Middle East Conflict

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An oil spill nobody owns

What does the continuing, low-intensity conflict between Israel and Iran have to do with the mysterious oil spill that has washed ashore along the coast of Israel and southern Lebanon in recent weeks, leaving a costly ecological disaster? Nothing at all was the first assumption. But as more

By Rodger Shanahan

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Why is the “Arab street” so silent on the Israel-UAE deal?

The Abraham Accord, the deal announced this month that laid the groundwork for normalisation of relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, was hailed as a historic opportunity to advance regional peace. Yet it was also seen by Palestinians as a betrayal, as they bitterly complained that

By Lydia Khalil

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Middle East Peace Plan: A once in a lifetime deal, not in a good way

For close observers of business in Australia, one particular moment has become folklore, the time Australia’s then richest man Kerry Packer sold off television station Channel Nine for $1 billion – a price seen far in excess of its value at the time in the 1980s – to a man who would later go

By Rodger Shanahan

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Charities and terrorism: Lessons from the Syrian crisis

Terrorists have manipulated the humanitarian crisis in Syria to create a cover for foreign fighters and to raise funds for terrorist groups under the guise of charitable donations

By Rodger Shanahan

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War reporting 101: Check your sources

Earlier this year I wrote about the willingness of the news media to highlight claims of civilian casualties caused by coalition forces operating in Iraq and Syria, but their apparent unwillingness to critically examine their sources or to follow up when their claims have been denied, dismissed or

By Rodger Shanahan

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Lifting the veil on jihad

In April 2015 a fresh-faced Australian-born doctor appeared in a slick Islamic State video extolling the virtues of making hijra to what he portrayed as a utopian Islamic society. The video showed the doctor, Tareq Kamleh, in a pristine and well-equipped paediatric ward tending to a premature

By Rodger Shanahan

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Assad and chemical weapons: The regional repercussions

The renewed use by the Assad regime of chemical weapons, possibly sarin, against civilian population centres in Syria - most recently in Idlib - is immoral, illegal, inhuman and counter-productive in every respect. It serves no military or political purpose. In terms of diplomacy, it is a complete

By Bob Bowker

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Civilian casualties and the media

The issue of civilian casualties in the Syrian and Iraqi conflicts has received plenty of media coverage recently. From claims that a mosque was deliberately targeted in Aleppo province with nearly 50 civilians killed, through an airstrike hitting a school housing displaced families in Idlib Raqqa

By Rodger Shanahan

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Foreign fighters in Syria and Iraq: The day after

In this Lowy Institute Analysis, Research Fellow Dr Rodger Shanahan and Nonresident Fellow Lydia Khalil argue that an increasing number of foreign fighters are likely to leave Syria and Iraq in the coming months and years, especially after the collapse of Islamic State’s caliphate, exacerbating

By Lydia Khalil, Rodger Shanahan

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Indonesian students in Egypt and Turkey

In this Lowy Institute Report, Lowy Institute Deputy Director, Anthony Bubalo, together with Sidney Jones and Nava Nuraniyah from the Institute for Policy Analysis of Conflict in Jakarta examine the effect of the current turmoil in the Middle East on Indonesian students studying in Egypt and

By Anthony Bubalo, Sidney Jones, Nava Nuraniyah

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Looking for leadership in the Arab Middle East

In this Lowy Institute Analysis, Research Fellow Associate Professor Rodger Shanahan examines how Arab Gulf States, led by Saudi Arabia, are responding to the Obama administration’s less interventionist approach to the Middle East by adopting a more assertive regional policy aimed at containing

By Rodger Shanahan

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Address by Peter Varghese AO - An Australian world view: A practitioner's perspective

On 20 August 2015, the Lowy Institute hosted an address from Peter Varghese AO, Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Mr Varghese presented his perspective on key themes in Australia’s Foreign Policy

By Peter Varghese

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Australian foreign fighters: Risks and responses

In this Analysis, Andrew Zammit argues that Australians fighting in Iraq and Syria pose a threat to Australia’s security and examines the options for responding to that threat, including through non-coercive means

By Andrew Zammit

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Iranian foreign policy under Rouhani

In this Lowy Institute Analysis Rodger Shanahan examines changes in Iranian foreign policy under President Rouhani. He argues that while the Iranian President has changed the tone of Iranian foreign policy, changing the substance will prove much more difficult

By Rodger Shanahan

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Australia won't 'better mankind' in Iraq if we instinctively reach for our military

Australia won't 'better mankind' in Iraq if we instinctively reach for our military James Brown The Guardian 4 September 2014 Please click here for the online text

By James Brown

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Middle East Conflict

An oil spill nobody owns

Why is the “Arab street” so silent on the Israel-UAE deal?

Middle East Peace Plan: A once in a lifetime deal, not in a good way

Charities and terrorism: Lessons from the Syrian crisis

War reporting 101: Check your sources

Lifting the veil on jihad

Assad and chemical weapons: The regional repercussions

Civilian casualties and the media

Foreign fighters in Syria and Iraq: The day after

Indonesian students in Egypt and Turkey

Looking for leadership in the Arab Middle East

Address by Peter Varghese AO - An Australian world view: A practitioner's perspective

Australian foreign fighters: Risks and responses

Iranian foreign policy under Rouhani

Australia won't 'better mankind' in Iraq if we instinctively reach for our military

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