Pakistan: “Dynamic” Officer Killed, Taliban Claim Responsibility, Citizens Continue to Suffer, Nothing Changes
Muhammad Aslam Khan, also known as Chaudhry Aslam, the Superintendent Police (SP) of Karachi Police’s Central Investigation Department (CID) was killed on January 9, 2014 in Karachi, Pakistan. While it’s … Continue reading
Egypt: Military’s Actions Supported or Ignored
Every day brings new reports of how a resurgent Egyptian government – staffed by the country’s armed forces – is stomping on those who it deems to be an undesirable … Continue reading
Middle East: To Parent or Guide is the Question
A few days ago, I wrote a post recommending the United States use its ever decreasing influence in the Middle East to develop a coalition of regional powers to counter … Continue reading
Iraq: Yet Another Opportunity for Regional Cooperation in the Middle East
Over the past few days, the world has seen multiple reports on the advancements made by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in Iraq’s infamous Anbar province. According … Continue reading
Saudi Arabia: Aid to Lebanese Armed Forces Reflects Reduced Confidence in US Policy
Ending 2013 on a high note, the Lebanese Republic (Lebanon) announced that its armed forces would receive a grant of $3 billion from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 2014; … Continue reading
Technology: Choice of Margins vs. Market Penetration for Apple
The conventional wisdom regarding Apple is that it has lost its way and these complaints have only grown louder following the release of the company’s two new iPhones, the 5S … Continue reading
India: Economy Slows but Defense Sales Retain Potential
Reflecting the structural weakness of the Indian economy, the country’s currency (Indian rupee) has fallen 20 percent since the beginning of the year. Consequently, the initial $37.7 billion defense budget … Continue reading
Syria: Russia Outmaneuvers the United States but …
Yesterday’s news that the former Soviet Union and Syria had agreed to an off-hand proposal by US Secretary of State John Kerry that Damascus turn over its chemical weapons to … Continue reading
Saudi Arabia: The Syria Bombing’s Biggest Benefactor and Beneficiary
Last week, I wrote a post on how it was unclear how Jordan would benefit from the US bombing Syria. Today, I want to focus on the one country that … Continue reading
Dubai: Here We Go Again
A few years ago, when the Arab emirate of Dubai was facing the brunt of the global financial crisis, the government of Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum blamed rampant real … Continue reading
All Sorts of Things 