Afghanistan’s 48-year history of uncertainty
Counter-insurgency and foreign interference foment extremism and rarely achieve peace
Israel-Palestine conflict: The past laid the violent foundations
Israel’s iron grip over Palestinians had its beginnings in the demise of the Ottoman Empire and Britain and France’s arbitrary mapping out of the Middle East
Iran’s influence continues to dominate the Gulf
But the country also has its weaknesses
US cannot afford to alienate murderous crown prince
With the US announcing its ‘recalibration’ of its relationship with Saudi Arabia, it remains to be seen whether the oil-rich kingdom feels cowed