Simon Tisdall



Profile:
Full name: Simon Tisdall

Area of interest: Foreign Affairs

Journals/Organisation: The Guardian

Email: [mailto:s.tisdall@guardian.co.uk s.tisdall@guardian.co.uk]

Personal website:

Website: http://www.guardian.co.uk/profile/simontisdall

Blog:

Representation:

Networks: http://uk.linkedin.com/pub/simon-tisdall/18/660/36



Biography:
About:

Education: Holland Park Comprehensive in west London; Downing College, Cambridge: History

Career: The Guardian: joined foreign news department in 1979, deputy foreign editor 1986, appointed US editor and White House correspondent (based in Washington DC) 1989, foreign editor 1994/1998 (also.. The Observer: foreign editor 1996/98), chief foreign affairs leader writer 1999/2003

Current position/role: assistant editor; foreign affairs columnist


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Video:

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Books & Debate:
Books:

Latest work:

Speaking/Appearances: Regular speaker at political debates concerning foreign policy and world affairs:
 * Chaired the Institute for Public Policy Research debate: Is a Progressive Foreign Policy Possible?, Labour Party conference, 2007 – about what the Gordon Brown government’s foreign policy priorities should be (audio/mpg)

Current debate: 

The Guardian:
Column name: World Briefing

Remit/Info: foreign affairs

Section: International

Role: foreign affairs columnist

Pen-name:

Email: [mailto:s.tisdall@guardian.co.uk s.tisdall@guardian.co.uk]

Website: Guardian.co / World Briefing

Commissioning editor:

Day published: Various days

Regularity: Often

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Average length:



Articles:

