July 1, 2014 On June 28th, history marked the 100th anniversary of the event that sparked World War I. After the war and the downfall of the Ottoman Empire, maps were redrawn by the European victors, with very little understanding of the maze of Middle Eastern identities. Kurds, Sunni Muslims, Shiite Muslims, Jews, Christians, Druze and … Continue reading Wars, Legacies and 100 Years
Tag: Middle East
FIVE FOR ONE: The Taliban Prisoner Trade Issue
June 9, 2014 Americans and the media have been buzzing this past week about the latest issue in Obama’s attempt to manage America’s foreign policy and end the war in Afghanistan while not completely ruining his political career in the process. Here’s what happened: US soldier, Bowe Bergdahl, was held prisoner by the Taliban in Afghanistan … Continue reading FIVE FOR ONE: The Taliban Prisoner Trade Issue
GLOBAL UPDATE: MAY 2014
May 26, 2014 Every once in a while, I’ll stop and post some views on what’s happening in the world. It almost seems like a full-time job just to try to keep track of all that’s happening. Here’s my “simplified” list of five complex issues that are happening now: EGYPTIAN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS: What’s happening? Egypt … Continue reading GLOBAL UPDATE: MAY 2014
MIDDLE EAST UPDATE: Iran, Libya, Iraq and Egypt
January 15, 2014 Well, it’s only January, but it’s time to do a quick update on what’s going on in the Middle East. There are four issues that deserve our attention. DEAL WITH IRAN The West struck a landmark deal with Iran over their nuclear program. Under the deal, Iran has agreed to cap the … Continue reading MIDDLE EAST UPDATE: Iran, Libya, Iraq and Egypt
Syria, Chemical Weapons and the US Response
My source inside of Syria contacted me today. He’s a Syrian journalist in Damascus covering the ongoing civil war. He doesn’t want me to use his name, but I trust his information - I’ve literally put my life in his hands when I worked on a project in Damascus back in 2009. After giving me … Continue reading Syria, Chemical Weapons and the US Response
Five Reasons Americans Should Care About What’s Happening in Egypt
The pursuit of democracy is messy. Sorting out a society when all you’ve had since you can remember is tyrannical dictatorships is going to take some time. Many of my colleagues in Egypt believed that they had achieved freedom and democracy on February 11, 2011, when President Mubarak was ousted. Not true. Removing Mubarak was … Continue reading Five Reasons Americans Should Care About What’s Happening in Egypt
The Global Nexter 