(Music and band performance review) Members of the band Niyaz are similar to the music they produce: stunningly eclectic. They represent different ethnic, religious, and national backgrounds. Their music resurrects ancient arts and give life to words spoken in different tongues. Their songs seamlessly transition from Persian, to Urdu, to Kurdish, to Turkish, to Arabic. Read more
Continue Readingby Ahmed E. Souaiaia* Syrians vote, June 3, 2014. Most Western governments and some observers argue that the elections that took place in Syria on June 3, 2014 were not legitimate because not all Syrians were able (or willing) to participate, they were held under war conditions, and Syrians were coerced into voting for the Read more
Continue ReadingIraq needs a strong government to face the ethnic and religious divisions that continue to cost Iraq nearly 1000 lives every month in the last few months. Most recently, al-Qaeda affiliates or al-Qaeda alike armed groups took control of several cities and towns in western Iraq threatening the unity of the country. Also, Kurdish leaders Read more
Continue Readingby Tarek Al-Abed On May 7, Syria’s Daraa province witnessed three events. First, battles broke out in the western countryside and militants started advancing toward the province. Second, a march was staged in support of the regime, near the location where armed confrontations were underway. Third, tension between Jabhat al-Nusra and other armed groups escalated Read more
Continue ReadingBy Sumeyye Pakdil * see key below Turkey has been occupied with a corruption scandal and the recent split between Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Fethullah Gulen, a prominent religious figure who leads a worldwide Sunni movement named after him. Arguably, this split dates back to the government’s decision to close all school preparation Read more
Continue Readingby Ahmed E. Souaiaia* Riding the wave of protests known as the Arab Spring, many Syrians rallied to demand more political and civil rights. Without the hesitancy that characterized their initial reaction to the protest movements in Tunisia and Egypt, Western administrations and some of the Persian Gulf regimes immediately threw their support behind the Read more
Continue ReadingThe new Saudi anti-terrorism law is anti-dissent, anti-civil rights draconian law? by Ahmed E. Souaiaia* For weeks even before President Obama’s arrival in Saudi Arabia, the rulers of Saudi Arabia have worked hard to make the summit successful. They knew that extremism, regional stability, and the Middle East peace process are high on the U.S. Read more
Continue Readingby Jacob Havel Afghanistan Sitting Afghani President Hamid Karzai remains defiant towards U.S. demands that he sign the Bilateral Security Agreement. If signed, the agreement would allow for continued military cooperation between Afghanistan and the U.S.+NATO including troop presence, monetary aid, and continued training of Afghani security forces. While many see Western aid as vital, Read more
Continue ReadingA. F. al-Sisi by Jared Ethan Krauss IN a move that surprised everyone not in Sisi’s circle, the cabinet has resigned. The move comes as, in recent weeks, criticism and protests of the interim government have grown. Egypt has seen no economic improvements since the revolution, and violence has only increased since the ouster of Morsi. Read more
Continue Readingby Ahmed E. Souaiaia* Two rounds of indirect talks between representatives of the Syrian government and some representatives of the Syrian Coalition have failed to launch a political dialogue to end the deadly crisis in Syria, now entering its fourth year. The failure was expected. Members of the opposition forces did not represent even Read more
Continue Reading