 * Munich conference: three dangerous superpowers – and we’re stuck in the middle - International relations are more ‘more volatile’ than at any time since 1945, conference is told - 19th February 2017
 * Obama’s passing shot at Netanyahu is a futile gesture - The US president’s collusion in the UN resolution on Israeli settlements is too little too late to drive peace - 26th December 2016
 * This time it’s Saudi Arabia: even when Boris Johnson gets it right, he’s wrong - If our bigmouth of a foreign secretary is serious about saving children in Yemen, he should suspend UK arms sales to Riyadh, and support Saudi reformers - 9th December 2016
 * Obama's criticism of Cameron reveals president's own weaknesses - To complain so candidly while still in office is unusual, but Obama inadvertently highlights what historians may come to see as his major flaw in international affairs - 11th March 2016
 * A creaky dam in Mosul is the latest weapon in US anti-Isis propaganda - Around 1 million lives are at risk if the dam breaks, but the US’s alarmist warning about it contains another clear message - 4th March 2016
 * At last a nuclear deal with Iran is sight. The chance must not be spurned - All sides have strategic, security and moral reasons to bring Iran in from the cold. The ostracism of this talented, historically pro-western nation has lasted too long - 31st March 2015
 * Russia’s tough rhetoric over Ukraine does not tell the whole story - While Moscow appears publicly defiant, behind the scenes there are efforts to find a way out of the crisis - 9th December 2014
 * Turkey's election may ironically have dealt a blow to democracy - Recep Tayyip Erdogan may use this result to justify clampdowns on press freedom and protests in 'defence of national security' - 31st March 2014
 * Vladimir Putin's message to the west: Russia is back - In address to adoring MPs, president makes clear the Ukraine crisis is a sign that Russia will no longer take things lying down - 19th March 2014
 * West's puny response to Ukraine crisis will not deter Vladimir Putin - The idea that the US, Britain or France might respond militarily to Russia's invasion of Crimea cannot be taken seriously - 2nd March 2014
 * Russia feels double-crossed over Ukraine – but what will Putin do? - Ukraine's future security, political cohesion and territorial integrity depend on how Putin reacts to the toppling of ally Yanukovych - 24th February 2014
 * Ukraine's peace deal – if it comes off – will be no thanks to Russia - Vladimir Putin's zero-sum approach to diplomacy, coupled with US intransigence, exerted fierce pressure on Viktor Yanukovich - 21st February 2014
 * State of the Union: platitudes of a post-imperial presidency - Obama's speech was evidence of unabashed retreat from attachment to the responsibilities and ideals of a superpower - 29th January 2014
 * China's military presence is growing. Does a superpower collision loom? - Who holds the key to the future of East Asia? As US influence recedes, arch-enemies China and Japan are flexing their muscles - 2nd January 2014
 * Why Cameron is wrong to declare 'mission accomplished' in Afghanistan - PM's declaration is as ill-advised as George W Bush's in Iraq and as oblivious to implications of UK and Nato actions - 17th December 2013
 * Yingluck's snap election will not cure Thailand's ills - Protest leaders have vowed to continue their demonstrations but have yet to offer a viable plan for running the country - 10th December 2013
 * France in the Central African Republic is latest use of 'Hollande doctrine' - The country is using military intervention in Africa for humanitarian means – but also to boost its leader's polls - 6th December 2013
 * Putin's anointment by Forbes as the world's No 1 hombre is jaw-dropping - The Russian leader is top of Forbes magazine's power-list, but that power is merely illusory - 31st October 2013
 * Questions over US drone attacks that President Obama needs to resolve - The US cannot brush off charges of unlawful killings, claiming it is merely protecting US interests, without risking revenge attacks - 22nd October 2013
 * Hamid Karzai's latest outburst at Nato forces is sign of his deep frustration - Afghanistan president's criticism could be beginning of a dangerous countdown to April elections – and possible civil war - 8th October 2013
 * Al-Shabaab target may explain US secrecy over failed Somali raid - It would be seen as a serious setback if Westgate mall plotter Ahmed Adbi Godane was the intended prize in Barawe - 7th October 2013
 * Kenya attack is product of brutal power struggle within al-Shabaab - Westgate mall atrocity looks like statement of intent by hardliner Ahmed Abdi Godane after consolidating power over group - 23rd September 2013
