Creating new perspectives since 2009
Items by Omar Ahmed
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The Mamluks: Slave Warriors of Medieval Islam
Between the fall of the Abbasid Caliphate and the ascent of the Ottoman Empire, there stood the formidable Mamluk Sultanate. Spanning the 13th to the 16th centuries CE, this regional power ruled over Egypt, Syria and the Hijaz. The transfer of Sunni Muslim political authority from Baghdad to the Ottomans...
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The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps: Defining Iran’s Military Doctrine
The powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in Iran has attracted significant attention from western policy makers, intellectuals and the media, especially over its growing influence in the Middle East post-2003. This scrutiny has intensified, in particular for the IRGC’s elite Quds Force, following the assassination of its commander,...
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Remembering the Iran hostage crisis
What: The US Embassy was besieged and taken over by Iranian revolutionary students, leading to a hostage crisis lasting 444 days When: 4 November 1979 – 20 January 1981 Where: Tehran, Iran From the Iranian perspective, the CIA-backed coup of 1953 that overthrew the democratically-elected populist government of Prime Minister Mohammed Mossadegh...
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As I said, ‘Only Arab states aligned with Iran will oppose Zionism’
Three years ago, I opined that “Only Arab states aligned with Iran will oppose Zionism”. I argued that the Iranian-led Axis of Resistance, which comprises both state and non-state actors, would be the only force actively opposing the threat of Zionism in the region. It would seem that, in light...
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There is no way Saudi’s ex-intel chief truly believes ‘civil disobedience’ will liberate Palestine
In his address last week at the Baker Institute for Public Policy at Rice University in Houston, Texas, Saudi Arabia’s former intelligence chief, Prince Turki bin Faisal, discussed Israel’s genocidal war against Gaza in response to the Hamas-led resistance operation, Al-Aqsa Flood, which began on 7 October. Although widely lauded...
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Transnational Palestine: Migration and the Right of Return before 1948
Contrary to the commonly-held belief, the issue of Palestinian national identity, statelessness and the fundamental right of return did not originate in response to the formation of the state of Israel in 1948 at the height of the Nakba. These sentiments have deeper historical roots, dating back to the...
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The wrong kind of Israeli: Avi Shlaim on life as an Iraqi Jew
MEMO hosted a book launch event yesterday at the University of London’s Senate House for the recently published and reviewed Three Worlds: Memoirs of an Arab-Jew by distinguished author Professor Avi Shlaim, a British-Israeli historian of Iraqi heritage. Joining Professor Shlaim was another accomplished British academic, Professor of Humanities Jacqueline...
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Israel fails to mention India again despite ‘full support’
Two years after their self-inflicted humiliation on social media, Hindutva (Hindu nationalist) users in India have once again expressed disappointment that Israel has not included them in their latest online propaganda campaigns, which feature supporters and messages of solidarity with the occupying state from around the world. In May 2021,...
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Assassin’s Creed Mirage
After over 15 years and more than a dozen games and spin-offs, Ubisoft’s highly successful Assassin’s Creed (AC) franchise has undergone noticeable changes, leaving some fans feeling that it had drifted far from the original essence introduced in the first AC. This essence revolved around a triple approach involving...
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Has India taken a leaf out of Mossad’s assassination handbook?
Canada’s diplomatic blunder on 22 September, when parliament gave two standing ovations to a Ukrainian Nazi veteran — “who fought for Ukrainian independence against the Russians” — has not managed to eclipse the controversy just four days earlier. That’s when Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told parliament that there were...
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Unlike Iran and Turkiye, Iraq and Syria are vulnerable to Kurdish separatism
Among the myriad of the Middle East’s post-colonial, post-independence issues, the Kurdish question stands as a perennial one. This is closer to home for the four states which straddle the historic geographic region of Kurdistan, in particular fragile states, Iraq and Syria (ranked 27th and 5th place, respectively on...
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The Deadly Promise
The Deadly Promise by Gilou Bareau delves into the intricate web of political tensions, personal vendettas and unexpected alliances in the midst of the 2014 Gaza War. Set against the backdrop of Israel’s devastating offensive against the besieged Palestinian enclave, the novel opens with a chilling “murder” in London...
