Meir Javedanfar is an Iranian-born Israeli Middle East expert. He lived in Iran until eight years after the revolution. He was educated in British universities and now lives in Israel. Asia Times called him “one of the best informed observers” of the Middle East.
Mr. Javedanfar is the publisher and editor of the website Iran–Israel Observer. Prev ... Continue reading »
In 1990, Saddam Hussein did not understand that the world had changed with the fall of the Wall. He thought that the USSR would protect him from America after the invasion of Kuwait, and paid dearly his mistake. Abandoned by the Soviets, Iraq had to bear the cost, first of a war lost, and second of international sanctions, on a scale and harshness ... Continue reading »
How would you describe Iran’s current geopolitical status in the region?
I think there are three competing paradigms for power and influence in today’s Middle East: resistance Islam (led by Iran), sectarian/Sunni Islam (led by Saudi Arabia), and modern Islam (led by Turkey). Iran’s paradigm resonates most when popular anger and frustration in the ... Continue reading »
A reason for Obama's inaction in Syria and Assad's braving the redlines is the US illusionary hope to reach a deal with Iran. Hence, Obama respects redlines defined by Iranian regime in Iraq and Syria President Obama's two year-long inaction in Syria has culminated into a public embarrassment after the Syrian regime crossed Obama's redline and ... Continue reading »
The media is missing what is in front of their noses on this one. THE TRIGGER: Encouraged by Iran, Al-Maliki ruled with a sectarian, no compromise hand. When minorities protested, he reached for the guns , assuming they would knuckle down . Having seen Fallujah and Ramadi and Syria at their worse, why did he kick a box of nitroglycerine? ... Continue reading »
I heard President Obama make a speech about the Boston bombers and he used the same exact phrase George Bush used to use: "Make no mistake about it" ... and I thought to myself, the person making the mistakes right now is you, here's why? 1. Secterianism: What started as a legitimate attempt by the people of Syria (all people) to push off the opp ... Continue reading »
Four days ago, the respected New Haven, Connecticut based “Iran Human Rights Documentation Center” released a report titled: “Wave of Arrests in Khuzestan, Families Unaware of Whereabouts of Detainees.” … an estimated 188 Ahwazi Arabs have been arrested throughout Khuzestan province over the last five weeks, including in the cities of Ahvaz, Sh ... Continue reading »
Ordinarily my roundups concentrate on the most interesting military developments. An almost endless tide of rebel victories--even minor ones--suggest where this conflict is going. However, today I've tried to focus on three non-military bellweathers that have come to the fore recently and point to the same conclusion. Michael Weiss: UNUSUAL NUM ... Continue reading »
Video Roundup “HAS THE FINAL BATTLE STARTED TONIGHT?” asks Markito0171 who posted the frantic combat video below. As of midnight the rebels had taken a regime HQ at Kindi-hospital and were assaulting 2 army bases and the central prison in the Handarat district. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTrMc_8eEK4 REBELS SEIZE NEARBY TOWN VERY, VERY C ... Continue reading »
The Kamkars (Kurdish: Kamkaran کامکاران, Persian: کامکارها) is a Kurdish family of seven brothers and a sister, all from the city of Sanandaj, the capital of the Kurdistan province in Iran. They are one of the leading musical ensembles in Iran and Iraq today. Their repertoire ranges from the vast array of traditional Kurdish and Persian music with ... Continue reading »
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