Middle East

Mustafa Habib. | Baghdad | (Niqash.org) | – – In Iraq, larger political parties disagree on everything except maintaining the status quo: Parliament just passed a law that will badly affect the smaller parties competing in the next elections. It has been said before. But this time it may well be true: Iraq’s next elections […]

Donald Trump

If an Iranian president talked like Trump we’d think them all nut cases

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – Over the years the smug Western pundits have had a good deal of fun at the expense of unhinged Middle Eastern rulers. There was Daffy Gaddafi in Libya, Saddam Hussein in Iraq, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in Iran. One headline in the 1990s spoke of ‘the fruitcake ravings […]

Arms Sales

Should Western Countries be Selling Masses of Arms to Saudi Arabia?

contributors

By Riccardo Labianco | (The Conversation) | – – Since the catastrophic Yemeni civil war began in 2015, the British public has woken up to a serious problem: the use of UK-manufactured arms by Saudi Arabia. Various NGOs, campaigners and many MPs are increasingly worried about evidence that since the beginning of the conflict, Saudi […]

Donald Trump

Kissinger pushes Iranophobia, fear of ‘radical empire’ as ISIL declines

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – Henry Kissinger at 94 is still misinforming Washington about Iran. Now he is warning of an “Iranian radical empire” stretching from Tehran to Beirut if Iran is allowed to “fill the vacuum” as ISIL is rolled up– as Jack Moore at Newsweek points out.. Kissinger seems […]

Latin America

Did Saudi ‘Cheap Oil’ Policy throw Venezuela into Crisis?

contributors

Bulent Gökay | (The Conversation) | – – Venezuela is sinking ever deeper into a political and economic calamity. Inflation is above 700% and GDP is more than a third below 2013 levels. The country with the world’s largest proven oil reserves is now the world’s most indebted country – no other nation has a […]

Israel/ Palestine

Are Corruption Charges brewing against Israeli PM Netanyahu?

contributors

TeleSur | – – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is under growing legal pressure as investigators appear to be focusing on his role in a series of high-profile cases, which a national court said could result in corruption charges. Netanyahu had been question under caution by police over Case 1,000, dealing with gifts given to […]

Donald Trump

Is Turkey on brink of Invading Syrian Kurds, US BFF?

contributors

TeleSur | – – The Turkish Armed Forces are massing on the Syrian border days after a reshuffle of top brass in the country’s military in anticipation of a potential invasion that could dramatically complicate Syria’s ongoing civil war. Kurdish militia backed by U.S. forces are currently taking part in an assault against the Islamic […]

censorship

Arab Journalists condemn Israel’s Plan to close Al Jazeera

contributors

Ma’an News Agency | – – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — The Federation of Arab Journalists (FAJ) condemned the Israeli government’s decision to shut down the office of Qatari news channel Al Jazeera in Jerusalem, expressing solidarity with Al Jazeera staff in the Palestinian territory. On Aug. 1, Israeli authorities revealed that they had launched official discussions […]

Feminism

Tunisia: Landmark Step to Shield Women from Violence

contributors

Human Rights Watch | – – New Law Offers Protection, but Needs Funding (Tunis) – The law on violence against women, including domestic violence, approved by the Tunisian parliament on July 26, 2017, is a landmark step for women’s rights, Human Rights Watch said today. Tunisian authorities should ensure that there is adequate funding and […]