Candid Discussion with Radwan Masmoudi: Tunisia is a Laboratory for Arab Democracy
September 15, 2014 12 min. read

To look back at Tunisia’s long but successful transition, the constitution and examine challenges ahead as well as the future of Islamism, we sat down with Radwan A. Masmoudi, the Founder and President of the Center of the Study of Islam & Democracy (CSID).

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Cultural Cleansing with Chinese Characteristics?
September 12, 2014 5 min. read

In the remote northwestern autonomous region of Xinjiang, China authorities are certainly being exhaustive in their attempts to stem a spike in the long-running activity of Islamic militants. Recent attempts have involved the use of drones employed to locate, capture and kill suspected Islamic militants in the region, as well as restrictions being placed on the practice of Islam and the wearing of beards and veils in public.

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Chinese Autonomous Province May Seek to Limit Uighur Births
September 8, 2014 5 min. read

Authorities in the violence-prone Xinjiang Autonomous Region of China are sparing no measure in their crackdown on existing terrorists, and through a recently proposed policy, may even be trying to stem the birth of future terrorists. After a series of anti-terrorism efforts have repeatedly failed to stem the ongoing violence, a recent article in the party political theory journal Qiushi suggests Xinjiang may soon adopt limits on the ability of ethnic groups to bear children.

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When a Revolution is Undemocratic
September 2, 2014 6 min. read

It’s been said that “every country has an army, Pakistan’s Army has a country.” It’s a young republic at 67 years old, but it’s formidable military has never shied from seizing political power. Having spent several decades under martial law, last year’s elections were welcomed as ushering a new era of democracy with Asif Zardari […]

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Hezbollah’s War against ISIS
August 31, 2014 3 min. read

Despite Hezbollah’s radical Islamist ideology, they are opposed to ISIS and are working with local Christians within Lebanon to fight a war against the Sunni extremist terror group. Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran, is Shia, while ISIS is Sunni. Hezbollah, despite its radical Islamist ideology, considers ISIS to be a major security threat, according […]

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A Small Step Forward for Afghanistan
August 27, 2014 6 min. read

As the summer of blood and gore in the Middle East continues to demand American foreign policy attention, a looming catastrophe in Afghanistan has developed outside of the headlines, but now threatens to undermine everything the United States has attempted to achieve there.

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‘Getting Religion’ in Central Asia (Part 2 – National Debates)
August 19, 2014 9 min. read

One of the biggest questions among analysts in 1991 was whether the five republics of Central Asia, after 70 years of Communism, would re-claim their historical faith and become a region of political Islam. Almost 25 years on, secular autocrats still rule and recognize Muslim traditions but keep faith out of governance.

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Palestinian Official Daily: “The U.S. Established ISIS”
August 18, 2014 4 min. read

ISIS poses a threat to the entire Middle East region. They seek to conquer Israel, the Palestinian Authority, Jordan, Lebanon, and perhaps also Turkey after they are done with Iraq and Syria. Nevertheless, the official Palestinian Authority daily accuses the U.S. of establishing ISIS, instead of blaming their growth on sectarian tensions and the rise […]

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Unrest in Xinjiang Leading to Extreme Measures
August 11, 2014 5 min. read

Local authorities in China’s restive Xinjiang region are going all out in their efforts to fight terrorism, including those in the northwestern city of Karamay, who are now banning people who wear veils, head scarves, a loose-fitting garment called a jilbab, clothing with the crescent moon and star, and those with long beards, from boarding […]

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Palestinian Leader Mudar Zahran: “Hamas Gaining Popularity in the West Bank”
August 8, 2014 5 min. read

The head of the Palestinian community in Jordan Mudar Zahran, who is presently living in the West Bank and reporting live what is happening in Operation Protective Edge, stresses that Gazans now hate Hamas more than Israel, but Palestinians in the West Bank now are increasingly supporting Hamas. JerusalemOnline reported this week that the mass […]

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VICE NEWS DOCUMENTARY: THE ISLAMIC STATE
August 8, 2014 2 min. read

  Within a few weeks of its bloody foray into northern and central Iraq, the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), which was rebranded by its top management as the Islamic State (IS), has built a global reputation for unbridled savagery and ruthlessness. The group’s ongoing use of social media channels and of professional video […]

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Candid Discussions: Noura Erakat on the Conflict in Gaza
August 4, 2014 16 min. read

  Noura Erakat is a human rights attorney, activist, educator, and an outspoken critic of U.S. policy in the Middle East. She is an Assistant Professor at George Mason University, teaching international human rights law in the Middle East. She is also a co-editor of Jadaliyya, an online magazine focused on the Middle East produced by the Arab Studies Institute […]

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