Bahrain needs more than just an image change to solve its long-standing problems.
Recently, Bahrain has been making progress not only in the realm of business, but also in matters of international affairs. Prior to the Dubai Airshow this past November, his Highness Sheikh Mohammad bin Rashid al-Maktoum, vice-president and prime minister of the UAE and ruler of Dubai, received King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa of Bahrain and his delegation. A number of issues of common interest, specially regarding the situation in the region, were discussed between the two rulers.
The number of foreign fighters in Syria has reached an alarming level.
As the Syrian Civil War rages on for a third year, it has morphed into a wider jihad by Islamist militants, both home-grown and foreign imports. Syria has become the "favorite" battleground of the so-called jihadists from a wide-range of countries, including Arab-Muslim countries as well as Western states. The patchy performance of the original rebels opened the way for Islamist militants to take over the fight against government forces.
"Land of the "Boutique Jihad": The Foreign Fighters in Syria "
Imparting war-fighting skills to Syrian insurgents might backfire.
Training and supporting insurgents against one’s adversaries has been a cost effective strategy since the late 20th century, when states co-opted their adversaries’ enemies as proxy forces, avoiding the monetary cost of deploying their own soldiers and the political cost of casualties.
"The Enemy of My Enemy: Perils of Training Syrian Rebels"
The quest for stability in Syria will determine the outcome of the conflict.
Historian Niall Ferguson holds that order is always the best argument in favor of the empire. Precisely, territorial order or stability is taken by Richard Falk as the bedrock of state sovereignty. Historian Eric Hobsbawm, for his part, links the human need for such an order to people being subjects before becoming citizens.
The outcomes of the Syrian conflict are contingent on the different ways that stakeholders’ quest for stability and order in the territory unfurl.
Syria's future may not be better off with regime change.
Once again, the West seems to be teetering on the edge of invading a Middle Eastern country that is revolting against a Ba’athist government. However, there is still a great deal of uncertainty that would make a military operation rash at this point. A consideration of the available options would be valuable.
The Options
"Considering the Options for Western Intervention in Syria"
Anyone who thinks military rule bends toward democracy in Egypt has misread the country's history.
Many Egyptians and Western critics of the Muslim Brotherhood welcomed the military coup that recently toppled the country’s elected Brotherhood-led government, praising the military for safeguarding secularism and “democracy.” This betrays a gross misreading of the country’s history.
Paul Ashley analyzes the potential impact of Northern Irish militant groups on the upcoming G8 Summit. [Note: This report was produced in collaboration with 361 Security.]
Security Situation
"Will Northern Irish Terrorism Affect the G8 Summit?"