Original news, features, opinions from Chicago to Jerusalem
Saudi Arabia and Iran, highlighting the domestic drivers of mounting tension that threatens to deepen and complicate sectarian and multiple other regional conflicts, have taken their fierce tit-for-tat battle from the realm of traditional diplomacy to the world of public diplomacy
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani suffered in the run-up to crucial elections in early 2016 what amounted to at least a symbolic defeat when state-run television banned Iran’s most popular soccer program from running an interview with his foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, on soccer and politics.
Although Saudi Arabia has traditionally been associated with a more puritanical form of Islam — Wahabis — it is far more moderate and is the frontline against rising radicalism in the Muslim World. As the custodian of two of Islam’s holiest sites, Saudi Arabia recently organized a coalition of 34 Islamic allies to fight rising…
Calls for Nuclear Disarmament advances at UN and Twitter. By Eileen Fleming Middle East Nuclear Disarmament gained steam on Wednesday when the UN General Assembly adopted a draft resolution on the Establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the region of the Middle East (A/69/436 [L.1]), without a vote! However, in a vote on the Prohibition…
On Tuesday Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu TWEETED, On my way to #UNGA I have the great privilege and responsibility to tell the truth to the world for Israel’s sake. On Monday Trevor Noah kicked off his stint as Jon Stewart’s chosen one by vowing “the war on Bullsh*t will continue at The Daily Show….
By James M. Dorsey Discontent is bubbling over among the majority Shiite population in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province, home to the kingdom’s major oil fields and petrochemical industry. Disgruntlement is no less in the Iranian province of Khuzestan where up to 90 percent of Iran’s oil reserves are located. Iranian Arabs, who account for approximately…
Read More “Saudi Arabia and Iran: Volatile Political Geography of Oil and Minorities” »
Although the Middle East and the question “who supports Israel more” dominate national politics and presidential elections, the first major debate of the top 10 Republican contenders had another agenda, defeating Donald Trump. Middle East issues took a back seat, but they definitely will surface as the election campaign energizes Make sure to take the Presidential…
Read More “First Republican debate steers clear of Middle East” »
It was a fundamental truth that most Americans were too overcome with anger to anticipate. The unnecessary American war against Iraq in March 2003 only accomplished one unintended goal, making Iran a much more powerful nation than it was. The Iraq war failed to free the Iraqi people and it had nothing to do with…
Read More “Obama argues the Iraq war only helped strengthen Iran” »
The rhetoric in the Republican Presidential race may sound a bit weird these days maybe wondering what the topics of the screaming has to do with the real issues concerning Americans. Candidates have trumped issues like the bad economy, no jobs, bad education, and increasing violence instead arguing about birthers, holocausts, Israel and Iran By Ray Hanania…
Read More “Huckabee, the Holocaust, and competing with Trump” »
Jon Stewart’s sixteen-year stint at The Daily Show ends on the 70th Anniversary of America’s Nuclear bombing of Hiroshima. The still not free Mordechai Vanunu was kidnapped from Rome by Israel’s Mossad a few days before the British newspaper The Sunday Times ran a front page story under the headline: “Revealed: the secrets of Israel’s…
Read More “Heroes, Muses, Jon Stewart and Mordechai Vanunu” »
By Ali Younes Jordanian military and government sources told the Arab Daily News late last week that US Secretary of Defense Ash Carter visit to Jordan included a secret meeting between Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Nayef and a delegation of the pro-Iranian Yemeni Houthi group currently fighting in Yemen. Carter’s trip to the region…
American led deal with Iran will bring security and justice to the Middle East region. And that’s why Israel’s government is so against it. Israel’s government doesn’t want security. It wants tension. Tension and the threat of conflict justifies their fear-mongering and strengthens their ability to bully Americans to support their needs, and turn a blind eye towards Israel…
Read More “Deal with Iran strengthens fight against injustice” »
By Mike Ghouse No one has a right to declare that Shiism or Sunnism is false and heretical. One of the major differences between Shia and Sunni traditions is about the role of leadership. When Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was returning from his last pilgrimage, he gathered the caravan at an oasis called Ghadir Khumm and…
By Eileen Fleming On Saturday Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry to thank the U.S. for blocking a decision that would task the UN secretary general with convening an international conference on making the Middle East a nuclear weapons-free zone by March 2016. U.S. Under Secretary of State Rose Gottemoeller…
Read More “Netanyahu thanks U.S. for blocking a Nuclear Weapons Free Middle East” »
By Eileen Fleming (Washington/New York)—On Monday Iran led the call by non-aligned nations for Israel to give up its nuclear weapons as the 2015 NPT Review Conference got underway. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif insisted that the 120-nation Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) is demanding that “Israel, the only one in the region that has neither…
Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah is stepping up his criticism of Saudi Arabia and their military excursion in Yemen. Hezbollah and Saudi Arabia are historical bitter enemies. By Ali Rizk In his latest speech Hezbollah’s secretary general Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah essentially called for a Sunni uprising against Al-Saud, and more specifically against the policies of the Saudi…
Read More “Hezbollah leader urges Sunni uprising against Al-Saud” »
As the American presidential campaign gets into swing, there will be a big focus on the battle among the larger field of conservative and extremists Republicans like Cruz, Rand, Rubio and maybe a half dozen more, and they won’t be talking Middle East peace. But neither will Hillary Clinton or any Democrats who challenge her….
Read More “Don’t Expect Middle East Peace to Be a Presidential Campaign Issue” »
By Eileen Fleming President Obama’s timely declassification of this 1987 report on Israel’s Nuclear Weapons Program and Aljazeera’s SPY CABLES must be the final straw to force USA Media and Congress to end their cooperation in Israel’s Nuclear Deceptions and State torture of Mordechai Vanunu. This Tuesday Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will address Congress…
Read More “Congress and Media must address Israel’s WMD and State Torture of Vanunu” »