 * What Vladimir Putin's address to Americans on Syria really means - The Russian president's New York Times piece appears to offer friendship to Barack Obama while sticking the knife in - 12th September 2013
 * Obama risks being pushed into a prolonged military campaign - Rightwingers' frustration at perceived US impotence is in danger of boiling over into violent action - 3rd September 2013
 * EU decision to arm Syria's rebels could prove a gamble too far - By opting to arm opposition forces, Britain and France risk fuelling a speedy and devastating escalation of the conflict - 28th May 2013
 * Nawaz Sharif hopes for third time lucky as Pakistan's PM - The true test of the 'new' Nawaz will be how he tackles Pakistan's chronic economic woes and endemic corruption - 13th May 2013
 * Barack Obama is running out of time to end Middle East dithering - Unease about a perceived US policy vacuum over Syria, Egypt, Iran and the Israel-Palestinian impasse is growing - 7th May 2013
 * Why warring 'allies' hold no terrors for North Korea - The anti-Pyongyang alliance can barely agree what day of the week it is, let alone a concerted policy to deal with Kim Jong-un - 25th April 2013
 * Iranian-Pakistan gas link has gains in pipeline for Zardari and Ahmadinejad - Gas pipeline offers Tehran a way out of isolation enforced by western sanctions, while Islamabad can thumb its nose at US - 29th March 2013
 * Kenyatta victory promises trouble for Kenya - Presidential frontrunner must stand trial for crimes against humanity at The Hague in July - 9th March 2013
 * Death of Hugo Chávez brings chance of fresh start for US and Latin America - Barack Obama could usher in a new era through rapprochement with Cuba and moves on guns, drugs and immigration - 6th March 2013
 * Just another peace-making spasm in DR Congo - The new peace deal for DRC, to be signed in Addis Ababa this weekend, fails to tackle the root cause of the conflicts - 20th February 2013
 * Mali: fragile democracy and clumsy US policy - Pentagon hawks argue for targeted strikes, but an expanding war could spark more Islamist attacks on western targets - 18th January 2013
 * Syria: why Assad may yet claim victory - Perhaps it's not Bashar al-Assad who is detached from reality but Obama and Hague. Intervention looks extremely unlikely - 8th january 2013
 * North Korea's rocket launch has fired up neighbouring elections - As South Korea and Japan go to the polls, Pyongyang's actions may inspire voters to elect tougher candidates - 13th December 2012
 * Infighting blights Romania in the shadow of European austerity - Election victory for Victor Ponta's left-leaning government is marred by tensions with the president and his European backers - 11th December 2012
 * How should the west react to Mohamed Morsi's power grab in Egypt? - Unless they denounce the president's actions, the US and its allies once again risk endorsing dictatorship in Egypt - 6th December 2012
 * North Korea's rocket launch could be a massive own goal - The North's missile launch could prompt South Koreans to elect a president who is most willing to get tough with Pyongyang - 3rd December 2012
 * We are all to blame for the agony of Congo - With all eyes on other troublespots, the world knows little, and seems to care even less, about the cycle of violence in the DRC - 20th November 2012
 * Israel's latest Gaza attack could spiral out of control - Past constraints on Netanyahu are absent, as he looks to impress Israeli voters with a decisive blow against Hamas - 15th November 2012
 * Mitt Romney lost because hardline Republicans betrayed him - The Tea Party zealots, homophobes and misogynists hijacked Romney's campaign – and threaten the Republican party's future - 7th November 2012
 * Mitt Romney's cold war nostalgia owes much to the 'Reagan revolution' - Suggestions that the Republican candidate shares Obama's approach to foreign policy are dangerously shortsighted - 4th November 2012
 * Is Syria's regime spreading turbulence as a survival tactic? - By stoking conflict in Lebanon and elsewhere Assad is raising the price neighbouring countries must pay for his overthrow - 22nd October 2012
 * Syria and Turkey: how long can the world's great powers sit on their hands? - The do-nothing hand-wringing favoured by Turkey's allies may not be politically sustainable as the Syrian crisis spreads - 4th October 2012
 * Georgia: expect storms ahead - Who rules this country matters greatly to Russia and the EU. But the outlook isn't clear after Georgian Dream's election win - 2nd October 2012
 * Turkey is in the mood to take a tougher line with Syria - While western and Arab states fail to act on Syria, Erdogan's ruling party bash is likely to involve serious plotting to get rid of Assad - 27th September 2012
