Mondoweiss A Clean Break: A New Strategy for Securing the Realm , Alawi , Andrew Tabler , Asia , Assad family , Bashar al-Assad , Fertile Crescent , Iraq , Israel , Israeli–Palestinian conflict , Israel–United States relations , Joshua Landis , Melissa Block , Middle East , Neoconservatism , Politics , Syria , Zionism
PHILIP WEISS, CGNEWS: Josh Landis’s marriage to a Syrian Alawite was judged fair game in a discussion on his views on the political situation. Why only him?
Syria News Wire Alawi , Alawites , Fertile Crescent , FSA , Islamic mysticism , Ja'fari , Nir Rosen , Social Issues , Syria , Twelvers , United Kingdom , War/Conflict
SYRIA NEWS WIRE: A new documentary examines both sides of the conflict through the eyes of its combatants. It’s a grim story.
Juan Cole Al Qaeda , Al-Assad family , Asia , Assad family , Bashar al-Assad , Chechnya , Damascus , Hafez Al Assad , Middle East , Obama , Politics , President , Russia , Shabeeha , Syria , Syrian uprising , United States , Vladimir Putin , War/Conflict
JUAN COLE: It’s clear that reverberations from the Boston bombings will spread to Chechnya and beyond. How will it impact the U.S view of Syria?
Mich Cafe Asia , Bill Maher , Khaled , Mariam , Rima Maktabi , Syria
MICH CAFE: It’s a touching story that has captured hearts around the world – the story of one woman and her family’s flight from Syria to Turkey
Common Ground News Service Asia , Fertile Crescent , Health/Medical/Pharmaceuticals , Joseph Byrnes , Levant , Liza Hoover , Mohammed Zaher Sahloul , Syria , Syrian American Medical Society , Western Asia
KIRAN ANSARI, CGNEWS: Tired of watching the horror unveil on television a group of American medics have decided to take direct action
Ramzy Baroud Ahmet Davutoglu , Benjamin Netanyahu , Gaza flotilla raid , Gaza Strip , Greece–Israel relations , International relations , Israel , Israel–Turkey relations , Istanbul , Libya , Middle East , MV Mavi Marmara , Politics , Recep Tayyip Erdogan , Syria , Syria–Turkey relations , Turkey , United States , Washington
'Confused’ may be an appropriate term to describe Turkey’s current foreign policy in the Middle East and Israel in particular. The source of that confusion - aside from the appalling violence in Syria and earlier in Libya – is Turkey’s own mistakes. RAMZY BAROUD: Turkey’s attempt to re-position itself as a fulcrum between East and West has come unstuck…
Francis Matthew Barack Obama , Central Intelligence Agency , Iraq , Politics , Shiite government in Iraq , Syria , United States
The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has got itself into the confused position of fighting Sunni fighters in Iraq, but supporting some of them in Syria. FRANCIS MATTHEW: The CIA is in the position of fighting Sunni fighters in Iraq, but supporting them in Syria.
James M. Dorsey Cairo , Egypt , Egyptian revolution , Habib El-Adly , Hosni Mubarak , Mohammed Morsi , Port Said , Syria , War/Conflict
JAMES M DORSEY: There appears to be a concerted plan by the Egyptian judiciary and security forces to confront militant football fans. It may, though, backfire.
Editor, MEP Love , Syria , Video , War
VIDEO
It has been called a sniper's war, as fighters look for their enemy from rooftops, from behind the cover of fragile walls, through dug-out holes, and down telescopic sights. Abu Jaffar has now recovered from his injuries and is now the leader of a small brigade in Aleppo city. The experience brought the two together, and a few months later they were married – on the frontline.
Francis Matthew Abu Dhabi , Bashar al-Assad , John Kerry , Obama administration , Politics of Syria , Syria , Syrian Opposition Coalition , Syrian uprising
FRANCIS MATTHEW: The problem with this approach is that by going gently, it allows Al Assad to think that he might still win by fighting. And it also places a huge strain on the opposition not ready to fight a long war of attrition.
