tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-180625122011-04-21T21:15:16.723-07:00The Talisman Gate, the medieval gateway to Baghdad: built in the waning days of the Abbassid Empire, and then sealed by the Ottomans as a symbol of their permanent lordship over the Abode of Peace. Promptly blown-up by self-same Ottomans as they fled the British advance during WWI.Nibras Kazimi نبراس الكاظميhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13674888845370422408noreply@blogger.comBlogger941100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18062512.post-1129768548214490302008-10-19T17:26:00.000-07:002007-11-01T06:34:41.819-07:00

Engraving showing seated man holding two dragon-serpents by their tongues, Talisman Gate, Baghdad, Iraq, circa 1907 The purpose of this blog is to have all the columns that I've been writing for the New York Sun in one place. My other blog at The Other Talisman Gate is where I hope to have a more dynamic and interesting exploration of the Middle East.

Nibras Kazimi نبراس الكاظميhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13674888845370422408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18062512.post-88694309528207841272008-07-21T01:35:00.000-07:002008-07-21T01:38:59.846-07:00

Section: Opinion > Printer-Friendly VersionStop Terror's Next ActBy NIBRAS KAZIMIJuly 21, 2008http://www.nysun.com/opinion/stop-terrors-next-act/82252/Senator Obama has some explaining to do: what does he mean by saying that he would end the war in Iraq? Whereas some aspects of the war seem to indicate that America is at war with itself as the Iraq debate rages in a charged partisan atmosphere,

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Iran’s Shifting StrategyBy NIBRAS KAZIMI May 12, 2008The healing in Iraq and the deterioration in Lebanon are not unrelated. In fact, Iraq will serve as both cause and effect to Lebanon’s misfortunes. Iran, eclipsed in Sadr City, had decided to allow its sectarian acolytes to put on a show of strength in Beirut. And the jihadists of Al Qaeda’s ilk, soon to be eclipsed in Mosul, will migrate to

Nibras Kazimi نبراس الكاظميhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13674888845370422408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18062512.post-44524441144973064652008-05-09T09:33:00.000-07:002008-05-09T10:06:23.364-07:00

What Happened in Basra?By NIBRAS KAZIMI May 9, 2008Ever since the prime minister of Iraq, Nouri al-Maliki, launched Operation Cavalry Charge in Basra on March 25, which has been going on there and elsewhere across Iraq, three important conclusions can be drawn: the Iraqi state and the Iraqi army can function on their own; an influential figure in Iraq, Muqtada al-Sadr, is much weaker than he was

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Narrative of a Conspiracy, Part 1I decided to translate the roller-coaster testimony made by Faisal Akbar—the Saudi citizen (...we think) who first confessed to a role in the Hariri assassination after he was arrested in January 2006 but then retracted his statement—which was published in the Lebanese daily Al-Akhbar over the last week.It’s a lot of material, so I am dividing it up into four

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November 1, 2007 Edition > Section: Foreign >A Paladin Gears Up for WarBY NIBRAS KAZIMINovember 1, 2007URL: http://www.nysun.com/article/65662The first minute of "The Kingdom," which is currently in cinemas, is great. The movie tells the story of an FBI team hunting down a terrorist cell that attacked an American civilian compound in Saudi Arabia, and it begins by giving American audiences a

Nibras Kazimi نبراس الكاظميhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13674888845370422408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18062512.post-76237149143810816252007-10-15T06:43:00.000-07:002007-10-15T06:46:20.223-07:00

October 15, 2007 Edition > Section: Opinion >Lebanese MalaiseBY NIBRAS KAZIMIOctober 15, 2007URL: http://www.nysun.com/article/64568Lebanon is undergoing a crisis, so what's new?The latest upswing in tension involves choosing a new president for the country, a constitutional act that has to be done through a parliamentary vote by November 24, the date on which outgoing President Lahoud must

Nibras Kazimi نبراس الكاظميhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13674888845370422408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18062512.post-55582816343590313302007-09-23T22:02:00.000-07:002007-09-23T22:05:40.169-07:00

September 24, 2007 Edition > Section: Opinion >Of Tribes and MenBY NIBRAS KAZIMISeptember 24, 2007URL: http://www.nysun.com/article/63271The Sept. 13 murder of Sheikh Sattar Abu Risha was tragic, but not catstrophic. His death does not change the vastly improved situation in Anbar Province, since his role in its pacification was exaggerated from the beginning. Anbar stabilized for a variety of

Nibras Kazimi نبراس الكاظميhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13674888845370422408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18062512.post-36810065194221982222007-09-05T00:49:00.000-07:002007-09-05T00:57:31.480-07:00

September 5, 2007 Edition > Section: Opinion >America's Future AllyBy NIBRAS KAZIMISeptember 5, 2007URL: http://www.nysun.com/article/61960?page_no=1For the past two months, I've been traveling around the Middle East for this paper, looking for trends, and it's no wonder why I haven't written anything throughout that time — nothing looks certain.My itinerary has taken me to Jordan, Syria, Lebanon

Nibras Kazimi نبراس الكاظميhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13674888845370422408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18062512.post-87219896959950699482007-06-19T05:55:00.000-07:002007-06-19T06:04:17.200-07:00

June 19, 2007 Edition > Section: Opinion >Let Beasts Devour BeastsBY NIBRAS KAZIMIJune 19, 2007URL: http://www.nysun.com/article/56857I hereby declare victory. I believe the Sunni insurgency in Iraq has collapsed, and all the casualty tallies that the insurgents are desperately trying to ratchet-up won't convince me otherwise. The odor of defeat hangs heavily around the "dead-enders" — a term I'd

Nibras Kazimi نبراس الكاظميhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13674888845370422408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18062512.post-14223974487046801862007-06-11T01:29:00.000-07:002007-06-11T01:35:50.853-07:00

June 11, 2007 Edition > Section: Opinion >Among the Believers in LibertyBY NIBRAS KAZIMIJune 11, 2007URL: http://www.nysun.com/article/56257President Bush came to Prague and mapped out a legacy, but offered no immediate policy. Standing before an audience consisting of former and current dissidents from around the Middle East and the world as well as sympathetic European heads of state and

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June 1, 2007 Edition > Section: Opinion >The Perfect EnemyBY NIBRAS KAZIMIJune 1, 2007URL: http://www.nysun.com/article/55690Let's take a look at a map of the Middle East through the eyes of a jihadist strategist and ask, "Where to next after Iraq and Afghanistan?" A plausible answer would be Syria and Lebanon, and the latter would only be useful as a base from which to operate within Syria — the

Nibras Kazimi نبراس الكاظميhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13674888845370422408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18062512.post-90698367640730276882007-05-23T03:28:00.000-07:002007-05-23T10:35:04.570-07:00

May 21, 2007 Edition > Section: Opinion >Smug in DamascusBY NIBRAS KAZIMIMay 21, 2007URL: http://www.nysun.com/article/54884Why are dictatorships so keen on going through the motions of a democratic process? This is an especially pressing question to ponder in a country like Syria that held a parliamentary election on April 23 and is due to hold a presidential referendum — not an actual election

