Middle-east Arab News Opinion | Asharq Al-awsat

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A car is burning at the site of a suicide car bombing at the defence ministry in the Yemeni capital Sana’a on December 5, 2013. (AFP)

Debate: Yemen does constitute a GCC security concern

by Noel Brehony | Dec 24, 2013 | Debate

Yemen has long been and will continue to be a security concern for the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). The international community, led by the GCC, intervened to prevent possible state collapse in 2011. GCC governments played a crucial role in negotiating the...

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A Yemeni security officer stands guard during the first hearing on August 26, 2013 in the case of the June 2011 bombing of the Yemeni presidential palace outside the state security court in Sanaa. (AFP PHOTO/ MOHAMMED HUWAIS)

Debate: Yemen does not constitute a GCC security concern

by Mohammed Al Ghasra | Dec 24, 2013 | Debate

Yemen has never been a concern to the six states of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), and has never represented a threat to them. However, the presence of a very poor country which controls the Strait of Bab-el-Mandeb, and which has a dense population that shares...

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A Bahraini anti-government protester gestures near images of jailed political activists during a rally Friday, Dec, 6, 2013, in the northern village of Saar, Bahrain. Thousands shouted “down with the government” during the rally, called by several opposition groups to demand freedom for political prisoners and democracy in the Gulf island kingdom. (AP Photo/Hasan Jamali)

Debate: Human rights activism is inextricably linked to politics

by Amir Salem | Dec 22, 2013 | Debate

There is a very thin line separating human rights activism from political mobilization. Yet in several Arab and developing states, you may have difficulty distinguishing clearly between the two. Today in these countries, you will find it hard to undertake human rights...

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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: Human rights activism is not inextricably linked to politics

by Saleh Al-Khathlan | Dec 22, 2013 | Debate

Did the emergence of the human rights movement mark the beginnings of genuine political mobilization in the Arab world? The answer will be “no” if the question is about whether or not there are hidden political agendas behind the human rights activism that has grown...

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A protester shouts slogans during a demonstration calling for the departure of the Islamist-led ruling coalition at Kasbah Square where the government headquarters are located, in Tunis November 15, 2013 . (Reuters/Anis Mili)

Debate: Tunisia’s next government will likely not succeed

by Kais Saied | Dec 7, 2013 | Debate

The process of forming a new government in Tunisia remains at a standstill. The countdown to forming a new government was set in motion and then stopped. It would be no surprise if it restarts only to stall once more, due to the difficulty in reaching a consensus...

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Tunisian protesters shoot slogans during an anti government demonstration on November 15, 2013 in Tunis. (AFP/Fethi Belaid)

Debate: Tunisia’s next government will likely succeed

by Fatma Ben Abdallah Karray | Dec 7, 2013 | Debate

While the formation of Tunisia’s next government remains the subject of debate among participants in the national dialogue, there can be no doubt that this government will succeed in overcoming the dangers, difficulties and obstacles that lie ahead. The mechanisms of...