Ramzy Baroud

A Lesson for Iraq: The Perseverance of Sinbad

A Lesson for Iraq: The Perseverance of Sinbad

RAMZY BAROUD: Ten years on from the onset of the Iraq invasion with all the horror and despair that has accumulated there is hope in the shape of a character from a children’s story

 James M. Dorsey

Syrian Football Victory ‘a Unifier’? Afraid Not

Syrian Football Victory ‘a Unifier’? Afraid Not

JAMES M. DORSEY: This weekend’s Syrian victory over Iraq in a soccer match is being seized by the regime as ‘a great national achievement’.

 M.-Lynx-Qualey

‘Beauty of Arabic? No, the Violence of Events Is Vital’

‘Beauty of Arabic? No, the Violence of Events Is Vital’

SARAH IRVING, ARABLIT: An Iraqi refugee now based in Finland Hassan Blasim has firm views on language, violence and modern Iraq.

 Mich Cafe

The ‘Immortal Olive Tree’: Part of Every Palestinian

The ‘Immortal Olive Tree’: Part of Every Palestinian

MICH CAFE: More than 7,500 olive trees belonging to Palestinians were damaged or destroyed last year by Israeli settlers. A well-thought through assault

 Juan Cole

Afghanistan vs Affair: What Should We Be Concerned About?

Afghanistan vs Affair: What Should We Be Concerned About?

JUAN COLE: It was David Petraeus’s conduct of counter insurgency in Afghanistan rather than his evening activities that I was interested in

 Mondoweiss

Is Rachel Corrie the ‘Anne Frank’ Of Our Time?

Is Rachel Corrie the ‘Anne Frank’ Of Our Time?

JENNIFER LOEWENSTEIN, MONDOWEISS: Both individuals wrote diaries about their experience of oppression. Only one, however, is globally celebrated.

 Francis Matthew

Foreign Powers Take Positions, Eye End Game in Syria

Foreign Powers Take Positions, Eye End Game in Syria

FRANCIS MATTHEW: The continuing fighting in Syria is a golden opportunity for foreign governments to put military forces on the ground in advance of any political end-game.

 Common Ground News Service

A Half Day in the Life of ‘the Last Arab Jew’

A Half Day in the Life of ‘the Last Arab Jew’

KHALED DIAB, CGNEWS: It’s possible to see the key struggles of the last 60 years through the prism of the life of Sasson Somekh.

 Shelina Zahra Janmohamed

Shakespeare Does Iraq: Watch The Audience

Shakespeare Does Iraq: Watch The Audience

SHELINA ZAHRA JANMOHAMED: A new version of ‘Romeo and Juliet’ set in Iraq which is now playing in London is winning over Iraqis and non-Iraqis alike.

 Juan Cole

Ten Good Reasons NOT To Arm Syrian Rebels

Ten Good Reasons NOT To Arm Syrian Rebels

JUAN COLE: Mitt Romney is flip-flopping on whether ‘Muslims Are Bad’ or that the U.S should supply them with sophisticated weapons.

 Tabsir

One Middle East Certainty: The Blood Keeps Flowing

One Middle East Certainty: The Blood Keeps Flowing

DANIEL M. VARISCO: Whether it’s Syria or Yemen the bloodshed just seems to go on. It’s always been so.

 Tabsir

Sinan Antoon: ‘The Barbarian Who’s Keeping It Real’

Sinan Antoon: ‘The Barbarian Who’s Keeping It Real’

TABSIR: A celebrated novelist, poet and filmmaker Sinan Antoon reflects on life in Iraq before and after the fall of Saddam Hussein

 Common Ground News Service

Prizes: Nobel Gets Muslim World Right, Pulitzer Doesn’t

Prizes: Nobel Gets Muslim World Right, Pulitzer Doesn’t

DR MUQTEDAR KHAN, CGNEWS: Whatever you think about prizes they help to define an era. Pulitzer judged wrong this year.

 Mondoweiss

Iran Talks Progress: Guess Who’s Unhappy?

Iran Talks Progress: Guess Who’s Unhappy?

ANNIE ROBBINS, MONDOWEISS: The meeting between the P5+1 countries to discuss Iran’s nuclear programme has gone surprisingly well.

 Crossroads Arabia

Arab League Summits: In Short, Useless

Arab League Summits: In Short, Useless

CROSSROADS ARABIA: Looking for signs of effectiveness of the Arab League? Keep looking…

 Juan Cole

Arab League Divide: Plus Ca Change

Arab League Divide: Plus Ca Change

JUAN COLE: There’ll be some missing faces at the upcoming meeting in Baghdad but regional divisions are sharpening.

 James M. Dorsey

The $750,000 Guantanamo ‘Pitch’ to Cooperate

The $750,000 Guantanamo ‘Pitch’ to Cooperate

JAMES M. DORSEY: The $744,000 pitch outside a $39 million penitentiary-style building is intended to reward the most cooperative of the 120,171 inmates.

 Mich Cafe

“No Women Allowed”: Saudi’s Unsporting Message

“No Women Allowed”: Saudi’s Unsporting Message

MICH CAFE: Human Rights Watch have just published a report that highlights the deep discrimination against women in Saudi Arabia.

 Common Ground News Service

Assassination By Drone: Time for A Re-Think of US Policy

Assassination By Drone: Time for A Re-Think of US Policy

KEN BALLEN, CGNEWS: ‘You can kill extremists but you don’t kill extremism with missiles’. Perhaps the U.S should look at new policies.

 Common Ground News Service

What Happens If Syrian’s Christians Leave?

What Happens If Syrian’s Christians Leave?

STEPHANIE SALDANA, CGNEWS: There is a very real possibility that the Christians in Syria will leave as conflict escalates. What will be the consequences?