Nibras Kazimi نبراس الكاظميhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13674888845370422408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18062512.post-23299453288824461062007-03-23T08:56:00.000-07:002007-03-23T08:59:40.964-07:00

March 23, 2007 Edition > Section: Opinion >Absolutely Worth ItBY NIBRAS KAZIMIMarch 23, 2007URL: http://www.nysun.com/article/51068"Was it worth it?" is a question that I hear at every anniversary of the Iraq war, and it gets more pointed and pained — and asked more accusingly by some — with every passing year and especially this week as we mark the fourth anniversary after a particularly rough

Nibras Kazimi نبراس الكاظميhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13674888845370422408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18062512.post-23418259921470339052007-03-12T07:25:00.000-07:002007-03-12T07:28:36.745-07:00

March 12, 2007 Edition > Section: Opinion >Jihadist MeltdownBY NIBRAS KAZIMIMarch 12, 2007URL: http://www.nysun.com/article/50244There is always a moment during a raging battle when one side realizes that the field has been won, and the other side collapses in retreat and confusion. The curious thing about the Iraqi insurgency is that this moment has arrived, yet both the victors, in this case

Nibras Kazimi نبراس الكاظميhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13674888845370422408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18062512.post-13231420241627244092007-02-16T11:15:00.000-08:002007-02-16T11:16:44.864-08:00

February 16, 2007 Edition > Section: Opinion >Fiery, Dangerous WordsBY NIBRAS KAZIMIFebruary 16, 2007URL: http://www.nysun.com/article/48783Some very incendiary words are being said these days in the Middle East: Sunnis and Shiites are trading insults, barbs, and, most ominously, threats on a scale not heard before.This agitation is being cynically manipulated by some Sunni Arab regimes — namely

Nibras Kazimi نبراس الكاظميhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13674888845370422408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18062512.post-87264452067967730602007-02-08T07:22:00.000-08:002007-01-26T13:27:32.357-08:00

February 8, 2007 Edition > Section: Opinion >Blackout of the PressBY NIBRAS KAZIMIFebruary 8, 2007URL: http://www.nysun.com/article/48291Abu Omar al-Baghdadi made his grand entrance onto the jihadist stage on October 12, 2006, and since then he's delivered two very important speeches — the more recent one came out last week — and has taken credit for much of the spectacular outbreaks of violence

Nibras Kazimi نبراس الكاظميhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13674888845370422408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18062512.post-1169740075855684402007-01-25T07:46:00.000-08:002007-01-25T07:47:55.870-08:00

January 25, 2007 Edition > Section: Opinion >Turnaround in BaghdadBY NIBRAS KAZIMIJanuary 25, 2007URL: http://www.nysun.com/article/47363There has been a flurry of press reports recently about insurgents battling American and Iraqi security forces on Haifa Street in Baghdad, and around the rural town of Buhruz in Diyala Province. These same insurgents also claimed to have shot down a Black Hawk

Nibras Kazimi نبراس الكاظميhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13674888845370422408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18062512.post-1168375127329388362007-01-09T12:37:00.000-08:002007-01-09T12:38:47.343-08:00

January 9, 2007 Edition > Section: Opinion >Aftermath of a HangingBY NIBRAS KAZIMIJanuary 9, 2007URL: http://www.nysun.com/article/46294The tyrant was taunted and bullied. The condemned man heard some harsh words before he dangled. Woe to mankind.Most commentators should have described the hurried hanging of Saddam Hussein and the sectarian chants emanating from the excited bodyguards that

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January 3, 2007 Edition > Section: Opinion >The Grand DistractionBY NIBRAS KAZIMIJanuary 3, 2007URL: http://www.nysun.com/article/46045An embarrassing internal feud among Saudi royals has been on public display for over two weeks. It first came to light on December 11, 2006, when Saudi Arabia's ambassador to Washington, Prince Turki al-Faisal, summoned his staff and told them that he's calling it

Nibras Kazimi نبراس الكاظميhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13674888845370422408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18062512.post-1166808936599445302006-12-22T09:34:00.000-08:002006-12-22T09:35:36.613-08:00

December 22, 2006 Edition > Section: Opinion >Standoff in BeirutBY NIBRAS KAZIMIDecember 22, 2006URL: http://www.nysun.com/article/45609What happens when you couple a Mexican standoff with a game of Russian roulette? You get Lebanese politics over the last several weeks: The revolvers are out, the politicians keep pulling at the trigger, and luckily, so far, no bullets have been chambered.There

Nibras Kazimi نبراس الكاظميhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13674888845370422408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18062512.post-1165415237362245752006-12-06T06:25:00.000-08:002006-12-06T06:27:17.376-08:00

December 6, 2006 Edition > Section: Opinion >Cognitive Dissonance on IraqBY NIBRAS KAZIMIDecember 6, 2006URL: http://www.nysun.com/article/44701The Iraq Study Group report is due out today, serving to focus minds and sharpen talking points about what to do in Iraq. And yet, for all the time spent talking about this urgent matter, and with all the political and security ramifications at stake, the

Nibras Kazimi نبراس الكاظميhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13674888845370422408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18062512.post-1164035204601563772006-11-20T07:05:00.000-08:002006-11-20T07:06:44.623-08:00

November 20, 2006 Edition > Section: Opinion >Al-Muhajir's Evil PresenceBY NIBRAS KAZIMINovember 20, 2006URL: http://www.nysun.com/article/43815The bad guys are now celebrating the Democratic Party's sweep of Congress in the belief that the American electorate has pronounced its verdict on the grand visions of the neoconservatives — the fall guys for what is hyperbolically called the "catastrophe

Nibras Kazimi نبراس الكاظميhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13674888845370422408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18062512.post-1162827878147095072006-11-06T07:42:00.000-08:002006-11-06T07:44:39.750-08:00

November 6, 2006 Edition > Section: Opinion >Something Is ChangingBY NIBRAS KAZIMINovember 6, 2006URL: http://www.nysun.com/article/42946Lately, I've been hearing worrisome things about the Iraq Study Group. James Baker, the co-chairman of this congressionally mandated bipartisan body, reportedly is going to recommend some radical strategic changes in America's Iraq policy. But my worries were

Nibras Kazimi نبراس الكاظميhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13674888845370422408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18062512.post-1161785316426073822006-10-25T07:07:00.000-07:002006-10-25T07:08:36.456-07:00

October 25, 2006 Edition > Section: Opinion >Iraq is SucceedingBY NIBRAS KAZIMIOctober 25, 2006URL: http://www.nysun.com/article/42234There are legitimate concerns over where things stand in Iraq.Those who are genuinely worried about the welfare of the Iraqi people as well as about America's long-term interests should be commended for fretting over what is a fatefully decisive issue. However,

