Syria in Tit-for-tat tells Libya, Tunisia to close embassies

Syria has told Libya and Tunisia to close their embassies in Damascus within 72 hours, a foreign ministry spokesman said on Saturday, after the two North African countries announced similar measures against Syria. (more…)

Former ambassador: U.S. needs to do more in Syria

A former U.S. Ambassador said the Obama administration, in refusing to get more involved in the unrest in Syria, is “sitting back on its laurels in Libya,” while allowing the Syrian people to suffer.

In a recent article in The Huffington Post, Marc Ginsberg, former U.S. Ambassador to Morocco, wrote that there is a double standard in the United States’ reaction to the unrest in Syria compared to Libya. (more…)

effort to rebrand ‘Arab Spring’ as ‘Islamic Awakening’ backfires in Iran

It was meant to be a crowning moment in which Iran put its own Islamic stamp on the Arab Spring. More than a thousand young activists were flown here earlier this week (at government expense) for a conference on “the Islamic Awakening,” Tehran’s effort to re-brand the popular Arab uprisings of the past year. (more…)

U.S. seeks to allay Russia concerns on UN plan on Syria

The United States is seeking to overcome Russian objections to a proposed U.N. resolution against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad by allaying concerns it could open the door to a Libya-style military intervention in Syria, a senior U.S. official said on Monday. (more…)

Gadhafi loyalists seized control of a Libyan town

Moammar Gadhafi loyalists seized control of a Libyan city and raised the ousted regime’s green flag, an official and military commanders said Tuesday, in the most serious revolt yet against the country’s government.

The retaking of Bani Walid highlights the vulnerability of Libya’s new leaders, who have faced mounting criticism (more…)

Syria’s Zabadani is ‘liberated ’ but under siege

The residents of this pretty mountain resort town still seem dazed with disbelief that they have somehow succeeded in driving out the Syrian army, 10 months after they first rose up to demand change. (more…)

Lebanon FM ‘Confident’ Imam Sadr Still Alive

Lebanon Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour said on Monday following his return from a trip of several days to Libya he is confident that Imam Moussa al-Sadr and his two companions who went missing in Tripoli over 33 years ago are still alive.

“The Libyan leaders expressed their readiness to closely follow up on the case,” Mansour said in an interview with NBN television.

“We are confident that the three are still alive,” Mansour added (more…)

Lebanon FM in Libya to discuss Imam Sadr’s disappearance

A Lebanese delegation headed by Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour arrived in Tripoli on Wednesday to discuss the the mysterious disappearance of Shiite Imam Moussa al-Sadr who went missing upon arrival in Tripoli in 1978.

Sadr, a charismatic spiritual leader, had reportedly been officially invited to Libya during the rule of Moammar Gadhafi in 1978 along with an aide and a journalist to negotiate an end to Lebanon’s 1975-1990 civil war. (more…)

Imam Moussa al-Sadr died in Libyan jail, Al-Liwaa

The late Shiite spiritual leader Imam Moussa al-Sadr,, who went missing in Libya during a 1978 visit , died of natural causes in a Tripoli prison 20 years later , Al-Liwaa newspaper reported on Tuesday .

“Imam Moussa al-Sadr, died in his prison cell where he was being held since his disappearance at the hands of security members of the Gadhafi regime in 1978, (more…)

Putin points to U.S. role in Gadhafi’s killing

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin accused U.S. drones and special forces of involvement in the death of Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi in comments Thursday.

He also attacked U.S. Sen. John McCain over a warning that Russia might follow the same path as Libya, suggesting McCain was not of sound mind following his time as a prisoner during the Vietnam War. (more…)