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The Promise of Magdoos: A Sliver of Hope in the Syrian Refugee Crisis
06.20.16
BY MERISSA KHURMA, PANGYRUS This article is being published in collaboration with Pangyrus. A Jordanian woman in the Northeastern city of Mafraq had been nagging her husband for weeks to take her to the Za’atari refugee camp. Her request was a simple one, Magdoos, baby eggplants stuffed with walnuts and sun-dried red peppers and pickled […]
The Death of Hezbollah
06.3.16
Death of Hezbollah’s Military Commander Signifies a Disturbing Trend for the Shiite militia May 2016 came in with a bang; this time, the leadership of the Shiite militia Hezbollah is at the receiving end. The cousin and brother-in-law of the late terror mastermind Imad Mougniyah and head of military operations for Hezbollah, Mustafa Badreddine, was […]
Amending Inadmissibility for Syrian and Iraqi Victims of ISIL
04.14.16
Living Under ISIS Under existing United States law, asylum-seekers having given material support to designated terrorist organizations cannot apply for asylum in the United States. This is called the material support statute under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) and is meant to protect the United States from admitting potentially dangerous refugees. In the Syrian […]
The Real Problem with Germany’s New Policy on Migrant Family Reunification
04.13.16
BY KATIE PARRY Over the last month Germany has quietly moved to make family reunification harder for many recently arrived migrants. New rules will mean that migrants given “subsidiary protection” status, which includes at least one in five Syrians, will not be able to bring their families to join them in Germany for at least […]
Scorched Earth in Iraq and Syria
04.5.16
This week’s ouster of so-called Islamic State (ISIS) forces from the Syrian city of Palmyra sparked cautious optimism from some observers. Aside from the destruction of the city’s ancient ruins, Palmyra appeared less damaged than had been originally feared after its takeover by the Islamic State. Yet under the surface of this reclaimed land lies […]
Sectarianism and Conflict: Legacies of the Iran-Iraq War
04.2.16
During the Iran-Iraq War, which was set off with the Iraqi invasion of Iran in 1980 and which ended in 1988, sectarian ideology was used profusely, both as a tool for propaganda and to help both nations in strengthening their positions. The Sunni versus Shia framework was used as the pretext by Saddam Hussein for Iraq’s […]
“On the Bride’s Side”: Bringing Humanity Back to Human Relations
03.31.16
After meeting five Syrian and Palestinian refugees trying to make their way from Milan to Sweden in the quest for asylum, an Italian journalist and a Palestinian poet decide to help them by faking a wedding. After all, “what border policeman would ever stop a bride to check her documents?[1]” As part of this […]
Can King Abdullah Keep Jordan out of the Fire?
03.23.16
While a March 2016 raid in Irbid, Jordan by the country’s security services resulted in the successful apprehension of 13 accused terrorist plotters[i], events both inside the Hashemite Kingdom and throughout the region may threaten the stability that has earmarked Jordan and its King as a vital ally in the U.S.-led fight against Islamist extremism […]
An Alternative Strategy for Ankara in the Levant
12.9.15
Under the leadership of the Justice and Development Party (AKP), Turkey has secured its position as a major global actor. The country benefited from robust economic growth in the early 2000s and strengthened its ties with the region, the European Union, Africa, and the United States. Turkey rose to prominence with its “zero problems with […]
Israel Discovers Oil in the Golan Heights: Immediate Implications
12.6.15
There is a common saying amongst Israeli Jews in reference to Israel’s historical dependence on foreign fossil fuels: Moses took a wrong turn while traveling to the Holy Land. Yet this aphorism continues to be challenged, much to Israel’s benefit. What started out with the discoveries of natural gas fields equaling 22 trillion cubic feet […]
From Liberia to Syria: The Diaspora Project
11.24.15
There are many transitional justice mechanisms available but identifying the right one for Syria depends upon the needs of its people. The Liberian Diaspora Project was innovative because it was the first of its kind to include Liberians that were living outside of the state borders. Since over half of the Syrian population is currently […]
The End Times Experiment: A Review of The ISIS Apocalypse
11.19.15
Despite their prominence in America’s daily news cycle, the leaders of the Islamic State remain misunderstood. Many pundits and analysts seem to fail in differentiating their brand of Salafi Islam from the practices and beliefs of the vast majority of Muslims, while others overcorrect and artificially separate the Islamic State’s actions entirely from religion. In […]