Prime minister designate Najib Mikati has been called on before to navigate difficult transitions. In his first posting as prime minister between April and July of 2005, he presided over the …
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Among the Middle East’s authoritarian leaders, there’s a mantra: economic development takes precedence over civil freedoms and human rights. Things such as free speech, assembly, association and competitive …
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The conversation between Captain Allen McBroom of the Marines’ 3rd Light Armored Reconnaissance and a villager from San Banadar in Afghanistan’s Southern Helmand Province was floundering. McBroom was fishing …
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About the only phrase guaranteed to cross Istanbul’s linguistic barriers is “trafik problem,” the despondent opening line of many taxi drivers. For some, it provides the excuse to take …
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Israel is often heralded as the only democracy in the Middle East, which unfortunately says more about the deplorable state of people power in the region than about the …
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A basalt statue in Sana’a’s military museum stands as a testament to a bygone era. Two figures stand locked arm-in-arm, a traditional sword-wielding Yemeni tribesman and a Kalashnikov-toting soldier. …
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It was probably just fallings now that eased air pollution in Tehran last month, but the improvement might also be a sign of early success in the government’s efforts …
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As the wheels slowly felloff yet another ‘national unity’ government last month, Lebanon’s politicalclass apparently had enough time to re-hash some old ideas and present them aslegislation. But of all …
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Egypt is still reeling from the recent elections for the People’s Assembly, the lower and primary house of the country’s bicameral parliament. The first round, on November 28, was …
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Over the past decade the Middle East has shaken off its ‘danger zone’ reputation of being a place where only the foolhardy or “conflicted tourists” would plan a holiday. Since …