Latest Articles about Middle East
Fighting in Lebanon’s Palestinian Refugee Camps Result of Increased Islamist Influence
Approximately a year has passed since the outbreak of violence between the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) and the armed Islamist group Fatah al-Islam in the Palestinian refugee camp of Nahr al-Bared in Northern Lebanon; and yet—one year later—the situation in the camps is far from... MORE
A TRAP FOR MEDVEDEV IN THE TNK-BP CONFLICT
Political salons in Moscow are bubbling with rumors about President Dmitry Medvedev’s liberal agenda, but in a peculiar way, with Russia’s sports victories in ice hockey and football adding credibility to these expectations. Medvedev himself generates new hope daily, meeting tirelessly with all sorts of... MORE
CRITICS TARGET DECISION TO LET STABILIZATION FUND INVEST IN RUSSIAN SECURITIES
Last week President Dmitry Medvedev gave Russia’s Finance Ministry and Central Bank until October 1 to draft proposals on the investment strategy of the country’s Stabilization Fund. In February of this year, the fund, which was created in 2004 as a reserve to ensure that... MORE
MOSCOW READY FOR MAJOR CONFRONTATIONS WITH PRO-WESTERN GEORGIA AND UKRAINE
In the past Russia strongly protested the expansion of NATO to include Central European states that were Soviet clients and former Warsaw Pact members during the Cold War, as well as the Baltic republics that were part of the Soviet Union. In the end, however,... MORE
PJAK Intensifies Its Struggle for Iranian Kurdistan
A recent upsurge of violence in northwestern Iran between ethnic Kurdish rebels and Iranian Pasdaran (Revolutionary Guards) forces represents the latest chapter in the ongoing tensions between the nationalist dissidents and Tehran. Iranian and Kurdish sources report that the armed wing of the Party for... MORE
MEDVEDEV REPORTEDLY SET TO NAME AN ANTI-CORRUPTION AIDE
President Dmitry Medvedev is reportedly planning to create a new post of presidential aide for the fight against corruption and may sign a presidential decree to that effect before the end of June. According to Nezavisimaya gazeta, in setting up the post of anti-corruption aide,... MORE
MOSCOW WANTS TO STRENGTHEN CIS AND OTHER POST-SOVIET GROUPS
Russia pushed for stronger ties among members of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), while promoting integration with its closer allies, members of the Eurasian Economic Commonwealth (EEC) and the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO). Moscow's efforts have, however, been produced limited results so far.... MORE
TATARSTAN LEADER CRITICIZES THE “VERTICAL OF POWER” AND “GREAT RUSSIAN CHAUVINISM”
In the most serious verbal challenge to the “vertical of power” that Vladimir Putin created after becoming head of the Russian state in 2000, and what may be a sign that Putin’s influence is on the decline since stepping down as president and becoming prime... MORE
MEDVEDEV CONTINUES AND ESCALATES PUTIN’S HARD LINE ON GEORGIA
The Kremlin not only uses every available opportunity but also creates opportunities to show disdain for the weakness of Western policies on Georgia. Following the European Union-United States June 10 summit declaration, supporting Georgia’s territorial integrity in fine-print words only, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev promptly... MORE
Turkey’s Multifaceted Anti-PKK Strategy Continues to Unfold
Signs continue to emerge that Turkey has adopted a multifaceted strategy to combat the insurgency of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). Following a series of military operations and economic reforms in Turkey’s largely Kurdish southeast region, it appears Turkey is now addressing PKK financing achieved... MORE