• December 25, 2024
  •  

Middle East

Situation in Libya is promising a multi-layered conflict. (Onislam) Articles Middle East

Blame NATO for the Mess in Libya

By Ramzy Baroud The British Foreign Office and the US State Department are seriously concerned. Human rights officers in the United Nations are angry. Canada, for some reason, seems particularly enraged. The target of all this fury is Libya’s National Transitional Council (NTC), which is berated for failing to curtail widespread human rights violations throughout […]

US vs. Genuine Reforms at the United Nations

By Ramzy Baroud The country that has long been known to abuse its powers and privileges in the United Nations is now leading a campaign to reform the same organization. While UN reforms are welcomed, if not demanded, by many of its member states, there is little reason to believe the recent US crusade is […]

The UN must be reformed to live up to its own ideals. (UN) Articles Middle East

A Roadmap for Brave UN Reforms

By Ramzy Baroud Theodore MacDonald was too ill to attend the launch of his book, Preserving the United Nations; Our Best Hope for Mediating Human Rights. Less than three weeks later, on March 7, 2011, the longtime champion of human rights and social justice passed away. Professor MacDonald’s last book was in many ways the […]

War is brutal and inhumane. (Zoriah.net) Articles Middle East

Iraq War: Moral Victory, and Selective Body Counts

By Ramzy Baroud Someone ought to let mainstream news producers know that the nearly 4,500 US soldiers killed in the Iraq war were not the only victims. Hundreds of thousands of Iraqis have also been killed as a result of the unwarranted US invasion, and many more have been wounded and/or forever maimed. Chances are, […]

Hamas' conundrum may prove too difficult to solve. (Aljazeera) Articles Middle East

Hamas at 24: Politics of Resistance in Changing Middle East

By Ramzy Baroud Ever since Hamas emerged victorious in the 2006 Palestinian legislative elections, myriad public opinion polls revealed that its popularity in the Occupied Territories was on a steady decline. However, there are actually few indications that Hamas as a popular movement will be departing the Palestinian political landscape anytime soon. Ongoing talks in […]

Allegiance must not lie with any particular faction. (Latuff) Articles Middle East

Towards a True Paradigm Shift in Palestine

By Ramzy Baroud The Palestinian Uprising or Intifada of 1987 remains the single most significant triumph of popular mobilization in Palestinian history. The First Intifada, as it is commonly known, had, once and for all, placed the Palestinian people as a collective on the political map of a region that previously had room only for […]

Image Credit: Illustration: Dana A.Shams/©Gulf News Articles Middle East

League Action Reflects Regional Rivalry

By Ramzy Baroud, Special to Gulf News According to various media commentators, the rapid Arab League mobilisation against Syria is proof of the organisation rising to an urgent collective responsibility against impending dangers. However, such an assumption is either misguided or misconstrued. The so-called Arab Spring has largely been credited for the League’s actions. While […]

Speaking truth to power is still possible, and is more urgent than ever. (Aljazeera) Articles Middle East

On Freedom and Imperialism: Arab Spring and the Intellectual Divide

By Ramzy Baroud The so-called ‘Arab Spring’ is creating an intellectual divide that threatens any sensible understanding of the turmoil engulfing several Arab countries. While it is widely understood that revolutions endeavor to overthrow political structures and aim to change the social order and power paradigm within any given society, there is still no single, […]

Political realism is often riddled with ironies. Articles Middle East

Turkey and the Syrian ‘Abyss’

By Ramzy Baroud When Recep Tayyip Erdogan became Turkey’s prime minister in 2003, he seemed to be certain of the new direction his country would take. It would maintain cordial ties with Turkey’s old friends, Israel included, but also reach out to its Arab and Muslim neighbors, Syria in particular. The friendly relations between Ankara […]

Illustration: Nino Jose Heredia/©Gulf News Articles Middle East

Syria’s Fate in Its Citizens’ Hands

By Ramzy Baroud, Special to Gulf News The popular uprising in Syria is hovering over a fine line that separates it from full-blown civil war. If the latter were to happen, it could open the door to other frightening developments, including foreign military intervention. Protests in Syria began on January 26, and a more inclusive […]

Syria must wrestle its fate from the hands of self-serving forces. (SANA) Articles Middle East

