Latest Articles about Middle East
Becoming an Ayatollah: The New Iraqi Politics of Moqtada al-Sadr
As a political and military force, Iraq’s Shiite Sadrist movement has undergone a number of radical transformations since 2003, when its leader, Moqtada al-Sadr, surprisingly emerged as a leading political figure. Al-Sadr’s recent decision to continue with his seminary studies and graduate as an ayatollah... MORE
GUDKOV: MOST RUSSIANS CHOOSE GREAT POWER STATUS AND SOCIAL PROTECTIONS OVER FREEDOM
In a 2004 letter from prison, Yukos founder Mikhail Khodorkovsky said that while Vladimir Putin “certainly is no liberal and no democrat,” he is nonetheless “more liberal and democratic than 70% of the population of our country.” While one might quibble with the tycoon’s exact... MORE
New Tests for Turkey’s Evolving Security Relationship with Israel
Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak’s visit to Ankara on February 12 and 13 attracted much attention from Turkish political and military officials (Milliyet, February 13). The visit may stand as a turning point in Turkish-Israeli relations by giving a boost to military cooperation between the... MORE
The Ansar al-Mahdi and the Continuing Threat of the Doomsday Cults in Iraq
On January 18, a day before the annual Shiite festival of Ashura, most of the concerns in Iraq revolved around possible attacks by Sunni extremists against the Shiites. What happened was unexpectedly different—the attacks came from the little-known Shiite cult of Ansar al-Mahdi (Helpers of... MORE
Uncertainty Facing Iraq’s Awakening Movement Puts U.S. Strategy at Risk
As Iraq’s security situation deteriorates in the midst of resurgent violence, an increase in internal and external pressures facing the Awakening (Sahwa) Movement may jeopardize the prospects and goals set forth in the U.S. counter-insurgency strategy created by U.S. General David Petraeus. The formation of... MORE
MEDVEDEV EYES FAR EASTERN REVIVAL
Dmitry Medvedev, Russia's leading presidential candidate, believes the social and economic problems of the Russian Far East can be solved eventually, as the government currently has sufficient financial resources. Touring Khabarovsk on February 7, he conceded that the Far East regions still faced serious infrastructure... MORE
TEHRAN LOOKS TO DUSHANBE TO PROMOTE IRAN’S ROLE IN CENTRAL ASIA
Tajikistan’s President Emomali Rahmon has further deepened bilateral relations with Iran. During his visit to Tehran on February 9-10, he signed three main agreements relating to energy and transport cooperation. However, the bilateral talks also included meetings between the defense ministers and other officials, signaling... MORE
Al-Qaeda Warns Iraq Will Be Base for Attacks on Israel
“We will not recognize a state for the Jews, not even one inch of the land of Palestine … Blood calls for more blood and demolishing calls for further demolishing” [1]. Osama bin Laden said these words on December 29, 2007, signaling the accomplishment of... MORE
PUTIN AND MEDVEDEV SPEECHES SUGGEST THE FORMER WILL BE CALLING THE SHOTS
President Vladimir Putin’s February 8 speech on Russia’s development strategy through to 2020 and his final annual president press conference on February 14, together with the speech that his designated successor, First Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, delivered to the Krasnoyarsk Economic Forum on February... MORE
LUKOIL REDUCES OIL SUPPLIES TO GERMANY, AGAIN
Russia’s Lukoil has halted oil supplies to Germany through the Druzhba pipeline for the remainder of February and “until further notice.” This is the third interruption in Russian oil deliveries by pipeline to Germany in the space of 13 months. Russia’s pipeline monopoly Transneft halted... MORE