Fear, in its various forms, has always been at the root of the most tragic events in the history of humankind. Nowadays, fear of the onset of the bloody Islamic State (IS) and the spread of Ebola are having a tremendous impact on the behavior of global and regional players. It is fear that seemingly binds together these two otherwise unconnected threats. According to Jonathan Freedland, "[IS] feeds Ebola, and Ebola feeds [IS] — and our fear feeds them both."
The fight against IS has...
... three years.
At the same time, the West has made it clear that it will not cooperate with the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad and has expressed doubts about the effectiveness of cooperating with Russia in resolving the most acute crisis in the Middle East.
Do serious politicians and experts in the West really believe that bombing will solve the problem of Islamic extremism in the Middle East? Has Washington learned nothing from past experience using force in Iraq, Libya and Afghanistan? Does ...
... The unabated conflict in Syria and fragile internal situation in Iraq are creating fertile ground for a strengthening in the position of the Islamic State. What will the West, particularly the United States, do next? Will the current alliances in the Middle East undergo any changes?
Vitaly Naumkin
, Doctor of History, Professor and RIAC member, Director of the RAS Institute of Oriental Studies, shares his insights on the situation.
Will the fight against the Islamic State reshape the current alliances ...
Sohail Mahmood (Pakistan), Mehdi Dehnavi (Iran)
The recent extremist uprisings in the Middle East are one of the most alarming international news of this year. International community seems to fail with generating new efficient ideas how to deal with this ordeal.
The IS is spreading steadily its influence and is gaining support among people....
In recent months, the Ukrainian crisis and the sharp deterioration in relations between Russia and the West have pushed the Middle East up the scale of Russia's foreign policy priorities. The sudden and rapid surge in terrorist activity in the Middle East and North Africa as well as the terrorists’ military successes in Iraq have determined Russia’s renewed focus ...
Less than two weeks ago President Obama, sitting for an interview with The Economist magazine, basically went ‘old school’ on President Putin, dismissing his Presidency, his country, and the future of both. While his words were certainly blatant and blunt, what might be even more revealing is the subtle subtext hidden inside his cavalier attitude: apparently even Presidents are not above being petulant.
There can be little debate about President Obama’s intent to insult and offend...
Dynamics and Trends in Water Consumption
The population of the Arabian monarchies is expected to reach
59 million by 2025 and 72 million by 2050. As a result, water seems to be becoming even more important as a strategic resource than hydrocarbons.
One ton of fresh water is already more expensive than a ton of oil
in this water-scarce environment, meaning that water security is a key prerequisite for the region’s future development.
Water Supply
Except for Oman, all Gulf Cooperation Council...
... rather than the Falklands, which for London is like a red cloth to a bull.
Against the background of the serious deterioration in US-Russian relations, the Kremlin does not want to lose track of the constructive cooperation with the White House in the Middle East peace process, where there are already points of contention between Moscow and Washington. For instance, there is disagreement over the reconciliation between Hamas and Fatah.
The Kremlin took into account the restrained position taken by ...
... connections and leveled accusations of Iranian involvement and support to the Houthis, what with the common Shia heritage. These accusations are not completely baseless. Iran has a long history of generating support for whatever groups it can find across the Middle East, especially if those groups might share a particular hatred for Israel. Saudi Arabia has actually always supported the Yemen government’s version of events, but, keeping in mind the earlier axiom that foreign affairs are never simple ...
ISIL or al-Qaeda 2.0?
On June 10, 2014, Iraq was shattered by yet another political earthquake, raising the possibility of another Afghanistan located right in the heart of the Middle East. Within just a very small number of days, the terrorist organization Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL), known in Iraq and Syria for appalling atrocities and militant fanaticism, was able to occupy the two-million person city of Mosul,...
