Syria’s Fate Hinges on Whom It Hates Most, U.S. or Iran? -- Karim Sadjadpour & Firas Maksad, Bloomberg
As Syria’s President Bashar Al-Assad clings mercilessly to power, hopes that his regime will be replaced by a stable, tolerant democracy are being dwarfed by fears of prolonged sectarian strife and Islamist radicalism. The outcome will hinge in part on a simple question: Whom do Syria’s diverse rebels hate more, the U.S. or Iran?
The anomaly of power in modern Syria -- where an Alawite minority rules over a Sunni Arab majority -- was never sustainable, and few countries stand to lose more from the regime’s collapse than the Islamic Republic of Iran. Syria has been Iran’s only consistent ally since the 1979 revolution, providing the leadership in Tehran with a crucial thoroughfare to Iran’s most important regional asset, the Lebanese Shiite militant group Hezbollah.
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Belaid killing shows divisions in Tunisia -- Gulf News editorial
Tunisia is no longer a revolutionary poster-child -- Rachel Shabi, The Guardian
Rest assured -- Nuclear Talks With Iran Are Resuming -- Lawrence J. Haas, Japan Times
Blocking Iran With A Global Game Of Nuclear 'Keep Away' -- NPR
Is Turkey Leaving the West? The NATO member’s prime minister is flirting with a dictators’ club. -- Daniel Pipes, NRO
Is Abbas the last Palestinian Authority president? -- Mudar Zahran, Jerusalem Post
Islamist retreat in Mali was orderly, witnesses say, suggesting force will return to fight again -- Alan Boswell, McClatchy Newspapers
China, Japan War Games Make Dismal Economic Policy -- William Pesek, Bloomberg
Surely now the EU will finally proscribe Hezbollah -- Arsen Ostrovsky, The Commentator
Why the Europeans Don’t Really Want an E.U. Budget Deal
Commentaries, Opinions, And Editorials
Belaid killing shows divisions in Tunisia -- Gulf News editorial
Tunisia is no longer a revolutionary poster-child -- Rachel Shabi, The Guardian
Rest assured -- Nuclear Talks With Iran Are Resuming -- Lawrence J. Haas, Japan Times
Blocking Iran With A Global Game Of Nuclear 'Keep Away' -- NPR
Is Turkey Leaving the West? The NATO member’s prime minister is flirting with a dictators’ club. -- Daniel Pipes, NRO
Is Abbas the last Palestinian Authority president? -- Mudar Zahran, Jerusalem Post
Islamist retreat in Mali was orderly, witnesses say, suggesting force will return to fight again -- Alan Boswell, McClatchy Newspapers
China, Japan War Games Make Dismal Economic Policy -- William Pesek, Bloomberg
Surely now the EU will finally proscribe Hezbollah -- Arsen Ostrovsky, The Commentator
Why the Europeans Don’t Really Want an E.U. Budget Deal
Is Turkey Leaving the West? The NATO member’s prime minister is flirting with a dictators’ club. -- Daniel Pipes, NRO
Is Abbas the last Palestinian Authority president? -- Mudar Zahran, Jerusalem Post
Islamist retreat in Mali was orderly, witnesses say, suggesting force will return to fight again -- Alan Boswell, McClatchy Newspapers
China, Japan War Games Make Dismal Economic Policy -- William Pesek, Bloomberg
Surely now the EU will finally proscribe Hezbollah -- Arsen Ostrovsky, The Commentator
Why the Europeans Don’t Really Want an E.U. Budget Deal -- Bruce Crumley, Time
U.S. late to the party on Latin America, Africa -- Joel Kotkin, Orange County Register
America is back -- David Ignatius, Washington Post
The Superpower Takes a Breather -- Michael J. Totten, Wall Street Journal
Is Abbas the last Palestinian Authority president? -- Mudar Zahran, Jerusalem Post
Islamist retreat in Mali was orderly, witnesses say, suggesting force will return to fight again -- Alan Boswell, McClatchy Newspapers
China, Japan War Games Make Dismal Economic Policy -- William Pesek, Bloomberg
Surely now the EU will finally proscribe Hezbollah -- Arsen Ostrovsky, The Commentator
Why the Europeans Don’t Really Want an E.U. Budget Deal -- Bruce Crumley, Time
U.S. late to the party on Latin America, Africa -- Joel Kotkin, Orange County Register
America is back -- David Ignatius, Washington Post
The Superpower Takes a Breather -- Michael J. Totten, Wall Street Journal