Juan Cole

Facebook Value Endures Beyond IPO in Middle East

Facebook Value Endures Beyond IPO in Middle East

JUAN COLE: Facebook does not seem important in Egypt’s presidential race. You wonder if the young are interested: Most plausible candidates are rather ancient…

 Francis Matthew

GCC Union: Practical Thinking Required

GCC Union: Practical Thinking Required

FRANCIS MATTHEW: It’s likely to succeed if it focuses on ways to make the existing GCC work better, rather than offer any new political structure.

 The View From Fez

Well-Kept Secret: The Thriving Wine Industry of Morocco

Well-Kept Secret: The Thriving Wine Industry of Morocco

THE VIEW FROM FEZ: The wine industry is going from strength to strength.

 David Roberts

A Non-Starter: The Many Obstacles to Closer GCC Union

A Non-Starter: The Many Obstacles to Closer GCC Union

DAVID ROBERTS: There will be fine talk and likely a positive joint statement will be issued but no firm action will be agreed.

 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.

 Juan Cole

The U.S/Israeli Plan for Iran: It’s Doomed

The U.S/Israeli Plan for Iran: It’s Doomed

JUAN COLE: It’s well worth looking at previous situations where major powers tried to use economics to bring Iran to heel.

 Common Ground News Service

How To Secure Women’s Rights in Afghanistan

How To Secure Women’s Rights in Afghanistan

DAVID CORTRIGHT, CGNEWS: We asked Afghan women how they believed their hard won rights could be secured.

 Juan Cole

Arab Spring Update: Significant Developments

Arab Spring Update: Significant Developments

JUAN COLE: Not that you’d know from watching American TV news but there have been important developments in the Arab world recently

 Common Ground News Service

Can ‘Reel Freedom’ Translate Into Real Freedom?

Can ‘Reel Freedom’ Translate Into Real Freedom?

KHALED DIAB, CGNEWS: East Jerusalem is undergoing a cultural renaissance but what will be the ultimate end?

 Juan Cole

Ten Ways the Iranians Are Beating Sanctions

Ten Ways the Iranians Are Beating Sanctions

JUAN COLE: The last crackpot Neocon plan cost America $1 trillion and nearly 5,000 soldier’s lives. The latest one is meeting resistance.

 Common Ground News Service

Tunisia: Economic Woes Point To ‘Major Trouble’

Tunisia: Economic Woes Point To ‘Major Trouble’

AMINE GHALI, CGNEWS: With growth stagnant, foreign companies leaving in droves Tunisia’s new government faces huge issues

 Rob L. Wagner

“Three Months at Most”: How Long Could Iran Close Straits of Hormuz?

“Three Months at Most”: How Long Could Iran Close Straits of Hormuz?

ROB L. WAGNER: As tensions increase all parties are beginning to make calculations regarding the effect of a possible conflict in the Arabian Gulf.

 Syria News Wire

ISyria’s ‘e-Revolution’: It’s A Constant Game of ‘Cat and Mouse’

ISyria’s ‘e-Revolution’: It’s A Constant Game of ‘Cat and Mouse’

NEWS FROM SYRIA: At first the authorities in Syria were caught unawares at how ‘new technology’ was used against them. But they caught on quickly.

 Kim Willis

Interview: A Guide to Visiting the Real Palestine

Interview: A Guide to Visiting the Real Palestine

KIM WILLIS: Through the tours visitors see the reality of life in the West Bank and Israel, uncoloured by any ‘perspective’; they can make up their own minds about the issues.

 Steve Royston

Istanbul Postcard: Still Arguing After 18 Centuries

Istanbul Postcard: Still Arguing After 18 Centuries

STEVE ROYSTON: Spiritually, today’s Istanbulus are not so different from their Byzantine predecessors – they still delight in debate and intrigue.

 Jonathan Cook

Netanyahu: ‘Israel is Jewish. Agree Or Else’

Netanyahu: ‘Israel is Jewish. Agree Or Else’

JONATHAN COOK: The demand has risen to the top of the Israeli agenda and if accepted will condemn Palestinians as ‘historic interlopers and trespassers’.

 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

 Mondoweiss

Palestinian Statehood and the UN Bid

Palestinian Statehood and the UN Bid

IRA GLUNTS, MONDOWEISS: Bibi is willing to negotiate anything, as long it does not include what the Palestinians want. In this case, it is recognition of a Palestinian state by the UN.

 Rob L. Wagner

The Saudi Arabian Electoral ‘Experiment’ Continues

The Saudi Arabian Electoral ‘Experiment’ Continues

ROB L. WAGNER: There has been a lot of criticism of Saudi Arabia’s upcoming municipal elections. Some groups, however, know how best to work the system.

 David Westley

The End of Eid, The Start of the Beginning

The End of Eid, The Start of the Beginning

DAVID WESTLEY: This year, the return to ‘normality’ will be significantly harder to achieve for those countries that have gone through their Arab spring; the pathway to success is still far from clear.