It was simply a matter of time before the tensions between Georgia and Russia escalated into a full-scale war. The Russians will obviously not be intimidated nor will they back off, not after Kosovo and Iraq. The best chance Georgia has of keeping South Ossetia and Abkhazia (as well as sparing us all the possibility of igniting a Third World War) would be by Mr. Saakashvili resigning. Read more »
The National
Africa’s ‘moral compass’ has lost its bearings
South Africa in the 1990s restored the faith of all Africans in their continent and put to shame the racist system that had plagued the nation for many decades. In the last major elections however, its citizens had to settle for a choice in leadership, not in the best person to lead, but between the lesser of two evils. Read more »
Al Jazeera and the released terrorist’s birthday party
The problem with watching Al-Jazeera in Arabic isn’t just that the channel gives ample airtime to militants and terrorists to share their “perspective”, but because its conspiracy theories and controversies give the station so much influence on the easily-swayed Arab mindset. Read more »
Sudan, the ICC indictment and the house that China built
It is imperative the ICC does not waver in its resolve to bring Bashir to justice, as this is a test case being monitored by other sitting heads of state in the Arab world, Africa and beyond. The international community must not be intimidated as it has been in the case of Zimbabwe by countries such as China and South Africa. Read more »
Have you ever heard of the ‘Muslim Effect’?
The Foreign Policy magazine asked its readers to vote for those they deemed most deserving of the highest honors — 500,000 public votes later, an interesting fact emerged: the top 10 was dominated by intellectuals of the Muslim faith. Read more »
Gulf states may continue to ignore Iraq at their own peril
The GCC countries must immediately awaken from their state of suspended animation as individual countries and, as a united block, mobilise their enormous wealth to launch a major Iraq rescue plan. Read more »