Mideast news stories on Newser

Troops' A/C Costs $20.2B— More Than NASA

Tim Karan — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 16:03:17 CDT

Which would you rather have: a space program or cool army tents in the Mideast? The US military spends $20.2 billion annually on air conditioning for tents in Iraq and Afghanistan—an amount that NPR notes tops NASA's entire budget, all damages BP has paid for the Gulf oil...

Netanyahu Doesn't Budge

John Johnson — Fri, 20 May 2011 15:32:46 CDT

President Obama and Benjamin Netanyahu said reassuring things about US-Israeli relations today, but Netanyahu's list of deal-breakers made clear the two leaders remain far apart on the elements of a peace deal with Palestinians, reports the New York Times . Notably, Netanyahu rejected Obama's suggestion of a return to 1967 borders...

Obama Doctrine? He Just Borrowed Bush's

John Johnson — Fri, 20 May 2011 12:40:05 CDT

Analysts keep looking to define an Obama Doctrine, but after listening to the president's Mideast speech yesterday , Charles Krauthammer thinks it's easy: The Obama Doctrine is the Bush Doctrine, Krauthammer writes in the Washington Post . Bush "made the spread of democracy the key US objective in the Middle East," and...

Hamas, Fatah Strike Deal on Palestinian Government

Wed, 27 Apr 2011 14:38:06 CDT

Palestinians have reached initial agreement on reuniting their rival governments in the West Bank and Gaza, a step that would remove a main obstacle in the way of peace efforts with Israel. Fatah and Hamas officials said the plan, brokered by Egypt, calls for the formation of a single caretaker...

Jerusalem Blast Kills 1, Injures 24

Evann Gastaldo — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 12:15:46 CDT

Today's bombing in Jerusalem has killed one woman and injured at least 24 other people, the AP reports. Police blamed Palestinian militants. The explosion happened near the main entrance to the city about 3pm local time and blew out the windows on two crowded buses. The lone fatality so far...

Syria Still Unscathed —but True Test Awaits

John Johnson — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 14:00:05 CST

Syria has reason to be worried about the Arab revolution sweeping its neighbors, writes David Ignatius in the Washington Post . After all, it "has an authoritarian regime dominated by a corrupt Baath Party—a relic of the age of dictators that is being swept away in so many other countries,...

As Mideast Seethes, Saudis Stand Alone

Mark Russell — Sun, 20 Feb 2011 05:57:39 CST

Popular unrest roiling the Middle East is is rocking the ultra-rich, ultra-conservative kingdom of Saudi Arabia, leaving its rulers feeling isolated both from regional allies and the United States alike, reports the New York Times . King Abdullah has called President Obama at least twice to voice his concerns about Egypt,...

Abbas Challenges Obama to 'Impose' Peace

Sat, 24 Apr 2010 15:25:53 CDT

Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas called on President Obama to "impose" a Mideast peace deal, reflecting growing frustration with what Palestinians see as Washington's failure to wrangle concessions out of Israel's hardline government. In an unusually blunt appeal, Abbas said that if Obama believes Palestinian statehood is a vital US interest,...

Saudis to Behead TV Host as 'Sorcerer'

Mary Papenfuss — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 04:15:40 CDT

A Lebanese TV host who boasted he could predict the future is to be beheaded tomorrow in Saudi Arabia for "sorcery." Dad of two Ali Hussain Sibat hosted a popular call-in TV program in Beirut in which he doled out advice and predicted the future. He was busted by Saudi...