The Arab Spring has produced mixed results in the Middle East. It was initially a movement driven by economic factors: rampant unemployment and the unfair and grossly unequal distribution of wealth forced young people out onto the streets to demand the fall of the dictatorships that had ruled their countries for decades. In countries such […]
Middle East
The Yemen crisis: an unreported conflict
Between other events in the Middle East taking precedence, and a glaring media silence, the chances are that you haven’t heard that much about the current crisis in Yemen. Over the last two years of brutal warfare, Yemen has been driven to desperation, as conflicts have decimated health, water and sanitation systems, meaning that disease […]
Wondering how to resist Trump? Learn from the Arab Spring
Six long years ago, protests were sparked across the Middle East and North Africa. In Tunisia, Morocco, Libya, Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Yemen, Bahrain, Oman, and even Saudi Arabia, protestors took to the streets to demand change and, in some cases, an entirely new system of government. They were protesting against corruption and crony capitalism, and against […]
Ten thoughts for 2017
After the trials and tribulations of 2016, here are ten thoughts to take away for 2017: 1) Don’t cling too hard to any predictions, good or bad. If 2016 taught us anything, it’s that if a storm has been brewing for a while, no amount of wishful thinking or good intentions will preventing from breaking – […]
The Iran-isation of the Middle East: what road to pursue?
With Iran still seeking to dominate the Middle East through funding a plethora of armed conflicts, it would seem the cycle of war and carnage may never end. Iran may be seeking to dominate the region through coercion, but it is only through soft power that they will be able to do so. How so? […]
How to Change the World Part 3: Supporting Syria and the Region
As the UK hosted the ‘Supporting Syria and the Region’ UN backed conference, in (of all places) Newport, it was announced that over £10bn had been raised to fund aid, while also making long term commitments to education targets and opening the economies of neighbouring countries to boost job opportunities. However, while this event was […]
How to stop ISIL
Charlie Evans gives us his verdict on how to beat ISIL. The past seven days have been eventful. America celebrate jubilantly as the precedent set at the Supreme Court made same-sex marriage legal, Greece has been in a state of anxiety as fears of a ‘Grexit’ from the Euro becomes an increasingly likely prospect and […]