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Will Saudi Arabia make Friday a working day?
In a thought-provoking op-ed published on Friday by Saudi Arabian daily newspaper Okaz, entitled “Friday is a working day,” writer Mona Al-Otaibi questions whether the Kingdom’s traditional Friday-Saturday weekend needs an overhaul, igniting a debate on social media. The piece highlighted the potential financial losses incurred due to Friday being...
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The Clergy and the Modern Middle East: Shi’i Political Activism in Iran, Iraq and Lebanon
It is often stated that within the world of Shia Muslim seminaries, the cities of Najaf in Iraq and Qom in Iran represent two contrasting camps in Shia scholarly stances on politics: one of quietism and the other of activism, respectively. This simplistic narrative has not only been perpetuated by...
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Iran's diplomatic drive: Raisi's focus on the Global South
It’s been quite a busy year for Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi in terms of diplomatic engagement. In February he made an official state visit to China, where 20 agreements were signed, in addition to receiving pledges from President Xi Jinping to strengthen security and economic cooperation – more on...
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The Emperor and the Elephant: Christians and Muslims in the Age of Charlemagne
Charlemagne, the 8th century Frankish King, holds a near-mythical status in European history. He is widely regarded as a stalwart defender of Christendom against an expanding Islamic realm. Additionally, his role as a unifier of Europe has solidified his reputation as the “Father of Europe”. By successfully uniting significant...
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Three Worlds: Memoirs of an Arab-Jew
The term “Arab-Jew” is often considered contradictory, as it seemingly represents conflicting identities within the geopolitics of the Middle East. However, Avi Shlaim, an Iraqi-born British-Israeli historian, challenges this notion in his personal story, Three Worlds: Memoirs of an Arab-Jew. Shlaim argues that this designation should not be viewed...
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Islam, Science Fiction and Extraterrestrial Life: The Culture of Astrobiology in the Muslim World
Islam and science fiction may not immediately seem like a natural pairing, but the Muslim world has indeed fostered a fascinating history within this genre. In his book titled Islam, science fiction, and extraterrestrial life: The culture of astrobiology in the Muslim world, Jorg Matthias Determann, an author and academic...
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Zionists fume as RyanAir announces arriving in ‘Palestine’ on flight bound for Tel Aviv
Low-budget Irish airline RyanAir has come under fire on social media by pro-Israel users following a report on Tuesday by World Israel News (WIN) alleging that a flight attendant announced that the flight, bound for Tel Aviv was “approaching Palestine.” According to the report, citing Channel 14 News, passengers on the flight from...
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The Caliph and the Imam: The making of Sunnism and Shiism
The Caliph and the Imam: The Making of Sunnism and Shiism by Toby Matthiesen is an extraordinary and comprehensive study that traverses centuries and continents, delving into the intricate evolution of the two major sects of Islam. This scholarly work meticulously examines the historical development and transformation of the...
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Yemen’s Hadramout heats up as STC strengthens secession bid
With the US-backed, Saudi-led coalition’s war against Yemen now in its eighth year, the country remains divided among three main competing authorities. These include the “internationally-recognised” Yemeni government, which is represented by the Saudi-backed Presidential Leadership Council (PLC). Another authority is the de-facto National Salvation Government (NSG) led by...
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Resuming relations with Iran will be a test for Egypt sovereignty
The latest diplomatic developments in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region are looking positive for peace and prosperity. Iran and Saudi Arabia have re-established relations as part of a Chinese-brokered agreement, Syria has returned to the Arab League and also resumed ties with Riyadh, while the Kingdom...
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Qatar may find itself isolated on Syria normalisation
In recent months, the Middle East has witnessed a flurry of diplomatic activity including a push by some countries in the region to normalise relations with Syria. Several Arab states have sought to bring the war-torn country back into the fold, with the hope of healing the wounds of...
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The ‘Lion of Palestine’: Hamas co-founder Abdel Aziz Al-Rantisi (23 October 1947-17 April 2004)
The assassination of Dr Abdel Aziz Al-Rantisi, a prominent Palestinian resistance leader, marked a significant set-back for the Palestinian cause. Rantisi was one of the seven co-founders of the Hamas movement in the early days of the First Intifada and was known for his unwavering commitment to advocating for...