China, Russia, and Iran Conduct Joint Military Exercises: Is the US Losing Its Grip on the Middle East?
China, Russia, and Iran have conducted joint military exercises in the Gulf of Oman, raising concern in the West about China’s growing influence in the Middle East. The five-day drill,…
Saudi Iranian détente potentially sparks paradigm shifts
Chinese mediation between Saudi Arabia and Iran potentially signals paradigm shifts in Middle Eastern diplomacy and alliances. The mediation suggests a more productive approach than that of the United States…
Britain and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps
Alireza Akbari, an Iranian politician and once a senior officer in Iran’s notorious IRGC (Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps), was deputy Minister of Defense from 1998 to 2003. In 2009 he was…
Questions from Turkey’s quake
On August 17, 1999, Turkey suffered an earthquake registering 7.6 on the Richter scale that killed some 176,000 people. The then leader of the opposition in Turkey’s parliament, Recep Tayyip…
Earthquakes Strike Turkey and Syria, Leaving Devastation and a Miracle Baby
On February 6, 2023, Turkey was hit by a devastating earthquake that claimed the lives of over 47,000 people, leaving many more injured, homeless, and traumatized. Two weeks later, on…
Trapped and Betrayed: How LGBT+ People in the Middle East Are Being Hunted Online
Human Rights Watch has released a report that highlights how government officials across the Middle East and North Africa are targeting LGBT+ people based on their online activities, particularly on…
UAE’s mastery of playing both sides against the middle has its limits
The United Arab Emirates has mastered playing both sides against the middle. In the game’s latest iteration, the Gulf state earned significant brownie points in Washington this week by withdrawing…
Why does the US ignore Hamas?
Antony Blinken, US Secretary of State, was in Israel on January 30 and 31, incorporating a quick trip on the 31st to Palestinian Authority (PA) headquarters in Ramallah. Blinken…