Most recent articles by Mai Yamani
-
Saudi Arabia's foreign policyPilgrimage to Pakistan
In recent years, Saudi Arabia has become increasingly estranged from the US, the world power that has held its protective hand over the kingdom for many years. The royal family has now changed the course of its foreign policy and sees Pakistan as a suitable strategic partner and a counterbalance to the influence of Turkey and Iran in the region. By Mai Yamani
-
Saudi Arabia's foreign policyThe bewildered kingdom
The political changes wrought by the Arab Spring in the region, the prospect of increased oil supplies from deposits outside Saudi Arabia and the possibility of an historical rapprochement between the Saudis' long-term ally (US) and their arch enemy (Iran) have been a game-changer for Saudi Arabia in recent years. Mai Yamani takes a closer look at how the kingdom is reacting to these developments
-
New Line of Succession to the Saudi ThroneRiyadh's Old Regime Grows Older
Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah has named Naif bin Abdelaziz, 77, as crown prince and deputy prime minister, a choice that raises concerns about the direction in which the conservative prince will take the kingdom. By Mai Yamani
-
Saudi Arabia's Flawed Iraq StrategyThe Iranian Wolf at the Kingdom's Door
The Saudis fear that the departure of US troops from Iraq would represent a sweeping victory for Iran, which has no military presence in Iraq, but is the strongest player there. But, says Mai Yamani in her commentary, this defeat is partly self-inflicted
-
Women's Rights in the Arab WorldAre Saudi Women Next?
Nowhere in the world are women's lives more regulated than they are in Saudi Arabia. But, writes Mai Yamani, Saudi women activists are beginning to eloquently demand the removal of restrictions and an end to women's dependency