Latest Articles about Middle East
Investigation of Turkey’s “Deep State” Ergenekon Plot Spreads to Military
The arrests of two retired Turkish general officers on July 6 are the latest detentions in an ongoing investigation into Turkish government allegations of a conspiracy to overthrow the government. Most alarming among the allegations against the conspirators is that, in addition to seeking to... MORE
Saudi Salafism a Stronger Force in Islamist Militancy than Recanting Clerics
In the past month, the media have reported an attack on India’s embassy in Kabul, killing 41; an attack on the Red Mosque in Islamabad, killing 10; an attack on the U.S. consulate in Istanbul, killing six; a raid by the Taliban and its allies... MORE
DMITRY MEDVEDEV’S ECONOMIC POLICY: A STUDY IN CONTRADICTIONS
President Dmitry Medvedev has stepped up the fight against corruption and for judicial reform, at least verbally, underscoring the need to clean up Russia’s justice system and announcing that a national anti-corruption plan will soon be signed into law. Yet recent decisions by Medvedev seemingly... MORE
CONVICTION OF RUSSIAN BLOGGER: HARBINGER OF A WIDER ON-LINE CRACKDOWN?
Last week, a blogger in the Komi Republic was convicted of “inciting hatred or enmity.” Some observers fear that the case sets a dangerous precedent for curtailing freedom of speech on the Internet. Other observers have gone farther, predicting that the authorities are planning to... MORE
GAZPROM ON A SHOPPING SPREE FOR GAS
Gazprom has embarked on a grand shopping tour for gas. Although Russia is the world’s largest gas producer and exporter, the Kremlin seeks to maximize gas imports into Russia from other producer countries. This effort is accelerating under the recently inaugurated President Dmitry Medvedev, who... MORE
ROSNEFT SEEKS STRONGER CHINESE CONNECTION
Russia's state-run oil company Rosneft pledged to move ahead with its plans to invest in China. The company conceded, however, that it had struggled to reach an agreement with the Chinese on the crude export price. Rosneft pledged to finalize a feasibility study of its... MORE
Tackling the PKK: New Directions for Turkey’s Special Forces
Recent counter-insurgency operations of the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) in northern Iraq have once again brought to the forefront its highly trained Ozel Kuvvetler Komutanligi (OKK - Special Forces Command). The OKK deployment comes as Turkey reorganizes its large conscript army to create a smaller,... MORE
RUSSIAN TANKS WILL BE EQUIPPED WITH FRENCH IR TV
It was announced this week that two top Russian generals have been ousted: the chief of the Main Operational Directorate of the General Staff Alexander Rukshin and the chief of Armed Forces Communications Eugeny Karpov. It was reported that the resignation of the Chief of... MORE
MEDVEDEV’S FOREIGN POLICY ADVISER DENOUNCES BBC REPORT ON LITVINENKO MURDER
A report by BBC television news that British intelligence believes the Russian state was involved in the 2006 radioactive poisoning of dissident former Russian security services officer Aleksandr Litvinenko has been harshly criticized by Russia as a deliberate attempt to harm Russian-British relations. In the... MORE
PUTIN’S AFRIKA KORPS
Deals by Russian companies seeking to acquire African minerals seem to be the order of the day. A $2 billion investment in Zambia was announced in June. The companies, whose names were withheld, are seeking to acquire mining assets in the mineral rich African country.... MORE