrowed time, it seems

 Crossroads Arabia

‘Stop Dithering’. Saudi’s Message to Obama on Syria

‘Stop Dithering’. Saudi’s Message to Obama on Syria

CROSSROADS ARABIA: It’s clear that impatience with Barack Obama’s position on Syria is growing within the Kingdom. So what next?

 Common Ground News Service

“I Say Yemen, You Say…” A Word Association Test

“I Say Yemen, You Say…” A Word Association Test

ABUBAKR AL SHAMAHI, CGNEWS: One word seems to be inevitably linked in the common mind to the beautiful, complex land of Yemen – terrorism

 Ramzy Baroud

‘Arab Spring’ or ‘Islamic Winter’? Simplification Not Useful

‘Arab Spring’ or ‘Islamic Winter’? Simplification Not Useful

RAMZY BAROUD: in the words of Victor Hugo ‘to simplify is to be an idiot’ and when assessing the turmoil affecting the Middle East there is a lot of simplified commentary