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October 17, 2006 Edition > Section: Opinion >Alevis in the BalanceBY Nibras KazimiOctober 17, 2006URL: http://www.nysun.com/article/41692"The Alevis maintain the secular balance in Turkey," the thoughtful man said, "They are the infantry of Kemalism," alluding to the radically anti-religious doctrines laid out by modern Turkey's founder, Kemal Ataturk. Well, so much for secularism and Kemalism, I

Nibras Kazimi نبراس الكاظميhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13674888845370422408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18062512.post-1159209904864785702006-09-25T11:42:00.000-07:002006-09-25T11:45:04.880-07:00

September 25, 2006 Edition > Section: Opinion >Return of the GaziBY NIBRAS KAZIMISeptember 25, 2006URL: http://www.nysun.com/article/40236Psychoanalyzing the Turkish nation is a favorite pastime for many analysts since Turkey's recurring identity crisis gives ample material for all sorts of conjecture: Is it trying to be Western? Is Turkey trying to rediscover its eastern roots? Is it getting

Nibras Kazimi نبراس الكاظميhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13674888845370422408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18062512.post-1157625383012986012006-09-07T03:33:00.000-07:002006-09-07T03:37:43.753-07:00

September 5, 2006 Edition > Section: Opinion >Lebanon's FuseBY NIBRAS KAZIMISeptember 5, 2006URL: http://www.nysun.com/article/39089The latest flare-up in Lebanon was not an isolated incident, but rather the beginning of a global war. Powerful historical forces are astir rendering diplomatic quick-fixes to no avail. Dormant hatreds are being awakened, and the Middle East is seized with the

Nibras Kazimi نبراس الكاظميhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13674888845370422408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18062512.post-1156538220636891842006-08-25T13:33:00.001-07:002006-08-25T13:37:00.720-07:00

August 25, 2006 Edition > Section: Opinion >Islam and the CityBY NIBRAS KAZIMIAugust 25, 2006URL: http://www.nysun.com/article/38534While meeting in the Algerian capital in 2004, the foreign ministers of the Organization of the Islamic Conference decided that it was time to showcase Islamic civilization to the rest of the world. They resolved to pick a set of cities each year and designate them

Nibras Kazimi نبراس الكاظميhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13674888845370422408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18062512.post-1155146352501215042006-08-09T10:57:00.000-07:002006-08-09T10:59:12.526-07:00

August 9, 2006 Edition > Section: Opinion >Battle of BaghdadBY NIBRAS KAZIMIAugust 9, 2006URL: http://www.nysun.com/article/37573For the past few weeks, Baghdad was astir with news of an imminent coup d'etat. Those in power were worried, and those near power were looking forward to a political reshuffle from which they would emerge ahead. The scene included ambitious officers who half-jokingly

Nibras Kazimi نبراس الكاظميhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13674888845370422408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18062512.post-1154627334500011322006-08-03T10:47:00.000-07:002006-08-03T10:48:54.530-07:00

August 3, 2006 Edition > Section: Opinion >Quietly SmilingBY NIBRAS KAZIMIAugust 3, 2006URL: http://www.nysun.com/article/37293Who knew the Syrians were this clever?But then again, wits are sharpened when survival instincts kick in. Most people, including Israel's strategists, are busy wondering how Hezbollah's actions three weeks ago complement Iran's grand designs. All along, though, the timing

Nibras Kazimi نبراس الكاظميhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13674888845370422408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18062512.post-1152535663861341312006-07-10T05:44:00.000-07:002006-07-10T05:47:44.080-07:00

July 10, 2006 Edition > Section: Opinion >Sunni RevivalismBY NIBRAS KAZIMIJuly 10, 2006URL: http://www.nysun.com/article/35741The morning headlines screamed news of Israeli forces detaining Palestinian officials, and by the late afternoon the patrons of the Rawdha Café in Damascus were astir. Emotions ran high as the crowd chanted and taunted, and waved flags. Some painted their faces with

Nibras Kazimi نبراس الكاظميhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13674888845370422408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18062512.post-1150570042289805562006-06-17T11:43:00.000-07:002006-06-17T11:47:22.306-07:00

June 16, 2006 Edition > Section: Opinion >A Miracle in HibhibBY NIBRAS KAZIMIJune 16, 2006URL: http://www.nysun.com/article/34604When I once drove through Hibhib, the only thing my traveling companion could note about this little town was its fame for a local sort of moonshine distilled by the townsfolk according to an old and secret recipe. He added that the reason Hibhib's arak - a 50-

Nibras Kazimi نبراس الكاظميhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13674888845370422408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18062512.post-1149606648905693812006-06-06T08:06:00.000-07:002006-06-06T08:10:48.920-07:00

June 6, 2006 Edition > Section: Opinion >Limbo by VetoBY NIBRAS KAZIMIJune 6, 2006URL: http://www.nysun.com/article/33959This is the new modus operandi of government in Iraq: four power centers, each with widely disparate goals, are tasked with running a country. Each nexus has the power to veto whatever proposal conflicts with its vision, and each is in turn composed of sub-committees whereby

Nibras Kazimi نبراس الكاظميhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13674888845370422408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18062512.post-1149085858199364142006-05-31T07:27:00.000-07:002006-05-31T08:45:31.253-07:00

May 31, 2006 Edition > Section: Opinion >Human TorpedoBY NIBRAS KAZIMIMay 31, 2006URL: http://www.nysun.com/article/33630Meet Mahmoud.Mahmoud would merely register as a statistical blip on a population chart somewhere, but this make-believe character - a 15 year-old, upper-middle-class Egyptian that I constructed in my head - is going to matter a great deal in a decade's time. He may be the next

Nibras Kazimi نبراس الكاظميhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13674888845370422408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18062512.post-1147795705806897032006-05-16T09:05:00.000-07:002006-05-16T09:08:25.823-07:00

May 16, 2006 Edition > Section: Opinion >What About the Druze?BY NIBRAS KAZIMIMay 16, 2006URL: http://www.nysun.com/article/32823Senator Biden, the top Democrat on the Foreign Relations Committee, recently suggested a plan for fixing Iraq by breaking it apart. He says he wants to give the various ethnic and religious components of Iraq "some breathing space." But what about everyone else in the

Nibras Kazimi نبراس الكاظميhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13674888845370422408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18062512.post-1147190938715799172006-05-09T09:04:00.000-07:002006-05-09T09:08:58.756-07:00

May 9, 2006 Edition > Section: Opinion >Niche vs. MainstreamBY NIBRAS KAZIMIMay 9, 2006URL: http://www.nysun.com/article/32411The world heard recently from the top three global jihadists out there: Osama Bin Laden, Abu Musaab Al-Zarqawi, and Ayman Zawahiri, each released propaganda tracts that had analysts scurrying to explain the significance of their timing and wording. Much was made of what

Nibras Kazimi نبراس الكاظميhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13674888845370422408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18062512.post-1146061905303438162006-04-26T07:28:00.000-07:002006-04-26T08:53:54.603-07:00

April 26, 2006 Edition > Section: Opinion >Dangerous LineupBY NIBRAS KAZIMIApril 26, 2006URL: http://www.nysun.com/article/31661As recently as a year ago, laughter would have met anyone speculating that Nouri Al-Maliki would one day become a candidate for the prime minister's job. In fact, plenty of people in the Iraqi political class wondered whether I was joking or had flipped out when I began

