Latest Articles about Middle East

Al-Qaeda’s Presence in Lebanon

After a missile attack on Israel from south Lebanon on December 27, 2005, the Organization of al-Qaeda in Iraq, or the Land of the Two Rivers, issued an audio-recording for its leader, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, in which he claimed responsibility for the attack and said... MORE

RUSSIAN ECONOMIC BOOM GOES UNNOTICED IN DAVOS

This year's World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, featured many themes that could have benefited from a Russian perspective. From the "New Mindset for the UN" to "Europe's Identity Crisis" and "A Take on Tehran" to "The Need for Effective Leadership in Addressing Global Risks,"... MORE

COUNCIL OF EUROPE CONDEMNS COMMUNISM OVER MOSCOW’S OPPOSITION

Against Russian-led opposition, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) approved by a simple majority of votes on January 25 a report calling for "International Condemnation of the Crimes of Communist Regimes." The move in Strasbourg marks the first time that an inter-governmental... MORE

MOSCOW PUTS KADYROV’S PRIVATE ARMY UNDER ITS OWN COMMAND

Ramzan Kadyrov is the most powerful figure in Chechnya. Ordinary Chechens are afraid of him and his thugs, the kadyrovtsy. Even the Russian military forces posted in Chechnya do not dare to oppose the kadyrovsty. This fear is so widespread that it has become conventional... MORE

Internet Mujahideen Analyze the Latest Bin Laden Audio Tape

The rarity of an Osama bin Laden commentary (one year after the last broadcast in December 2004) is stirring a wealth of commentary in the world's media. The focus is on its veracity and on the implications for the West of the truce offer coupled... MORE

Al-Zarqawi Reportedly Moves to New Area of Iraq

A report by al-Jazeera satellite TV on January 22, citing Iraqi military officials who claim that Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the head of al-Qaeda in Iraq, is in the Diyala province (northeast of Baghdad), runs contrary to the assessments of Iraqi intelligence services and U.S. military... MORE

RUSSIA STRUGGLES WITH COLD AND SHIVERS FROM ENERGY INSECURITY

For a second week Russia has been making international news even though its political life remains close to hibernation. Arctic air has spread over its vast territory, bringing bitterly cold temperatures that most cities have not seen for the last 25 years. Moscow, with daytime... MORE

DAMAGE CONTROL FOR RUSSIA AND CHINA AFTER CHEMICAL SPILL

The November 2005 benzene spill came as an unwanted irritant for Moscow's and Beijing's stated policy of "strategic partnership." Subsequently, both sides went ahead with damage control measures, which were summed up at talks in Moscow. To deal with the slick's aftermath, a Chinese mission... MORE

KREMLIN ENERGY POLICY IN EUROPE: DIVIDE ET IMPERA

The jury is still out on whether Russian President Vladimir Putin's idea to turn his country into an "energy superpower" is a viable long-term development strategy. Yet in the short run, Moscow appears likely to continue aggressively using its seemingly boundless mineral resources to re-assert... MORE

Internet Mujahideen Intensify Research on U.S. Economic Targets

A series of documents recently (re)circulating on the internet continue to underline a pressing jihadist interest in targeting U.S. economic assets. Some of these documents are quite explicit and detailed, giving indications of specific pipelines and facilities to attack—not only in the Gulf, but wherever... MORE