Most recent articles by Barak Barfi
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Turkey′s Syrian offensiveA war of America′s making
Bereft of a coherent Syria policy, successive U.S. administrations have obsessed over targeting Islamic State (IS) without considering the full ramifications of their actions. Turkey′s incursion into northwestern Syria is just one consequence. Analysis by Barak Barfi
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Qatar diplomatic crisisPlaying the waiting game
Following the Arab Spring revolts of 2011, Qatar, which carved out a niche for itself as a regional arbiter of conflicts years ago, embraced an interventionist foreign policy that has favoured Islamists – a move that has irked Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Commentary by Barak Barfi
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The Egyptian economyGoing, going, gone
Rather than trying to rescue his country′s foundering economy, Egypt′s president, Abdul Fattah al-Sisi, has been forced to relinquish territory to Saudi Arabia in return for financial aid. It′s a decision that has sparked a public outcry and widespread derision. By Barak Barfi
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Political crisis in YemenTeetering on the brink
Yemen is no stranger to crisis. Exposed to a regional proxy war between Iran and Saudi Arabia, plagued by an entrenched al-Qaida affiliate and divided by tribal disputes and a secession movement, the country has become a poster child for everything that can go wrong in the Arab world. By Barak Barfi
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Libya after the RevoltRebuilding the Ruins of Qaddafi
With the creation of a new government, Libya's leaders should finally be able to focus on organizing the transition from the authoritarian state that they inherited to the more pluralistic one they envisage. But are they really able and willing to achieve that goal, asks Barak Barfi
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Commentary by Barak BarfiHow New Is Egypt's ''New'' Foreign Policy?
Egypt has announced there will be a shift in the country's foreign politics after Mubarak, truly independent from US interests. But, says Barak Barfi, contrary to general perception Mubarak has never really been an American "lackey"