Nibras Kazimi نبراس الكاظميhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13674888845370422408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18062512.post-1145548567192465082006-04-20T08:52:00.000-07:002006-04-20T08:56:07.206-07:00

April 20, 2006 Edition > Section: Opinion >Mubarak the ShamelessBY NIBRAS KAZIMIApril 20, 2006URL: http://www.nysun.com/article/31350Nowhere have the enemies of democracy taken as much heart as in Hosni Mubarak's Egypt. Whether it is the Egyptian strongman himself, or Egyptian terrorist Ayman Zawahiri, those enemies seem to relish the fact that President Bush's doctrine of spreading democracy has

Nibras Kazimi نبراس الكاظميhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13674888845370422408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18062512.post-1144851968701597542006-04-12T07:21:00.000-07:002006-04-12T07:26:08.723-07:00

April 12, 2006 Edition > Section: Opinion >'Abu Omar' vs. the ShiasBY NIBRAS KAZIMIApril 12, 2006URL: http://www.nysun.com/article/30860The American government, acting upon the advice of its ambassador in Baghdad, has unwisely maneuvered itself into the anti-Shia camp, which is a problematic development since the Shias are more than 60% of Iraq's population and have been consistent in their

Nibras Kazimi نبراس الكاظميhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13674888845370422408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18062512.post-1144604820145760862006-04-09T10:44:00.000-07:002006-04-09T10:47:00.266-07:00

April 7, 2006 Edition > Section: Opinion >Deadlock in BeirutBY NIBRAS KAZIMIApril 7, 2006URL: http://www.nysun.com/article/30643\The next "dialogue" session among Lebanon's political bosses has been postponed until much later this month, bringing welcome news to Beirut's motorists and those who fear the outbreak of sectarian strife.Whenever the heads of Lebanon's six major factions get together

Nibras Kazimi نبراس الكاظميhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13674888845370422408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18062512.post-1142614333752085322006-03-17T08:49:00.000-08:002006-03-17T08:52:13.766-08:00

March 16, 2006 Edition > Section: Opinion >Shabby InheritanceBY NIBRAS KAZIMIMarch 16, 2006URL: http://www.nysun.com/article/29275Dictatorships usually derive continuity from having a group of people who will fight to the death to maintain the status quo. Syria is most definitely a dictatorship, but finding its base is a hard thing to do these days.Three weeks ago, two events occurred in Damascus

Nibras Kazimi نبراس الكاظميhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13674888845370422408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18062512.post-1142003402127721292006-03-10T07:08:00.000-08:002006-03-10T07:10:02.146-08:00

March 9, 2006 Edition > Section: Opinion >Zarqawi's HeartbreakBY NIBRAS KAZIMIMarch 9, 2006URL: http://www.nysun.com/article/28870In Abu Musaab Al-Zarqawi's fantasy world, the jihadist movement would eventually bear fruit in an Islamic empire with a Caliph restored at its head, and the place where this fantasy would play out is Damascus - the enchanted oasis that the Prophet Muhammad had likened

Nibras Kazimi نبراس الكاظميhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13674888845370422408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18062512.post-1141406709226095812006-03-03T09:23:00.000-08:002006-03-03T09:25:09.240-08:00

March 2, 2006 Edition > Section: Opinion >Divorce, Iraqi StyleBY NIBRAS KAZIMIMarch 2, 2006URL: http://www.nysun.com/article/28418The unity of Iraq is not sacrosanct. Certainly it is no more hallowed than human life or the symbols of religious faith that vast numbers of people are attached to. National pacts and national identities are supposed to be utilitarian: creating a single unit out of

Nibras Kazimi نبراس الكاظميhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13674888845370422408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18062512.post-1140013606748507172006-02-15T06:22:00.000-08:002006-02-15T06:26:46.766-08:00

February 15, 2006 Edition > Section: Opinion >Ashen CedarsBY NIBRAS KAZIMIFebruary 15, 2006URL: http://www.nysun.com/article/27659Who among Washington's diplomats and spooks, will take responsibility for smashing Lebanon, should that be the consequence of their half-measures?Yesterday marked the one year anniversary of the terrorist attack that targeted and killed former Prime Minister Hariri. It

Nibras Kazimi نبراس الكاظميhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13674888845370422408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18062512.post-1139409405508974252006-02-08T06:33:00.000-08:002006-02-08T06:36:45.523-08:00

February 8, 2006 Edition > Section: Opinion >Malevolent EffervescenceBY NIBRAS KAZIMIFebruary 8, 2006URL: http://www.nysun.com/article/27245What connects Hamas's recent parliamentary victory with the havoc that was wrought by Lebanese demonstrators over a provocative Danish cartoon, and with the recent release of a big-budget Turkish movie in which renegade American soldiers indiscriminately kill

Nibras Kazimi نبراس الكاظميhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13674888845370422408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18062512.post-1138198284286811462006-01-25T06:07:00.000-08:002006-01-25T06:11:24.300-08:00

January 25, 2006 Edition > Section: Opinion >Secular InsecuritiesNibras Kazimi counsels a soft touch with TurkeyJanuary 25, 2006URL: http://www.nysun.com/article/26479Turks tense up in a display of natural, reflexive patriotism when outsiders discuss their country's problems. But in some places of the world, patriotic myths are stringent and uncompromising, and such is the case with Turkey.

Nibras Kazimi نبراس الكاظميhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13674888845370422408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18062512.post-1137597444079868702006-01-18T07:15:00.000-08:002006-01-18T07:17:24.093-08:00

January 18, 2006 Edition > Section: Opinion >Fighting Over SpoilsBY NIBRAS KAZIMIJanuary 18, 2006URL: http://www.nysun.com/article/26076There is a widening rift among insurgent groups in Iraq, but this does not mean that the insurgency is about to be defeated, or even abated. On the contrary, judging by a recent spike in jihadist propaganda - noted for its quantity and emerging sophistication -

Nibras Kazimi نبراس الكاظميhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13674888845370422408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18062512.post-1136993758431437652006-01-11T07:17:00.000-08:002006-01-11T07:35:58.476-08:00

January 11, 2006 Edition > Section: Opinion >Slightly PregnantBY NIBRAS KAZIMIJanuary 11, 2006URL: http://www.nysun.com/article/25707Folks in Washington nowadays have taken note of the rise of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt and its sister organization in Iraq, the Islamic Party, and optimistically tag such phenomena as "moderate" or "mainstream" Sunni Islamism. There is a hope that such

Nibras Kazimi نبراس الكاظميhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13674888845370422408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18062512.post-1135780141160354912005-12-28T06:24:00.000-08:002005-12-28T06:29:01.176-08:00

