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The Economist: Middle East and Africa
The flagging peace process: Is Israel too strong for Barack Obama?
Thu, 05 Nov 2009 11:01:13 -0000
As America drops its demand for a total freeze on the building of Israeli settlements in the West Bank, angry Palestinians say there is no scope for resuming talksFIVE months after Barack Obama went to Cairo and persuaded most of the Arab world, in a ringing declaration of even-handedness, that he would face down Israel in his quest for a Palestinian state, American policy seems to have run into the sand. The American president’s mediating hand is weaker, his charisma damagingly faded. From the Palestinian and Arab point of view, his administration—after grandly setting out to force the Jewish state to stop the building of Jewish settlements on Palestinian land as an early token of good faith, intended to bring Israelis and Palestinians back to negotiation—has meekly capitulated to Israel.The upshot is that hopes for an early resumption of talks between the main protagonists seem to have been dashed. Indeed, no one seems to know how they can be restarted. The mood among moderates on both sides is as glum as ever. ...
Guinea's strife: Don't let it be contagious
Thu, 05 Nov 2009 11:01:13 -0000
The neighbours of a shaky west African state fear that its instability could spreadWHEN Moussa Dadis Camara, a 45-year-old captain, seized power at the end of last year, many Guineans and foreigners were by no means unhappy. He seemed sure to be better than his corrupt and dictatorial predecessor, President Lansana Conte, who had just died after 25 years in charge. But hope evaporated at the end of September, when security forces smashed up an opposition rally in a stadium in Conakry, the capital. Soldiers and police killed at least 150 demonstrators and raped scores of women, says Human Rights Watch, a lobby based in New York. A worldwide storm of outrage ensued. The African Union has frozen the assets held abroad by junta members. The European Union has imposed an arms embargo and has also, along with the United States, stopped giving visas to Guineans close to the regime. France, the former colonial ruler, has cut military ties. Its foreign minister has called for “international intervention”, so far unspecified. ...
Saudis and Yemenis versus jihadists: A bloody border
Thu, 05 Nov 2009 11:01:13 -0000
Trouble on the frontier between Saudi Arabia and Yemen is getting out of handTWO separate incidents underline the growing shakiness of Yemen’s government and the increasing fear of Saudi rulers that their own fairly successful campaign to quash Islamist terrorism may be undermined by neighbouring Yemen’s feared descent into chaos. On November 3rd suspected al-Qaeda fighters ambushed a Yemeni government convoy in the remote Hadramawt region, near the border with Saudi Arabia, killing three senior security men. A day later Yemeni rebels at the other end of the country crossed the frontier into Saudi Arabia, killed a Saudi officer and claimed to have captured a strategic mountaintop inside the kingdom. The very next day, Saudi aircraft were reported to have bombed rebel positions in Yemen. In the first attack the Yemeni officers were targeted in what may be an emerging strategy by al-Qaeda’s resilient local branch to hit local security forces rather than symbols of “crusader” influence, such as Western embassies. The attack on Saudi Arabia, by contrast, was a spillover from the civil war in northern Yemen between government forces and rebel tribesmen loyal to a powerful local clan, the Houthis. The government accuses Shia Iran of backing the Houthis, most of whose supporters are Zaydis, a Yemeni branch of the Shia faith, whereas the rebels say Sunni Saudi Arabia is backing the government’s ferocious counter-insurgency. ...
Protests in Iran: Green November
Thu, 05 Nov 2009 11:01:13 -0000
The opposition takes to the streets againTHIRTY years ago, the world was mesmerised by pictures of 52 blindfolded Americans being taken hostage in their embassy in Tehran by Iranian students. This week’s anniversary provided more gripping scenes, as Iranians used the official celebration of that event to take to the streets once again, this time to protest against their own government and their country’s controversial president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, whose re-election in June they still hotly dispute.The green movement, as the opposition calls itself, had held no big rally since Jerusalem Day in mid-September, when protesters turned an officially sponsored event into an anti-government one. On November 4th they did it again. Thousands came on to the streets, despite dark warnings from the authorities. There were big demonstrations in Tehran, and reports of others in provincial cities such as Arak, Isfahan, Mazandaran, Rasht, Shiraz and Tabriz. The internet hummed with tales of opposition protests, replete with videos and photographs. It was hard, however, to assess the size of the crowds. ...
Iraq's coming election: The region's liveliest system
Thu, 05 Nov 2009 11:01:12 -0000
Amid the bickering and chicanery, people are engaging in democracySOMETIMES it seems as if Iraqi politicians cannot agree on anything. Parliament has taken months debating a bill to pave the way to elections on January 16th, though at least 296 parties have declared their intention to compete at the polls. Yet outside the chamber many members say they want the same things. The era of sectarian division, they all insist, is over. Shias and Sunnis embrace at press conferences as they present electoral alliances. In the name of reconciliation, politicians disavow the militias that once killed on their behalf. Banners proclaim the goal of “national unity”. Is there any sign that such fine dreams might ever come true?For all the backbiting, progress is plain. After months of negotiations, six main electoral blocks have emerged to meet a looming deadline for registering alliances. The three that look most genuinely post-sectarian may well be the strongest. The rest sport fig-leaves of diversity but are tainted with past sectarian violence. ...
