Regions

We all know that Somalia is “A country in peril, a policy nightmare.” Now we have this Ken Menkhaus report (pdf) to give us the grim and graphic details.  Do take the time to read the whole thing.

Tarek Shahin, a mid-twenties Egyptian graduate from the American University in Cairo, is a financial analyst by trade and a cartoonist by heart.  He pens the Al Khan comic strip in Daily News Egypt, the country's leading independent English daily.  Tarek excels at showing how different groups in Egypt react to the world around them.  […]

A car bomb explosion on Wednesday killed a ranking official of Druze leader Talal Arslan's Lebanese Democratic Party in the eastern resort of Baisour and wounded six people, police reported. Saleh al-Aridi, in his late 40s, a member of the party's central council, was killed instantly when the bomb ripped through his Mercedes car in […]

The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace puts out a monthly newsletter with nuggets of analysis on the Middle East, and it's always a treat. September's issue is out today (in a new format!) so check it out. I am probably going to blog about the Kuwait article (Rentierism Revisited) tomorrow or Friday –  or maybe […]

                                               So Secretary Rice just completed a tour of North Africa, hitting Libya, Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco. For obvious reasons her meetings with Muammar Qaddafi of Libya received a great deal of attention; click here for a little State Department commentary on Libya's role in the international community since its diplomatic relations with the US […]

  …I'd rather compose romances for you – more profit in it and more charm.                                                         –V.V Mayakovsky I am sick of this whole Georgia thing. I’ve had enough of politics, international relations, diplomatic intrigue! I hate how news has to be about events. Who cares about events? When was the last time an event […]

As the election is almost upon us, this is the best time to become more informed about the issues.  My goal with this post is to display the facts, and let you judge for yourself.  The only thing that I will tell you to do is register and VOTE (if you didn't know, many states […]

DERA ISMAIL KHAN, Pakistan ‚ Two important al-Qaida operatives were among four foreign militants killed in a CIA missile strike in Pakistan's northwest, officials said Wednesday. Some Pakistani intelligence officials said one of the men was in charge of the terror network's activities in Pakistan's tribal regions, semiautonomous areas that the U.S. fears have become […]

South Africa's unmatched political cartoonist Zapiro has caused quite a stir, infuriating the Jacob Zuma wing of the African National Congress over this controversial cartoon depicting various wings of the ANC holding down the justice system, depicted as a woman struggling to break free, as Jacob Zuma prepares to, well, rape her.   [Zapiro, Sunday […]

 In the beginning the motive was clear. The majority had to become a minority by killing, not by elections. At that time the country had no president and the assassination trend was meant to stop the majority from electing a president by 65 votes out of 128, which is the 50 + 1 formula. However, […]

Another terrorist group tried and sentenced in Britain; another link with Pakistan as the training centre for terrorists established. This time, the group of eight accused of trying to blow up seven airliners over the Atlantic two years ago was in the spotlight following a lengthy trial. Three were found guilty of assorted terrorism charges, […]

The minimum wage was raised. Finally a piece of good news although at the prices they have here its far from being decent. Maybe some should slow down the corruption and use the money for the people. What an awkward idea, no? President Suleiman invited all camps [realistically there are more than two] to attend […]