Ramzy Baroud Ahmet Davutoglu , Foreign relations of Turkey , Gaza Strip , Israel , Israel–Turkey relations , Member states of the Union for the Mediterranean , Member states of the United Nations , Middle East , Middle Eastern countries , North Atlantic Treaty Organization , Politics , Recep Tayyip Erdogan , Syria , Turkey , United States
RAMZY BAROUD: There are unmistakeable signs that the atmosphere between Turkey and Israel is becoming distinctly warmer
Mich Cafe Alawi , Asia , Bashar al-Assad , Fertile Crescent , Homs , Human Interest , Iyad , Latakia , Syria , Tartus , Zeinab
MICH CAFE: They met, fell in love and got married. A simple story but not so simple when you’re on two sides of a sectarian divide in the midst of a civil war
Mich Cafe Al-Assad family , Amazonian Guard , Angels , Asia , Assad family , Bashar al-Assad , Middle East , Moammar Gaddafi , Muammar Gaddafi , Protective security units , Syria
MICH CAFE: It seems to be a common theme among Arab dictators – recruiting women to front up the military in your regime.
Richard Silverstein Ameer Makhoul , Amnon Lipkin-Shahak , Army , Barak , Benjamin Netanyahu , Bibi Netanyahu , Democracy , Ehud Olmert , Gaza Strip , Hamas , IDF , Iran , Iraq , Israel , Lebanon , Mahmoud Abbas , Meir Dagan , Menachem Begin , Middle East , Military Intelligence , Mossad , Netanyahu government , Oscars , Palestine , President , Prime Minister , Rabin , security systems , Sharon , Shin Bet , Syria , West Bank , Yuval Diskin
RICHARD SILVERSTEIN: When in office they’re ramrod straight security hawks but once they leave they suddenly become ‘seers’. But the criticism is unusual in its vehemence
Naseem Tarawnah Abdullah , Egypt , Energy crisis , Jordan , Middle East , Muslim Brotherhood , Syria , Tunisia
NASEEM TARAWNAH: There is a sense of crisis in Jordan but it’s a sense that has led to paralysis in all sectors of society. So what does 2013 hold?
Tabsir Abdel Bari Atwan , Afghanistan , Al Qaeda , Algeria , America , Arabic newspaper , Ayman al-Zawahiri , Editor-in-Chief , Egypt , Florida , Foreign Affairs , Gaza Strip , Iraq , Islam , Israel , Jerusalem , Leon Panetta , Libya , London , Mali , Middle East , North Africa , North Atlantic Treaty Organization , Osama Bin Laden , Pakistan , Pentagon , President , Somalia , Sudan , Syria , Taliban , U.S. administration , United States , Washington , West Bank , Yemen , YouTube
KHALED FATTAH, TABSIR: There is a lazy shorthand in much Western reporting on the Middle East, particularly when it comes to describing the influence of tribes
Juan Cole Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi , Afghanistan , Al Qaeda , Aleppo , Algeria , Ali Abdullah Saleh , America , American embassy , Arab Spring , Baath Party in Syria , Bahrain , Bahrain’s government , Binyamin Netanyahu , David Petraeus , Democracy , Egypt , Egypt Protests , first prime minister , Gaza , Homs , Iran , Iraq , Israel , Lebanon , Libya , Manama , Middle East , Mohammed Morsi , Muslim Brotherhood , Obama administration , Oil , oil sales , Palestine , President , Prime Minister , Saudi Arabia , South Africa , Supreme Council of the Armed Forces , Syria , Tunis , Tunisia , Turkey , U.S. Congress , United States , US government , Washington , Yemen
JUAN COLE: It’s been another extraordinary year across the Middle East. Here is my take on the most significant changes this year
Steve Royston Adel Fakieh , Ahmed Al-Omran , Bahrain , Crown Prince , Egypt , Energy , Iran , Israel , Journalist , Literature , Middle East , Mohammed Mursi , New Year's Day , news site , Olympics , Retail , Riyadh Bureau , Robin Barrett , Sarah Attar , Saudi Arabia , Saudi government , Syria , Wojdan Shaherkani
STEVE ROYSTON: It’s by no means scientific or representative but here are the people and special moments that resonated with me this year
Tabsir Bashar al-Assad , Beirut , Education , Egypt , First Lady , Lebanon , Susan Mubarak , Syria , Syrian National Council , Tripoli , United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees , United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund , US Federal Reserve
ESTELLA CARPI, TABSIR: Classes are being organised for refugee children and it’s clear that the Assads no longer feature in a Syrian present or future.
Steve Royston Bahrain , Christmas , Democracy , Egypt , Iran , Iraq , Israel , Lebanon , Middle East , Morocco , Oman , Palestine , Palestinian Territories , Qatar , Saudi Arabia , Syria , Yemen
STEVE ROYSTON: If you look around the Middle East today you’d have to say the region is at its most unstable in the last thirty years.
