The global economic crisis has greatly contributed to the rise of far-right politics in the West manifesting itself in outcomes such as Brexit and the unprecedented rise of Donald Trump. On June 23, the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union (EU) with the full effect of the economic, social and political ramifications of the decision still unknown. While the historic decision has... Continue Reading
Muslim Americans have been robbed of the ability to grieve because they have been on the defensive in the name of their religion. The buzzing of news alerts of the Orlando massacre woke me up Sunday morning, nearly an hour before I usually wake to have my usual 3 a.m. meal before beginning my fast during this holy month of Ramadan. While at the time it was not immediately known who, or why,... Continue Reading
Despite all the key players being at the table, including Iran for the very first time, little progress was made in the eight-hour Vienna meeting. The meeting in Vienna that gathered the United States, Russia and Iran to discuss the fate of the brutal war in Syria has ended without any stunning landmark decisions. However, the 17 foreign ministers who attended, in addition to representatives... Continue Reading
Throughout October, Palestinians and Israelis have seen the most violence since the end of the Second Intifada in 2005. Is a full-blown uprising coming? With Israel and Palestine, there are no guarantees aside from the continuation of conflict. In the past two weeks, the slow simmer of tension has come to a full boil, as many are anxious to see when, and if, it’ll combust. This anticipated... Continue Reading
Alan Kurdi’s death speaks to the continued horrors stemming from a ravaged Syria. Though the images of death have become numbingly common, the picture of a young Syrian boy washed up on the shore of a Turkish beach is devastating. The juxtaposition of a dead child on one of the world’s most stunning beaches should not be lost on its viewers. The death of 3-year-old Alan Kurdi is a vivid... Continue Reading
Syria's neighboring countries are increasingly running out of resources to care for the masses of refugees. As the White House continues to mull over what it means, exactly, to breach the “red line,” Syria seems to be falling apart at the seams. The seams, in many regards, are what the world is watching. The continued, growing violence in Syria is steadily spilling over to its bordering... Continue Reading
In the midst of growing unrest in the Middle East, Iraq is yet again ablaze, fueled by sectarian strife. Sunni protests, pushing against a Shia leadership, have led international spectators to already call a civil war in the country. Iraq, a country embroiled in sectarian warfare, must now rise above it. Ten years ago, on May 1, 2003, then-US President George W. Bush boarded the USS Abraham... Continue Reading
Giving the Iraqi youth a real opportunity through education, may be the best chance for rebuilding Iraq, argues Yasmeen Alamiri. If the world was divided ahead of the war in Iraq, the schism has only grown now that we have reached ten years since the invasion. The end of the US military engagement in the country does not take away from the very tangible fact that Iraq, on its ten-year... Continue Reading
