Although Libya has rid itself of the Muammar Qadhafi regime, it faces an uncertain future endangered by radical Islamist factions, warring militia commanders, tribal rivalries, a lack of democratic traditions, and a civil society ravaged by decades of authoritarian rule. Last week, two militias clashed violently in a turf war in Tripoli, the Libyan capital. Catherine Herridge, the chief intelligence correspondent for Fox News, noted the rise of Libyan Islamists in an article earlier last week. She cited a recent report by Kronos, LLC, that assessed the prominent role in …
Facing mounting pressure, the Arab League called for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to immediately cease the brutal hostilities against his people. By a near-unanimous vote, the Arab League expressed its hard-line position against Damascus through the threat of economic and political sanctions if the ultimatum is not responded to by Wednesday. This decision demonstrates the urgency of the regional states to resolve this conflict through peaceful means. And the latest attempt to isolate Damascus is a belated affirmation by the Arab League that such disregard for human rights will not …
Yesterday, Iran’s hardline regime accused the United States of fueling “Iran phobia” by deploying missile defense systems in several Persian Gulf countries that increasingly feel threatened by Iran. Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehrmanparast complained that “We regard these (U.S.) measures as a conspiracy and a ploy by foreign countries to create a sense of Iran phobia.” He attacked U.S. officials for spreading fear: “Because they have lost their presence in Iran, they feel they have no foothold and in order to justify their presence (in the region) they make such …
