Saudi religious scholars enraged over Moscow's recent Syria strikes

Saudi ulama would rather see action against Assad than against the Islamic State, but could their stance be seen as a call to jihad?

Legacy: Gulf

Goals of Russia’s recent military action go beyond Syria

The Russian entry into the war in Syria may herald a new era of cooperation with countries such as Iran, as Moscow seeks to strengthen its international role.

Lebanon

Erdogan's EU visit fails to produce results

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan tried to use his Brussels visit to enhance his own domestic political clout, but the Europeans were not very keen on helping him.

Syria

Who are the real targets of Russia’s Syria strikes?

Russian attacks on opposition forces belie Moscow's alleged purpose for its military intervention in Syria.

Syria

Erdogan uses refugee issue for his own benefit in EU

EU leaders' focus during Erdogan’s visit to Brussels was on stemming the flow of Syrian refugees, not on his authoritarian and undemocratic ways.

Syria

Another Syrian nightmare, courtesy of the Russians

Russian operations are rattling Turkey as militants fleeing Syria infiltrate Turkey.

Syria

Russian intervention throws a wrench into Turkey's Syria plans

Russian air superiority in Syria has destroyed Ankara's hopes for a safe zone in the north and "Syria without Assad."

Syria

New gas fields add more heat to already simmering Mediterranean

The recent gas discoveries in the eastern Mediterranean Sea have given the concerned countries, mainly Egypt, Turkey and Israel, a new urgency in settling their maritime border disputes.

Egypt

Russia gets back in the game

Moscow's stated plans for the Syrian crisis at the recent UN General Assembly have elicited controversial responses from the international community.

Syria

Vlad and Yuri: How Putin is applying the lessons of Afghanistan to Syria

Russian President Vladimir Putin is using his regional allies to create "Alawistan," an enclave isolated from the rest of Syria.

Saudi Arabia

Palestinians look to Turkey for substance, not show

Although Turkey got its share of praise as the Palestinian flag was raised at the UN, Palestinians are still waiting for practical moves affecting their lives.

Palestine

Obama prepared to work with Putin to broker Syria transition

Despite widespread condemnation of Russian airstrikes in Syria, signs of progress on UN-brokered talks on a political transition; Iran’s ties with Saudi Arabia and Egypt; the trend toward counterterrorism; United States should not treat Iraq as a "weak partner."

Saudi Arabia