US-Saudi nuclear talks: A barometer for whither the Middle East?
Talks aimed at transferring US nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia serve as an indicator of where the Saudi-Iranian rivalry is heading as well as...
Arab anger: Governments and protesters walk a fine line
A little noticed subtext to furious protests across the Middle East and North Africa against US President Donald J. Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as...
China leverages Belt and Road investment to shape Pakistan’s political environment
A Chinese decision to redevelop criteria for the funding of infrastructure projects that are part of the $50 billion plus China Pakistan Economic Corridor...
Tackling Sunni Muslim ultra-conservatism: A Pakistani-US collision in the making
A recent government surrender to militant demands for stricter adherence to Islam mediated by the military coupled with the release from house arrest of...
Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem: Letting a genie out of the bottle
US President Donald J. Trump has let a genie out of the bottle with his recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and intent to...
Qatari Wahhabism vs. Saudi Wahhabism and the perils of top-down change
A multi-domed, sand-coloured, architectural marvel, Doha’s biggest and national mosque, symbolizes Qatar’s complex and troubled relationship with Saudi Arabia. Its naming six years ago...
Egyptian President Al-Sisi steps up repression to cover policy failure
Egyptian general-turned-president Abdul Fattah Al-Sisi would likely be the first to admit that an iron fist is no guarantee for retaining power. Not because...
Saudi Arabia’s Lebanon gamble may pay off
Time will tell, but Saudi Arabia’s gamble to pressure Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed, Lebanese Shiite militia, by forcing Saad Hariri, the country’s prime minister, to...
Gulf Crisis Creates Opportunity for Asian Nations
The rift between the Gulf countries and Qatar has created a space for Asian countries to step in to engage with the small peninsular...
Targeting Islamic scholars from Malaysia to Tunisia, Saudi Arabia puts itself in the bull’s eye
By declaring the Qatar-based International Union of Islamic Scholars (ILUM) a terrorist organization, Saudi Arabia is confronting some of the world's foremost Islamic political...