Beneath the seemingly reactionary nature of Turkey’s foreign policy lies a well thought-out, comprehensive awakening—one that makes Turkey’s leaders dream of turning their country into a regional leader and a prominent global player. The real engine behind Turkey’s show of independence is not that of the Mavi Marmara, the ship raided by Israel on her way to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza, but that of conscious economic policies aimed at achieving global relevance through regional leadership: sustained monetary and fiscal prudence, diversification of trade partners and energy sources, a feverish campaign to attract FDI and a muted effort to create an alternative area of economic integration with Turkey at its center.

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The 2007 global financial crisis prompted an unprecedented response from the United States government. The government stimulus, however, was distributed unevenly through the economy. It prioritized rescuing the financial system over providing assistance to the real economy. As a result, while the bailout succeeded in stabilizing the financial system, it failed to facilitate an economic recovery. The skewed bailout was also unfair, as it shifted pain from those who deserved it to those who did not.

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With diplomatic relations interrupted since the First Gulf War, Kuwait and Iraq have been regaining each other’s trust based on the idea that both share important economic and political interests in healing the scars of the past. The appointments of Kuwaiti ambassador to Iraq in 2008 and Iraqi ambassador to Kuwait last May could signify a new era for bilateral relations between the two countries.

Five months after the Iraqi parliamentary elections, which produced no clear victor, the formation of an Iraqi government remains at a standstill. Ongoing negotiations between the different Iraqi coalitions, the June ratification of election results by the Supreme Court, followed by the opening of a new parliament have done nothing to resolve the situation. In this interview, President Jalal Talibani speaks to The Majalla about the complexities of the ongoing political stalemate, his lack of constitutional power to force a resolution, and the prospects of remaining president for another term.

The controversial construction of an Islamic center near to ground zero brought protestors, both in favor and against the building of Cordoba House, to the streets of New York on Sunday.

A glance at Istanbul’s tourism is a reflection of the shift occurring in the region, particularly regarding Turkey’s much-touted tilt East. Following the Gaza flotilla a surge of Arab tourists have come to Turkey, while arrivals from Tel Aviv have declined. But are all Turks content with this situation?

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After a debilitating accident, Frank Gardner, the BBC's security correspondent, has not stopped doing what he loves most: travel. A compilation of accounts from his travels to far off places, Far Horizons, is more than a diary accounting for Mr. Gardner's experiences abroad. In his latest book, the author revels in fond memories to propel himself forward in continuing to live his life as he did before.

To what extent is American support of the Lebanese military doing more harm than good to US interests in the country if this aid falls into the hands of Hezbollah? Paul Salem of the Carnegie Endowment tackled this question recently in Politico, arguing that aid should not be stopped as Lebanon’s military actually provides an important counterweight to Hezbollah, and stopping aid could undermine their power in the country.