December 28, 2005 Edition > Section: Opinion >Retro-RevolutionariesNibras Kazimi counsels taking Iran's mad tyrants at their wordDecember 28, 2005URL: http://www.nysun.com/article/25054The generation that bled away its youth to establish Iran's Islamic Revolution is now in power, and its leading lights are going through a dangerous mid-life crisis. But instead of cruising around in flashy sports

Nibras Kazimi نبراس الكاظميhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13674888845370422408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18062512.post-1135173818748445522005-12-21T06:00:00.000-08:002005-12-21T06:03:38.763-08:00

December 21, 2005 Edition > Section: Opinion >A Lost RoundBY NIBRAS KAZIMIDecember 21, 2005URL: http://www.nysun.com/article/24807Iraq did not hold an election last week - it held a census. Shias voted for a "Shia" list, Sunnis for a "Sunni" list, and Kurds turned out for a "Kurdish" list. The margin for non-sectarian lists - all encompassing, issues-specific "Iraqi" lists - has thinned out since

Nibras Kazimi نبراس الكاظميhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13674888845370422408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18062512.post-1133879427923306112005-12-06T06:27:00.000-08:002005-12-06T06:30:27.940-08:00

December 6, 2005 Edition > Section: Opinion >The Mehlis MessBY NIBRAS KAZIMIDecember 6, 2005URL: http://www.nysun.com/article/24041The investigation launched by German prosecutor Detlev Mehlis - as mandated by the United Nations Security Council resolution - into the assassination of the former prime minister of Lebanon, Rafiq Hariri, has collapsed. It can now be demonstrated that Mehlis was

Nibras Kazimi نبراس الكاظميhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13674888845370422408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18062512.post-1133243341302266672005-11-28T21:40:00.000-08:002005-11-28T21:51:51.020-08:00

November 29, 2005 Edition > Section: Opinion >Iraqi CauldronNibras Kazimi warns of mutiny in Washington and aggression from TehranThree ingredients are necessary for failure in Iraq, and all three are being poured into the bubbling cauldron that is Baghdad at this very moment. The recipe includes Ba’athists believing that they have been given a seat at the table and thus have achieved a prelude

Nibras Kazimi نبراس الكاظميhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13674888845370422408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18062512.post-1132120100242600822005-11-16T09:39:00.000-08:002005-11-15T21:48:20.256-08:00

November 16, 2005 Edition > Section: Opinion >Boom That Went BoomNibras KazimiNovember 16, 2005From a purely logistical standpoint, the terrorist attacks that Zarqawi and his organization managed to pull off last Wednesday in Jordan were nothing short of astounding. They are also a measure of how much sophistication he had accumulated since trying to blow-up the Jordanian embassy in Baghdad two

Nibras Kazimi نبراس الكاظميhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13674888845370422408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18062512.post-1131557794625629172005-11-09T09:33:00.000-08:002005-11-09T09:36:34.646-08:00

November 9, 2005 Edition > Section: Opinion >No Coup in BakuBY NIBRAS KAZIMINovember 9, 2005URL: http://www.nysun.com/article/22755Somehow, situated in a corner of the jagged Middle Eastern juggernaut, the little state of Azerbaijan has managed to reflect all the region's woes. It is concurrently blessed and cursed with oil, diversity, strategic importance, and way too much history. This nation

Nibras Kazimi نبراس الكاظميhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13674888845370422408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18062512.post-1130864194752430002005-11-01T08:53:00.000-08:002005-11-01T09:05:04.496-08:00

November 1, 2005 Edition > Section: Opinion > Printer-Friendly VersionSounding the AlarmBY NIBRAS KAZIMINovember 1, 2005URL: http://www.nysun.com/article/22365ALERT: The pent-up frustrations of Sunni Islam - slowly simmering for three centuries - are about to burst. Brace yourselves for a decade of mayhem, bloodshed and the near-defeat of all that is civil and civilized. You think Iraq is bad,

Nibras Kazimi نبراس الكاظميhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13674888845370422408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18062512.post-1129771363042616852005-10-19T18:20:00.000-07:002005-10-20T13:08:53.606-07:00

October 19, 2005 Edition > Section: Opinion >Trash-Talking PointsBY NIBRAS KAZIMIOctober 19, 2005URL: http://www.nysun.com/article/21686Iraq got saddled with a flawed constitution this week, whereby supporters and detractors broke ranks along sectarian lines without really knowing much about what the document said. They were guided throughout the process by a dangerous array of demagogues and

Nibras Kazimi نبراس الكاظميhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13674888845370422408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18062512.post-1129771893272688042005-10-12T18:30:00.000-07:002005-10-20T13:15:12.376-07:00

October 12, 2005 Edition > Section: Opinion > Printer-Friendly VersionCalling All CaliphsBY NIBRAS KAZIMIOctober 12, 2005URL: http://www.nysun.com/article/21392President Bush gave a seminal speech on October 5th, but few people took notice. He correctly described the war against terror as a clash of ideologies and drew comparisons to the fight against communism: America has embarked on a

Nibras Kazimi نبراس الكاظميhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13674888845370422408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18062512.post-1129772137411287872005-09-28T18:33:00.000-07:002005-10-20T15:07:10.586-07:00

September 28, 2005 Edition > Section: Opinion >Who Killed Hariri?BY NIBRAS KAZIMISeptember 28, 2005URL: http://www.nysun.com/article/20683In February, a couple of weeks after Rafiq Hariri's assassination in Beirut, I pegged the blame for the murder on the Syrian leadership, who I claimed had acted through their acolytes, Hezbollah. My reasoning at the time was that the Syrians had the motive and

Nibras Kazimi نبراس الكاظميhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13674888845370422408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18062512.post-1129772284708344462005-09-21T18:36:00.000-07:002005-10-19T18:38:04.713-07:00

September 21, 2005 Edition > Section: Opinion > Egypt's Faded EleganceBY NIBRAS KAZIMISeptember 21, 2005URL: http://www.nysun.com/article/20349Across Cairo, from the Azbekkiya Gardens to the alleyways of the Azhar Mosque, I was snooping around for contraband. I wasn't looking for hashish, which is plentiful and available, but something even more dangerous in Hosni Mubarak's Egypt: free thought

Nibras Kazimi نبراس الكاظميhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13674888845370422408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18062512.post-1129772484089564682005-09-14T18:39:00.000-07:002005-10-19T18:41:24.093-07:00

September 14, 2005 Edition > Section: Opinion > Carnival in CairoBY NIBRAS KAZIMISeptember 14, 2005URL: http://www.nysun.com/article/20016Any self-respecting carnival must feature a freak show, and the farcical elections in Egypt last week were no different. But the Bush administration had demanded a show of democracy, and President Mubarak gave them a show. And what a show!Bulaq al-Dakroor is

Nibras Kazimi نبراس الكاظميhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13674888845370422408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18062512.post-1129830317379091142005-09-12T10:33:00.000-07:002005-10-20T10:58:31.373-07:00

Click here on Current Trends in Islamist Ideology, Vol. 2Skip to p. 59 to read "A Virulent Ideology in Mutation: Zarqawi Upstages Maqdisi" by Nibras Kazimi.

