Creating new perspectives since 2009
Items by Samira Shackle
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Looking behind Riyadh’s desire for a more active role in the Syrian conflict
When the US formed its anti-Daesh coalition in September 2014, Saudi Arabia was one of the first Arab countries to join. From the very beginning of the conflict, the kingdom’s position was clear: Bashar al-Assad must go. It soon mounted several air strikes on Syria. This direct action warned quickly…
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The West should give financial aid, but more must be done for Syrian refugees
The Supporting Syria Conference, starting in London this week, aims to raise $9 billion for Syrian refugees. The purpose of this money is to end the limbo in which Syrians living in neighbouring countries are currently trapped; unable to work, their children are also in many cases missing out on…
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A Syrian breakthrough in Geneva is unlikely
Since the Syrian civil war began in 2011, Geneva has hosted two rounds of peace talks. Today, Friday, a third round of UN-brokered talks is set to begin in the Swiss city. Sadly, the trajectory is not a positive one, with prospects for a breakthrough to end the war looking…
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The Iraqi army needs a boost and regaining Ramadi may be it
Today the Iraqi army stormed the centre of Ramadi, the Iraqi city captured by Daesh in May. Backed by airstrikes from the US-led coalition, the Iraqi army is attempting to reclaim Ramadi’s central government compound and the surrounding area, the only part of the city still held by Daesh. If…
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The Syrian quagmire
When Russia began its campaign of airstrikes in Syria in September, Vladimir Putin said that his country would only target “terrorists”, primarily jihadist militants from the Daesh group. Yet activists on the ground tell a different story, claiming that Russian strikes have primarily hit Western-backed rebel groups fighting against President…
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The ebb and flow of British-Saudi relations
“Over the past few weeks, there has been an alarming change in the way Saudi Arabia is discussed in Britain. The Kingdom has always had to deal with a lack of understanding and misconceptions, but on this occasion I feel compelled to address some of the recent criticisms,” wrote Saudi…
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EU warships will keep appearances up but won’t solve the refugee crisis
Since the start of the year, in excess of 130,000 refugees have crossed to Europe from the North African coast. On some days, 20 boats set sail from Libya — the most common setting-off point — and many of them are overcrowded and barely seaworthy. More than 2,700 people have…
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As Saudi and Iran trade political insults over hajj deaths, focus on the loss of life
During the final days of this year’s hajj pilgrimage in the holy city of Makkah last month, two large waves of pilgrims converged on a narrow road. The crowding was so severe that it caused people to suffocate and eventually to start trampling one another in their desperation to get…
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Israel’s growing involvement in Syria
The Syrian conflict is nothing if not complicated. The exact dynamics on the battlefield have shifted frequently in the five years since it began; so too has the role of international powers. While western powers have backed an array of different rebel groups, Russia and Iran have been unflinching in…
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What can be done to save the people of Gaza?
The Gaza Strip is a tiny patch of land – just 362 square kilometres (225 square miles) – that is currently home to around 1.8 million Palestinians. It has one of the highest population densities in the world, and the figure is increasing all the time. The population is expected…
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The noose tightens on freedom of speech in Jordan
When Jordan broadened its anti-terror law last year, critics warned that it could be used to silence opposition. The law expanded the definition of “terrorism” to include any act meant to create sedition, harm property, injure international relations, or to use the internet or media outlets to promote terrorist thinking.…
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There’s no place for me, which means I can live anywhere: Interview with journalist-turned-poet Dima Khatib
Hugo Chavez, the then President of Venezuela, condemned Israel’s actions during its invasion of Lebanon in 2006. He was the first world leader to do so, and it precipitated years in which he championed the Palestinian cause. After Israel’s attack on the Gaza Strip in 2009, Venezuela cut all diplomatic…
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With no clear alliances or front lines, the civilian body count in Syria is bound to increase
On Sunday, Syrian government warplanes attacked a busy marketplace in Douma, a rebel-held suburb of the capital city Damascus. At least 100 people were killed and more than 200 injured, making it one of the deadliest single air strikes since the conflict began nearly five years ago. Activists have described…
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Salopek’s killing points to a dangerous new phase in Egypt’s poor security
Tomislav Salopek was kidnapped three weeks ago as he travelled in Egypt, about 14 miles west of Cairo. The Croatian national was working as a surveyor for a French oil and gas company. Now, a jihadist group associated with Islamic State – Sinai Province – has posted a photo online…
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One year on and there is still no end of Daesh in sight
On 8 August last year, Barack Obama authorised airstrikes against Daesh targets in Iraq. He said that it would only involve “targeted airstrikes to protect our American personnel, and a humanitarian effort to help save thousands of Iraqi civilians who are trapped on a mountain without food and water and…
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Sectarianism and corrupt rule, so who does Iraq really serve?
One of the less-publicised victims of the 2003 invasion of Iraq was the country’s electrical grid. This infrastructure has been damaged further by the continued unrest in the country; insurgents have targeted power networks repeatedly. This becomes particularly pressing in the summer months, as temperatures soar and the pressure on…
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Administrative detention of Jewish extremists sends a message, but doesn’t go to the heart of the problem
Israel has long been criticised by human rights groups for its use of “administrative detention”. The term refers to detaining people – always Palestinians – without charge or trial. Under these rules, people can be jailed for months or even years, as the orders are renewable. Israel has defended the…
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Western powers need to tread carefully with Iran
When a nuclear deal between Iran and six world powers was agreed this month, some predicted that it would lead to a wider thaw in relations with western countries. This seemed to be borne out this week, when the French foreign minister, Laurent Fabius, visited Tehran. It was the most…
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Can Turkey and NATO reconcile over Syria strategy?
When the US formed an international coalition to fight ISIS last year, Turkey was a reluctant partner. It has been accused, at best, of turning a blind eye to jihadist groups and, at worst, actively encouraging them in order to oust Syria’s President Bashar Al-Assad. Turkey has always denied this…
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Iran still has a long way to go yet
Iran has been in the headlines fairly consistently over the last two years, as talks over the country’s nuclear programme have reached their crescendo. The preliminary deal agreed this month could mean a new chapter in the history of relations between Iran and the West. Of course, as American officials…
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Netanyahu risk further reducing his influence in America
After years of deadlock and months of wrangling, a nuclear deal between Iran and six world powers was finally agreed in mid-July. The deal, endorsed by the UN Security Council, authorises the lifting of economic sanctions against Iran in return for the country curbing sensitive nuclear activities. It provides a…
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Tunisia needs more than reactions to short-term disasters.
In 2011, the Arab Spring was set in motion when Tunisian fruit vendor Muhammad Bouazizi set himself on fire to protest against corruption. He became a potent symbol of the economic and political discontent felt by many others, and within months protesters had toppled the dictatorship of Zine el-Abidine Ben…
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One year on, Gaza’s fragile peace holds amid tensions
On 8 July 2014, Israel began airstrikes over Gaza, in what was known as Operation Protective Edge. The bombardment followed weeks of ramped up tensions that had begun with the kidnap and murder of three Jewish teenagers by Palestinians. Over the course of the next seven weeks, a combination of…
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Yemen sinks deeper into crisis
It didn’t take long for talks between Yemen’s warring factions to fall apart earlier this month. The five-day process, which was brokered by the UN and took place in Geneva, at times descended into farce. The UN special envoy, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, was forced to spend his time running…