Commentary

US soldier checking IraqisNegotiating the future US presence in Iraq The United States and Iraqi governments are currently at loggerheads over the nature of the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) which allows US forces to continue in Iraq beyond 31 December 2008. The key issue for an agreement is a clarification of Iraq’s sovereignty.
31 Oct 2008
General Odierno meets with local religious leadersIraq after Petraeus: How do you solve a problem called militia? One of the many issues that face General Ray Odierno as he settles his massive military frame into the chair left empty by General David Petraeus is how to deal with the militias. Maintaining the momentum of the recent military successes relies on the continuing professional development of the Iraqi Security Forces. But if these forces are to have credibility the militia issue must be tackled.
19 Sep 2008
Jordan embraces a new Middle East: King Abdullah’s visit to Iraq King Abdullah of Jordan became the first Arab head of state to visit Iraq after the fall of Saddam. His visit signals a pragmatic policy towards a changing Middle East.
13 Aug 2008
Lebanese flagThe Cedar Dissolution: Lebanon’s Civil Strife The latest stand-off between Hezbollah and the Lebanese government underlines the primacy of the Shia movement. They have now fundamentally challenged the terms of the grand bargain between Lebanon’s many different sects and confessions.
15 May 2008
Petraeus report to Congress – upbeat but still a long way to go Despite the upbeat, though sober report presented by General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker, the fact remains that the US still has no workable exit strategy other than to hope for the best and be prepared to exploit whatever favourable opportunities might arise.
9 Apr 2008
Small Israel flagAssessing Israel’s Gaza Strategies Halting Hamas rocket attacks on Israel will ultimately require an authority that holds both the power and the interest to do so. Under the current circumstances, only two such potential authorities exist – Israel and Hamas.
28 Mar 2008
Engaging IranEngaging Iran The British left must face-up to the truth: Iran could still develop a nuclear bomb in the next few years. This can only be avoided, says Malcolm Chalmers, by engagement and diplomacy.
22 Jan 2008
Persian GulfDire Straits for US Mid-East Policy: The Gulf Arab States and US-Iran Relations The US President visits the Gulf amidst heightened tension between the United States and Iran. But the latest episode in the Straits of Hormuz only underlines the wariness towards both countries by Gulf Arab States.
9 Jan 2008
Mahmoud Ahmedinejad IranSticks, Carrots and Diplomacy: Preventing Military Confrontation with Iran An analysis of the means the US should employ in its policy towards Iran's nuclear ambitions. A combination of sticks, carrots and diplomacy might serve Washington's aims better than sanctions and rhetorical brinksmanship.
31 Oct 2007
Turkish flagTurkey's intervention in northern Iraq Turkey's decision to authorize a deployment of troops to Iraq will be enough to persuade Iraq to take action against the PKK and the US to develop a more pragmatic reading of Ottoman history.
18 Oct 2007
Lebanese flagCondemning Lebanon: Liberalism and the War on Terror Violent interventions in the sovereign space of other states are rapidly becoming a familiar feature of contemporary global politics.
25 Sep 2007
OF TRUTH, TRADITION AND TRADUCEMENT Observations on the Iran Captives Issue 13 Apr 2007
HMS CornwallANALYSIS: Iranian Seizure of Royal Navy Sailors In light of the established evidence, the Iranian seizure of Royal Navy personnel seems bizarre
26 Mar 2007
North Korea's Nuclear Test: The Fallout for Iran The end of ambiguity about Pyongyang's nuclear capacity raises fundamental questions affecting China, the United States, and the future of international non-proliferation strategy. Indirectly, these consequences could actually work to the advantage of the West in its attempts to prevent Iran 'going nuclear'.
17 Oct 2006
Après le déluge After a month long war, perhaps the most significant in the Middle East in its recent history, are we now witnessing a new regional order?
18 Aug 2006
Gaza: Lessons of Sinai The Gaza Disengagement Plan has already achieved a remarkable result: re-injecting a sense of progress and anticipation into the Palestine-Israel peace process. However, this hubris is itself the enemy of clarity.
15 Aug 2005
Saudia Arabia After King Fahd: Initial analysis 2 Aug 2005
Review: Globalised Islam Olivier Roy, one of the world’s great experts on Islamism and the Middle East, brings fascinating news from the front in the battle of civilisations.
13 Dec 2004
The Road to Jerusalem Arafat is dead. Across the Arab world, the news was greeted with an outpouring of shock and mourning that dwarfed anything we have seen in the West since the generation of WWII leaders died.
7 Dec 2004
Review: The War for Muslim Minds The book addresses Muslims first and foremost, and particularly European Muslims. For it is through them that Kepel sees the only hope of ending this clash of civilisations.
13 Dec 2004
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