Nibras Kazimi نبراس الكاظميhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13674888845370422408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18062512.post-1129823850499170852005-08-30T08:52:00.000-07:002005-10-20T08:57:30.503-07:00

Copyright 2005 The New York Sun, One SL, LLCAll Rights Reserved The New York SunAugust 30, 2005 TuesdaySECTION: EDITORIAL & OPINION; Pg. 8LENGTH: 1180 wordsHEADLINE: Patronizing the EnemyBYLINE: Nibras KazimiBODY:America gambled away irreplaceable political capital in the last two weeks by betting on a series of lame horses. In a bid to counter growing antipathy toward the Iraq project back in

Nibras Kazimi نبراس الكاظميhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13674888845370422408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18062512.post-1129824012660620822005-08-16T08:58:00.000-07:002005-10-20T09:00:12.666-07:00

Copyright 2005 The New York Sun, One SL, LLCAll Rights Reserved The New York SunAugust 16, 2005 TuesdaySECTION: EDITORIAL & OPINION; Pg. 11LENGTH: 1158 wordsHEADLINE: Rotten FishBYLINE: Nibras KazimiBODY:Hands down, the best reporting coming out of Iraq is being done by the 26-year-old Baghdad bureau chief of the Knight Ridder newspaper chain, Hannah Allam. Last week, she filed a lengthy

Nibras Kazimi نبراس الكاظميhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13674888845370422408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18062512.post-1129824173262421932005-08-09T09:01:00.000-07:002005-10-20T09:04:12.926-07:00

Copyright 2005 The New York Sun, One SL, LLCAll Rights Reserved The New York SunAugust 9, 2005 TuesdaySECTION: EDITORIAL & OPINION; Pg. 10LENGTH: 1158 wordsHEADLINE: State of WobblinessBYLINE: Nibras Kazimi is an Iraqi writer living in Washington, D.C. He can be contacted at nibraska@yahoo.com.BODY:Ladies and gentlemen, Project New Iraq is about to fail. Too bad, since an Iraqi success story

Nibras Kazimi نبراس الكاظميhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13674888845370422408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18062512.post-1129824433659083202005-08-05T09:05:00.000-07:002005-10-20T09:07:13.663-07:00

Copyright 2005 The New York Sun, One SL, LLCAll Rights Reserved The New York SunAugust 5, 2005 FridaySECTION: EDITORIAL & OPINION; Pg. 15LENGTH: 1165 wordsHEADLINE: More Angry Young MenBYLINE: By NIBRAS KAZIMIBODY:Here's something that went missing in the press coverage of Saudi Arabia's power transfer: More than half of Saudi Arabia's population was born in the 23-year reign of King Fahd, who

Nibras Kazimi نبراس الكاظميhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13674888845370422408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18062512.post-1129830571687942942005-07-29T10:48:00.000-07:002005-10-20T10:49:31.693-07:00

Copyright 2005 The New York Sun, One SL, LLCAll Rights Reserved The New York SunJuly 29, 2005 FridaySECTION: EDITORIAL & OPINION; Pg. 11LENGTH: 1238 wordsHEADLINE: Pupil Upstages TutorBYLINE: Nibras KazimiBODY:Earlier this month, American and Jordanian spymasters thought they had a good thing going: They intended to release Isam Barqawi, who goes by the name Abu Muhammed Al-Maqdisi, and see what

Nibras Kazimi نبراس الكاظميhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13674888845370422408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18062512.post-1129830767863780892005-07-21T10:50:00.000-07:002005-10-20T10:52:47.866-07:00

Copyright 2005 The New York Sun, One SL, LLCAll Rights Reserved The New York SunJuly 21, 2005 ThursdaySECTION: EDITORIAL & OPINION; Pg. 11LENGTH: 1062 wordsHEADLINE: Jordan's Great Leap NowhereBYLINE: Nibras KazimiBODY:There is a child born every three minutes in Jordan. Someone also dies every 11th minute due to an automobile accident.Last week, the Jordanian government decided to increase the

Nibras Kazimi نبراس الكاظميhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13674888845370422408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18062512.post-1129830938911257462005-06-30T10:53:00.000-07:002005-10-20T10:55:38.916-07:00

Copyright 2005 The New York Sun, One SL, LLCAll Rights Reserved The New York SunJune 30, 2005 ThursdaySECTION: EDITORIAL & OPINION; Pg. 10LENGTH: 914 wordsHEADLINE: Istanbul and IraqBYLINE: Nibras KazimiBODY:Two diametrically opposed international conferences chose Istanbul as a venue last weekend. One dealt with democracy in the Middle East, and another wanted to put President Bush on trial for

Nibras Kazimi نبراس الكاظميhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13674888845370422408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18062512.post-1129831268361715352005-06-22T10:59:00.000-07:002005-10-20T11:01:08.370-07:00

Copyright 2005 The New York Sun, One SL, LLCAll Rights Reserved The New York SunJune 22, 2005 WednesdaySECTION: EDITORIAL & OPINION; Pg. 10LENGTH: 1789 wordsHEADLINE: Democracy for LebanonBYLINE: Nibras KazimiBODY:'Lebanon has plenty of freedom, but very little democracy," the adage goes, suggesting that no one should mistake the holding of parliamentary elections in that country as a democratic

Nibras Kazimi نبراس الكاظميhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13674888845370422408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18062512.post-1131819311480432062005-06-16T10:13:00.000-07:002005-11-12T10:15:11.496-08:00

Copyright 2005 The New York Sun, One SL, LLCAll Rights Reserved The New York SunJune 16, 2005 ThursdaySECTION: EDITORIAL & OPINION; Pg. 9LENGTH: 1712 wordsHEADLINE: Dances With TerroristsBYLINE: Nibras KazimiBODY:America's security policy in Iraq is about to ignite a civil war inadvertently.Civil war is table talk amongst Iraq's Shias. From taxi drivers to academics, the constant refrain is that

Nibras Kazimi نبراس الكاظميhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13674888845370422408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18062512.post-1129831451132792222005-06-09T11:02:00.000-07:002005-10-20T11:04:11.136-07:00

Copyright 2005 The New York Sun, One SL, LLCAll Rights Reserved The New York SunJune 9, 2005 ThursdaySECTION: FRONT PAGE; Pg. 1LENGTH: 1666 wordsHEADLINE: The Saudi Mega-PlotBYLINE: NIBRAS KAZIMI Mr. Kazimi is an Iraqi writer living in Washington, D.C. He recently returned from a trip through the Middle East that included time in Lebanon. He can be reached at nibraska@yahoo.com.BODY:Is there or

Nibras Kazimi نبراس الكاظميhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13674888845370422408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18062512.post-1129831604219718802005-06-02T11:05:00.000-07:002005-10-20T11:06:44.223-07:00

Copyright 2005 The New York Sun, One SL, LLCAll Rights Reserved The New York SunJune 2, 2005 ThursdaySECTION: EDITORIAL & OPINION; Pg. 11LENGTH: 1351 wordsHEADLINE: Turkey Crossing the RoadBYLINE: Nibras KazimiBODY:Early last month, Turkey hosted the eighth get-together of states bordering Iraq. In addition to Turkey and Iraq, the foreign ministers of Jordan, Iran, Syria, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia

