The necessity of Iraqi Sunni independence
One of the main prerequisites to defeating ISIS in Iraq is to determine the political future of Sunni Iraqis. The Obama administration must therefore begin, concurrently... Read More
Use the economy for cooperation, not for boycotts
In the absence of political negotiations, civil society should take the lead and start by building business communities.
Yugoslavia, Syria and Iraq – lessons learnable?
The demise of Yugoslavia has several important lessons for other divided contexts. First, if you want to maintain the stability of internally divided states, it... Read More
Israel-Palestine – it’s time for a new strategy
The regional turmoil must not forestall the Israeli-Palestinian peace process; on the contrary, it should serve as the catalyst that could end one of the... Read More
The fractured response of humanitarian aid in Syria
Humanitarian response to the Syrian crisis remains a high priority of national governments and intergovernmental organisations. But the multiplying regional conflicts are hampering all efforts... Read More
Difficult but necessary road to Yemen negotiations
In order to achieve peaceful conflict resolution, peaceful means must be employed so that common interests can be found. As NGO representatives, we can work... Read More
Can the US-Iran nuclear deal hold?
The great game with Iran is the oldest and the most interesting example of the US exerting its dominance towards becoming not just energy independent,... Read More
Can tribal institutions help rebuild Yemen?
Although Yemen is economically the poorest country in the Middle East, it may be the wealthiest in social capital. Yemen’s limited experience with colonialism has... Read More
A government neither by nor for the people
The time is overdue for the rise of new leadership that pursues peace with vigor, seeks social justice and equality, and lives up to the... Read More
Women in Yemen – a force for change
One day the violence will end, and there will once again be a chance for women to promote peace as the best resistance of sectarian... Read More
Anti-semitism and Israel’s moral imperative
Israel must not conveniently dismiss anti-Semitism simply as an incurable disease when in reality it is practicing “anti-Semitism” against a large segment of its own... Read More
Why military interventions fail
In examining history, it is hard to avoid the conclusion that a number of major ‘stabilizing interventions’ should not have occurred at all.
Integration is the open secret to deradicalization
Western governments must develop a long-term deradicalization strategy to stem the flow of Muslim volunteers with the objective of substantially reducing the threat they pose... Read More
Why must Pakistan support Saudi Arabia in Yemen?
Pakistan must not only side with Saudi Arabia and the coalition but must also play a leading role in the Middle East conflict.
Women and the Arab Spring – a dream turned nightmare
Change must start from within each individual. As quoted in the Quran, “Indeed, Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change... Read More
The shortcut to deradicalization is the long road
Given the continuing widespread death and destruction sweeping the Middle East, however, the Arab states have little choice but to develop a long-term comprehensive strategy... Read More
Freedom in martyrdom
If the Arab leaders want to end the scourge of violent extremism, they must assume some responsibility and not simply blame the West for their... Read More
The active defense of the cultural heritage of humanity
Today we face the deliberate destruction of cultural heritage, such as the large Buddha statues in Afghanistan, manuscripts in Timbuktuica and religious and cultural artifacts... Read More
Is Yemen the new Saudi-Iran battleground?
What the two sides – Saudi Arabia, on the one hand, and Iran on the other – are doing is, in effect, engaging in a new... Read More
Iran, not ISIS, is the real menace
The nuclear deal may in fact embolden Iran to continue its subversive activities. But it can also allow Iran to turn a page in its... Read More
The future of (nuclear) war
The taboo against the use of nuclear weapons is fading as newer nuclear powers consider whether to use them as they would any other tools... Read More
What to do about civil war?
As difficult on a human level as it may be to stand back and not intervene, the best approach to the conflicts in the Mideast... Read More
Likud’s victory is Israel’s defeat
Israel, which has been led astray by Netanyahu for so long, is fast approaching a new precipice unlike any other it has faced in years... Read More
9/11 wars – a reckoning
Snared by geopolitical interests, post-9/11 interventions have too easily been captured by leading states. A robust law enforcement process must serve enforcers of law, not... Read More
Iran, Israel and the bomb
The real issue raised by the dispute between President Obama and Netanyahu – one that should transcend politics – is whether it is possible to... Read More