Hellish day in Baghdad

A disaster of biblical proportion in Baghdad killed more than 700 Shiites conjuring images of hell

Democracy and Demagoguery

Democracy in the Arab world will be put to the test once again as Egyptians make their way to the ballot box to see if democracy can replace demagoguery.

Iran’s missiles

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard commander met secretly with A.Q. Khan, the father of Pakistan’s atomic bomb, in order to acquire nuclear-capable missiles with a range of 1,800 miles, according to former MeK officials.

Moqtada Sadr’s comeback

- While Iraq`s Shiites, Kurds and Sunnis continue to haggle over the fine print of the constitution two weeks behind schedule and after three failed attempts, intra-Shiite disharmony has taken a turn for the worse.

The Aqaba attack

Khaleej Times
The Aqaba attack
BY CLAUDE SALHANI
ALTHOUGH they failed to hit their intended targets, last week’s triple rocket attack in Jordan’s southern seaport of Aqaba is a frightening development of terrorism — and not democracy — spreading beyond Iraq’s largely unguarded borders.

Is Libya seriously reforming?

The Libyan leader, once considered to be the black sheep among Middle Eastern leaders, is now turning a lighter shade of gray.

Terrorists strike in Jordan

The attempted rocket attack in Aqaba is a matter of grave concern.

Middle East Road Map at a Crossroad

A wrong turn in the Middle East Road Map could take both sides backward, possibly toward renewed violence.

The Gaza challenge

BY CLAUDE SALHANI

19 August 2005

DAMOUR, before the Lebanese civil war, was a pleasant little town on the Lebanese coast situated about half way between Beirut and Sidon. It was known as a pit stop for travellers heading to or from Beirut, a quiet place where they could pick up sandwiches, bananas and lemonade. After the war it became known as a favourite stomping ground of the Israeli air force out to retaliate for Palestinian attacks against its positions in northern Israel.

Is it a victory for Hamas?

Will Israel’s withdrawal from the Gaza Strip ironically be claimed as a unilateral victory by Hamas?