Latest Articles about Middle East
Yemen’s Al-Iman University: A Pipeline for Fundamentalists?
The recent arrests of 23 men, including four Europeans and three Australians, have once again raised questions about Yemen's al-Iman University and its possible links to extremism. Initial reports suggested that the European and Australian suspects, who were accused of smuggling weapons to Islamist militias... MORE
The Shiite Zarqawi: A Profile of Abu Deraa
Depending on whom you ask, Abu Deraa is either considered a Shiite hero or the Shiite version of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. The legendary militant, notorious for his brutal tactics and hatred for Sunnis, is known to operate out of Sadr City, yet he remains a... MORE
Hezbollah Denounces Alleged Attempt to Turn Lebanon into a ‘New Iraq’
Three months after the end of the Israeli/Hezbollah war, there is growing tension between Hezbollah and the "March 14" anti-Syrian political coalition that dominates the Lebanese government. In an October 31 interview with al-Manar TV and al-Nur Radio (Hezbollah-owned media sources), Hezbollah leader Sheikh Hassan... MORE
Mujahideen Consider American Elections a Sign of U.S. Defeat in Iraq
The results of the U.S. interim elections last Tuesday resonated with the mujahideen and their supporters online. Discussion centered around a theme of victory for the Iraqi mujahideen and an inevitable U.S. military defeat in Iraq, demonstrated by the Republicans' resounding loss. The election results... MORE
A Rewarding Month for Al-Qaeda and its Allies
It has become common in the United States and the West to acknowledge the difficulty of integrating and making sense of the disparate, geographically diverse events that occur in the war on terrorism and to assess which side is winning. The first half of November,... MORE
U.S. GREEN LIGHTS RUSSIAN WTO MEMBERSHIP, SEEKS AGREEMENT ON IRAN
Last July, just before the G-8 summit in St. Petersburg, Russian Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin told reporters that Washington and Moscow had reached a deal on Russian membership in the World Trade Organization and that a final bilateral agreement would be signed during the summit... MORE
PUTIN-LUKASHENKA MEETING SHATTERS
As anticipated (see EDM, November 8), Belarus President Alexander Lukashenka’s meeting with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Moscow on November 10 ended in disagreement on the full range of issues discussed. In a highly unusual move, the Kremlin kept the publicity down to near-zero... MORE
COULD CORRUPTION BE GOOD FOR RUSSIA?
The new Corruption Perception Index, published by Transparency International last week, put Russia in 121st place together with nine other states, including the Philippines and Rwanda. This ranking is one group above Azerbaijan but one group below Kazakhstan and three groups below Ukraine and Georgia... MORE
RUSSIA’S LONG-TERM EXPORT STRATEGY FOR ASIA REMAINS CHINA-ORIENTED
Russian gas leaders have reiterated pledges to prioritize China in their long-term oil export programs for Asia, as Moscow seemingly plans to direct the bulk of its Asian-bound crude to the lucrative Chinese market. And even before its own pipeline to the Pacific and China... MORE
KREMLIN CONTINUES ATTEMPTS TO DIVIDE EUROPE
Trying to create a rift within the European Union, Russia wants the international community to condemn some of the bloc’s new members that allegedly discriminate against certain categories of their own population. According to analysts, big-time geopolitics, including the extremely sensitive issue of energy security,... MORE