David Blair's Blog, page 115

Syria: Russia's risky calculation to hang on to an old island of Soviet influence

Seldom has a vote cast in the United Nations Security Council brought such opprobrium on the governments responsible.

Syria: Gulf Cooperation Council denounces Assad for 'mass slaughter'

Six of the Arab world's richest countries denounced President Bashar al-Assad for waging "mass slaughter" on Tuesday, withdrawing their ambassadors from Damascus and expelling Syria's envoys from their own capitals.

If anyone tells you there's an easy fix to the crisis in Syria, they're lying

The acute dilemmas facing Western governments over Syria illustrate how foreign policy can often be the art of the impossible. The essential problem is that Britain and her allies have two incompatible objectives: they want to hasten the downfall of President Assad, while also bringing the country's bloodshed to an...

Syria: what can Britain, France and America do after UN security council veto?

The double veto cast by Russia and China in the United Nations Security Council has forced Western governments to reappraise their approach towards Syria. Britain, France and America will now be considering other ways of turning up the heat on President Assad's regime. Their options are:

Al-Qaeda's hand in Boko Haram's deadly Nigerian attacks

Al-Qaeda operatives in North Africa have helped to transform Boko Haram into a terrorist group capable of killing hundreds in sophisticated attacks.

Nigeria army claims retaliation as 11 Boko Haram members killed

Nigeria's army retaliated for a wave of attacks by Boko Haram after 11 members of the radical Islamist group were killed in clashes with soldiers.

Nigerian violence: Police disappear as Boko Haram brings terror to the streets

When a city of 9 million people comes under almost daily assault, the police would normally step up their presence. But not in Kano.

Have the Arabs lost their Spring?

Contrasting a journalist's bleakness with a novelist's optimism, David Blair asks how well we have understood last year's upheavals, and argues that there may still be hope for the Middle East.

European countries 'damaging own economies' with oil embargo, Iran claims

European countries have damaged their own economies and inflicted "extra and huge costs" on ordinary consumers by embargoing Iran's oil, the Tehran regime has claimed.

Iran EU sanctions: Q & A

What sanctions has the European Union imposed on Iran?