Weapons Exports to Countries of the Arab Spring
The Middle East and North Africa region is the most militarised world region. It spends five percent of gross domestic product on arms on average. The global average is only two percent. In regard to military procurement, the revolutions have not made a difference. By Sheila Mysorekar More »
Interview with Amel Grami
Tunisia's process of democratic transition has been stagnating since late 2012. The Tunisian people are still waiting for their new constitution. The situation has been exacerbated by the recent murder of opposition politician Chokri Belaid. Ute Schaeffer and Loay Mudhoon spoke to the renowned academic Amel Grami about Tunisia's political crisis More »
Obama's Visit to the Middle East
Following his recent visit to the Middle East, US President Barack Obama was heavily criticised for his praise of Israel and his clear commitment to the country's security. Alon Ben-Meir argues that Obama has to win the trust of Israelis before progress can be made in the peace process. He also says that both sides have to live up to their responsibilities, make painful concessions and change their public narratives in order to reach a viable solution More »
The Economic Policies of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt
The Muslim Brotherhood is a proponent of a neo-liberal economy – regardless of how this contributes to the further impoverishment of Egypt – and that suits the West just fine. A commentary by Abdel Mottaleb Husseini More »
Iraq Ten Years after Saddam
Ten years after the start of the Iraq War and the toppling of Saddam Hussein, Feisal Amin Rasoul al-Istrabadi reviews developments in the country and considers whether things are better or worse now than they were before the Allied invasion More »
Öcalan Announces PKK Peace Plan
The offer of a ceasefire made by Abdullah Öcalan, the incarcerated head of the banned Kurdish Workers Party (PKK), has been welcomed by the Turkish government. But how can there be real peace when the conflicts of the past are glossed over instead of being openly discussed and addressed? A commentary by Ömer Erzeren More »
Interview with Moncef Marzouki
Ahead of his visit to Germany, Tunisian President Moncef Marzouki told Sarah Mersch that his country could take a leaf out of Europe's book as it struggles with the transition to democracy and that Tunisia would welcome help from Germany in a number of areas More »
Interview with Matenia Sirseloudi
What is behind the Islamicisation and radicalisation of young people in Europe? To what extent do European foreign policies and military interventions abroad play a role in this? Albrecht Metzger spoke to sociologist Dr Matenia Sirseloudi about politically motivated violence and radicalisation processes More »
Extremists in Germany
They agitate, they incite, they are relentlessly intolerant: Salafists and those hostile to Islam continually whip each other into a frenzy with their mutual hatred. But no matter how much cold calculation the rightist rabble-rousers bring to their provocations, the law must protect them from persecution. A commentary by Hans Leyendecker More »
Power Struggle in Egypt
The growing gulf between Egypt's President Mohammed Morsi and the secular opposition threatens to tear the country apart with unforeseeable consequences for Egypt's economy and political future. A commentary by Volker Perthes More »
