Overview for middle-east

If Saudi Women Drive

The social consequences will be horrendous, warn Saudi Arabia's clerics: As part of his careful reform process, King Abdullah has allowed suggestions to surface that the ban might be reviewed. This has angered the conservative religious elite - a key power base for any Saudi ruler. Now, …

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Written by David Frum on Saturday December 3, 2011

What Friends of Israel Face in Britain

As an example of the attitudes my friends at the Anglo-Israel Association bump up against in contemporary Britain, there's this : A Labour MP has caused outrage by suggesting that Britain's first Jewish ambassador to Israel has divided loyalties because he has "proclaimed himself to be a …

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Written by David Frum on Thursday December 1, 2011

SCOTUS Could Force Obama's Hand on Jerusalem

In my column for the National Post, I discuss how a Supreme Court case might force the White House to explain its policy towards Jerusalem: Two can play at this game. Mahmoud Abbas and the Palestinian Authority have abandoned negotiations with Israel. They are seeking UN recognition of …

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Written by David Frum on Saturday November 5, 2011

Palestinians Behaving Badly

The Palestinian envoy to Canada is asked to leave after she tweets a link to a call to "destroy the Jews." Linda Sobeh Ali, the chargé d’affaires of the Palestinian delegation in Ottawa, is just one cut above persona non grata. The Canadian government called her in for a high-level …

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Written by David Frum on Tuesday October 18, 2011

On Israel, Obama (Finally) Says the Right Words

In my column for The Week , I report that Obama's speech at the UN finally showed that he fully supports Israel: President Obama's speech to the UN today for once eschewed ambiguity. America’s commitment to Israel’s security is unshakeable, and our friendship with Israel is deep and …

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Written by David Frum on Thursday September 22, 2011

How Israel's Lawyers Stopped the Second Flotilla

Israel has deployed a powerful new strategy against the latest wouldbe Gaza flotilla activists: Bore them to death. Israel has deployed a powerful new strategy against the latest wouldbe Gaza flotilla activists: Bore them to death. For three weeks, the activists aboard the lead flotilla …

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Written by David Frum on Saturday July 9, 2011

Choosing Our Energy Priorities

We want three things from our energy policy but we can achieve (at most) two at the same time: Energy that is cheap, energy that is secure, and energy that is clean. Human Eve nts offers a "Top 10" list of reasons to think that President Obama favors expensive energy. Here's number eight: …

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Written by David Frum on Monday June 27, 2011

Obama Digs in on Israel's Borders

In his speech to AIPAC, Obama surrendered to his personal exasperation with Netanyahu, and escalated a fight he had every reason to de-escalate. That was a deeply unwise speech Obama just gave to AIPAC. The president did not ask himself the first question of political speechmaking: Why am I saying …

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Written by David Frum on Sunday May 22, 2011

Should Israel Come Clean on Its Nukes?

Has Israel's policy of not publicly admitting it has nuclear weapons been a mistake? As the 1967 border discussions are placed at the media forefront again, Israel must once again consider questions on how best to deter foreign aggression. One issue which has not been raised in the recent …

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Written by Robin Tim Weis on Saturday May 21, 2011

Obama Sends a Tough Message to Abbas

Obama may have told the Palestinians they would receive territory equal to the pre-1967 borders, but he also made it clear that any security questions would be resolved in Israel's favor. Obama's messages to Abbas: 1) You should be talking to Israel, not UN 2) Your inclusion of Hamas in your …

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Written by David Frum on Thursday May 19, 2011

Obama's Hazy Mideast Policy Reboot

There was scarcely a line in Obama's speech for me to disagree with; but what's troubling is the vagueness about what America will actually do. JOIN THE LIVE CHAT VISIT WHITEHOUSE.GOV Eli Lake reminds us that this is the same president who as …

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Written by David Frum on Thursday May 19, 2011

Al Jazeera Journalist Calls Out Network Bias

One of Al Jazeera's most prominent journalists, Ghassan Bin Jeddo, has resigned in protest over what he sees as biased Mideast reporting. Al-Jazeera has long been suspected of lacking objectivity in its reporting of the Middle East. Now one of its most prominent journalists and director of their …

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Written by Arsen Ostrovsky on Sunday April 24, 2011

New Media Holds Back Assad's Crackdown

Unlike his father, Syria's Bashar al-Assad can't respond to an uprising with brutal force. In the new media age, bloodbaths don't play with the Arab street or TV audiences. The traditional rules of engagement between the Syrian regime and its opponents have been suspended. The Carthaginian …

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Written by Tim Hodgson on Saturday March 26, 2011

The Newest Celebrity: The Dictator's Wife

Remember when Saif Qaddafi was a bold promising reformer feted by society? Not everybody learned their lesson from that disaster. Remember when Saif Qaddafi was a bold promising reformer, feted by the London School of Economics and Dr. Benjamin Barber , the self-described "internationally …

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Written by David Frum on Friday March 18, 2011

Enforcing the No-Fly Zone

In a normal time, imposing a no-fly zone upon a country like Libya would be an easy exercise of US power. But three wars is a lot even for America. Obama moves on Libya. Probably not the last move either. Here's where the anti-interventionists have a point: in a normal time, imposing a no-fly zone …

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Written by David Frum on Thursday March 17, 2011

Memory Fails

My piece in the Telegraph cited an "anonymous wit" who compared the Arab uprisings to those of 1848. The author is my own friend Anne Applebaum. My piece in Thursday's Telegraph cited the "anonymous wit" who compared the Arab insurrections to the doomed uprisings of 1848. I should have either …

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Written by David Frum on Wednesday March 16, 2011

Vendetta Time in Egypt?

The Washington Times' Eli Lake is seeing ominous signs that the new Egyptian government may be moving against allies of the former Mubarak regime. Eli Lake discerns some ominous harbingers in Egypt. The detention of an Egyptian industrial leader is raising new fears that those who prospered …

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Written by David Frum on Wednesday March 16, 2011

What if Sarah Palin Were President *Now*

With the economy, Afghanistan, Iraq, Japan, Libya and Egypt, the President has a few things to worry about. Does anyone still think Palin was up for the job? The economy, Afghanistan, Iraq, Japan, Libya, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Yemen.  Needless to say, the President of the United States has a few …

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Written by Jeb Golinkin on Wednesday March 16, 2011

Does Obama Prefer a Qaddafi Victory?

The White House has moved slowly on Libya. Does Obama genuinely want to see Qaddafi toppled or has he decided that America is better off with his regime in place? The Obama administration has moved slowly on Libya. My latest CNN column asks: has the White House decided America will be better off …

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Written by David Frum on Monday March 14, 2011

Questions for Libya Non-Interventionists

George Will posed some questions for those arguing for the U.S. to intervene in Libya. But those skeptical about intervention also have some tough questions to consider. George Will posed some questions for Libya interventionists the other day.  Here are some questions for non-interventionist…

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Written by David Frum on Friday March 11, 2011