Stephen Green writes: It seems possible that Khashoggi was murdered in order to embarrass Crown Prince bin Salman rather than to protect him. If he was murdered at all, that is—and on the whole I think it’s likely that he … Continue reading →
[Go to end of post for UPDATE] I’ve been avoiding writing about the Khashoggi story for the simple reason that the truth—which is often elusive—seems even more elusive than usual in this matter. From moment I first read about it, … Continue reading →
This is very good news: A Turkish court freed American pastor Andrew Brunson on Friday after he spent nearly two years in jail and more time under house arrest on charges related to terrorism and espionage. Brunson had become entangled … Continue reading →
I was thinking about Bernard Lewis the other day and wondering whether he was still alive, because I remembered that even at the time of 9/11 (when I’d first heard of him) he was already pretty old. I got my … Continue reading →
…they certainly didn’t get their money’s worth: U.S. and allied warships and warplanes in the eastern Mediterranean launched a fiery barrage of missiles at multiple military targets in Syria to punish the Russian-backed government in Damascus for its alleged use … Continue reading →
While we are being distracted by such things as the NFL’s knees and Weiner’s weiner, life goes on abroad with some elections. Germany has re-elected Angela Merkel, for example. But the celebration was somewhat muted for Merkel: Merkel’s Pyrrhic victory … Continue reading →
At least, that’s the way it looks at the moment: The Telegraph understands Hashem Abedi, 20, the brother of suspected attacker Salman Abedi, was arrested last night in the capital Tripoli by counterterrorism forces on suspicion of links to the … Continue reading →
Yes, this is a frivolous post. I need a pleasant escape for a little while from the heaviness of the news. Maybe you do, too. And the world cares about these things, as measured by the buzz about the way … Continue reading →
This quote from Egyptian president al Sisi to President Trump is pretty funny: “Let me say that you have a unique personality that is capable of doing the impossible.” I don’t think many people would disagree with that one, no … Continue reading →
President Trump is embarking on a trip to the Middle East and Europe: President Trump on Friday afternoon will embark on his first overseas trip, a historic eight-day journey that includes visits to the holiest sites of three major religions, … Continue reading →
An American-Egyptian couple who had been held in Egyptian prison were released recently: Last weekend, Egyptian-American aid worker Aya Hijazi, who had become an international symbol of Sisi’s harsh crackdown on aid groups, was cleared of child-abuse and human-trafficking charges … Continue reading →
Yesterday there was a referendum in Turkey that used a democratic process to give Erdogan dictatorial powers. The pro-Erdogan forces didn’t call the powers the referendum would confer “dictatorial,” of course. But that’s what they were. Erdogan has declared victory: … Continue reading →