 * Turkey's Sledgehammer Coup verdict: justice or Soviet-style show trial? - Turkish court's jailing of hundreds of military officers over Erdogan coup plot revives fears of return to authoritarian rule - 26th September 2012
 * Leon Panetta gets a lukewarm welcome in New Zealand - Given the hostilities of the 80s the US defence secretary needs to tread carefully; but Pacific rivalries argue for NZ pragmatism - 21st September 2012
 * China and Japan: a dangerous standoff over the Senkaku islands - The Senkaku islands dispute is the latest episode in a long history of conflict – and the Americans are increasingly nervous - 18th September 2012
 * It should've been clear deposing Gaddafi was the easy bit - The west has once again started a fire it cannot extinguish, with the revolution it fanned in danger of degenerating into chaos - 13th September 2012
 * Maldives: Coni report causes predictable outrage - A democratically elected government is overthrown amid violence but the change is deemed 'legal and constitutional' - 10th September 2012
 * Pardoning of Azeri axe murderer raises tensions in the Caucasus - Case of army lieutenant who killed and all but decapitated an Armenian soldier has inflamed public opinion - 6th September 2012
 * These angry Tories can't see what 'no alternative' means - So blinded by dogma are they that the reality of the cuts to come has not yet hit home with Cameron's critics. But it soon will - 4th September 2012
 * Egypt underlines Iran's isolation at Non-Aligned Movement summit - Mohamed Morsi's condemnation of Syrian regime at Tehran summit will boost Sunni unity at expense of Assad's ally - 31st August 2012
 * Afghanistan: a ragged retreat threatens to turn into a slow-motion rout - The latest killings in Afghanistan are a stark reminder to western leaders of the folly of ignoring the situation in the country - 27th August 2012
 * Why Washington and Moscow want a backroom deal over Syria - The scene is set for a Clinton-Lavrov meeting that could still ring the death knell for the Assad regime - 29th June 2012
 * Turkey learns who its real friends are – so much for 'strategic realignment' - The Syrian crisis has exposed the folly and weakness of Ankara's attempts to become a regional superpower - 27th June 2012
 * Burma's tale of two presidents - A tussle is looming between Thein Sein's courtship of foreign investors and Aung San Suu Kyi's more cautious approach - 20th June 2012
 * Syria: why Russia changed tack - Moscow's step towards backing Assad's dethronement owes much to Putin's unsentimental calculations of national advantage - 29th May 2012
 * The international community must wake up to looming Sudan disaster - As clashes spread between the north and south, why are guarantors of the peace agreement not helping to prevent war? - 19th April 2012
 * Obama and Nato should act before the Syria crisis spreads further - Syria's crisis is spreading to Turkey and Lebanon, and regional powers are increasingly entangled - it's time for decisive action - 11th April 2012
 * Mali's coup matters in London, too - Policymakers fear the latest disaster in the Sahel may expose Europe to attack as al-Qaida seeks to extend its operations - 4th April 2012
 * The Arab League summit arrives on a sea of troubles - As bomb attacks in Iraq threaten to derail Baghdad's efforts to rebuild its status, Syria and the Arab spring are divisive issues - 27th March 2012
 * It is too soon to celebrate Burma's fragile democracy - Thein Sein may be making all the right noises, but huge problems such as violence and corruption still threaten reform - 23rd March 2012
 * Eritrea is an easy target for Ethiopia - The isolated, friendless regime of Isaias Afwerki will find few international protectors against Ethiopia's military incursions - 19th March 2012
 * Another day in Afghanistan, another setback for the coalition strategy - Barack Obama and David Cameron in Washington this week resemble a pair of undertakers discussing the most fitting way to dress a corpse - 16th March 2012
 * Iran: drumbeat of war has a familiar sound - Impetus towards war with Iran can only be explained in terms of a western desire for Iraq-style regime change - 25th February 2012
 * Hague should watch his words. British meddling may lead to Somalia's demise - Britain and others' good intentions risk making a bad situation worse, with the possible disintegration of a sovereign state - 23rd February 2012
 * Bashar al-Assad's Syria offers Iran a springboard into the Arab Middle East - If Iran cannot save Assad, its aim is to ensure his successor remains closely allied and does not defect to the western camp - 9th February 2012
 * China's Mr Xi goes to wary Washington - Increasing US assertiveness could mean tough times ahead for Beijing's would-be masters of the universe - 7th February 2012
