Syria’s Opposition Needs More than Arms from the United States
WASHINGTON—Two years have passed since protests in Syria evolved first into an armed rebellion against the Bashar al-Assad regime, then into a regional confrontation, and finally an international...
View ArticleCan Egypt Rescue Itself?
WASHINGTON—As Egypt degenerates into quasi-civil war, two equally disruptive and self-serving narratives are gaining circulation. Many supporters of the 2011 revolution against Hosni Mubarak see the...
View ArticleThe Limitations of Limited War in Syria
There is no doubt that Bashar al-Assad’s use of chemical weapons last week crossed all 50 shades of the “red line.” While prudence dictated restraint this past June, the repeated violation of...
View ArticleAssad’s Inevitable Propaganda Victory
WASHINGTON—Britain’s decision not to participate in a potential military strike on Syria, in response to Bashar al-Assad’s use of chemical weapons, constitutes a serious blow to U.S. President Barack...
View ArticleThe U.S. Is Losing Credibility in the Middle East
President Barack Obama has to contend with a number of changing realities as he considers his options on Syria. These include the U.S. public’s aversion to military engagement, a possible...
View ArticleHuman Rights Buried Under $51 Billion Sochi Olympics
WASHINGTON—In less than 30 days, the world will turn its attention to the 22nd Winter Olympic Games in the Russian city of Sochi, which is already touted as being the most expensive in Olympic...
View ArticleThe End of Paternalism: Assessing the “Arab Spring” Three Years On
TUNIS ― From its inception, the expression “Arab Spring” always appeared to be on rhetorically weak ground. Today, pessimists’ skepticism about that wave of popular protests across the Middle East and...
View ArticleAl Qaeda’s Possible Collapse in Syria
REUTERS/Asmaa Waguih KUWAIT CITY ― Kuwait recently joined Saudi Arabia in criminalizing the participation of its citizens in jihadist activities abroad, as part of measures intended to curb the...
View ArticleWho is Washington’s Candidate for the Next Christian President of Lebanon?
WASHINGTON—The arcane political system of Lebanon stands as an oddity in a Middle East dominated by identity politics, both in its formal allocation of first and second tier political and...
View ArticleThe Gaza War: Why A Ceasefire Alone Is Not A Solution
For a long time, I refused to have an opinion about the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. Deliberately. As having an opinion implies having a solution to end the conflict, it felt pointless. Too...
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