AFGHANISTAN The Taliban is creating a “grand army” for Afghanistan that will include officers and troops who served the old regime, says the official tasked with overseeing the military’s transformation. Latifullah Hakimi, head of the Taliban’s Ranks Clearance Commission, also told a news conference on Monday that they had repaired half the 81 helicopters and planes […]
Tag: Middle East
The Middle East has always been rife with enmity and rivalry, and its regimes have long taken advantage of the region’s many linguistic, religious, and cultural connections to shape the overall political environment. Regimes that do not control the information space risk being destroyed by it. How Middle Eastern conflicts are playing out on social […]
The economic recovery from COVID-19 is the first priority in the Middle East. Addressing climate change and broadening the Fourth Industrial Revolution can shape an effective recovery. Advancing geopolitical dialogue is critical to a sustainable and resilient MENA region. 4 ways the Middle East can become more resilient in 2022 | World Economic Forum (weforum.org)
Early in his presidency, Joe Biden promised to break with his predecessor Donald Trump by placing “democratic values” and “diplomatic leadership” at the centre of United States foreign policy. But as 2021 comes to a close, Biden’s first months in office have been marked by what experts say is a passive Middle East policy focused more on […]
Newly obtained Pentagon documents show the United States’ air wars in the Middle East have been marked by “deeply flawed intelligence” and “faulty targeting” that resulted in the deaths of more than 1,000 civilians over the last decade, according to a New York Times investigation. The report, based on a trove of confidential Pentagon documents covering […]
It has become commonplace to read or hear from commentators that America’s position in the Middle East has drastically declined. Some even see U.S. influence there as being on the way out altogether. But is U.S. influence in the Middle East really less now than it was in the past? Has America’s Influence in the […]
The Navy announced Wednesday it tested a laser weapon and destroyed a floating target in the Mideast, a system that could be used to counter bomb-laden drone boats deployed by Yemen’s Houthi rebels in the Red Sea. The test Tuesday saw the amphibious transport dock ship Portland test-fire its Laser Weapon System Demonstrator at the target in the Gulf […]
At start of conference devoted to a nuclear-free Middle East, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also called on all parties to work to salvage the 2015 Iran nuclear deal Expansion of existing nuclear-free zones around the world would lead to more robust disarmament and non-proliferation norms, he added Those guilty of chemical attacks must be held accountable, […]
The UN Secretary-General on Monday called on all Middle East States to transform the vision of a region with no nuclear weapons, or other weapons of mass destruction, into a working reality. UN chief calls for nuclear weapons-free Middle East | | UN News
There is a recent culture of promoting women’s workforce participation in the Middle East and North Africa, but looking solely at the data misses some of the broader discussion on women’s empowerment. AGSIW | The Optics of Women in the Workforce
Although not as abundant as drones, countermeasures against the unmanned systems are certainly prevalent at the 2021 Dubai Airshow, which is taking place Nov. 14-18. Two counter-drone systems showcased at the event reflect the United Arab Emirates’ interest in such technology: U.S.-based Fortem Technologies displayed its SkyDome, which is already operational in the Gulf country; and Emirati […]
Qatar and Egypt have signed agreements to supply fuel and basic building materials to the Gaza Strip, the Qatari Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday. The announcement was made in Oslo by Soltan bin Saad Al-Muraikhi, Qatar’s minister of state for foreign affairs, during a ministerial meeting of the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee (AHLC), the international donor […]