 * Nato prediction of Taliban victory in Afghanistan is immensely damaging - The Nato report on the Taliban and the timing of the leak have serious negative implications on a range of fronts - 2nd February 2012
 * The South Sudan dream is turning sour - Rows over oil … Khartoum attacks on rebels with suspected Juba links … US double-dealing. Independence is proving tough - 30th January 2012
 * 'The axis of virtue': a state of the union address Obama won't deliver - If Barack Obama really wants to set the nation and the world talking, he might do well to try new approaches to old problems - 25th January 2012
 * You've been Romney-ed! Obama must beware GOP foreign policy vortex - The Republican challenger can talk big, act tough and promise the world, so the president must not to rise to the bait - 15th January 2012
 * Bashar al-Assad has three options - Syria's leader does not seem happy in his work. As the crisis deepens, he could choose to run, to fight or to negotiate - 11th January 2012
 * China syndrome dictates Barack Obama's Asia-Pacific strategy - Obama has no wish to conjure the spectre of a new cold war but is determined to beat back any Chinese bid for - 7th January 2012
 * Simon Tisdall's 2012 world preview: no peace, no prosperity, no progress - Worse is likely to come in conflict zones from the Middle East to Africa and for Europe's troubled economies - 30th December 2011
 * Kim Jong-il's death: an uneasy legacy - Whether Kim Jong-il's death really is 'turning point' for North Korea depends on his son, and the country's greatest ally, China - 19th December 2011
 * US withdrawal from Iraq is a beginning, not an ending - Unfinished business in the Middle East will be brought sharply into focus as the sound of American boots fades away - 15th December 2011
 * Najib risks Malaysia's reputation in his treatment of Anwar Ibrahim - If the opposition leader is convicted of sodomy he will become yet another victim of an egregious, politically suspect injustice - 13th December 2011
 * Putin prepares the Russian empire to strike back - The looming reincarnation of the prime minister as president poses a challenge to western powers for which they seem ill-prepared - 2nd December 2011
 * Pakistan has had enough - The assumption that it has no choice but to obey America may turn out to be a dire strategic error - 28th November 2011
 * Pakistan has had enough - The assumption that it has no choice but to obey America may turn out to be a dire strategic error - 27th November 2011
 * Husain Haqqani's downfall becomes Pakistan's latest political football - The instinctive ally of the west robustly defended Pakistan as ambassador to the US. Internecine intrigues ultimately undid him - 24th November 2011
 * Turkey has a key role in Syria – now and in the future - The Arab League's suspension of Syria has outraged Assad, but it is Ankara's hardline stance that may yet prove decisive - 17th November 2011
 * Rick Perry's 'oops' is no bar to office – just ask George Bush - Let us not forget the long tradition of Texans whose presidential ambitions have exceeded their intellectual and verbal skills - 10th November 2011
 * Iran could be the unmaking of Obama's presidency - The die is not yet cast, but for Barack Obama to attack Iran would be a rupture of faith in the change he once represented - 8th November 2011
 * rebuff threatens the Arab League with relegation'' - The Assad regime's disdain for the Arab League's peace initiative is another blow to the organisation's credibility - 7th November 2011
 * Arab League 'roadmap' helps Assad play for time - The Arab League's plan for Syria could become a convenient cover for Assad - 3rd November 2011
 * Muammar Gaddafi's violent death leaves Libya at a crossroads - The dictator's legacy is a broken country with no political parties, no tradition of civil rights and democracy an idea without roots - 21st October 2011
 * Gilad Shalit swap has split opinion on Binyamin Netanyahu - Most Israelis support the Gilad Shalit exchange, but to critics it is another example of the Israeli leader's lack of strategic vision - 18th October 2011
 * Lessons from Libya: how Cameron and Sarkozy got lucky - This war was a one-off, 'feelgood' example of interventionism. For seriously oppressed people elsewhere, it means nothing - 14th October 2011
 * If only UK politicians were as brave as Rowan Williams about Zimbabwe - The archbishop has spoken out about his concerns for Anglicans under Mugabe's regime, but ministers are more circumspect - 10th October 2011
 * India may pay heavily in future for supporting the Karzai regime - Manmohan Singh's pledge to stand by people of Afghanistan could return to haunt the Indians - 6th October 2011