Syria Uprising Falls Victim to Power Plays

By Ramzy Baroud Syrians continue to be victimized, not only in violent clashes with the Syrian military, but also by regional and international players with various agendas. Protests in Syria began on January 26, and a more inclusive uprising was set in motion on March 15. The initial demand was for serious political reforms, but […]

'La Tunisie Vote'. (Aljazeera) Articles Middle East

‘Islamists’ on Probation: Western Reaction to Tunisian Elections

By Ramzy Baroud Following Tunisia’s first fair and free elections on October 27, the Western media responded with a characteristic sense of fear and alarm. For many, it seemed that the ghost of the Islamic menace was back to haunt ‘Western values’ throughout the Arab world. The narrative employed by media outlets was no more […]

Image Credit: Luiz Vazquez/©Gulf News Articles Middle East

The Shock Doctrine: The Unwritten Libya Chapter

By Ramzy Baroud, Special to Gulf News Shortly before committing suicide in 1961, the American author Ernest Hemingway wrote about his electroshock therapy. "Well, what is the sense of ruining my head and erasing my memory, which is my capital, and putting me out of business? It was a brilliant cure but we lost the […]

'The tide of war is receding,' said Obama. (Zoriah - zoriah.net) Articles Middle East

Iraq War Declared Over, but War Party Persists

By Ramzy Baroud In a White House Statement on October 21, US President Barack Obama pledged that his country would finally withdraw forces from Iraq. “After nearly nine years, America’s war in Iraq will be over,” he said. Providing some context to Obama’s announcement, a CBSNews.com report published on the same day stated, “The war […]

(Image Credit: Dana A.Shams/©Gulf News) Articles Middle East

People’s Conspiracy: Writing off the Arabs

By Ramzy Baroud, Special to Gulf News Professor Robert B. was my first Middle East politics lecturer at the University of Washington. Only minutes into his opening lecture, he made a comment that had me sink into my seat with embarrassment: “The Arab world is made of strong leaders and weak people.” While I didn’t feel […]

Robert Ford is a mere conduit of failed US policies. (Wikimedia Commons) Articles Middle East

The Syrian Uprising: US Follows a Failed Path

By Ramzy Baroud United States ambassador to Syria Robert Ford is quite a feisty diplomat. He shows up unannounced and uninvited at various hot spots in the country, greeted with varying degrees of enthusiasm and, oftentimes, anger. When he made a highly touted appearance in the city of Hama in July, residents reportedly greeted him […]

(Image Credit: Illustration: Luis Vazquez/©Gulf News) Articles Middle East

Abbas’ Speech Seems to Appreciate Changing Reality

By Ramzy Baroud – Special to Gulf News Mamhoud Abbass’ UN General Assembly speech on September 23 is likely to go down in history. This is not owing to the intellectual enormity of Abbas himself, nor of his politically-subservient Palestinian National Authority (PNA), but rather because it reflects the triumph of the Palestinian will after […]

(Image Credit: Dana A. Shams/Gulf News) Articles Middle East

Arab Spring Exposes Duplicity of Conventional Western Policy

By Ramzy Baroud, Special to Gulf News For many Arabs, Britain’s Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg is just another politician committed to preserving his interests and those of the ruling class in his country. Despite his attempts at appearing kinder than other mainstream British leaders, it isn’t hard to see through Clegg’s repeated enthusiastic references […]

Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen. (Wikimedia Commons) Articles Middle East

For the Love of Israel: Congresswoman’s Misguided War on the UN

By Ramzy Baroud From an Israeli point of view, Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen is the ideal American politician. Although many in the US government aspire to her level of commitment to Israel, few can measure up to a dedication that extends beyond the very interests of her own country. “Lawless extremists infest Congress like crabgrass besets […]

(Image Credit: Hazem Alhabbal/Gulf News) Articles Middle East

Libyans Must Fully Liberate Themselves

By Ramzy Baroud, Special to Gulf News Now that Gaddafi and his sons are on the run, western allies are speaking of an orderly transition, nation-building, and direct intervention in managing post-Gaddafi Libyan affairs. It is understood that the ousting of Muammar Gaddafi and his contemptible regime was a ‘regime change from the air’, orchestrated […]

The Libya that inspired the world is capable of overcoming NATO's stratagems. (Aljazeera) Articles Middle East

