Op-ed

By Shehab Al-Makahleh •  As Turks cast their votes in historic referendum on constitutional changes, both domestic and foreign public, media and analysts are weighing pros and cons of either outcome. According to latest exit polls Turkish voters have handed President Erdogan sweeping new powers. The ‘Yes’ campaign won 1.25 …

By Shehab Al-Makahleh • Responding to Trump’s cruise missiles attack on Syrian Shayrat airbase, the tripartite meeting of foreign ministers of Russia, Iran and Syria was held today in Moscow. The meeting ended with a resounding ‘no’ to the Washington’s ‘Great Middle East Project’, and with equally resounding confirmation …

By Shehab Al Makahleh • The USA and the Kurds had on March 18 a meeting which focused on creating an independent Kurdish State in Syria and Iraq to be named “The Great Kurdistan” after the liberation of Raqqa City, the stronghold of Daesh. Kurdish sources said that the …

By Shehab Al-Makahleh • In the immediate aftermath of the US strike on the Syrian Shayrat airbase Russian President Putin called the attack a violation of the international law, which was shortly followed by the Russian Defense Ministry announcing suspension of the memorandum on air safety in Syria reached with the …

By Shehab Al-Makahleh • Eager to unlock the door to US-Arab cooperation on tackling regional issues following decades of disappointment with Washington’s lack of understanding of their concerns, three Arab leaders are engaging US President Donald Trump’s new administration over the next month. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi met …

By Shehab Al-Makahleh • Today’s terrorist attack on St. Petersburg’s metro is one in a long line of deadly terrorist attacks that have targeted Russia since 1995. The estimates put the number of terrorist attacks in Russia in this period at over 800, with a death toll of more …

By Shehab al-Makahleh • The bloc of four nations entailing Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Morocco and the United Arab Emirates with overall population estimated at 75 million, occupying an area of 2.95 million square kilometers would become a regional power to counter Iran and any other regional country posing a threat …

By Shehab Al Makahleh • While Saudi Arabia’s King Salman was on the fourth leg of his three-week Asia tour, his son, Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MbS), became the first Saudi royal to visit the White House during the administration of US President Donald J. Trump. With the …

By Shehab Al Makahleh • On March 29, Jordan will host the Arab League summit amid chaos across the Middle East.  There is speculation that Russia and Egypt are pressing the Arab League to invite Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to the summit in light of reports that Syrian military …