Saudi Arabia and international sports, a tale of politics and greed
By James M Dorsey Saudi Arabia brings out the worst in the world of international sports in terms of politics and greed. FIFA’s awarding Saudi Arabia the 2034 World Cup…
The Houthis – Iran’s reserve
Four of Iran’smain anti-Israel instruments are effectively out of action. Hamas is a shadow of the fighting force it once was; Hezbollah has been neutered…
Iran fears setback may open a Pandora’s box
By James M. Dorsey With Donald j. Trump two weeks away from returning to the White House, Iran and its Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) fear that recent setbacks could…
Israel’s military has a crisis even if it refuses to admit it
By James M. Dorsey Israel’s once-vaunted military faces an uncertain future. Not just because the International Court of Justice (ICJ) is set to judge Israel’s Gaza war conduct and the…
Putting Humpty Dumpty together in Syria
By James M Dorsey In Syria, putting Humpty Dumpty together again is no mean task. Israel’s demolition of the ill-equipped Syrian military and the recent occupation of additional Syrian territory…
Iran toys with fostering an armed insurgency in Syria
By James M. Dorsey Indications that Iran may not accept Bashar al-Assad’s downfall lying down raise the spectre of renewed sectarian strife that could not only destabilise Syria but also…
Syria- What hope of a democratic future?
Hope of a democratic future? Published in the Jerusalem Post, 23 December 2024 Abu Mohammed al-Julani surely never envisaged the rapidity with which the Assad…
Saudi Arabia balances ‘tolerance’ with support for ultra-conservatives in conflict zones
By James M. Dorsey Once viewed as a breeder of religious extremism, Saudi Arabia earned brownie points as the international community sighed a sigh of relief when Mohammed bin Salman,…
Israel pushes for greater cooperation with the US in targeting Iran
By James M. Dorsey With Iran’s Axis of Resistance in shambles, Israel and its supporters in the United States are lobbying for greater US-Israeli cooperation in targeting the Islamic Republic’s…
Israel’s Middle East war: Yemen is definitely next, maybe Iran too
By James M. Dorsey Much like Hezbollah miscalculated with its 15-month-long war of attrition against Israel, Yemen’s Houthi rebels risk being the next target in Israel’s campaign to rewrite the…