Articles
An Arab initiative that could be the real path to peace
As the latest US plan is a no-go, stakeholders need to remind everyone that the Arab Peace Initiative has existed in plain sight for almost two decades
Hezbollah will find the urgent Lebanese priorities are clashing with its regional loyalties
If the party opts for repression to silence the domestic scene, it might cause a social explosion and foreign condemnation that it would regret
Arab states reduced to proxy-playing fields for other regional powers will usher in period of unrest
The Middle East will continue to struggle with domestic discontent as Arab societies revolt against their mismanaged governments
Lebanon is prepared to give Hassan Diab a chance. It has little choice
The prime minister's lack of communal backing will plague him in the months ahead, particularly when the government has to take tough economic measures
The idea that Lebanon's armed forces represent a solution to the current crisis is an illusion
The military reflects a society divided by sectarianism, with all the paradoxes that entails
How Lebanon's political system brought the country to the brink
Post-war constitutional agreements embedded the corruption that plagues the country to this day
Hezbollah could be hastening the demise of the system it is trying so hard to preserve
By first trying to deflate protester demands for better, less corrupt governance and economic management, the group's leader Hassan Nasrallah was seen as the defender of an intolerable status quo
After Saad Hariri resignation, any new Lebanese government would be severely tested
Even if a government of technocrats takes over – as per popular demand – it would have to work against the vested interests of the political class
Gebran Bassil wants the presidency at any cost – even if Lebanon has to pay a heavy price
By making overtures to Bashar Al Assad, the foreign minister is prepared to compromise Lebanon's sovereignty in his bid for power
The only way to address Hezbollah is through Iran – not by targeting Lebanon
American patience is waning but if it turns up the heat too high, Lebanon could risk becoming a failed state
In search of Kim Philby's Beirut – when the city was all about soul
The Lebanese capital that the Cold War-era double agent once called home was full of beauty, intrigue and charm. Sadly, it is increasingly suffocated by concrete, cars, and generator fumes these days
Lebanon, Hezbollah and the danger of throwing the baby out with the bathwater
Moves to cut funding for state institutions will only cripple them and push an economy in crisis over the edge
Halfway into his presidency, Lebanon's Michel Aoun has failed to live up to expectations
The president filled a vacuum – but his many shortcomings have led some to question whether he is up to the job
The new US approach to the Middle East raises more questions than answers
Refusal to engage in the region's conflicts is not a strategy
The Assad regime is using refugees for leverage against its neighbours
However, if the regime wishes to build and maintain relations with nearby nations, it will have to find a pathway towards the safe return of displaced people
