Middle-east Arab News Opinion | Asharq Al-awsat

Media ID: 55325552
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Masked Bahraini anti-government protesters wearing handcuffs hold cameras up to show support for jailed photographers during a march in Saar, Bahrain, on Friday, Dec. 13, 2013. Thousands participated in the march organized by opposition parties to mark 1,000 days since the pro-democracy uprising began in the Gulf island kingdom. As the peaceful march dispersed, a […]

Debate: Gulf citizens returning from the Syrian war are a serious threat

by Jassir Al-Jassir | Mar 4, 2014 | Debate

When Al-Qaeda first began its terrorist pursuits, Saudi Arabia operated as its launching pad, both in ideological and operational terms. Perhaps this is because Saudi Arabia’s religious structures and Salafist approach exposed the pronounced flaws in Al-Qaeda’s...

Media ID: 55321155
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In this Monday, Oct. 21, 2013 photo, Jordanian youths play on a hill on the outskirts of Zarqa, Jordan’s industrial center where thousands of Syrian refugees are living, northeast of the capital Amman. More than 420,000 Syrian refugees have settled in Jordan’s cities, struggling for survival on U.N. foods stamps and straining the meager resources […]

Debate: Gulf citizens returning from the Syrian war are not a serious threat

by Dr. Salem Bin Ahmad | Mar 4, 2014 | Debate

Any sensible person cannot deny that some Gulf citizens are actively participating in the Syrian conflict. But what is the extent of their participation? And does it pose a threat to the stability of the region? How does someone inflate Gulf participation to the...

Media ID: 55329042
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This undated file image posted on a militant website on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2014 shows fighters from the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) marching in Raqqa, Syria. (AP Photo/militant website, File)

Debate: The Syrian conflict will not contribute to sectarianism in the Gulf

by Jafar Al-Shayeb | Feb 24, 2014 | Debate

Sectarianism, in all its many guises, is never really new. Rather, it is reproduced in different forms depending on political and social conditions. Looking at religious sectarianism in the Gulf region specifically, it is clear that it has certainly differed in...

Media ID: 55328404
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Damaged vehicles are seen among debris after what activists said was an air raid by forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad, in Aleppo’s district of Al Sukari February 1, 2014. (REUTERS/Malek Al Shemali)

Debate: The Syrian conflict will contribute to sectarianism in the Gulf

by Ahmad Al-Sarraf | Feb 24, 2014 | Debate

It is important that we clarify two things from the outset. First, the “sectarian problem” is assumed here to indicate the ideological conflict between Shi’ites and Sunnis. This strife has plagued many societies, and perhaps it has now reached the Gulf. Second, the...

Media ID: 55319042
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Skyscrapers tower along the Corniche in the Qatari capital Doha, on September 22, 2013. (AFP Photo/Al-Watan/ Karim Jaafar)

Debate: The Gulf is not facing a sectarian crisis

by Baqr Al-Najjar | Feb 22, 2014 | Debate

Sectarianism has many manifestations. At its most violent, it takes the form of civil war, which we have seen in Asia, Europe, Africa and the Arab world. It consumes everything and everyone and remains in the hearts of the people for generations. It is very difficult...

Media ID: 55299119
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The Burj Khalifa (center), the world’s tallest tower, in Dubai, UAE, April 12, 2013 (REUTERS/Ahmed Jadallah)

Debate: The Gulf may be facing a sectarian crisis

by Saeed Hareb | Feb 22, 2014 | Debate

The issue of sectarianism has never been more prevalent than it is today. The student of intellectual trends in the Gulf is fully aware of the magnitude of the sectarian crisis in our modern society. There are three main sects in the region: Sunni, Shi’a and the Ibadi...