 * On the world stage, Obama the idealist has taken fright - Bin Laden's killing aside, his foreign policy has all been waffle, dither and drift – with a trail of acts of dismaying expediency - 5th October 2011
 * Burma's leaders are showing signs of change, but there is a long way to go - democracy campaigners say halting the Myitsone dam project does not mean the regime has changed its spots - 1st October 2011
 * Aqim escalates the violence in Algeria – helped by Libya's war - A study warns that chaos in Libya threatens Algeria's stability by fuelling jihadism, while popular discontent adds to internal tensions - 29th September 2011
 * Battle for Syria's future enters a new, more dangerous phase - The peaceful campaign against President Bashar al-Assad has failed – a violent winter of armed resistance seems set to start - 27th September 2011
 * Sudan's widening arc of instability - US efforts to prevent South Sudan becoming a failed state at birth risk being undermined by escalating border violence - 24th September 2011
 * Erdogan plays Palestinian saviour, but what about the Kurds? - Turkey's prime minister is championing Abbas's UN appeal – yet still has to resolve the Kurdish issue back home - 22nd September 2011
 * Yemen is threatening to turn into another Somalia - The US fears pulling the plug on Saleh will destabilise Yemen. But the political impasse, hunger and conflict are doing it already - 20th September 2011
 * Will the eurozone crisis bring Europe together – or tear it apart? - If political realities scupper José Manuel Barroso's call for greater integration, the EU's chronic divisions may deepen - 15th September 2011
 * To Vladimir Putin, David Cameron is a useful idiot - Russia badly needs democratic reform. But Cameron's day- tripping pragmatism will only strengthen Putin's autocratic grip - 13th September 2011
 * So is the US all washed up as a global leader? Not really - Commentators discern evidence of a structural, even fatal erosion of American power. It's a favourite pastime - 9th August 2011
 * Turkey sends Syria a message that Britain cannot - Syrian visit by the Turkish foreign minister has the appearance of a showdown – but President Bashar al-Assad might listen - 8th August 2011
 * North Korea meetings with US reflect a cautious conflict avoidance - Meetings in New York between US and North Korean diplomats raise mixed hopes of eliminating Pyongyang's nuclear programme - 28th July 2011
 * Can Gaddafi really stay in Libya and cede all power? - A messy endgame approaches now that William Hague has reluctantly changed the British line on a post-Gaddafi Libya - 27th July 2011
 * Goran Hadzic's arrest has made Serbia's case for the EU overwhelming - President Tadic is now pressing for Serbia's candidacy, yet 'enlargement fatigue' means the EU is reluctant to grant his wish - 21st July 2011
 * The global elite is no stranger to scandal - The News International scandal has echoes across Europe and the US – but the public's prurience pendulum swings both ways - 20th July 2011
 * Hillary Clinton circumnavigates a sphere of diminishing US influence - Clinton's round-the-world tour is likely only to highlight how impotent the United States has become - 15th July 2011
 * Malaysia's Najib must abandon the Mubarak model - As Najib comes touting for UK trade, Cameron has a chance to show him strong-arm tactics against protesters are unacceptable - 14th July 2011
 * Pakistan and the US mustn't lose sight of their interdependence - A series of spats is preventing either country from capitalising on the benefits that their strange union can bring - 12th July 2011
 * Iran's judicial killing spree - The reported rise in executions described by human rights groups seems designed to crack down on the civil unrest - 7th July 2011
 * The aftermath of the Arab spring - The Middle East and north African uprisings have had unpredictable consequences for the revolutionary states - 6th July 2011
 * Aung San Suu Kyi has to tread softly – but governments must tell it like it is - Governments such as Germany's have been too quick to buy into the Burmese generals' risible reform narrative - 5th July 2011
 * Syrian infighting suggests Assad's grip on power is slipping - Army may be calling the shots as Syria slides towards civil war or an intervention by Turkey - 13th June 2011
 * Will the US really withdraw from Iraq and Afghanistan? - Behind closed doors in the White House and the Pentagon, a battle is raging over the wisdom of a complete exit - 9th June 2011
 * Sudan's leaders aren't looking for a fight - Despite recent clashes, North and South Sudan calculate they have more to gain from peaceful negotiation than another war - 7th June 2011