Baghdad's Green Zone goes dry: Stop that naughty Western habit
Thu, 05 Nov 2009 11:01:12 -0000
Life for Westerners in Iraq’s capital becomes less bearableRESIDENTS of Baghdad’s fortified Green Zone, where nearly all Western civilians in the capital still live in around 100 compounds, along with several thousand soldiers, have long enjoyed a relatively privileged life. Unlike just about everyone else in Iraq, they have electricity that keeps them permanently cool, lights their rooms, plays their music, and runs their fridges around the clock. Their water is clean; loos flush. Above all, suicide-bombers and other insurgents are generally kept out by a maze of high concrete walls and stringently checked entry points, though the occasional lethal bomb has gone off and in bad times rockets and mortars have rained down. Compared with the rest of Baghdad, fatalities have been rare.Now, however, the residents of the Green Zone are taking a big hit. Many of its diplomats, security people, lobbyists and aid workers have been used to whiling away their evenings at cocktail parties or in bars. But the Iraqi government is banning the transport and sale of alcohol inside the zone even though alcohol will remain legal in other parts of the country. Liquor stores must close after selling off their stock. Restaurants have been told to go dry. ...
L.A. Times - Middle East
Army psychiatrist blamed in Fort Hood shooting rampage
Fri, 06 Nov 2009 02:34:00 -0800
The suspect, stable after being shot himself, is accused of killing 13 and wounding 30 at the Texas Army base. It's not clear whether he is the author of inflammatory comments on the Web. Reporting from Ft. Hood, Texas, Washington and Los Angeles -- An Army psychiatrist who was about to be deployed to Iraq allegedly armed himself with two guns and opened fire Thursday afternoon on the grounds of Ft. Hood, the country's largest military base, killing 12 people and injuring 31 others.
Obama faces competing demands on Afghanistan strategy
Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0800
The president must heed domestic pressure that any military buildup be limited while convincing Afghan and Pakistani officials that the U.S. commitment is firm. As President Obama struggles over a new military strategy for Afghanistan, his advisors are trying to satisfy sharply divergent demands: assuring Americans that any military buildup will be limited while convincing Pakistan and other wary allies that the U.S. presence is substantial and not about to end.
In South Waziristan, hopes that Taliban's exit will bring progress
Thu, 05 Nov 2009 19:36:00 -0800
Though villagers were not opposed to the militants, many of them fellow Mahsud tribesmen, they welcome the Pakistani offensive, hoping it will end the lawlessness and help bring basic amenities. The Mahsud tribesmen of South Waziristan don't hate the Taliban. But they hate what having Taliban fighters living among them has done to life in their mud-hut hamlets.
U.N. official admonishes Karzai to enact reforms
Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0800
The Afghan president risks losing the support of the international community, Kai Eide warns. He calls on Karzai to fight corruption, bolster the judiciary and end the culture of impunity. The top United Nations official in Afghanistan on Thursday issued an unusually pointed warning to President Hamid Karzai to enact major political reforms or risk losing the support of the international community.
Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas says he won't seek reelection
Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0800
The Palestinian Authority president cites a lack of U.S. support for demands that Israel freeze settlement expansion. His decision is seen as a bid to push Israel toward compromise. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas announced Thursday that he would not seek reelection next year, citing a lack of U.S. support for his conditions for resuming peace talks with Israel.
Fort Hood shooting suspect was to deploy to Iraq soon
Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0800
A cousin of Nidal Malik Hasan says the family saw that as 'probably his worst nightmare.' The Army psychiatrist trained to help returning soldiers had heard horror stories about the war. He was trained by the military as a psychiatrist to help returning soldiers deal with the mental stress of combat, but by some reports, the horror stories he heard gradually began to change him too.
NPR Topics: Middle East
Flu Threat Looms As Mecca Readies For Pilgrims
Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:05:00 -0500
The H1N1 virus is a major concern for Saudi Arabian authorities, who are gearing up to host millions of Muslims on the annual pilgrimage to Mecca. Health officials are making recommendations and monitoring pilgrims, but otherwise can do little to mitigate the virus' spread.
While An Obama Priority, Mideast Peace Pace Slows
Thu, 05 Nov 2009 06:30:00 -0500
President Obama has said that one of his priorities is to help Israelis and Palestinians negotiate peace. But the U.S. has been unable to persuade Israel to stop settlement building in the West Bank, and Palestinians say without that they are not ready to talk. To get things started, U.S. officials may have to begin with lower-level negotiations.