Nibras Kazimi نبراس الكاظميhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13674888845370422408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18062512.post-1129831986518042542005-04-07T11:07:00.000-07:002005-10-20T11:15:07.323-07:00

Copyright 2005 The New York Sun, One SL, LLCAll Rights Reserved The New York SunApril 7, 2005 ThursdaySECTION: EDITORIAL & OPINION; Pg. 9LENGTH: 1453 wordsHEADLINE: Let the Sunshine InBYLINE: Nibras KazimiBODY:The old order in the Arab Middle East is doomed and it shall be vanquished by the power of cleavage; specifically, the power of the commercially overexposed cleavage of a certain Middle

Nibras Kazimi نبراس الكاظميhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13674888845370422408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18062512.post-1129832253850933732005-03-31T11:15:00.000-08:002005-10-20T11:17:33.856-07:00

Copyright 2005 The New York Sun, One SL, LLCAll Rights Reserved The New York SunMarch 31, 2005 ThursdaySECTION: EDITORIAL & OPINION; Pg. 9LENGTH: 1823 wordsHEADLINE: Kurds Marching OffBYLINE: Nibras KazimiBODY:Iraq is about to complete its second month of political limbo as everyone awaits the formation of its first elected government. The Shia and Kurdish slates that took the largest share in

Nibras Kazimi نبراس الكاظميhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13674888845370422408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18062512.post-1129832409454376282005-03-17T11:18:00.000-08:002005-10-20T11:20:09.460-07:00

Copyright 2005 The New York Sun, One SL, LLCAll Rights Reserved The New York SunMarch 17, 2005 ThursdaySECTION: EDITORIAL & OPINION; Pg. 9LENGTH: 1583 wordsHEADLINE: A Gadhafi PolicyBYLINE: Nibras KazimiBODY:In 1971, Woody Allen made a movie called "Bananas." In one memorable scene, the chief of the San Marcos rebels seizes power and goes nuts, decreeing that all persons under 16 years of age are

Nibras Kazimi نبراس الكاظميhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13674888845370422408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18062512.post-1129832531285978592005-03-10T11:20:00.000-08:002005-10-20T11:22:11.293-07:00

Copyright 2005 The New York Sun, One SL, LLCAll Rights Reserved The New York SunMarch 10, 2005 ThursdaySECTION: EDITORIAL & OPINION; Pg. 11LENGTH: 1580 wordsHEADLINE: The Iranian PlaybookBYLINE: Nibras KazimiBODY:The hottest best seller in the small market niche of books for autocratic Middle Eastern tyrants is the "Iranian Handbook of Feigning and Thwarting Reform." It has eclipsed the previous

Nibras Kazimi نبراس الكاظميhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13674888845370422408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18062512.post-1129832746746510522005-02-24T11:22:00.000-08:002005-10-20T11:25:46.750-07:00

Copyright 2005 The New York Sun, One SL, LLCAll Rights Reserved The New York SunFebruary 24, 2005 ThursdaySECTION: EDITORIAL & OPINION; Pg. 10LENGTH: 1518 wordsHEADLINE: Schoolyard BullyBYLINE: Nibras KazimiBODY:Those devious Syrian rascals got away with murder, literally and yet again. Some German security company is about to go insolvent. Should you own any stock in this particular enterprise

Nibras Kazimi نبراس الكاظميhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13674888845370422408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18062512.post-1129832931705474382005-02-17T11:26:00.000-08:002005-10-20T11:28:51.710-07:00

Copyright 2005 The New York Sun, One SL, LLCAll Rights Reserved The New York SunFebruary 17, 2005 ThursdaySECTION: EDITORIAL & OPINION; Pg. 9LENGTH: 1298 wordsHEADLINE: The Results Are InBYLINE: Nibras KazimiBODY:The good news: we are not getting an Islamic theocracy in Iraq. The bad news, well, there is none. The results of the Iraqi elections were announced Sunday, and I did what every

Nibras Kazimi نبراس الكاظميhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13674888845370422408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18062512.post-1129833125422016422005-02-02T11:29:00.000-08:002005-10-20T11:32:05.426-07:00

Copyright 2005 The New York Sun, One SL, LLCAll Rights Reserved The New York SunFebruary 2, 2005 WednesdaySECTION: EDITORIAL & OPINION; Pg. 10LENGTH: 1440 wordsHEADLINE: Eight vs. 8 MillionBYLINE: Nibras KazimiBODY:Eight suicide bombers targeted polling stations in Iraq on Sunday, yet 8 million Iraqis chose to vote anyway. Wow. There is just no other way to put it. And to all those who are saying

Nibras Kazimi نبراس الكاظميhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13674888845370422408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18062512.post-1129833273338503442005-01-27T11:32:00.000-08:002005-10-20T11:34:33.343-07:00

Copyright 2005 The New York Sun, One SL, LLCAll Rights Reserved The New York SunJanuary 27, 2005 ThursdaySECTION: EDITORIAL & OPINION; Pg. 9LENGTH: 1524 wordsHEADLINE: Foreign Policy JudoBYLINE: Nibras KazimiBODY:We all know that Osama bin Laden is a bad guy. And most of us are coming around to the notion that Vladimir Putin of Russia is turning out to be quite the rotten apple. With so many

Nibras Kazimi نبراس الكاظميhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13674888845370422408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18062512.post-1129833424562258842005-01-14T11:35:00.000-08:002005-10-20T11:37:04.566-07:00

Copyright 2005 The New York Sun, One SL, LLCAll Rights Reserved The New York SunJanuary 14, 2005 FridaySECTION: EDITORIAL & OPINION; Pg. 11LENGTH: 1212 wordsHEADLINE: My Pal George BushBYLINE: Nibras KazimiBODY:Let me tell you a thing or two about my good friend George. I like this George fellow. He's been kicking ass recently, and hardly anyone but the bad guys has noticed. He himself is

Nibras Kazimi نبراس الكاظميhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13674888845370422408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18062512.post-1129833805947117312005-01-06T11:38:00.000-08:002005-10-20T11:43:25.953-07:00

Copyright 2005 The New York Sun, One SL, LLCAll Rights Reserved The New York SunJanuary 6, 2005 ThursdaySECTION: EDITORIAL & OPINION; Pg. 11LENGTH: 1616 wordsHEADLINE: The Syrian BlinkBYLINE: Nibras KazimiBODY:The Syrian regime is playing a cynical game of chicken with the Bush administration, but it is already a forgone conclusion that their Soviet-era tractor will end up in the ditch.The deputy

Nibras Kazimi نبراس الكاظميhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13674888845370422408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18062512.post-1129833970157877562004-12-23T11:44:00.000-08:002005-10-20T11:46:10.160-07:00

