In The News

Iran Frustrated Attempting to Take Charge of Arab Rising

Jamsheed K. Choksy December 13, 2011
When the Arab uprisings began, Iran was delighted. Iranian leaders claimed credit, suggesting their 1979 revolution inspired the revolutionary spirit sweeping the region – even though Iran repressed its own election protesters in summer of 2009. Young adults who galvanized protests did not risk all to overthrow autocratic leaders in favor of controlling fundamentalists. New leaders cautiously...

Coptic Christians Rage Against Egypt’s Army

October 12, 2011
Egypt’s revolution demanding human rights and just representation could be high-jacked by special interests. Tensions between Muslims and Coptic Christians, the latter making up about 10 percent of Egypt’s population of 80 million, are on the rise. The military took brutal measures on Coptic Christians protesting the burning of a church by Muslim extremists, and at least 25 people died. The...

Message to Perry: Stop Banging on About Israel

Simon Schama September 28, 2011
Global communications put US politicians and presidential candidates on the world stage with constant scrutiny. Attempts by Texas Governor Rick Perry, a Republican candidate for US president, to blast President Barack Obama’s Middle East policies and support Israel, may have backfired, revealing an ignorance of history, US policies and security issues that’s alarming, argues author Simon Schama,...

Egyptian Youth Sidelined From Their Own Revolution

Mohamed El Dahshan July 19, 2011
Egypt’s revolution is incomplete. Massive protests press on in Cairo and other cities, with many upset about the military overseeing transition from a crony dictatorship to democracy. Confusion of a transitional leadership and fast-approaching elections is unsettling: The transitional government lacks popular mandate, yet has little choice but to move quickly on budgetary and other matters with...

Why My Father Hated India

Aatish Taseer July 19, 2011
Resentment lingers since Pakistan’s 1947 birth and partition from India, with an ongoing rivalry that embroils the closest of personal relationships and endangers international security. “In the absence of a true national identity, Pakistan defined itself by its opposition to India,” explains novelist Aatish Taseer, son of a Pakistani father, recently killed by militants, and an Indian Sikh...

Dutch MPs Vote to Ban Religious Slaughter

June 29, 2011
The Dutch parliament approved a bill, 116 to 30, banning halal and kosher slaughter. The bill moves on to the Dutch Senate. Jewish and Muslim leaders contend the ban on slaughtering conscious animals limits religious freedom. The European Convention on Human Rights describes when limits can be applied: “Freedom to manifest one's religion or beliefs shall be subject only to such limitations...

Turkey-Syria-Iran Triangle Is Being Redrawn

Nihat Ali Özcan June 26, 2011
Turkey as a moderate Islamic nation tried to foster good relations with both Sunni - and Shiite - majority countries, even after the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003 exposed, perhaps even exacerbated, Sunni-Shiite polarization. But the Arab uprisings this year have not only pushed Iraq into the background, but compelled nations like Turkey to take sides, explains Nihat Ali Özcan in an opinion...