Islamic State: Washington and Baghdad “Don’t Get It”

by Wayne White Since Baghdad’s recapture of the central Iraqi city of Tikrit, the Islamic State (ISIS or IS) has hit back hard. IS broke into Iraq’s encircled Baiji refinery earlier this month and lately has seized Ramadi. As we… Continue Reading →

Jason Rezaian’s Family Speaks Out

by Jasmin Ramsey On July 22, Jason Rezaian, an American-Iranian Washington Post reporter, was detained in Tehran by Iranian authorities along with his wife, Yeganeh Salehi, and two other people whose names have been kept private. The reason for the arrests… Continue Reading →

Israel-Palestine: Correcting Some Faulty Ideas on Both Sides

by Mitchell Plitnick Like many of us, I’ve been very busy on social media since Israel began its military operation in Gaza. I see a lot of ignorant nonsense there, and it’s not limited to the pro-Israel side. I also… Continue Reading →

Rare Expulsion of US Official from Bahrain Sets Back Reform Hopes

by Jim Lobe Monday’s expulsion order by Bahrain against a visiting senior US official has set back tentative hopes for internal reforms that could reconcile the kingdom’s Sunni-led government with its majority Shia community and drawn a sharp protest from… Continue Reading →

UN Rights Rapporteur Forced to Grade Iran from Afar

by Omid Memarian Geneva — Following the release Friday of his report to the Human Rights Council on the situation in Iran, U.N. Special Rapporteur Ahmed Shaheed urged Tehran to engage with U.N. mandates – firstly by permitting him to… Continue Reading →