Gulf official urges Russia to stop arming Assad

DOHA/ISTANBUL, Asharq Al-Awsat—Gulf sources have downplayed the recent Russian statements concerning a weapons deal with Syria. A military expert has described reports that Russia has supplied Syria with S-300s missiles as a political maneuver, adding that the intended deal was for Pantsir-S1 anti-aircraft missiles. The source added that this is a part of an old military deal between the two countries, with Syria acting as the middle-man, and Iran as the final destination. Russian F...

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Mursi’s Tragicomedy

Whoever became Egypt's first Arab Spring president would have faced almost insurmountable challenges in realizing a stable and successful transition. Egypt's uprising emerged from a broad range of grievances and its transitional leaders have a diverse selection of ideologies and goals, many of which predate January 25, 2011. Even bearing all this in mind, there is a growing consensus that Mohamed Mursi is universally failing as a leader. A quick glance at social media reveals that a vast ...

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