United Nations (UN)
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Turkey and the alliance against IS
Of inaction and double standards
In recent days, there have been a lot of reports about the Kurds' determined battle against the terrorist group Islamic State in Kobani, northern Syria. In this context, Turkey has frequently been accused of "inaction". Why? An essay by Cemal Karakas
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Syrian refugees in Turkey
Time for Turkey's allies to rally round
Turkey has quietly taken in one-and-a-half million Syrian refugees, yet assistance from Europe has thus far been shamefully inadequate. According to Stefan Kornelius, both the EU and NATO are leaving an ally in the lurch
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Western Sahara conflict
The curse of resources
In times of economic crisis and rising unemployment in North Africa, Western Sahara's natural resources have become fiercely contested treasures. The new balance of power resulting from recent political developments in the region could lead to a renegotiation of the conflict. By Susanne Kaiser
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Iraqi crisis
A UN protection force, not arms shipments
If the threat of genocide in northern Iraq is to be averted and the advance of IS militias stopped, an international protection force must be dispatched to the region, says security expert Andreas Zumach
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Interview with Afghanistan expert Thomas Ruttig
"The violence threshold is low"
Having already served two terms, Afghan President Hamid Karzai cannot run for president in the election in early April. The end of his twelve years in office marks the end of an era for the country. Ulrich von Schwerin spoke to Thomas Ruttig of the "Afghanistan Analysts Network" about the political situation in Afghanistan after over a decade of Karzai
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UNRWA photo exhibition: "The Long Journey"
The long journey into uncertainty
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) recently opened a photo and video exhibition on the history of Palestinian refugees since 1948 in East Jerusalem. By Joseph Croitoru
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Iran's New President Rouhani
Hopes for Reorientation
Hassan Rouhani has now been sworn in as Iran's new President. The expectations for the moderate leader are high. But he is facing complex domestic and external challenges, as Shahram Ahadi reports
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Michael Luders on the sanctions on Iran
"The objective is regime change"
For years, the nuclear dispute between the West and Iran has been at a deadlock. In this interview with Thomas Latschan, Middle East expert Michael Lüders says that the West's main objective is not in fact to find a solution to the problem, but to stop Iran from being a power factor in the region
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No-fly Zone for Syria
Last Chance to End the Misery
The imposition of a no-fly zone in 1991 against the regime of Saddam Hussein worked wonders for Iraqi Kurdistan. Twenty years later, a no-fly zone in Libya led to resolution of the conflict there. Why shouldn't it also be tried in northern Syria? A commentary by Silke Mertins
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Assad versus the Rebels
Syria to Experience 'Hell' before Transition
Whether Assad chooses "hell" or a democratic transition for his country, Syria's fate will likely be decided in 2013. Rebels smell victory. Yet opposition forces should be working now to avoid a second hell thereafter. By Conor Dillon
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Palestinian UN Initiative
A Positive Step
No one can expect the Palestinians to wait for all eternity for their own state, while Israel's rightwing government uses settlement expansion to create its own version of the facts. A commentary by René Wildangel
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The Opposition in Syria
The Least Common Denominator
Syrian oppositionists must recognize that the lack of decisive international action is not only the result of Russia and China vetoing any meaningful action in the Security Council, or NATO countries' unwillingness to enter into another war in the region. A commentary by Volker Perthes