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A wave of economic austerity is squeezing the Arab world’s middle class, pushing a segment of society that is key to growth and stability into making painful cutbacks and fueling discontent. […]The protests have stirred memories of the Arab Spring revolts, which toppled a number of governments and united the poor and middle class over shared complaints. – Wall Street Journal Jonathan Spyer writes: The Sunni Arab populations of Syria and Iraq have been the main losers of the region’s decade of disarray. Islamic State looks to harness the fury of many of the young men of these communities to the banner of its brand of political Islam. Something familiar is stirring in the dusty and remote corners of central Iraq. The West should pay attention. – Wall Street Journal
Smadar Perry writes: We must recall that Hezbollah has huge quantities of missiles, some of which can reach almost the entire territory of the State of Israel. And yet Hezbollah does not use them. And another fact: Israel knows exactly where Nasrallah is hiding, at what address, on what floor, and yet did not even try to kill him once. To some extent he is protected, unless he commits a terrible folly. – Ynet Why is Israel forging secret ties with Sudan?
Hamas condemns the current normalization of ties between several Arab countries and Israel, at a time the Israeli media is talking about efforts to stop arms reaching the Gaza Strip through Libya and Sudan. Danny Makki writes: Against all odds, the Syrian government has managed to hold on and win the country’s seven-year civil war. As the focus now shifts from fighting to recovery, the transition to governance in a post-conflict environment is creating new and unexpected challenges. Areas of Syria previously loyal to the government are becoming increasingly vocal about these challenges, especially on social media. – Middle East Institute Samuel Oakford writes: While many in the Trump administration want to avoid replicating what they see as the United States’ experience in Iraq, where a perceived early withdrawal ceded space to an extremist insurgency, the White House has offered another reason for keeping troops on the ground: Iran. Tehran has helped provide significant battlefield support to Assad’s forces, which, along with Russian help, has served to turn the tide of the conflict, and the White House’s overriding rationale for staying in Syria has shifted focus to Iran. – The Atlantic
Egypt’s political life still struggles under Sisi Egypt’s political parties are witnessing internal divisions that further deteriorate poor political partisan activity. Mohamed Maher writes: The United States could lose the benefits of its long-term investment in Egypt due to the continuing rapprochement between Cairo and Moscow, which seems to have hit a new peak after four years in development. Evidence from the past year indicates that this trend towards cooperation between the two states is significantly more than just a fleeting trend or an attempt by the Egyptians to improve their negotiating position with the United States. – Washington Institute During a show on Channel 1 TV (Iran), the IRGC’s Aerospace Force commander General Amir Ali Hajizadeh reviewed maps of different U.S. airbases in the region, including Al-Udeid in Qatar, Al-Dhafra in the UAE, and Kandahar in Afghanistan, saying that they are all within Iranian missile range. He also said that American aircraft carriers in the Persian Gulf or the Gulf of Oman are within range, and that the U.S. military presence that used to be a threat to Iran is now an opportunity. – Middle East Media Research Institute
THE LEGACY OF IRAQI ISLAM UNDER DICTATORSHIP & THE IMPACT OF THE IRANIAN REVOLUTION ON ISLAM12/4/2018 The Legacy Of Saddam's Islam by Samuel Helfont via The Caravan Anyone examining Islam in Saddam’s Iraq (1979-2003) and the legacy of that period today is quickly confronted with a tangled web of problematic definitions and eclectic ideologies. Untangling this web is essential for identifying what really drives Iraqi politics, and doing so provides one with some hope that sectarian differences can still be overcome. Paradoxically, it also does not augur well for the chances for stability in the country anytime soon. Contradictions Of The Faith by Sanam Vakil via The Caravan On February 11, 2019 Iran will celebrate the fortieth anniversary of the Iranian revolution and the creation of Iran’s Islamic government guided by a clerical leader known as the vali-e-faqih. This anniversary is important for numerous reasons including that the Islamic Republic, having survived many political storms, has outlasted the expectations of many. Under renewed political and economic pressure from US sanctions and Washington’s withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) or Iran nuclear agreement, this anniversary has added symbolism for Tehran. Book review: ‘The Future of Iran’s Past: Nizam al-Mulk Remembered’
