Topic: Middle East

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The Monitor's View Iran election's surprise winner

The unexpected victory of Hassan Rohani In Iran's presidential election confirms his hint that legitimacy lies with the people, not the turbaned cleric elite.
Obama arrives for tough G8 summit in Northern Ireland (+video)

From Syria, to spying, to an angry Vladimir Putin on his plate, President Barack Obama arrived in Northern Ireland for the G8 summit today.
Global Viewpoint No 'Turkish spring': Protests in Turkey are sign of a healthy democracy

Protests in Turkey aren’t a sign of the failure of democracy there but a sign that Turkish politics is now resilient enough to experience public discontent that strengthens participatory democracy. But if Recep Tayyip Erdogan remains insensitive to public opinion, it will cost him his job.
Iran election: What does Hassan Rohani mean for the United States?

Iran's new president Hassan Rohani is considered a reform-minded moderate. But ruling clerics and the Revolutionary Guard remain in control of Iran's nuclear program and foreign affairs – including its close relationship with the regime of Bashar al-Assad in Syria.
US promises military aid to Syrian rebels. Now what?

US military aid to Syrian rebels is expected to begin arriving in a few weeks, delivered by the CIA through secret bases in Turkey and Jordan. Reports say it will include light weaponry, but not shoulder-fired antiaircraft missiles. The Pentagon also has proposed a partial no-fly zone.
US to start arming Syrian rebels, but will it make much difference?

Some senior US military officials question the strategic value of sending small arms and ammunition to the Syrian rebels. But other options – including a no-fly zone – also carry concerns.
Backchannels Is Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood backing a jihad in Syria? (+video)

The Sunni Islamist movement behind Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi has called for a mass rally in support of Syria's rebellion. Sectarian tensions over the war there are growing hotter.
How Syria's conflict became more complicated as US debated arms for rebels

The Syrian rebels have long begged for the US to give them military assistance. Now some argue it may be too little, too late.
Energy Voices Libya oil production slows as world looks elsewhere for fuel

Ongoing protests have forced the closure of two export terminals and an entire oil field in Libya, causing a drop in the country's oil production. Gains in production elsewhere may mean a long road ahead for oil in Libya.
Global News Blog Turkish street vendors turn on a dime to make a lira off Taksim protests

Swimming goggles and 'V for Vendetta' masks cropped up in street vendors' hands within days of the first demonstrations in Taksim Square.
Will Obama reconsider arming Syrian rebels? This week could be key.

President Obama has long been loath to arm Syrian rebels, worried that the weapons could fall into extremists' hands. But with the rebels faltering, he could reconsider.
Opinion Best way for Obama to help Syria is with aid and diplomacy – not weapons

Giving military aid to Syria's rebels – however just their cause – will only prolong the civil war and increase the risk of sectarian conflagration in the region. A better way to help the Syrian people is to pursue diplomatic efforts to end the conflict and provide more humanitarian aid.
McDonald's sales buoyed by Dollar Menu, breakfast

McDonald's global sales at stores open at least a year rose 2.6 percent in May, a welcome result after struggling a year ago. McDonald's sales were helped by cheap eats and new menu items, including egg white breakfast sandwiches.
Israel accelerates cybersecurity know-how as early as 10th grade

Israel is strengthening cybersecurity recruitment and cooperation between hi-tech, academia, and the military as threats rise.
Energy Voices In global climate change fight, what can we learn from Kyoto?

Nations across the world continue to grapple with how to address climate change, and there have been some tough lessons learned since the Kyoto Protocol, first adopted in 1997. David Shorr, a program officer at the Stanley Foundation, talks about the future of climate treaties in an interview with OilPrice.com.
As Syrian refugee flood escalates, UN asks record $5.1 billion in aid

Help is needed as Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey may host up to 3.5 million refugees by year's end, say UN officials.
Difference Maker Pianist spreads goodwill for America through the power of music

John Ferguson founded American Voices, a nonprofit whose mission is to help aspiring young artists around the world pursue their interest in American jazz, Broadway, break dancing, and classical music.
Global News Blog Why Jordan orders ban on 263 news sites

The Jordanian government ordered that a controversial media law go into effect on Sunday, in a sudden erosion of online press freedom just days after King Abdullah promised human rights reforms.
Rice selected for new high-profile role in Obama administration

Susan Rice will become President Barack Obama's national security adviser, he announced on Wednesday. He will nominate Samantha Power to take Rice's spot as U.S. ambassador to the U.N. These leadership changes take place as the country faces a variety of foreign policy challenges.
Global News Blog Putin: Russian hasn't sent S-300 missiles to Syria, won't to preserve 'stability'

President Putin's statement to EU leaders seems to put an end to often contradictory Russian and Syrian stories about whether the Assad regime would get the weapons.
Michigan mother led secret life in Syria (+video)

Michigan mother, Nicole Lynn Mansfield, was fighting pro-government forces in Syria, when she died. Relatives say she became a Muslim, but they knew little about the Michigan mother's trips to the Middle East.
Backchannels Why do they hate our NGO funding?

Well, because it is threatening to foreign governments.
Opinion Syria's future tied to freedom for captured Christian leaders

Turkey and the US State Department must make the release of two captured Christian archbishops in Syria a top priority. At stake are not just their lives, or even the fate of Syrian Christians, but the fate of any hope of tolerance and pluralism in a post-Assad Syria – and the region as a whole.
Olive Press Can backpackers solve Middle East's tourism woes?

An Israeli tourism entrepreneur believes tourism does far more than bring in cash, and has built a top-rated hostel to bring tourists in, particularly the young backpacker crowd.
Syrian Army, Hezbollah bear down on rebels in strategic Qusayr

For the Syrian rebels, Qusayr has been critical to bringing in weapons and fighters from Lebanon. But the regime and ally Hezbollah want the town, which lies at an important crossroads.