 * Mission impossible: Barack Obama's Middle East speech - Obama will have to call on all his oratorical skills when he gives the US take on the Arab spring and Middle East peace process - 19th May 2011
 * Iran has been isolated by the Arab spring - The era of cocky Iranian international defiance may be drawing to a close as it deals with the fallout from Middle East uprisings - 18th May 2011
 * Helping Libya's refugees is the better way to beat Gaddafi - The thousands of mostly African migrants are not the problem, they are victims. It is our duty to receive them with humanity - 12th May 2011
 * Assad has gone too far – the west must reject him - Syria's president has lost whatever legitimacy he once had. Western governments must stop blaming those around him - 10th May 2011
 * The Syrian sell-out - Western governments have reasons for wanting Assad to stay in power – but not everyone is convinced such passivity is wise - 23rd April 2011
 * The Libyan mission is creeping, no doubt - With Britain sending a 'military liaison advisory team' to Libya, how many more boots on the ground will follow? - 20th April 2011
 * Bashar al-Assad's day of reckoning - The Syrian president's televised address to the nation could be a moment of opportunity or a fatal step in his fall from grace - 30th March 2011 Syria: summary
 * The shape of Libya's 'better future' remains elusive - How can western allies define a 'better future' for Libya, while there is still fighting and the outcome is so uncertain? - 29th March 2011 Libya: summary
 * Syria's Bashar al-Assad has been struck by freedom flu - The fear factor that has kept Syrians in check is failing. Assad will have to move fast to avoid the circling political vultures - 25th March 2011
 * The consensus on intervention in Libya has shattered - Russia and China have called for a ceasefire in Libya. Now South Africa and India have joined in the outrage over the scale of the attacks - 24th March 2011
 * What next for the Anglo-French forces in Libya? - With America and Nato refusing to take lead, the military stand-off with Gaddafi might degenerate into a permanent stalemate - 23rd March 2011
 * Libya conflict: war on Gaddafi is personal – and he is unlikely to retreat - Capturing or killing the Libyan leader has now become an end in itself for the western allies - 20th March 2011
 * Gaddafi could still have final say in Libya - The enforcement, verification and permanence of a ceasefire could be a vexed and lengthy matter - 19th March 2011
 * Libya finally forces Barack Obama's hand as he goes for broke - After weeks pondering, prevaricating and posturing, the US wants Muammar Gaddafi's head. And it will fight to get it - 18th March 2011
 * Europe fiddles as Libya burns - On military intervention, there are almost as many opinions as there are EU members, and no one wants to act without the US - 15th March 2011
 * Saudi Arabia polices the region as trouble stirs at home - The Saudi regime is stepping up its regional security role, but it is clear that it is not immune from 'contagion' - 15th March 2011
 * Libya is a conundrum made in hell – or rather Downing Street - If the west intervenes, al-Qaida would have a field day; if it does not, Arab democracy will be set back, perhaps fatally - 11th March 2011
 * Soft power is the best way for the west to intervene in Libya - Diplomacy with opposition leaders may not be the quickest or most dramatic option, but it is more likely to get lasting results - 9th March 2011
 * Obama is being driven towards Libya - The Washington war drums are beating for the president to strike at Gaddafi – not least because he may yet survive the revolt - 8th March 2011
 * Gaddafi's survival could end the Arab revolt - If the uprising in Libya is to succeed, then international effort, via the Arab League, must help the people to help themselves - 5th March 2011 Arab and Middle East protests: summary
 * Winners and losers in the Middle East chess game - Turkey and Iran may be winners, and the US a loser in the end – but first Arab societies must 'win' by making revolution work - 1st March 2011 Middle East: summary
 * Libyan crisis: Britain and allies now risk over-reaction - Britain, Italy and the US are talking up possible military action against Muammar Gaddafi - 1st March 2011
 * Out of Egyptian protests a new Obama doctrine is born - US president's decision to back revolt against Mubarak-led repression has implications for region's autocrats - 11th February 2011 Egypt: summary
 * Is the Sudanese regime's star rising? - Defiance of the west and fair handling of the south Sudan referendum may save Omar al-Bashir from Hosni Mubarak's fate - 8th February 2011 Sudan: summary
 * Egypt protests: Mubarak shows his dark side - The counter-revolutionary message to the people from an unvanquished, still vicious regime is: it's over – go home, or else - 3rd February 2011
