It now appears that the new administration under President Abdo Rabbo Mansour Hadi and the country at large hang in the balance amid a divided administration and military that is facing threats on numerous fronts.
The Middle East and North Africa
Middle East Region
Syria: Time for Plan B
After the al-Houla massacre Syria has reached a tipping point. Though there is certainly a consensus that something must be done, until now there has been little agreement over what this action will entail.
The Annan Plan: Internal Failure but External Hope
[captionpix align=”left” theme=”elegant” width=”320″ imgsrc=” http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/incoming/article7564966.ece/ALTERNATES/w620/Syrian+rebels ” captiontext=”Syrian rebels in Idlib clash with government forces.”] Kofi Annan’s six point plan has been sidelined as a total failure by many political observers and increasingly by those within the Obama administration. It may be argued that the Syrian rebels agree, given a recent bombing of army troops guarding United Nations observers. The Read More…
Egypt’s Landmark Elections: Brotherhood or Bust
With no clear winner, a run-off election has been scheduled for mid-June between the top two candidates, the Muslim Brotherhood’s Mohmammed Morsiand Ahmad Shafiq, who once served as Prime Minister during Mubarak’s 30-year rule.
Sex, Security, and Democracy in Afghanistan
[captionpix align=”left” theme=”elegant” width=”320″ imgsrc=” http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2012/2/17/1329499523173/Fawzia-Koofi-008.jpg” captiontext=”Fawzia Koofi, MP: the Afghan parliament’s first female deputy speaker (Photo: the Guardian)”] Afghanistan was at the top of the agenda when world leaders met this month at NATO’s Chicago summit. Important issues, including a timetable for troop withdrawal and the Alliance’s post-2014 support and training role, were agreed upon. Read More…
Nuclear Armed Iran: Missing the Bigger Picture
Talks in Baghdad with the five permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany have resumed over Iran’s contentious nuclear program. The negotiation process is likely to be a long one and no breakthrough accords are expected at this meeting.
The Politicization of the Lebanese Army: Prospects for Increased Sectarian Violence
What had made this country so attractive to international jet setters is also what has allowed it to become co-opted by a plurality of regional and international forces.
Saudi Arabia: A Cold Front for the Arab Spring
The Arab Spring poses both a threat and an opportunity for the oil rich monarchy in Saudi Arabia.
Damascus Bombing: Government ‘False Flag’ or al-Qaeda Infiltration?
It has become apparent that a radical jihadist element is now operating in the security vacuum created by the Syrian uprising—but is it to blame for last week’s bombing in Damascus, and is it working alone?
Is NATO Passing the Buck? An Overdue Investigation
Human rights groups are holding NATO accountable for 72 reported civilian casualties in Libya and have urged for an investigation into the causes of the deaths.