Israel Commandos Seize Ship Loaded With Weapons
Wed, 04 Nov 2009 17:21:00 -0500
Defense officials said the weapons were from Iran and bound for Lebanon's Hezbollah guerrillas. It was the largest arms shipment Israel has ever commandeered. Hours after the seizure, Israel had not provided proof that the arms were meant for Hezbollah, and the Islamist group had no comment on the claim.
Iranian Protests Show Opposition Is Still Strong
Wed, 04 Nov 2009 16:30:00 -0500
Tens of thousands of demonstrators poured into the streets of Tehran again on Wednesday to protest against the government and last June's presidential election. Some analysts had begun to write off the Iranian opposition as a spent force. But Wednesday, it was clear the opposition has not melted away.
NPR Interview: Clinton Clears Up Settlement Issue
Wed, 04 Nov 2009 06:44:00 -0500
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is wrapping up a week-long trip oversees. The final stop in Cairo was added at the last minute, to try to smooth over concern in the Arab world that the Obama administration is easing pressure on Israel over settlements. Clinton reiterated U.S. policy that Washington does not accept Israeli settlements as legitimate.
Protesters Clash With Iranian Security Forces
Wed, 04 Nov 2009 06:00:00 -0500
Wednesday marks the 30th anniversary of the U.S. embassy takeover in Iran. The day usually is marked in Tehran by anti-U.S. rallies. But this year, protestors unhappy with the Iranian government have taken to the streets. Borzou Daragahi, of the Los Angeles Times tells Steve Inskeep the demonstrations are widespread despite Iran's warning that it would crack down on protesters.
UN News Centre - Middle East
Lebanon: UN envoy holds talks to try to end delays on formation of government
Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0500
The United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon met today with the country's Prime Minister-designate and its parliamentary speaker as he continues his efforts to try to help end the political deadlock that has prevented the formation of a government, five months after national elections were held.
Assembly President calls on Israel, Palestinians to implement resolution on Gaza conflict
Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0500
General Assembly President Ali Treki today urged Israel and the Palestinians to heed the body's call to conduct credible investigations into charges that both sides were guilty of serious human rights violations during the conflict in the Gaza Strip at the start of the year.
UN providing essential health services to displaced persons in northern Yemen
Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0500
The United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) is providing vital health services to thousands of internally displaced persons (IDPs) who have been driven from their homes since clashes between Government forces and Al Houthi rebels resumed across Sa'dah province in northern Yemen in mid-August.
General Assembly backs findings of UN report into Gaza conflict
Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0500
The General Assembly today endorsed the report of the United Nations investigation which found that both Israeli forces and Palestinian militants were guilty of serious human rights violations during the conflict in the Gaza Strip at the start of the year.
General Assembly begins debate on UN rights probe into Gaza conflict
Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0500
The General Assembly today began its debate on the report of the United Nations probe which found that both Israeli forces and Palestinian militants were guilty of serious human rights violations during the Gaza conflict earlier this year.
Ban calls on Israel to halt eviction of Palestinians in East Jerusalem
Tue, 03 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0500
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today called on Israel to halt what he called "provocative" actions after another Palestinian family in East Jerusalem was evicted from their home, the latest in a series of similar incidents.
NYT > Middle East
Adversities Await Iraqis Who Return Home
By JOHN LELAND Sat, 07 Nov 2009 03:45:31 -0000
More than half a million Iraqi families have left their homes since 2003, and one international group has identified fewer than 60,000 who have returned.
Yemeni Rebels and Saudis Clash at Border
By ROBERT F. WORTH Sat, 07 Nov 2009 02:51:07 -0000
Saudi military and Yemeni rebels both claimed to have inflicted casualties and captured enemy soldiers as border clashes continued.
Group Documents Sexual Assaults in Iran Postelection Crackdown
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Sat, 07 Nov 2009 02:02:01 -0000
Human Rights Watch says one of the cases appeared in an official report, but was dropped by the government.
U.N. Panel Accuses 2 Iranians of Breaking Darfur Arms Embargo
By REUTERS Sat, 07 Nov 2009 02:06:56 -0000
Two businessmen were linked to video surveillance devices that were sold to Sudan and used by drones.
Lebanon’s Opposition Said to Agree to Government
By REUTERS Sat, 07 Nov 2009 01:24:07 -0000
Lebanon’s opposition, including Hezbollah, agreed to join a unity government proposed by Saad al-Hariri, a senior opposition source said.
Top Palestinian Rules Out Race for Re-election
By ETHAN BRONNER and MARK LANDLER Fri, 06 Nov 2009 14:23:35 -0000
Mahmoud Abbas has threatened to resign before, but his statement showed his frustration with the state of Mideast diplomacy.
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