Original news, features, opinions from Chicago to Jerusalem
Lebanese should use tragedy to come together, not come apart The devastation in Lebanon caused by an explosion of more than 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate deserves a serious investigation. And there first place to look is in the circle of Russian influence including its trerrorist partners Iran, Hezbollah, and Syria. Vladimir Putin’s Russia is…
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Russia: 2018 World Humanity Festival FIFA World Cup has become a kind of U.N. National Assembly people’s gathering, with a complicit web of relations among the players. By Abdennour Toumi In a couple hours the eyes of the world will be turned to Russia for the opening ceremony of the 21st Football/Soccer FIFA World Cup…
Arab Youth Survey raises some serious concerns A study by one of the world’s largest PR companies, Burson-Marsteller, of Arab young people in 16 countries in the Levant, Gulf and North Africa offers disturbing insight into the regional concerns and the powerful influence of the mainstream Western news media. Not surprisingly, the further away Arab…
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With Israel and Iran clashing over Syria, no end in sight for the conflict Conflict in Syria expands beyond Syria including Russia, Iran, Israel, the United States, Hezbollah, Saudi Arabia and Europe By Ghassan Michel Rubeiz In Syria, the conflict is no longer primarily Syrian. With seven years of political and military escalation, Syria has…
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Saudi Crown Prince forges ahead against extremism Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) is taking a realistic approach to the Middle East as he bolsters the voices of moderates, challenges the extremists and pushes for a realistic peace accord between Israel and Palestine. The tactic MBS is pursuing is one that few Arabs have…
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Invoking God’s affiliation in Mideast conflicts A close look at the tenuous relationship between Lebanon and Hezbollah. Hezbollah is neither a unique “state-within-a-state” phenomenon in the region nor the only entity proclaiming to be a “Party of God”. One can see analogous dynamics in Israel settlers’ movement. By Ghassan Michel Rubeiz In Arabic “Hezbollah” stands for…
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The image from the Oval Office of the Navy flag sandwiched in-between Russia’s ambassador to the US and POTUS Trump was released by Russia’s state owned news agency and first Tweeted by the official twitter-account of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation. USA Media was NOT allowed into that meeting which occurred…
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Fissured World Politics Doesn’t Need Leaked Pipes. WikiLeaks introduces an effective actor in conflictual media-politics relations, it has become an actor in the sense that it has provided information to the public about their politicians’ intentions and actions. By Abdennour Toumi Although bizarre, does one remember how the global community welcomed the new Millennium? With a…
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The atrocities perpetrated by all sides of the civil war in Syria have reached the level of genocide. Half the population of 23 million people has been displaced. 300,000 have died. Over two million injured? The country is in ruins. National unity is severely eroded. By Ghassan Michel Rubeiz The atrocities perpetrated by all sides…
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President Barack Obama promised more financial support to help ease the burden and the suffering of the refugees fleeing the violence by the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and the by Russian soldiers in a meeting Wednesday with King Abdullah II of Jordan. By Ray Hanania President Barack Obama promised more financial support to help ease the…
Restructuring rather than dividing Syria By Ghassan Michel Rubeiz Syrians are no longer in charge of their future; outsiders seem to be. The threat to divide Syria, as a solution, is tempting but fatal. Syria ought to be restructured and “reinvented” to allow healing and gradual reunification. Who is involved in Syria? The Web of…
It’s wrong to target Iran as an individual, isolated issue. Iran must be addressed int he context of a broader, regional policy By Ghassan Michel Rubeiz US policy on Iran should be integrated with policies on other vital issues. Considering the growing threat of ISIS, the worsening tragedies in Syria, Yemen, Iraq and Libya, the…
