The Religious factor in the war in Ukraine

Hosni Mahalli* Some Western commentators are now talking about Russian President Vladimir Putin’s efforts to revive the legacy of the Soviet Union, who previously said “its collapse caused the disintegration of historical Russia”. Others have pointed to Putin’s religious and sectarian calculations in his military intervention in Ukraine. The roots of these accounts go back Read more

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Zelensky’s Dream of a “Ukrainian Jihad”: Saudi Arabia is the incomplete link

by Hussein Ibrahim On social media, and some on mainstream media, many have raised the possibility of Islamist fighters arriving in Ukraine to fight against Russian forces, whether from Europe or the Middle East, especially after the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, announced the formation of a corps of foreign fighters, recalling memories of the “Afghan Read more

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The Ukrainian crisis is changing the world’s determinant actors

The world is facing a pivotal conflict that will separate history between the stage that preceded the Ukrainian crisis and the Russian military operation and its aftermath, due to the change created by this conflict in the global system and its repercussions on Europe and the Southwest Asia and North Africa. First: Effects on the Read more

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Analysis: Negotiating the US return to the 2015 Nuclear Agreement

According to many sources, an agreement on re-instating the 2015 nuclear agreement between Iran and the P5+1 is likely, and the terms of its provisions have begun to take shape. Here are some of the sticky points that Iran is insisting on and that are likely to be part of the agreement: What the IRI Read more

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Prospects and context of the economic bloc proposal including Turkey, Iran and Iraq

During the Iraqi-Turkish Business Forum for Investment and Contracting, which took place in Istanbul on November 19, Iraq, represented by its Ministry of Trade, Muhammad Hanoun, called for building an economic bloc that includes Turkey, Iraq, and Iran. A very intriguing proposal, but does it make sense? First, let’s consider some of divisive and integrative Read more

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How the Chaotic US withdrawal from Afghanistan is reconfiguring Relations and Networks in Southwest Asia and North Africa

  The wars in Syria, Libya, and Yemen reshaped relations between regional powers in Southwest Asian and North Africa. The rise of the erratic prince to power in Saudi Arabia created even more uncertainty, instability, and violence. None of that seem to be enduring, though. Just months ago, Turkey and Egypt were at odds over Read more

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Navigating the Political, Sectarian, and Legal Landmines in Lebanon

By Huyam Qusifi Tuesday 26 October 2021 The event of summoning the head of the Lebanese Forces Party, Dr. Samir Geagea, specifically to the Ministry of Defense, which he left in 2005 after 11 years in prison, constitutes a political juncture, expressed by the allied spiritual and political forces and references, amid the silence of Read more

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Erdogan-Putin Summit: Context and prospect for agreements

Speculation increased about the summit that took place between the Turkish and Russian presidents in Sochi about what the two leaders had agreed upon, especially since the summit took place behind closed doors and did not include the presence of any additional officials from the two parties, although Turkish intelligence chief Hakan Fidan was among Read more

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What is behind the recent escalation of tension between Algeria and Morocco?

Since breaking free from the French colonial rule, Algeria has had very uneasy relationship with Morocco, reaching the point of direct armed conflict at one point (Sep 25, 1963-4). Then, Morocco, eager to capitalize on a moment of weakness in Algeria whose army consisted of Mujahideen fighters trained to fight asymmetrical war against the French Read more

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