Latest Articles about Middle East
PKK Leadership Under Pressure in the Post-Öcalan Era
Every year the number of attacks by and on the guerrillas of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) mounts, seemingly by the day. Relatively infrequently, though, the world is permitted a glimpse of the PKK’s shadowy mid- and upper-level leadership figures, those who have recruited, trained... MORE
MOSCOW CONCEDES NEED FOR MAJOR TRANSIT INVESTMENT
At the State Council's November 13 meeting in Krasnoyarsk, Russian President Vladimir Putin declared that transportation infrastructure is strategically important for the country's economic growth. He conceded that the bulk of Russia's transportation facilities have become worn-out and obsolete, as most civilian planes, river ships,... MORE
IRAN PLAYS “GREAT GAME” POLITICS OVER TURKMENISTAN
International competition in Turkmenistan’s energy sector is supplying a pretext for Iran to remind Ashgabat of its need to preserve good relations with Tehran. A bilateral meeting held in Ashgabat on November 19, attended by senior foreign ministry officials from Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan, considered the... MORE
If Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Strike Back: The Case of Iraq
The recent move by the U.S. government to designate Iran’s most powerful military unit, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), as a terrorist organization reflects a tougher U.S. stance towards Tehran in response to its controversial nuclear program and military reach in the Middle East.... MORE
Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood: Political Islam Without al-Qaeda
The September 11, 2001 attacks inspired an unprecedented upsurge of interest in Middle East and Islamic studies within academic, policymaking and security circles in the United States. Now, more than ever, Americans are seeking to understand the circumstances that culminated in the worst terrorist attacks... MORE
Strategic Implications for Northern Iraq’s Kurdish Oil Industry
Article 3, paragraph 3 of the Oil and Gas Law of the Kurdistan Region seems straightforward enough: “The Regional Government shall, together with the Federal Government, jointly manage Petroleum Operations … according to the provisions of the Federal Constitution” [1]. The law seems clear until... MORE
RUSSIAN OPPOSITION LEADERS DETAINED: IS A CRACKDOWN UNDERWAY?
The past week has not been a good one for opponents of President Vladimir Putin’s rule. Police in St. Petersburg, Moscow, and other cities forcibly broke up opposition demonstrations and detained a number of opposition leaders. The actions followed Putin’s speech to supporters at Moscow’s... MORE
PUTIN PLEDGES MORE MONEY AND HOUSING FOR MILITARY
It is an old Russian military tradition to gather all of Russia's top military brass in Moscow in late November or early December for a meeting to "summarize the year's achievements and outline future tasks." With snow already in the fields, military training ceases as... MORE
Al-Qaeda Urges Iraq’s Insurgents to Consolidate Victory Over America
Nearly a month since Osama bin Laden published his message to “our people in Iraq,” it is worth taking a look at what bin Laden really said versus what the media, Western leaders and some prematurely mirthful pundits claim he said (IntelCenter, October 23). In... MORE
Turkey’s Generals Speak out on Counter-Terrorism Strategies
Turkish journalist Fikret Bila has just released an important work based on interviews with a number of retired Turkish military commanders. Komutanlar Cephesi (The Commanders’ Position) examines the generals’ views on Turkey’s past and present security efforts. Excerpts from interviews with five retired generals were... MORE