Low oil prices don’t just affect the wealthy sheiks of the Gulf, but also the Kurdish peshmerga fighters operating on the front line against the Islamic State group. With the decline in market value comes a decline in oil exploration, and diminished budgetary expectations in countries like Iraq that are already hanging on by a thread.
“VOA will present the policies of the United States clearly and effectively, and will also present responsible discussion and opinion on these policies.” — VOA Charter
Making Sense of the Mideast Oil Muddle
Posted March 21st, 2016 at 12:37 pm (UTC-5)
Comments are closed
The Upside of Plunging Oil Prices
Posted March 3rd, 2016 at 1:25 pm (UTC-5)
Comments are closed
Many big oil exporters just aren’t the kind of countries you’d want to bring home to mother….And in many cases — Russia, Iran, and Venezuela, for instance — their hydrocarbon bounty has enabled them to intimidate neighbors, fuel adventurism, and generally project a baleful influence.
More War Than Peace
Posted February 17th, 2016 at 3:29 pm (UTC-5)
Comments are closed
Prussian general Carl von Clausewitz two centuries ago gave the pithiest answer to the question of why we resort to violence: War is an act of force to compel our enemy to do our will.” But can force alone compel the submission of the Islamic State and the demise of jihadist extremism in the Muslim world?
Saudi Arabia’s Master Plan Against ISIS, Assad and Iran in Syria
Posted February 16th, 2016 at 4:42 pm (UTC-5)
Comments are closed
While the world might be fixated on ISIS, the Saudis…know that much of the violence plaguing the Middle East is rooted in Assad and the Iranian-created Shia militias. If they decide to go after these terror nurseries, it will be time for the White House to finally decide exactly whose side it is on.
The Death Throes of Oil
Posted February 3rd, 2016 at 9:25 am (UTC-5)
Comments are closed
The possibility that the use of fossil fuels will one day be restricted creates a powerful incentive for oil producers to sell as much as they can before the limitations take effect. This logic might be behind Saudi Arabia’s response to plummeting oil prices: rejecting calls by OPEC to cut production.
Shifting Alliances
Posted January 19th, 2016 at 4:04 pm (UTC-5)
Comments are closed
One of the many ripple effects of the U.S.-Iran prisoner swap and Tehran’s verified compliance with the historic nuclear accord is a new world order in the Middle East. Saudi Arabia – a long-time rival of Tehan – is nervous and talking tough, as the lifting of costly Western sanctions is set to propel Iran’s economic might. Not long before the latest developments, Saudi Arabia had already stoked tensions by beheading the prominent Shia cleric Sheik Nimr al-Nimr. That provoked a violent attack on the Saudi mission in Iran, which in turn, gave the House of Saud a reason to sever diplomatic ties. Meanwhile, both President Barack Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry hailed the use of diplomacy to win the release of five Americans in a prisoner swap with Iran, simultaneously praising Tehtan for pausing its nuclear program. Where does all this leave the traditional, and sometimes co-dependent, U.S.-Saudi relationship? Making friends with Iran was a big gamble. It appears the Obama administration believes the benefits outweigh the costs.
Can Iran Change?
Posted January 19th, 2016 at 9:53 am (UTC-5)
Comments are closed
In an outlandish lie, Iran maligns and offends all Saudis by saying that my nation, home of the two holy mosques, brainwashes people to spread extremism. We are not the country designated a state sponsor of terrorism; Iran is.
America Needs Iranian Cooperation
Posted January 15th, 2016 at 3:54 pm (UTC-5)
Comments are closed
The recent strife between Saudi Arabia and Iran, regional powers that have commanding influence in the Sunni and Shia worlds respectively, has made the Middle East even more volatile. By pursuing legislation to sink the Iran deal, the U.S. Congress will be adding fuel to the fire.
The Saudi-U.S. Relationship: Shakier Than Ever
Posted January 11th, 2016 at 10:58 am (UTC-5)
Comments are closed
Both countries still need each other, but less than before. They’re still partners — but colder, more distant partners now.
To the Future President of the United States
We understand that perspective is hard to come by at this stage of the race, and you are obsessively watching the polls and attempting to shape your image to a media ready to pounce on every slip. But the world is watching at a time of great uncertainty