Politics of the Middle East

From a feature article by Karen Claussen: "The appalling views of present day Kabul that we see in the news couldn’t be farther from the city I knew in the late sixties. I was lucky to be a giggling teenager in a fascinating city that fed my curiosity a rich diet, ...

Saudi Arabia is consistently touted as one of America’s strongest allies in the Middle East – it is certainly one of the United States’ vital interests. How much of an ally are they? What if/when the war on terrorism extends to an Arab country, particularly Iraq? Can the United States count ...

As the U.S.-led war against terrorism rages in Afghanistan, the United States has dispatched two envoys to the Middle East to try and revitalize the moribund Middle East peace process. They have their work cut out for them – the conditions in the area have not been this bad since the ...

In the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks and the ongoing American war on terrorism, much attention has been focused on Iraq and Saddm Husayn’s possible involvement. Many pundits have blamed the previous Bush administration for allowing him to remain in power after his military defeat in the Gulf War ...

In the aftermath of the September 11 terrorist attacks on the United States and the subsequent American military operations in Afghanistan, the 24-hour Arabic-language news organization Al-Jazeera has featured prominently in media coverage. Western media have not been able to operate effectively in Taliban-controlled areas of Afghanistan, so coverage of the ...

Several Middle East analysts have pointed a finger at Iraq and Saddam Husayn as possibly having a hand in the September 11 and later anthrax attacks on the United States. Was the rogue leader part of the attacks on New York and Washington? Possibly, but it is the anthrax attacks that ...

The Taliban movement, born in Pakistani religious schools for Afghan refugees, has transformed from a model anti-corruption campaign to an ultra-conservative, ruthless militia controlling all aspects of life in Afghanistan. Catapulted to the attention of the world as the protectors of terrorist Usamah Bin Ladin, they are moving toward a confrontation ...

The Arabic language, categorized as one of the four most difficult languages for English-speakers to learn, has caused numerous problems for American intelligence and law enforcement agencies. The problems have been exacerbated by a non-Latin alphabet and increasing reliance on automated information processing systems.

After almost a year, American officials in Yemen investigating the October 2001 terrorist attack on a U.S. Navy destroyer are no closer to making a connection to suspected mastermind Usamah bin Ladin. Just as the investigation following the bombing of a U.S. Air Force housing complex in Saudi Arabia in 1996, ...

On September 11, the world's worst terrorist acts were conducted against the United States. The most likely suspect appears to be Saudi expatriate Usamah Bin Ladin. This is a repeat of an article written over a year ago - the information is appropriate even today.