Why the petro kingdom executed a prominent Shiite cleric

Why the petro kingdom executed a prominent Shiite cleric

Special to WorldTribune.com By Norman Bailey Very seldom does a columnist have the experience of having one of his or her predictions begin to take shape within weeks, much less in 24 hours. But that is what has happened. Shortly after writing my column ‘Petro kingdom at risk? 2016’s Mideast power matrix and the Chinese […]

Unprecedented U.S. Mideast strategy is ad hoc, disregards existing frameworks

Unprecedented U.S. Mideast strategy is ad hoc, disregards existing frameworks

Special to WorldTribune.com By Gregory R. Copley, Editor, GIS/Defense & Foreign Affairs Senior-level sources in numerous Middle Eastern governments have privately expressed bewilderment at recent and current U.S. government strategies and policies toward the region. But a closer examination of U.S. policies, now almost entirely dictated by the Obama White House, shows no cohesive national […]

UN Human Rights chair, Saudi Arabia, has already executed 50 in 2016

UN Human Rights chair, Saudi Arabia, has already executed 50 in 2016

Special to WorldTribune.com Saudi Arabia has carried out 50 executions in the first 10 days of 2016. Saudi Arabia is the chair of the UN Human Rights Council UNHRC. The 50th execution of the new year came on Jan. 10 when Jinat Farid from Ethiopia was executed for the murder of a Saudi woman, according […]

Gulf States jointly condemn ‘Iranian interference’ in Saudi affairs

Gulf States jointly condemn ‘Iranian interference’ in Saudi affairs

Special to WorldTribune.com Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty The Sunni Arab monarchies of the Persian Gulf have expressed support for Saudi Arabia in its diplomatic row with Iran, condemning what they described as Iranian interference in Riyadh’s internal affairs. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia accused Iran of sponsoring terrorism and warned that the kingdom was considering […]

Pakistan reaffirms support for Saudi over Iran

Pakistan reaffirms support for Saudi over Iran

Special to WorldTribune.com Nuclear state Pakistan has reaffirmed its support for Saudi Arabia, saying any threat to Riyadh will be met with a response from Islamabad. In a Jan. 10 statement, Pakistani army chief Gen. Raheel Sharif pledged Pakistan’s support for Saudi amid the kingdom’s escalated tensions with Teheran over the execution of Shi’ite cleric […]

Israel’s outreach to Saudi Arabia points to cooling rapport with U.S.

Israel’s outreach to Saudi Arabia points to cooling rapport with U.S.

Special to WorldTribune.com by Dr. Jack Caravelli, Geostrategy-Direct Dore Gold, the Director General of Israel’s foreign ministry and a highly experienced diplomat, in late December gave the ministry’s first ever interview to a Saudi media outlet. Speaking to the Saudi-owned online newspaper Elaph, Gold emphasized the common interests Israel and Saudi Arabia have in blunting […]

Petro kingdom at risk? 2016’s Mideast power matrix and the Chinese definition of ‘crisis’

Petro kingdom at risk? 2016’s Mideast power matrix and the Chinese definition of ‘crisis’

Special to WorldTribune.com By Norman Bailey Predictions that events in Saudi Arabia will be key to regional developments in 2016 have much merit. A number of analyses and New Year predictions have centered lately on what events might happen during 2016 involving Saudi Arabia. Certainly, several recent events might lead to such conclusions, to wit: […]

Egypt reaffirms solidarity with Saudi Arabia

Egypt reaffirms solidarity with Saudi Arabia

Special to WorldTribune.com Egypt’s foreign minister on Jan. 4 confirmed Cairo’s continued solidarity with Saudi Arabia after the kingdom cut ties to Iran. “We reject Iranian interference in the internal affairs of the kingdom,” Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry told the press while meeting with Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Al-Jubeir in Riyadh. “We made a […]

Iran expresses ‘regret’ over attacks on Saudi embassy

Iran expresses ‘regret’ over attacks on Saudi embassy

Special to WorldTribune.com Teheran’s UN envoy on Jan. 4 issues a statement of “regret” for the attacks on Saudi diplomatic facilities in Iran. Gholamali Khoshroo, in a letter to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, said Iran “will take necessary measures to prevent the occurrence of similar incidents in the future.” Iranians protesting Saudi’s execution of outspoken […]

Gulf states helping secure Saudi border with Yemen

Gulf states helping secure Saudi border with Yemen

Special to WorldTribune.com Some 1,000 troops from Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states have been deployed to Saudi Arabia. The troops, mostly from Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates, were sent to Saudi’s southern border with Yemen for a border security operation against Iran-backed Houthi rebels. The rebels have launched several missiles at the Saudi southern […]