Behind the Saudi-Led Blockade of Qatar By Asad Ismi A blockade imposed on Qatar by Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain and Egypt entered its third month in August as negotiations to end it remained deadlocked. The comprehensive blockade cuts diplomatic relations between the countries, closes borders and land, air and sea routes, and even prohibits citizens of the […]
The U.S. Ramps Up its Counterrevolution in the Middle East: Western Powers Want to Maintain Control of Oil-Rich Region By Asad Ismi While withdrawing 39,000 troops from Iraq, the U.S. recently made clear that it was increasing its forces in the Persian Gulf. A New York Times article — U.S. Planning Troop Buildup in Gulf After Exit from Iraq – reported that “The Obama administration plans to bolster the American military presence in the […]
Saudi Arabia Helps Crush the Democratic Uprising in Bahrain: Long-time U.S. Reliance on Saudi oil and Servility at Risk By Asad Ismi In a display of astounding hypocrisy in mid-August, the Saudi Arabian government denounced the Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad as “a killing machine” and recalled its ambassador from Damascus. Saudi Arabia claimed to be outraged by the slaughter of an estimated 2,000 civilian protesters by President Assad’s army aimed at crushing a […]
Yemen’s People Rise Up Against its U.S.-Supported Dictator: U.S. Aid to Yemen Boosted Despite Slaughter of Protesters By Asad Ismi Hundreds of thousands of people in Yemen have been demonstrating against its dictator, President Ali Abdullah Saleh, for the last five months, in a massive uprising calling for his ouster. A favourite client of the United States, Saleh came to power in a military coup. He has been ruling Yemen for 33 […]