Libya’s Next Fight: The West

By Ramzy Baroud At a press conference in Tripoli on Aug. 26, a statement read aloud by top Libyan rebel commander Abdel Hakim Belhadj was reassuring. Just a few months ago, disorganized and leaderless rebel fighters seemed to have little chance at ousting Libyan dictator Moammar Ghaddafi and his unruly sons. But despite vague references […]

Image Credit: Illustration: Dana A. Shams/©Gulf News Articles Middle East

Lurking Dangers to the Arab Quest for Freedom and Reform

By Ramzy Baroud, Special to Gulf News Arab revolutions are currently facing real dangers, which vacillate between lack of prioritisation, stagnation and foreign intervention. In Egypt, there have been deliberate attempts to divide the objectives of the revolution into blurred ideological classifications. A chasm is already growing between ‘liberal’ and Islamic forces regarding the identity […]

The age of the dictator, the Mubaraks and Ben Alis is fading. Articles Middle East

The US-Arab Disconnect

By Ramzy Baroud As the Arab Spring continues to challenge dictators, demolish old structures and ponder roadmaps for a better future, the US remains committed to its failed policies, misconceptions and selfish interests. Arabs may disagree on many things, but few disagree on the fact that there is now no turning back. The age of […]

The Syrian regime is deliberately mixing up regional and national narratives. Articles Middle East

Syria: Tired Slogans and a Looming Dawn

By Ramzy Baroud There is no linear narrative capable of explaining the multifarious happenings that have gripped Syrian society in recent months. On March 23, as many as 20 peaceful protesters were killed at the hands of Syrian security forces, and many more were wounded. Since then, the violence has escalated to such a level […]

(Image Credit: Dana A. Shams, Gulf News) Articles Middle East

Syrian Voices Refuse to Die Down

By Ramzy Baroud As the Baath regime attempts to quell an unprecedented popular uprising in Syria, it is doing so with a level of brutality that has far surpassed other Arab revolutions (with the exception of Libya). The barbarism of its response has characteristics of Israel’s cruelty in Gaza, Muammar Gaddafi’s disregard for civilian lives […]

The revolt in Yemen is proving the most robust out of all the Arab revolutions. (Aljazeera) Articles Middle East

Yemen Continues to Inspire Amid Great Odds

By Ramzy Baroud The Yemeni people are unrelenting in their demands for democracy. Millions continue to stage rallies across their country in a display of will that is proving the most robust out of all the Arab revolutions. The Yemenis face great challenges, however, including the political vacillation of their country’s opposition, and the US’ […]

The Audacity of Hope will join Freedom Flotilla II in the latest attempt to break the Israeli siege on Gaza. Articles Middle East

US Invigorates Policy at Gaza’s Expense

By Ramzy Baroud United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has made a series of stern and fiery statements recently, giving the impression that war is somehow on us once again. Oddly, Clinton’s sudden reappearance on the Middle East diplomacy scene was triggered by the brave attempts of peace activists to break the siege on […]

Erdogan secured democratic political control of Turkey's military and bureaucracy. (Via Aljazeera) Articles Middle East

Economy Alone Fails to Explain Turkey’s Success

By Ramzy Baroud Many commentators today are basing the success of Turkey’s Justice and Development Party (AKP) in the June 12 elections largely on its ability to guide the country through a decade of remarkable growth. Economic indicators are often seen as the obvious logic behind economic stability – lack thereof. However, they are not […]

(Image Credit: Niño Jose Heredia/Gulf News) Articles Middle East

Revolutionary Egypt Forges Ahead

By Ramzy Baroud, Special to Gulf News The streets of Cairo are chaotic. Each driver seems to be governed by an entirely different set of traffic rules. Yet, somehow, the cars continue to move forward — for the time being, at least. Egypt is finally free, and Egyptians are savouring every moment of their newly […]

(Image Credit: Niño Jose Heredia/Gulf News) Articles Middle East

Al Nakba, An Unforgiving Reality

By Ramzy Baroud, Special to Gulf News It is essential that when we remember Al Nakba, we do not confine our mourning simply to what has been lost. We also need to understand the nature and magnitude of that loss, and what it continues to mean for so many. On May 15, Palestinians worldwide commemorated […]