Analysis: The real struggle in Iran
30 June, 2009
By George Friedman
Speaking of the situation in Iran, U.S. President Barack Obama said June 26, “We don’t yet know how any potential dialogue will have been affected until we see what has happened inside of Iran.”
Brutally killed in Iran, Neda has become the symbol of rebellion
24 June, 2009
BY Helen Kennedy
Her name is Neda, which means "voice" in Farsi, and her death has become the central rallying cry of the Iranian rebellion. The fresh-faced teenage girl killed by what appears to be a single sniper shot on the streets of Tehran Saturday is now a potent symbol for Iran's pro-democracy protesters.
Aoun: a sore loser?
13 June, 2009
Op-Ed by Now Lebanon
Lebanese democracy is not yet the finished article, even if Interior Minister Ziad Baroud, who showed what can happen when a capable technocrat is given a chance to shine, pulled off a stunning display of public administration.
Lebanon’s Triumph, Iran’s Travesty
12 June, 2009
By Elliott Abrams, New York Times Op-Ed
With elections in Lebanon and Iran occurring in the same week, it’s inevitable that they are viewed as twin tests of efforts to spread democracy to the Muslim world.
Hezbollah still potent despite its defeat in Lebanon's elections
11 June, 2009
By Alistair Lyon, Special Correspondent
Beirut - Despite its defeat in Lebanon's election, the powerful Iranian-backed Hezbollah group suffered no erosion of support in its own Shi'ite base and will brook no challenge to its weapons.
March 14 election victory is good news for Lebanon economy
11 June, 2009
By Bassem Mroue
Beirut- Lebanon's pro-West coalition's victory over militant group Hezbollah in the weekend election showdown is expected to boost confidence in the country's economy, analysts said Tuesday, as the "Switzerland of the Middle East"
Lebanon election: Israel Prefers Hezbollah
6 June, 2009
By : Randa Takieddine
The visit by President Barack Obama to Saudi Arabia, followed by Cairo, to put forward his ideas on solving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is tantamount to support for Arab political moderation.
Candidates in Lebanon election follow cause of slain relatives
6 June, 2009
By Alia Ibrahim
Beirut - Sami Gemayel's name alone may have made politics his destiny. His grandfather was a leader of almost feudal power in Lebanon's Christian community. His uncle and father were presidents.
Lebanon Elections: Iran's regime is the 'big spender'
5 June, 2009
By Amir Taheri*
While economies across the globe are in meltdown mode, the banks in Lebanon appear flush, offering hefty interest rates on savings. The Lebanese have had a knack for business and banking since Phoenician times, when they traded with every nation around the Mediterranean.
Opinion: Obama’s Muslim speech
2 June, 2009
By : Madeleine K. Albright *
On Thursday, President Obama will deliver a speech on American foreign policy to a predominantly Muslim audience in Egypt. Aside from fulfilling a campaign pledge, why has the president decided to give such a speech? When he approaches the microphone, what are the key issues he should address?
Iranian Elections: Change in the air in Iran
31 May, 2009
By David Ignatius
As Iran heads toward its presidential election on June 12, there are signs that Iranian voters are embracing their own version of "Change we can believe in."
Analysis: Abbas's Waiting Game
29 May, 2009
By Jackson Diehl
Washington - Mahmoud Abbas says there is nothing for him to do. True, the Palestinian president walked into his meeting with Barack Obama yesterday as the pivotal player in any Middle East peace process.
Will Obama visit Lebanon before elections ?
27 May, 2009
Beirut - Both Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and US Vice president Joe Biden have already visited Lebanon and there is increasing speculation that President Obama may also make a surprise visit to Lebanon just days before the elections in Lebanon , after he delivers a speech to the Muslim world from Egypt
Interview: Is peace possible between Washington and Tehran?
27 May, 2009
By : Borzou Daragahi, Beirut, Lebanon
Iran experts abound. But few of those talking about the Islamic Republic have ever lived or worked there. Francois Nicoullaud, the former French envoy to Tehran, lived in Iran for more than four years, learned some Farsi and wrote a small book about Iran.
Slain leaders' heirs vie for Lebanon votes
27 May, 2009
By Tom Perry
Beirut- The memory of assassinated Lebanese leaders lives on in the symbols and slogans of their heirs who are battling for Christian votes crucial to deciding the outcome of a parliamentary election.
Lebanon: Did Hezbollah murder Hariri?
26 May, 2009
By Abdul Rahman Al-Rashed*
Two weeks ago, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, leader of Hezbollah, described the 7th of May as a glorious anniversary in the history of Lebanon.
Analysis: Middle East test of Obama's resolve
18 May, 2009
Washington - The mood music has been good. Ahead of one of the most momentous meetings of his presidency - with Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s prime minister, on Monday - Barack Obama has communicated his determination to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict once and for all.
Obama-Netanyahu meeting: World watches for U.S. shift on ME
17 May, 2009
By Helene Cooper
Washington - Five weeks ago, President Obama stood before the Turkish legislature in Ankara and said many Americans had Muslims in their families or had lived in a Muslim-majority country. “I know,” he said, “because I am one of them.”
U.S. relations with Lebanon could hinge on June 7 elections
14 May, 2009
By: Brooke Anderson
Beirut - U.S. relations with Lebanon could hinge on whether a Hezbollah-led coalition wins June 7 parliamentary elections.
Egypt is the venue of Obama's address to Arab & Muslim worlds
12 May, 2009
By Michael Slackman
Cairo - President Obama’s decision to deliver a speech here next month has given significant encouragement to a once powerful ally that has grown increasingly frustrated over its waning regional influence
