Category Archives: Uncategorized

The Transforming Fire: review by Joseph Morrison Skelly, 9/5

Posted on May 10, 2012 by jonathanspyer

The Transforming Fire: The Rise of the Israel–Islamist Conflict by Jonathan Spyer (New York: Continuum, 2010), 227 pages Reviewed by Joseph Morrison Skelly Treasurer, Association for the Study of the Middle East and Africa / US Army Reserve “People walked … Continue reading →

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The Killing Grounds of Idlib

Posted on May 6, 2012 by jonathanspyer

Jerusalem Post, 4/5. Human Rights Watch released this week a report that offers a devastating picture of the activities of the Syrian regime in suppressing the revolt underway against it. The report also stands as an indictment of the impotency … Continue reading →

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Iran and Saudi Arabia duel over Bahrain

Posted on April 29, 2012 by jonathanspyer

The Saudi-sponsored newspaper Alsharq Alawsat this week reported a meeting in Qom between Iraqi Shi’ite Islamist leader Moqtada al-Sadr and leaders of the Bahraini opposition. Alsharq Alawsat, based in London, was keen to cast a spotlight on this meeting because … Continue reading →

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Tragedy and farce in Syria

Posted on April 7, 2012 by jonathanspyer

Jerusalem Post, 05/04/2012 Recent developments show that the West appears to have acquiesced to the continued rule of the Assad family dictatorship. The supposed acceptance by the regime of Bashar Assad of UN Special Envoy Kofi Annan’s six-point plan represents … Continue reading →

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Lecture in Berlin on Syria, 8/11.

Posted on April 4, 2012 by jonathanspyer
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Taking note of Yemen

Posted on March 31, 2012 by jonathanspyer

Jerusalem Post, 29/03/2012 The US is waking up to Iran’s support for Shi’ite rebels and its attempts to gain influence through proxy warfare. In a notable shift in the US public stance, Washington’s Ambassador to Yemen Gerald Feierstein this week … Continue reading →

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Clip of an interview on Syria

Posted on March 15, 2012 by jonathanspyer
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Islamic Jihad attacks, Hamas’s dilemmas

Posted on March 13, 2012 by jonathanspyer

In by far the sharpest escalation since late 2008, scores of rockets have been fired from the Gaza Strip into Israel during recent days following Israel’s killing of the Gaza-based leader of the Popular Resistance Committees (PRC) Zuhair al-Qaisi and … Continue reading →

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Confusion in the Ranks

Posted on March 10, 2012 by jonathanspyer

This week, leading Gaza- Hamas activist Salah al-Bardawil told The Guardian newspaper that in the event of a war between Iran and Israel, Hamas would not back Teheran. Hamas Foreign Minister in Gaza Mahmoud Zahar later appeared to refute Bardawil’s … Continue reading →

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The West should help Syrian rebels

Posted on March 2, 2012 by jonathanspyer

The Australian, 1/3/12 In recent days the world has witnessed the Assad regime in Syria pretending to inquire as to its citizens’ opinion in a referendum on constitutional reform, while enthusiastically slaughtering the opposition with advanced artillery. About 100 civilians … Continue reading →

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