Al Qaeeda

After splitting with Al-Qaeda, Al-Nusra is being presented to the West as a moderate force. It’s nothing of the sort

The jihadist force’s reputation is being cleaned up, to suggest it is deserving of CIA support Robert Fisk @indyvoices   So ol‘ Doc Ayman al-Zawahiri, Osama bin Laden’s chief executive successor, has told the Syrian Jabhat al-Nusra that it can dissociate itself from Al-Qaeda. Good public relations: Nusra doesn’t like the Isis “caliphate” […]

Few chances of success

Apr 14,2016 – JORDAN TIMES EDITORIAL The resumption on Wednesday of Syria peace talks in Geneva coincides with continued violence in this Arab country and stubborn differences regarding the issues to be discussed first. While there is now a broad agreement that the political transition issue should figure high on […]

What decides outcome of Syria peace talks

Apr 13,2016 – JORDAN TIMES – Michael Jansen The two sides involved in the intra-Syrian peace talks resuming in Geneva this week are taking seriously the dictum “you don’t win at the peace table what you don’t win on the battlefield”. Between this round and the last, the Syrian regular army, backed […]

How to fight terrorism

Feb 14,2016 – JORDAN TIMES EDITORIAL In his Friday speech to the 52nd Munich Security Conference, His Majesty King Abdullah outlined his views on the manner in which terrorism can be fought, which should be holistic and global. “Failed states, conflict zones and sectarian divisions are fertile grounds for terrorism,” […]

For peace talks on Syria to succeed

Jan 20,2016 – JORDAN TIMES – Editorial The future of the projected peace talks on Syria, scheduled for January 25, hangs in the balance as both sides of the conflict are making demands that may thwart negotiations even before they start. The initiative to hold peace talks was unanimously endorsed […]