Michael Rubin | Middle East Quarterly Book review: ‘Crisis, Collapse, Militarism and Civil War: The History and Historiography of 18th Century Iran’ Michael Rubin | Middle East Quarterly IMRAN KHAN'S FIRST 100 DAYS: DISMAL; PAYMENT CRISIS COMING FAST & CPEC UNDER ETHNIC DURESS12/4/2018 PTI govt unable to devise a way out of Pakistan’s financial turmoil IMAD ZAFAR Pakistan is going through financial turmoil. The Karachi Stock Exchange on Monday lost 1,200 points in early trade after the State Bank of Pakistan predicted a slow economic growth rate of 4% for the financial year 2019 and amid rumors of Prime Minister Imran Khan telling journalists that midterm elections could not be ruled out. On Friday, the Pakistani currency saw its worst decline of the decade when it plunged 10 rupees against the US dollar... Khan govt hits Islamist group with sedition, terrorism charges
BY F.M. SHAKIL Khadim Hussain Rizvi and other leaders among thousands rounded up after TLP leaders made fiery speeches during wild protests last month over Aasia Bibi acquittal and fears of another destabilizing rally
Israel targets Hezbollah tunnels on Lebanon border
The Israeli army this morning started Operation Northern Shield to expose and destroy tunnels dug by Hezbollah along the Israel-Lebanon border. Israel estimates that exposing all the tunnels could take several weeks, and even longer if Hezbollah interferes. “The digging of tunnels constitutes a blatant violation of Israeli sovereignty,” said army spokesman Ronen Manelis. Read More Pushing for an Israeli Victory Is the Only Way to End the Conflict with the Palestinians
by Daniel Pipes Ha'aretz December 2, 2018 http://www.danielpipes.org/18599/pushing-for-an-israeli-victory-is-the-only-way-to Standing With Saudi Arabia TONY BADRAN How President Donald Trump has been forthright about the actual drivers of American policy in the Middle East Saudi crown prince visits Algeria Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman landed in Algeria on Sunday for a two-day official visit focused on investment and trade between the two countries. Before arriving in Algiers, the crown prince made a stop in Mauritania earlier on Sunday, where he met with President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz. The two officials discussed bilateral relations and ways to boost development in the region. Prince Mohammed resumed his regional tour after attending the G-20 summit in Argentina. This is the prince’s first trip abroad in the aftermath of the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, and also included stops in Egypt, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Tunisia, where he was greeted by protesters. On the sidelines of the G-20 summit, Mohammed met on Saturday with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Read More Saudi Arabia strikes deals with Algeria during crown prince visit Saudi Arabia and Algeria signed on Monday five joint projects in various fields during Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s visit to the country as part of his first tour abroad since the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Prince Mohammed met with Algerian Prime Minister Ahmed Ouyahia for talks focused largely on bilateral trade and investment. The two later announced the establishment of a Supreme Council for Saudi-Algerian Coordination that will focus on political ties and counter-terrorism cooperation. Meanwhile, Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika called off a meeting with the Saudi prince due to health reasons. Read More Jordan hosts Libyan rivals
Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj of Libya's UN-backed government met on Sundaywith Jordan’s King Abdullah II during a visit to the kingdom. The king is expected to host a reconciliation meeting between Sarraj and military strongman Khalifa Hifter, who leads the armed forces for the rival Tobruk-based eastern government. Hifter reportedly arrived in Jordan last week. Meanwhile in Tripoli, protesters stormed government headquarters in Tripoli. The protesters are demanding their unpaid salaries as well as medical treatment for injuries sustained during clashes in Tripoli in August and in earlier confrontations. Read More David Albright, Olli Heinonen, Frank Fabian, and Andrea Stricker write: Israel learned that Iran had disposed of radioactively contaminated material stored at this site in the metropolitan area of Tehran. If true, by releasing the radioactive material, albeit likely low-level radioactive material, into the public domain, rather than disposing of it in an official nuclear waste site, Iran likely disregarded its own national nuclear waste disposal practices. Iran has a regulated nuclear waste disposal site in the vicinity of Tehran, [...]. - Institute for Science and International Security
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