In The News

Private Prayers for Assad's Survival

Dilip Hiro June 7, 2011
Street protests, along with a nod from the US, quickly led to the fall of Egypt's long-time ruler. Syrian streets have been the stage for protests and violent clashes since late January, too, but desire for stability from both friends and foes could ensure that Assad stays in power, warns author Dilip Hiro. Russia, a longtime ally of Syria, has supplied the regime with advanced weaponry...

The Battle for Pakistan

Bruce Riedel June 2, 2011
Pakistan's conflicting policy of fighting Al Qaeda while supporting Islamist militants against India has boomeranged spectacularly. Former intelligence official Bruce Riedel, now senior fellow at the Saban Center for Middle East Policy in the Brookings Institution, discounts the notion that Pakistan is a failed state. It is a state under siege by the very radicals nurtured by elements of...

Yemen Truce Ends With Blasts, Stokes Civil War Worries

Mohamed Sudam June 1, 2011
As citizens protest poverty and autocratic rule throughout the Middle East, global powers urge leaders to arrange transfer of power quickly, avoiding instability that allows terrorist groups to thrive. Yemen’s President Ali Abdullah Saleh has been in office for more than three decades, and analysts question whether a strategy is in play to allow Al Qaeda and extremists some gain in rural areas...

Thein Sein Tackles Chinese Navy Issue

Wai Moe May 26, 2011
Energy helps China maintain manufacturing prowess, steady employment and political stability. During a visit to China, Burma President Thein Sein will discuss the Chinese Navy’s use of Burmese ports, reports Wai Moe for the Irawaddy. China seeks permission to use ports rather than establish a permanent naval base, reports an anonymous source, aiming to patrol the Indian Ocean, protecting oil and...

Post-bin Laden: Pakistan’s Hour of Choice

Sadanand Dhume May 17, 2011
The Pakistani military at times has condoned extremism, specifically to needle India or squeeze US military aid. But terrorism is not a precision tool. Pakistan’s reputation as a trustworthy partner could be at an all-time low after the US discovered and killed bin Laden hiding near a Pakistani military academy. The international community is wary of Pakistan’s many links to global terrorism....

Nakba Protests Bring Arab Spring to Israel's Doorstep

Ariel Zirulnick May 17, 2011
Israel serves as a flashpoint for Arab anger, with tens of thousands of Palestinians and supporters gathering along its borders in Lebanon, Syria and Egypt to protest the nation’s 63rd anniversary. Lebanese and Israeli security forces used firepower and tear gas to control crowds, with 15 deaths reported. Protests against Israel are convenient for Arab leaders struggling with democracy movements...

Libyan Fallout: Does NATO Divide the Atlantic Partners? Part II

Tomas Valasek May 12, 2011
Despite internal divisions, Europe handily leads the military campaign in Libya, taking on global-policing duties long shouldered by the US. NATO’s objectives have shifted and expanded since 1949, with members divided about threats and strategy. This YaleGlobal series analyzes the transformation in the NATO alliance resulting from the Libyan crisis. Members share common goals, and thus the...