What citizens of other countries are reading about the Middle East.
By COMPILEDTHE MEDIA LINEUpdated: NOVEMBER 3, 2016 19:11Popular mobilization Forces members walk with their weapons before clashes with Islamic State on the outskirts of the town of Hammam Al-Alil in the south of Mosul, Iraq, on October 30(photo credit: REUTERS)WHY MOSUL IS MORE THAN JUST A CITY Al-Okaz, Saudi Arabia, October 25As the offensive to liberate Mosul enters its second week, Shi’ite militias have managed to tighten their noose around ISIS by blocking the city’s Western corridors.Sitting and watching the images from the battlefield swamp television news channels, I cannot help but reflect on the miserable fate of Mosul.The fall of Mosul into the hands of ISIS in June of 2014 represents so much more than just a fall of a city.Mosul had been a historical site of coexistence. It was a home to Christians, Muslims, and Yazidis. It was the birthplace of ancient Arab music and poetry. It was a center of academic research and studies for years.All of this ended with the takeover of the Islamic State. Thousands of the city’s residents were forcefully displaced, while hundreds of others were brutally killed. Interestingly, even the battle to liberate the city has symbolized coexistence. We have seen American forces train and guide Iraqi police and soldiers. These forces have been fighting on the ground alongside Kurdish fighters, Sunni tribesmen, and Shia militias.We have even seen Turkey send forces to assist with this campaign. These are certainly players that would not have gotten along well with each other in the past.But in their battle to liberate Mosul, they have joined forces and worked hand in hand.What is now left is to liberate the city from the cruel control of ISIS. Unfortunately, the Mosul we will discover in the aftermath of this campaign will never be the Mosul we used to know. – Turki al-Dakheel OBAMA’S LAST WEEKS IN OFFICE ARE A GREAT DANGER Al-Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, October 26With only a few more months left in office before the next president takes power, President Barack Obama’s Middle East policy is more dangerous than ever before.In the last week alone, two so-called “ceasefires” have collapsed in the region. The first, which was declared by the UN Envoy in Yemen, barely lasted 24 hours. The second, in Aleppo, was declared by the Russians, who continued to bomb the city even as they were negotiating a truce. This “ceasefire” mentality is what symbolizes Obama’s current foreign policy.The White House cannot afford to take any major action in the region until the next administration takes over. So Obama, for the time being, is stalling. He is interested in quick fixes – small “ceasefires” – which will benefit Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton and sway public attention in her favor. He is not interested, nor is he able, to take actual action that would bring about the defeat of ISIS. Those who will pay the price are the citizens on the ground, who are used as mere pawns in a larger chess game.Even the Europeans are getting impatient and quickly realizing that they must take action themselves.Obama’s last weeks in office are a dangerous time for the Middle East, and his desire for quick fixes will only exacerbate our problems in the long run.– Mashri al-ZaidiAL-SISSI AND THE UNITY OF EGYPT Al-Khaleej al-Jadid, UAE, October 26Several sources in Cairo have been reporting in recent weeks about a growing divide within the Egyptian leadership. The first group is backed by Military Intelligence and the Armed Forces, while the second group – that of President al-Sissi – is backed by the Central Intelligence.Tensions between the two sides mounted this week, when army officials called on President Abd al-Fatah al-Sissi not to run for reelection in 2018. This is a rather curious development. Sissi, who was the Egyptian Army’s commander in chief, the director of the Military Intelligence, and the Minister of Defense has obviously grown within the ranks of the military.Now the Egyptian Armed Forces are beginning to see him more as a liability rather than as one of their own. His declining public support, the dire state of the country’s economy, and growing frustration on the street all raise serious doubts about his ability to continue governing Egypt. Senior military leaders are not interested in seeing yet another coup in Egypt, which would be the third one in Egypt less than five years.They thus want to oversee a smooth transition of leadership within the next few years.Al-Sissi, however, does not seem to agree with this diagnosis. While he is well aware of his difficult position, he is determined to stay in office for another term. It is still unclear what will be next in store for Egypt with this saga, but all eyes are carefully focused on al-Sissi. Another uprising in Egypt will lead to the collapse of the country and the demise of its economy and political system. This irreversible damage will be a problem not only for the Egyptian people, but also for the Israelis, the Americans, and those in the Gulf.The next two years are going to be crucial years in Egypt’s history, and they will likely determine the country’s trajectory for generations to come.– Nour al-Din al-MansuryAOUN AND THE PRESIDENTIAL DEADLOCK IN LEBANON Al-Sharq al-Awsat, London, October 29It looks like the presidential deadlock in Lebanon might actually come to an end, with the expected appointment of General Michel Aoun as president.There is, however, no reason to celebrate right away.Aoun has been supported by Hezbollah, which dominates the Lebanese parliament, but contested by almost every other political stream in the country. Just a few weeks ago it seemed almost inconceivable that the opposition parties would accept his nomination.People oppose him either for his personal stances or his affiliation with Hezbollah.At the same time, we should also remember that the president’s powers are limited at the end of the day. Perhaps having a president is better than having no president at all, as was the situation in Lebanon for the last three years. Further, Aoun will likely rely on his opponents more than they will rely on him. He will not be able to remain in office unless he reaches some reconciliation with those who object his policies in parliament.It seems best to me as if those opposing his presidency come to terms with the democratic process that put him in power in the first place, and begin focusing, instead, on encouraging the new president to engage in dialogue with his opposition. Whether he will pursue national unity or a one-sided support of Hezbollah is too early to tell. However, the same democratic process that put him in office can also absolve his authority.He would be wise to begin his presidency by reaching out, first and foremost, to his biggest opponents.– Abd al-Rahman al-Rashedwww.themedialine.org/
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