MIDDLE EAST STUDIES

By Joseph Lerner
(Political and Intelligence Analyst)

Copyright: www.rieas.gr

The Arab Spring as a political phenomenon has given rise to various populist uprisings against the tyrannical regimes such as Egypt’s Revolution and Libya’s revolt. Few years ago, the Libyan people couldn’t even imagine capturing Tripoli and arresting two of Gadhafi’s sons. Who thought that one day Hosni Mubarak ally of the US to be put on trial in Cairo? It is true that the Arab Spring was inspired and started by the Tunisian populist uprising, but each case such as Egypt, Libya, Bahrain and Syria’s populist uprising has a different and unique nature. 

One of the most unique movements in the Middle East is the Syrian populist uprising. Syria, due to its geostrategic position, history and political culture has been always attracting various regional and international power players as a country to politically and economically invest in. The US, France, Germany, Turkey, Iran, Russia, China and other countries have been aware of the sensitivity and complexity of the issues when it comes to Syria, and the Syrian people’s aspiration for democracy and freedom. For this reason Syria has become the country where various parties such as Iran and Turkey are flexing their political and diplomatic mussels to gain leverage to influence Syria’s future.

Dr Barah Mikail
(Senior Researcher, Middle East and North Africa, FRIDE Think Tank, Spain) 

Copyright:  www.rieas.gr

As events have unfolded across the MENA region over the last six months, violence in Syria has reached unbearable degrees. Bachar al-Assad’s regime has managed to crush anti-government demonstrations despite criticism and sanctions adopted by the “international community”. The more criticism has been forthcoming, the more the Syrian government has propagated the foreign conspiracy by-line. Indeed, the regional environment is sensitive enough to have anyone refrain from reiterating the Libyan experience.

Ioannis Chapsos
(Commander, Hellenic Navy (PhD Cand), Hellenic Supreme Joint War College Instructor, Global Security specialist)

Copyright: www.rieas.gr

The new wars

After the end of the ‘Cold War’ we experienced a metamorphosis of the traditional conflicts per se. Interstate conflicts tend to eclipse and a new form of long lasting intrastate violence has emerged . The only interstate conflict waged in the last decade was the one between Russia and Georgia and it didn’t last for more than a week . Read more

Dr. Shlomo Shpiro
(Deputy chairman of the Political Studies Department at Bar-Ilan University, senior research associate at the Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies, and chairman of the International Intelligence History Association (IIHA).

Copyright: http://www.biu.ac.il/Besa/

Note: BESA Center Perspectives Paper No. 134, March 23, 2011

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: While Western powers have stepped in to enforce the UN Security Council's 'no fly zone' over Libya, depriving Muammar Gaddafi of his air power alone will not ensure victory for the insurgents on the ground. Covert action, conducted by intelligence operatives, can clandestinely provide the rebels with the funds, arms, communication equipment and intelligence information crucial for their success, without the need for Western forces to intervene on the ground. Such a strategy can also help unite the insurgents in order to create a unified military response to Gaddafi's army.

Μάνου Ηλιάδη
(Δημοσιογράφος)

Copyright: Κόσμο του Επενδυτή

Οι μυστικές υπηρεσίες των τριών γειτονικών κρατών φέρονται να προωθούν κοινές επιχειρήσεις δολοφονίας επιφανών Κούρδων, και μάλιστα στην καρδιά της Ευρώπης, στις Βρυξέλλες

Πληροφορίες από άκρως αξιόπιστες κουρδικές πηγές, που αναφέρονται σε συγκεκριμένη κοινή επιχείρηση των τουρκικών, ιρανικών και συριακών μυστικών υπηρεσιών εναντίον στελεχών των Κούρδων στις Βρυξέλλες, αποκαλύπτουν μία ιδιαίτερα ενδιαφέρουσα διάσταση των σχέσεων της Τουρκίας με τις χώρες αυτές, και κυρίως με το Ιράν.

Anita Rai
(Author of the Book: “Jihad and Terrorism”)

Copyright: www.rieas.gr

The people of Egypt are stepping up pressure on Hosni Mubarak, the country’s longest ruling leader to step down from the President’s post. In power for thirty years, Mubarak has ruled Egypt with an iron hand armed with a brutal security apparatus. Legitimate desire of the people to free themselves from the clutches of an authoritarian regime, however must be realised with caution. Not just the West, but the global community as a whole, cannot afford to have the continuing political chaos culminate in the Islamists coming to power in Egypt, whose stability is a must for the peace of the region and the world. Read more