Copyright 2004 The New York Sun, One SL, LLCAll Rights Reserved The New York SunDecember 23, 2004 ThursdaySECTION: EDITORIAL & OPINION; Pg. 8LENGTH: 1069 wordsHEADLINE: Three DoorsBYLINE: Nibras KazimiBODY:The barbarians are at the gates. The Shias are coming. Flee, flee. That was the basic message carried by the excitable king of Jordan during his last visit to Washington. As Abdullah II made

Nibras Kazimi نبراس الكاظميhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13674888845370422408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18062512.post-1129834118291700242004-12-16T11:47:00.000-08:002008-05-23T08:52:14.235-07:00

Copyright 2004 The New York Sun, One SL, LLCAll Rights Reserved The New York SunDecember 16, 2004 ThursdaySECTION: EDITORIAL & OPINION; Pg. 9LENGTH: 1340 wordsHEADLINE: Tea, Sympathy and SistaniBYLINE: Nibras KazimiBODY:Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani is all for democracy, since he himself was "elected" to the top Shia post. Last week, Iraq's Electoral Commission received a list of 228 candidates

Nibras Kazimi نبراس الكاظميhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13674888845370422408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18062512.post-1129834279710824802004-12-09T11:49:00.000-08:002005-10-20T12:12:22.173-07:00

Copyright 2004 The New York Sun, One SL, LLCAll Rights Reserved The New York SunDecember 9, 2004 ThursdaySECTION: EDITORIAL & OPINION; Pg. 11LENGTH: 1420 wordsHEADLINE: Trouble in the Land of MoabBYLINE: Nibras KazimiBODY:All is not well in the Kingdom of Jordan. The sudden change in the line of succession for the Hashemite throne of the Kingdom of Jordan is a troubling sign that this oasis of

Nibras Kazimi نبراس الكاظميhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13674888845370422408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18062512.post-1129834466222311902004-12-02T11:53:00.000-08:002005-10-20T11:54:26.226-07:00

Copyright 2004 The New York Sun, One SL, LLCAll Rights Reserved The New York SunDecember 2, 2004 ThursdaySECTION: EDITORIAL & OPINION; Pg. 11LENGTH: 1280 wordsHEADLINE: Red and Blue States in the Middle EastBYLINE: Nibras KazimiBODY:Plenty of interested parties are freaking out as the elections approach in Iraq. The January 30 deadline is looming large and some, mostly Sunnis and Arab governments

Nibras Kazimi نبراس الكاظميhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13674888845370422408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18062512.post-1129834598612240302004-11-26T11:54:00.000-08:002005-10-20T11:56:38.616-07:00

Copyright 2004 The New York Sun, One SL, LLCAll Rights Reserved The New York SunNovember 26, 2004 FridaySECTION: EDITORIAL & OPINION; Pg. 11LENGTH: 1240 wordsHEADLINE: Leave the Sunnis BehindBYLINE: Nibras KazimiBODY:Oh, how the tables have turned, times have changed, and history has repeated itself. These three cliched phrases fit Iraq very well as it approaches the nationwide elections for a

Nibras Kazimi نبراس الكاظميhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13674888845370422408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18062512.post-1129834743034878652004-11-18T11:57:00.000-08:002005-10-20T11:59:03.036-07:00

Copyright 2004 The New York Sun, One SL, LLCAll Rights Reserved The New York SunNovember 18, 2004 ThursdaySECTION: EDITORIAL & OPINION; Pg. 11LENGTH: 1433 wordsHEADLINE: The Saudi First AmendmentBYLINE: Nibras KazimiBODY:If the Saudis had an equivalent for the 'freedom of speech' bit in the Bill of Rights, it would stipulate that all free speech is prohibited, unless it calls for jihad against

Nibras Kazimi نبراس الكاظميhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13674888845370422408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18062512.post-1129834876129631992004-11-11T11:59:00.000-08:002005-10-20T12:01:16.136-07:00

Copyright 2004 The New York Sun, One SL, LLCAll Rights Reserved The New York SunNovember 11, 2004 ThursdaySECTION: EDITORIAL & OPINION; Pg. 11LENGTH: 1318 wordsHEADLINE: The Usual SuspectsBYLINE: Nibras KazimiBODY:Who will succeed Abu Ammar? Will it come to be what the pundits are saying, a toss-up between Abu Mazen and Abu Ala'a, or will the outcome be settled after a protracted gang war between

Nibras Kazimi نبراس الكاظميhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13674888845370422408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18062512.post-1129835042149140042004-11-04T12:02:00.000-08:002005-10-20T12:04:02.153-07:00

Copyright 2004 The New York Sun, One SL, LLCAll Rights Reserved The New York SunNovember 4, 2004 ThursdaySECTION: EDITORIAL & OPINION; Pg. 11LENGTH: 1051 wordsHEADLINE: Follow the Mon(k)eyBYLINE: Nibras KazimiBODY:Actually, the headline should be "Follow the Baboon." I hear that baboons consider the "m" word particularly derogatory. And to be specific, given the rigid social hierarchy of the ape

Nibras Kazimi نبراس الكاظميhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13674888845370422408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18062512.post-1129835161850549922004-10-28T12:04:00.000-07:002005-10-20T12:06:01.853-07:00

Copyright 2004 The New York Sun, One SL, LLCAll Rights Reserved The New York SunOctober 28, 2004 ThursdaySECTION: EDITORIAL & OPINION; Pg. 11LENGTH: 1280 wordsHEADLINE: The Jefferson TileBYLINE: Nibras KazimiBODY:The Iranians are hard to understand and hard to like. Actually, let's insert Persians instead of Iranians in that first line. By the deft act of rephrasing, my approval rating jumped 50

Nibras Kazimi نبراس الكاظميhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13674888845370422408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18062512.post-1129835287271087622004-10-21T12:06:00.000-07:002005-10-20T12:08:07.276-07:00

Copyright 2004 The New York Sun, One SL, LLCAll Rights Reserved The New York SunOctober 21, 2004 ThursdaySECTION: EDITORIAL & OPINION; Pg. 9LENGTH: 1060 wordsHEADLINE: Fallujah in FocusBYLINE: Nibras KazimiBODY:In another life, I came very close to bearing the distinction of being the first casualty in a long line of unfortunate souls who have misunderstood the Fallujah of our times. My

Nibras Kazimi نبراس الكاظميhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13674888845370422408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18062512.post-1129835445271989662004-10-14T12:08:00.000-07:002005-10-20T12:11:50.603-07:00

Copyright 2004 The New York Sun, One SL, LLCAll Rights Reserved The New York SunOctober 14, 2004 ThursdaySECTION: EDITORIAL & OPINION; Pg. 11LENGTH: 1282 wordsHEADLINE: Want a Slice of Saudi Pie?BYLINE: Nibras KazimiBODY:Saudi Arabia was put together yesterday and can be unraveled tomorrow. Okay, I exaggerate, but only slightly. Some 80 years ago, the chieftains of an Arabian clan, who for a

Nibras Kazimi نبراس الكاظميhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13674888845370422408noreply@blogger.com