Tahrir Forum

Lebanon’s Stalemate

October 18, 2015

The turmoil in Lebanon seems destined to continue for some time to come. Nabeel Khoury explains Lebanon’s political stalemate, and why neither the protest movement nor the country’s political leaders can fix a failing state.

The Ugly Order of Free-For-All Killings in Israel-Palestine

By Rami G. Khouri

October 15, 2015

It is a crime against rational language and thought to speak of “restoring calm” and “reducing the violence” in a situation where the Israelis are the occupiers, tormentors, colonizers, and mass killers of mostly defenseless Palestinians who are largely leaderless and unprotected by international law.

The Age of the Young Warriors is Upon Us

By Rami G. Khouri

October 12, 2015

Young men with their big guns from many countries have statements to make, honor to uphold, principles to assert, and, in all this, gigantic delusions to display in public for all the world to see, and laugh at.

Éric Rouleau, Ambassador of the World

By Alain Gresh

October 11, 2015

No other journalist was as influential in France or the rest of the world as Éric Rouleau. No one contributed to changing the Western vision of the complicated east, better yet, to making it understood, as much as he did.

Beauty of the Pleiades

By Turki Al-Faisal

October 11, 2015

Arabs have the greatest respect for the faith and culture of Iranians, as well as the indelible Persian contribution to the marvels of Islamic society. But like all worthwhile achievements, Persia’s greatest masterpieces were the product of cooperation and education, of learning from and with people of other backgrounds.

U.S. and Iran: Overcoming a Hard Legacy

By John Limbert

October 11, 2015

With the announcement of a nuclear deal in Vienna, a three-decade freeze in relations between the U.S. and Iran is beginning to break. A former American diplomat with a deep knowledge of Iran explains the way forward.

Why Arabs Are Concerned About the Iran Nuke Bargain

By Nabil Fahmy

October 11, 2015

The proposed nuclear deal with Iran is far from sufficient. It delays, but does not close the door on potential Iranian breakout. There is profound concern among Arab leaders, and for good reason.

How a Nuclear Deal Helps Democracy in Iran

By Nader Hashemi

October 11, 2015

The debate on the Iran nuclear deal has largely ignored the effects that an accord might have on politics and society within the country. An Iranian scholar considers what the future might hold.

Why Human Rights Is Good Business in Post-Deal Iran

By Gissou Nia

October 11, 2015

Amid all the excitement over an Iran deal, there has been scant discussion of Iran’s dismal human rights record. The lifting of sanctions presents an opportunity not only for big profits, but gains in the country’s human rights standards.

Tehran’s Post-Deal Dilemma

By Tarek Osman

October 11, 2015

A major success in Iran’s foreign policy, the nuclear deal imposes an acute dilemma on the regime at home. So far, its leaders seem neither willing nor able to resolve the challenges facing them.

Ending the Iranian-Saudi Cold War

By Reza Marashi

October 11, 2015

A diplomacy deficit between Iran and Saudi Arabia has exacerbated volatility across the Middle East. Ending the Iranian-Saudi cold war, and building a collective security framework for the Middle East is the only option likely to succeed.

Netanyahu and the Iranian Threat

By Owen Alterman

October 11, 2015

Some say Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is obsessed with the Iranian nuclear issue; others say he just cares deeply about it. Jewish history influences the leader’s policies today.

Riddle of Sectarian Problems in Egypt

By Basil El-Dabh

October 8, 2015

Establishing the proper rule of law, and de-politicizing the Coptic church, is the only way to stem Egypt’s rising sectarian violence.

Russia’s Long-Term Aims in Syria

By Salam Al-Saadi

October 7, 2015

Russia hopes its recent military support to Bashar Al-Assad will give it political leverage over the Syrian regime and counter Western military might both in Syria and globally.

Twin Root Causes of Political Violence in Arab World

By Rami G. Khouri

October 7, 2015

The two chronic threats of Zionism and foreign militarism remain the central causes of the Middle East’s political violence.

Palestinians Deserve Better than Netanyahu and Abbas

By Rami G. Khouri

October 5, 2015

The behavior of the Israeli leadership is criminal. The behavior of the Palestinian leadership is incompetent. The Palestinian people deserve much better than this on both counts.

Saudi Arabia’s Yemen Gambit

By Neil Partrick

October 2, 2015

Saudi Arabia’s lack of clear goals in Yemen is worsening the security vacuum and potentially undermining the kingdom’s national security.

America Flunks Hard Lessons of War

By Rami G. Khouri

September 30, 2015

A bad local situation is always made far worse when American or other foreign powers send in their armed forces and open fire at will, because they shatter the local political landscapes as well as the thin credibility of the United States as a useful or reliable partner.

Demolitions in Sinai, New Walls in Beirut

By Rami G. Khouri

September 23, 2015

Situations like those in Lebanon and Egypt require deep discussions among citizens and their public officials that address the serious grievances that have been put on the table. Home demolitions and concrete walls represent the most severe antithesis of serious political engagement.

Dangerous Fantasy in Republican Debate

By James Zogby

September 20, 2015

A leading member of the Arab-American community, James Zogby takes on Donald Trump, the Republican Party, and the xenophobia U.S. conservatives have helped spawn in the country.