Latest Articles about Middle East

KREMLIN MOVES TO STRENGTHEN CONTROL OVER DAGESTAN

On Monday, July 17, Imam Yaraliev, prosecutor-general for Dagestan, announced his resignation. His deputy, Murad Kekhlerov, will take the post until the Russian prosecutor-general appoints a replacement. Yaraliev had been regarded as a highly corrupt official. According to information from the Dagestani prosecutor’s office, Yaraliev... MORE

PUTIN EMBRACES DOUBLE STANDARD IN MID-EAST CRISIS

Although the Russian press regularly rebukes the West for double standards regarding terrorism, such as supporting the insurgents in Chechnya, media outlets have not pointed out that Moscow is taking a similar stance regarding the current Middle East crisis. Western reports clearly indicate that Hezbollah,... MORE

Jihadi Web Forums Revel in Lebanon Confrontation

As fighting intensifies between Israel and Hezbollah, discussion on the jihadi forums focused on the impact of these actions on the mujahideen in the region, and to the longer term Middle East strategy for the global jihad. A concisely written article, entitled "The Dangers of... MORE

BUSH DOWNPLAYS “SOVEREIGN DEMOCRACY” AT PUTIN’S BARBECUE

The two-session summit between U.S. President George W. Bush and Russian President Vladimir Putin – dinner on Friday and working meeting on Saturday morning – was perhaps the most important part of the much-anticipated G-8 gathering at the Strelna complex outside St. Petersburg, July 15-17.... MORE

WILL WESTERN PRAGMATISM TOWARD MOSCOW OUTLAST THE G-8 SUMMIT?

For several months the so-called Russian backslide on democracy has dominated public discussions during the run up to the G-8 summit in St. Petersburg. Would Western leaders address the "backslide" during the July 15-17 summit? Civic and political activists opposed to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s... MORE

The Resiliency of Yemen’s Aden-Abyan Islamic Army

Yemen has had a long reputation of producing fighters for foreign wars. This tradition, as the current trial of a number of Yemenis for traveling to Iraq to fight illustrates, is still intact (al-Hayat, June 4). The 1980s were no exception, as Yemen contributed a... MORE

FRADKOV PROPOSES MULTIPLE JOINT VENTURES WITH MONGOLIA

During a visit to Mongolia this week, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov reiterated earlier pledges to strengthen economic ties with Ulan-Bator, once Moscow's closest ally in Asia. Russia and Mongolia can achieve a breakthrough in trade and economic ties, Fradkov said. Both sides have drafted... MORE