Newsletter Archive
Below are all the Arab Digest newsletters going back to 17 June 2013
Lebanon: “Qu’ils mangent de la brioche”
Summary: the business and sectarian elites that rule Lebanon, aided and abetted by Iran and Syria, are behaving with predictable selfishness.
A Summit, a Football Match and White Supremacy
Summary: Tunisians were not impressed with La Francophonie, a summit that celebrated the French connection but did little to help ordinary people so when Tunisia’s victory over France came in the World Cup, it was especially sweet.
The state of Israel slides closer to fascism
Summary: while Benjamin Netanyahu continues his courtship of fascist politicians, Palestinians continue to suffer under occupation with leaders in the West and even some in the Middle East showing unwavering support for Israel.
In Yemen, the Storm Before the Storm
Summary: a new book on Yemen by Arab Digest contributor Helen Lackner is an invaluable primer on the history, politics and prospects of a country stalked by war.
US-Saudi relations: a new low
Summary: President Biden has promised to hold MbS to account and impose consequences on the ruthless and unstable Saudi leader. The best way for him to do so would be to secure the release of Prince Ahmed bin Abdulaziz.
The UK committed to support reform in Bahrain: what happened?
Summary: a recent court case highlights the failure of a UK government programme that was aimed at bringing meaningful judicial and police reform to the Gulf state kingdom.
The World Cup, Bibi and bids
Summary: with word that two storied football franchises are for sale, Gulf bidders signal their interest; a game of double standards and hypocrisy plays on as Netanyahu assembles an extremist government; and an ageing superstar looks set to cash in on one more big payday.
What Will OPEC+ Do Next?
Summary: despite the recent uptick in equity markets, global economic prospects look gloomy enough to justify agreement on a further cut in output when OPEC+ meets on 4 December.
BENGHAZI! A New History of the Fiasco That Pushed America and Its World to the Brink
Summary: a book just out takes a fresh look at the Benghazi attack that killed the US ambassador to Libya and became a political cudgel rather than an object lesson in the failures of US foreign policy and diplomacy.
Saudi Arabia and Russia: the OPEC+ dynamic duo
Summary: Saudi Arabia’s response to the market threat posed by US shale was to broker a partnership with Russia in 2016 that six years later is working very well, allowing the Saudis to exert geopolitical influence while shrugging off demands from the Biden White House.
From LIV to Trump: MbS’s master stroke?
Summary: a renegade golf tournament handsomely funded through Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund shows MbS has ambitions well beyond the links.
Yemen: humanitarian funding falls far below what’s needed
Summary: the fighting may have largely ceased but Yemen’s food insecurity increases as humanitarian funding falls and prices for basic commodities continue to rise.