Epstein Secrets

u sell it to Iran. Well, we still think of ourselves as the extraordinary nation. We do too! To put it in the simplest terms, I heard last week in Abu Dhabi and Dubai the degree of anxiety about what are seen as the destabilizing actions of Iran, what is seen as a systematic program of covert action by

y lies in tatters. Washington and London were forced to act after Islamist rebels, including the al-Qaida-affiliated Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, took over the headquarters and warehouses of the western-backed FSA and reportedly seized anti-aircraft and anti-tank missiles, some of which are

ho are uniformly worried that the U.S. is withdrawing from the Middle East. These figures include Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the crown prince of Abu Dhabi, and the most important defense figure in the United Arab Emirates. MBZ, as he is known, is one of the many Arab leaders who fear (as Israel's lead

in power. Having no other major clients for its arms-export industry since the fall of Muammar Qadhafi, no other port of access for its navy in the Levant, and an affinity for a secular regime—however brutal—that bills itself as a bulwark against Sunni Arab religious extremism, Russia has deftly kept

w and Damascus have in common Editorial Article 2. The Daily Beast syria: The Lost Bequest of Hafez Assad Fouad Ajami Article 3. The National (Abu Dhabi) A pragmatic principle gains ground in Islamist politics Hassan Hassan Article 4. Foreign Policy The Arab Spring proves that neoconservatives w

ountry for a quarter century. Urban/Sunni Syria never really took to the French. France was poor, and had been a protector of the Christians of the Levant. But for all its brevity, this French interlude helped shape post- independence Syria and indirectly gave rise to the rule of Hafez Assad. France re

ss reports, they are being accused of forming an illegal organization and collecting security information about the UAE. The press also reports that Abu Dhabi has rejected an official Egyptian request for the release of the Egyptian nationals, despite the deployment of a high-level delegation. For more in

have taken place in the past two months—previously rare occurrences. In the midst of these changing political winds, a fierce winter storm hit the Levant on January 9th, leaving at least eight people dead in the region and bringing an unusual foot of snow to Jordan. Kuwait: The Constitutional Court i

t related to terrorism. 2. Why We Invited the Pope to the Arabian Peninsula [Politico] • This weekend, a historic meeting of faiths takes place in Abu Dhabi. This is how we fight extremism and promote tolerance. • The pope's visit will send a strong signal across the region and world: People with diffe

d be immediately handed over to the judicial authorities. • "These individuals voluntarily joined a terrorist organization that is fighting in the Levant, has committed attacks in France and is continuing to pose a threat to us." • The French government wouldn't confirm how many people may be repatr