Opinion

  The year 2009 was a modestly tolerable one for capitalism, but not at all for capitalist culture, or the advancement of free minds in freer markets. While the aftershocks …

  In the early hours of December 19, a giant balloon of hot air appeared over Copenhagen, as the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change came to an end. …

The veil of mystery that hangs over Saudi Arabia’s biggest military operation since the Gulf War in Yemen does not come as a surprise. When it comes to security issues …

The Turks must be feeling that Forrest Gump’s mum had it right. In recounting the ups and downs of life in the eponymous film, Forrest said his mother used to …

Iraq is set to hold parliamentary elections this March, after politicians in Baghdad overcame the squabbling and heated debates that had long delayed the controversial new election law. Iraqis will …

Earlier today, about a mile from where I write, Hamid Karzai gave his inauguration speech at the Afghan presidential palace in Kabul’s heavily fortified “Green Zone.” Present were representatives from …

Migrant labor has become part of economic life in a globalizing Middle East, with countries increasingly dependent on workers hailing from across borders and often from outside the region. Yet, …

One of the most striking regional developments of 2009 has been the reemergence of Turkey as a major player within the greater Middle East. Since its establishment in 1923, the …

Egypt and Algeria have never been the best or closest of friends. When their paths have crossed, most notably in the heyday of Arab nationalism and non-alignment, it was as …

For business journalists, writing about the Gulf from 2004 to 2008 was often a repetitive process. Regardless of the sector being covered, the opening paragraph would invariably have a growth …