Creating new perspectives since 2009
Items by Marwan Kabalan
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Turkiye’s expected foreign policy with Erdogan again at the helm
The Turkish presidential and parliamentary elections have been decided after a battle over the country’s identity and political orientations. Most of the attention within regional and international circles is now focused on any possible changes in Turkiye’s foreign policy, especially following the appointment of intelligence chief Hakan Fidan as...
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Kadhimi’s last chance
There is no need to wait for the result of the investigations committee to guess who was behind the attempted assassination of Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi at dawn last Sunday. The Fatah Alliance militias, led by Asa’ib Ahl Al-Haq and Kata’ib Hezbollah, are loyal to Iran and have...
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Is it still possible to prevent the collapse of Syria?
Syrian intellectuals and activists from across political and intellectual spheres are busy searching for a way out of the disastrous situation their country has reached after ten years of violent conflict. The issue is not straightforward, and the exit is unclear, with everyone trying to feel their way out...
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Where does Iran stand on the conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh?
While most attention is focused on the positions of Russia and Turkey in the ongoing conflict over the Nagorno-Karabakh region, Iran receives less attention. The former are the direct regional sponsors of the Armenian and Azeri parties to the crisis, but Iran is likely to be the most affected...
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Russian and Turkish involvement connects the crises in Syria and Libya
There have been frequent reports that Russia has transferred a fleet of MiG-29s and two Sukhoi 24s from Hmeimim on the Syrian coast to Al-Jafra in central Libya to support the forces of Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar as he tries to take control of Tripoli. If such reports are...
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The Gulf’s coronavirus challenges
The coronavirus outbreak has put the Arab Gulf States under the spotlight and exposed their structural weaknesses. It has also suggested that security, which is often the focus because of geopolitical regional rivalry, especially with Iran, distracts from other equally important threats. While it is true that the Gulf...
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The trio ruling Iran
It seems that Iran will continue to appear in the headlines for a long time. After the protests were finally extinguished, the focus in the coming weeks will be on the general elections for the 11th parliament of the republic in February. Although the parliamentary elections are an important...
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The winners and losers in the Iran crisis
It is in the nature of crises, both long term and temporary, for losers and winners to emerge. It is also natural for the human actors therein to be rational and base their calculations and considerations on reducing losses and maximising gains. However, these calculations are not always accurate...
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Has Russia-Israel understanding evaporated?
The dispute between Russia and Israel over the downing of a Russian aircraft over Syria has revealed two important aspects of their relationship. One is related to the depth of coordination between them, and the other is the emergence of a discrepancy between the Kremlin and the Russian military...
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Putin and his three associates
How was that Israeli plane shot down last Saturday? Was it as per a Russian decision to draw new red lines for Israel, telling Tel Aviv what it may or may not strike in its war-torn neighbour? Or was it an attempt to lure Iran into new rules of...
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Where is the flaw in the Gulf’s security?
Since the world financial crisis in 2008, the US has taken every possible opportunity to pressure its allies, whether in NATO or in Asia, in order to increase their defence spending to 2 per cent of their GNP. With the exception of France, Britain and South Korea, even America’s...
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Obama's legacy in the Arab world
With American President Barack Obama’s presidential term coming to an end, many have begun talking about his legacy and the debate is starting to grow. His supporters have much to say about his domestic achievements, starting with his healthcare system that saved about 46 million Americans from the clutches...