Middle East & Africa
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...
Qatari opposition: A failed Quartet project
The stand-off between Qatar and the Saudi-led Arab bloc has entered its fifth month bringing to the surface some Qatari exile opposition figures. Despite...
Trouble in sport’s paradise: Can Qatar overcome the diplomatic crisis?
The crisis in the Gulf that pits Qatar against a UAE-Saudi-led alliance is Qatar's least problem when it comes to the 2022 World Cup....
Tackling Corruption: Why Saudi Prince Mohammed’s approach raises questions
Leave aside for a moment questions of due process. Analysis of Saudi Arabia's three largest corporate failures explains why Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's...
Saudi Prince Mohammed’s Achilles Heel: Misreading tea leaves in Washington
Emboldened by perceived White House support, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman appears to have stepped up his risky, so far faltering effort to...
FIFA on Trial: Qatar’s World Cup back in the firing line
Testimony of a star witness in a New York courtroom has revealed new allegations of Qatari wrongdoing in its successful bid for the 2022...
Iranian Perspective on Egyptian Revolution: From Optimism to Despair
From the Iranian perspective, Arab Spring and movements for Islamic resurgence in the Arab world were inspired by Islamic Revolution (1979) in Iran. It...
Transition in the Middle East: Transition to what?
Transition is the name of the game in the Middle East and North Africa. The question is transition to what? Dominating...