If Martin Griffiths seems to be in a hurry these days, he has his reasons. The recently minted U.N. special envoy to Yemen is racing to stay ahead of a military escalation by any one of the belligerents in that country’s conflict, which would almost certainly derail his efforts to rejuvenate the moribund peace process.
Saudi Arabia's accelerating campaign to revive its influence in Iraq may have been significantly bolstered by the results of the May 12 Iraqi parliamentary election. But Riyadh will continue to face significant obstacles to strengthening its position and weakening Iran's influence in the country, above all because the U.S. role in Iraq has become increasingly precarious.
There was a time when Iran’s Major General Qassim Suleimani, chief of the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, was the ultimate kingmaker in Iraqi politics. Populist cleric Muqtada al-Sadr’s surprise victory in the May 12 parliamentary elections somewhat weakened Suleimani’s – and thereby Tehran’s – clout over Iraqi politics. The Islamic Republic, however, is not likely to abandon its hard-gained influence in Baghdad. Quite the contrary, Tehran will fight even harder to keep Iraq in its orbit.
Recent aviation agreements between the United States and the United Arab Emirates and Qatar have ended a bitter dispute over alleged anti-competitive practices. In the aftermath of the agreements, Delta announced plans to relaunch its nonstop route to India, three years after it cancelled the flights, blaming competition from Gulf airlines. However, the agreements are unlikely to fundamentally change the landscape for aviation links with the Gulf states and other changes, such as newer planes able to fly longer routes more economically, are arguably more important drivers for the industry.
Just as Israel intensified its air raids against Iranian military targets in Syria, Russia began distancing itself from Iran, demanding the withdrawal of Iranian and allied Shia militias from that country. The widening of the Iran-Russia divide is hardly surprising: While the Islamic Republic leadership longs for Russia as a strategic ally, Russia perceives Iran as little other than a tactical asset and an expendable bargaining chip in Moscow’s negotiations with the world powers. Nowhere is the Kremlin’s cynical game with Iran more visible than in Syria.
يلتقي خصوم الرئيس دونالد ترامب وأنصاره على القول إنه لا يتصرف وفق الأعراف الديبلوماسية في سياساته الخارجية، ولا يتخذ قراراته الداخلية وفقا للتقاليد والقيم الأمريكية أو حتى وفقا للقوانين وبنود الدستور الذي أدلى بقسم اليمين للعمل على احترامه وصيانته. يُتهم الرئيس ترامب أنه في علاقاته وقراراته الخارجية يقوم بتقويض إرث سياسي يعود لحوالي 75 عاما، حين قامت الولايات المتحدة بعد انتصارها في الحرب العالمية الثانية ببناء مؤسسات وتحالفات دولية مثل حلف شمال الأطلسي (الناتو) وتحالفات إقليمية مثل العلاقات الخاصة مع اليابان وكوريا الجنوبية، والأمم المتحدة، وصندوق النقد الدولي، واتفاقات التجارة الحرة الدولية وغيرها، والتي اعتمدت عليها واشنطن أو استخدمتها بين وقت وآخر في صراعها الطويل والناجح ضد الاتحاد السوفياتي، والتي ساهمت في جعل الولايات المتحدة الدولة العظمى اقتصاديا وعسكريا وثقافيا اطلع على المزيد
For Al-Monitor, Executive Vice President Stephen A. Seche commented on the advance of Saudi- and UAE-backed Yemeni forces toward the Red Sea port of Hodeidah.
Position Title:Program and Digital Media Intern Period: August – December 2018 Location: Washington, DC Deadline to Apply: July 15
Job Summary: The Internship Program at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington provides talented students and recent graduates with a three-month (or longer) training opportunity designed to encourage professional and personal development. We encourage out-of-the-box thinking and value fresh perspectives. Interns will receive a monthly stipend. Read more
