Latest Articles about Middle East
Who Speaks for the Shi’a of Iraq?
Iraq’s Shi’a Arabs, the demographic majority with an estimated 60-70% of the population, wield the most political influence in Iraq. But the Shi’a of Iraq are a diverse group, with major regional differences between the Shi’a of Basra and the deep South and the Shi’a... MORE
The People of Righteousness: Iraq’s Shi’a Insurgents Issue Demands for Hostages
The second man in the Iraqi Shi’a insurgent group Asa’ib Ahl al-Haq (The People of Righteousness – AAH), Shaykh Akram al-Ka’abi recently gave his first interview to the mainstream pan-Arab media. Al-Ka’abi talked to the London-based magazine al-Majalla, where he revealed that the AAH held... MORE
The Insurgent Rationale in Iraq
The string of high-profile bombings that followed the withdrawal of U.S. combat forces from Iraqi cities on June 30, 2009 exposed not only Iraqi security shortcomings, but also the continued effectiveness of the insurgents to carry out demanding operations. These types of operations suggest the... MORE
Armenia Showcases Iran Ties, as Talks With Azerbaijan and Turkey Falter
Armenia is showcasing its close relationship with Iran at a delicate time in its negotiations with two other, less friendly neighbors: Azerbaijan and Turkey. With the normalization of Turkish-Armenian relations and the resolution of the Karabakh conflict looking increasingly problematic, authorities in Yerevan seem to... MORE
Muqtada al-Sadr’s Radical Rival: A Portrait of Qais al-Khaz’ali
For most observers, the link between the release of British hostage Peter Moore, held in Iraq for two and a half years and the nearly simultaneous release of Iraqi militia commander Qais al-Khaz’ali by Iraqi authorities was clear and obvious. Al-Khaz’ali, a Shiite cleric, was... MORE
January 2010 Briefs
TOP RANKING MILITANT SURRENDERS TO ETHIOPIAN GOVERNMENT: A PROFILE OF LICHO BUKHURA Licho Bukhura (a.k.a. Lucho Burbura), a senior militant leader of the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF), has surrendered to central government authorities in Addis Ababa along with some 100 other OLF fighters. Bukhura spoke... MORE
Al-Qaeda’s Purpose in Yemen Described in Works of Jihad Strategists
It appears that al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) is currently following a new version of a classic al-Qaeda strategy. Developed by al-Qaeda’s strategic thinkers, the strategy behind AQAP’s latest operations is to draw American military forces into Yemen. If successful, AQAP would strengthen its... MORE
Saudi Military Operations along the Yemen Border Repel Houthist Incursion
After a two-month Saudi military offensive along the Saudi Arabia-Yemen border, the Houthist rebels of northern Yemen appear ready to abandon their brief occupation of small areas of Saudi Arabia’s Jizan province. In an audiotape message, the leader of Yemen’s Zaydi Shiite rebels, Abdul-Malik al-Houthi,... MORE
Yemeni Clerics Announce Mandatory Jihad Against Foreign Intervention
In his Friday sermon on January 15, the well-known Yemeni Islamist and U.S. designated terrorism supporter Shaykh Abd al-Majid al-Zindani called for jihad to defend Yemen in the event of a foreign military intervention. Al-Zindani noted that some American media reports said the “Yemeni regime... MORE
The Politics Behind Iraq’s Second Parliamentary Election
Iraqis will head to the polls on March 7 in the second parliamentary election since the overthrow of Saddam Hussein in 2003. Iraqi politics are in a state of flux that is reflected in the run-up to the vote. The election law was held up... MORE