Topic: Bahrain
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What is Russia thinking on Syria? A brief guide
As the crisis in Syria collapses into what looks like full-blown civil war, Russia's response stems from a complicated mix of principle, self-interest, mistrust of Western motives, and differing perceptions of the situation.
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4 ways US and Iran can make nuclear talks work
The Moscow talks on Iran’s nuclear program ended in stalemate June 19, as both cynics and optimists anticipated. While low-level experts will meet in July, the next set of sanctions against Iran are scheduled to kick in within weeks, arguably restarting the whole negotiating process. The next time around, the parties should consider broadening their approach in these four ways.
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Q&A: What's with the war talk surrounding Iran?
Tensions over Iran’s nuclear program have escalated in recent weeks as the US and Europe ramp up sanctions against the Islamic Republic.
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Correspondent reflections: The 10 news events that shaped 2011
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Getting the Strait of Hormuz straight: an FAQ
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Backchannels After Iran threatens US carrier, bluff will probably be called
Crude oil prices surged after Iran dialed the threat-o-meter up to 11 with a vow to attack a US aircraft carrier if it returns to the Strait of Hormuz. The US 5th Fleet is likely to take up the challenge.
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As sanctions bite, Iran threatens US aircraft carrier (Video)
Iran threatened to attack a US aircraft carrier if it returned to the Persian Gulf. Sanctions targeting Iran's oil sector prompted a 40 percent drop in Iran's currency value.
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Backchannels Middle East in 2012? Egypt and Iran and Syria and... oh, my.
Last year was momentous, but the region may just be getting warmed up.
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Correspondent reflections: The 10 news events that shaped 2011
In this special section, we look at the year’s biggest stories, and seven staff correspondents reflect on events in hot spots from Latin America to the Libyan front.
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2011 Reflections: Suddenly, a new era in the Middle East
Seven Monitor correspondents reflect on the world's hot spots. In this installment, Dan Murphy says that if you'd told him in 2008 that Mubarak would be gone today, he'd have laughed out loud.
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Getting the Strait of Hormuz straight: an FAQ
Iran has caused a stir with its threat this week to close down the Strait of Hormuz if sanctions were imposed on Iranian oil exports. Here’s why this small body of water generates so much world attention.
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An accelerating covert war with Iran: Could it spiral into military action?
The Stuxnet worm and other covert measures appear designed to slow Iran's progress toward a nuclear bomb. But US 'miscalculations' could raise the likelihood of a costly showdown, some experts warn.
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Opinion: 2011: A year of progress for human rights
Human rights lept forward in 2011 with the Arab Spring. Smaller steps also indicate progress, including a more forceful Arab League with Libya and Syria, grassroots protests in Russia, and respect for rule of law with the extradition of Laurent Gbagbo to the Hague.
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Cover Story The (surprisingly upbeat) state of the world
A different perspective on the state of the world: four major areas where mankind's long-term progress is striking.
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After US withdrawal from Iraq, a tallying of the balance sheet
The cost of the Iraq war was high, in lives and treasure. Families who lost loved ones can take heart that Saddam Hussein, one of the worst dictators since Hitler, is gone. But the final answer to whether this US effort was worth it still awaits history.
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Good Reads: Was 2011 a banner year for human rights?
From the downfall of North African regimes to the humanitarian interventions in Ivory Coast and Libya, 2011 appears to have been the year when citizens and leaders took a stand on human rights.
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Good Reads: When to shelve 'Arab Spring' jargon, and China's 'little emperors'
With so many North African rebellions falling short of their goals, has the term 'Arab Spring' lost its usefulness? And since when did China's young people become obsessed with 'lifestyle' issues?
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Bahrain commission issues brutal critique of Arab Spring crackdown
An independent commission presented its findings to Bahrain's king, offering the tiny Gulf country a road map for moving beyond the violence of recent months and repairing relations with the US.
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Who are the biggest losers and winners coming out of the Arab Spring?
The biggest loser, hands down, is Israel, followed closely by the United States. Iran is third. But there are also clear winners – and winning opportunities still for the US and Israel, if they adjust.
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Kuwaiti protesters storm Parliament
Is the Kuwaiti monarchy at risk? Probably not, but...
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Saudi crown prince dies, leaving succession uncertain
The younger brother of King Abdullah was in his 80s, and there is no formal method to name a replacement from the sprawling royal family.
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Qaddafi's death leaves a Libya that must build itself from scratch
Muammar Qaddafi's government was one of a kind, with no independent institutions. That means Libya's new government has nothing, good or bad, to build on.
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The Monitor's View: How Qaddafi killing affirms Arab Spring principles
The death of Muammar Qaddafi was made possible when his last supporters, the civilians of Sirte, fled the city. Freedom for Arabs comes in small steps for freedom – such as Sunday's elections in Tunisia.
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Saudi Arabia refrains from fingering Iran in alleged assassination plot
The US continues to ratchet up pressure on Iran over an alleged assassination plot against the Saudi ambassador to the US. But Saudi Arabia Wednesday said it was working to determine who was responsible.
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Oman's elections bring hopes, doubts of institutional change
Sultan Qaboos bin Said promised to bestow new powers on the nation's assembly to tamp down Arab Spring protests, but ahead of Oman's elections tomorrow, those powers remain undefined.
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The Monitor's View: Arab Spring's crisis of moral leadership
An Oct. 9 massacre in Egypt shows why the Arab revolutions need moral leaders, not just mass protests, to keep them on track.
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Move over Disney, King of Bhutan marries Jetsun Pema – a commoner (video)
The king of Bhutan married commoner Jetsun Pema in an elaborate Buddhist ceremony today, captivating the entire country.
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In Pictures: Iran's anti-Americanism
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Assassination plot? Why Iran and Saudi Arabia are such bitter rivals
US authorities linked Iran to a plot to kill the Saudi ambassador to the US. Few contests have defined the modern Middle East like that between Saudi Arabia and the Islamic Republic of Iran.
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The Monitor's View: In Arab Spring, mercy is as mercy does
When Obama promises to support the Arab Spring, he can't then sell weapons to Bahrain, even as that dictatorship gives harsh sentences to doctors who treat wounded protesters.
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