 * Egypt revolt has Iran in a spin - Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's regime has finally decided what line – and what credit – to take for the demonstrators' actions - 2nd February 2011 Middle East: summary
 * It's too early to judge Obama on Egypt – but advice for him is plentiful - US commentators say Obama is caught between the need for reform and security imperatives, and advice has been pouring in - 31st January 2011
 * Arab protesters tire of the men who would be king - Dynastic succession is common in the Middle East – but across the region, heirs-apparent have cause for concern - 28th January 2011
 * Why does the EU give credibility to such dictators as Islam Karimov? - Mollycoddling the Uzbek leader behind mass killing in 2005 is typical of Brussels's mixed message on human rights - 27th January 2011
 * Egypt protests are breaking new ground - Egyptians have been here before, but the nature of this protest will unsettle a regime for which complacency is a way of life - 26th January 2011
 * The EU's Hungary headache – and a whiff of double standards - The controversy over Hungary's new media law has sparked debate over the power of the EU to deal with 'rogue' states - 20th January 2011 (see also: Hungary media law protest shows forbidden fruit remains sweet - Peter Zilahy)
 * The rehabilitation of Khartoum - The free and fair referendum is causing many to reconsider their negative opinion of the Sudanese government - 20th January 2011
 * China's too big to be bullied by the US - In tomorow's summit with Hu Jintao, Obama must recognise new realities – however unpalatable - 18th January 2011
 * The UN was envisaged as a war-fighting machine - A deeper look at the origins of the UN reveals some surprising facts about the military purpose of the fledgling organisation - 13th January 2011 (Tunisia: summary)
 * The failure of governance in the Arab world - Protests in Tunisia and Algeria are part of a rising tide of popular dissatisfaction with illiberal, unreformed Arab rule - 12th January 2011
 * David Cameron should strike repressive Russia off his itinerary - Diplomatic pleasantries between the UK and Russia are inappropriate given Putin's latest crackdown on opposition - 10th January 2011
 * Now it is Palestine's turn to create facts on the ground - Many predict war in the Middle East, but there is another way: a sovereign independent state should be declared, recognised by the US and the UN - 3rd January 2011
 * Mikhail Khodorkovsky: The latest victim of Vladimir Putin's vendetta politics - Former oil magnate one of a long line of opponents to fall foul of Russian leader - 28th December 2010
 * Ivory Coast crisis exposes hollowness of west's fine words - An African-led international mechanism can give real teeth to talk of good governance, democracy and rule of law - 19th December 2010
 * Will the Afghanistan war break Obama's presidency? - Barack Obama is suffering his own Vietnam moment, waging a war he can neither explain nor afford - 17th December 2010
 * Now North Korea defies even China - Kim Jong-il is blithely playing off the great powers against each other. The result is diplomatic meltdown - 15th December 2010
 * Japan's era of postwar pacifism may be coming to an end - The creation of a 'dynamic defence capability' is an inevitable response to growing threats from North Korea and China - 13th December 2010
 * Obama should stop blaming China over North Korea and start talking - Tensions on the peninsula have reached a dangerous pitch – and China's leverage with the North's leadership is limited - 6th December 2010
 * The keys to Pyongyang - At heart the Korean issue is a family dispute about money and power. A deal with the North is doable - 24th November 2010
 * Barack Obama, tell us that we're special - Europe and America still need each other. At the Lisbon summit this weekend, the US president needs to show he believes it - 18th November 2010
 * Lisbon: the most exciting post-cold war Nato summit? - Russian involvement and the friction around plans for Afghanistan add spice to the Lisbon meeting of 'new Nato' - 16th November 2010
 * The feting of Dmitry Medvedev - The Russian president is being wooed by Europe's leaders – justifiably perhaps – but they may want to proceed with caution - 27th October 2010
 * Dread juggernaut of conflict with Iran is drawing closer - The US drive to isolate Tehran is unrelenting but there is little evidence Iran's leadership will change its ways - 22nd October 2010
 * US missile defence plans could spark EU-Nato tensions - With the US overstretched, the EU may turn to Turkey and Russia for a security agenda closer to its 21st-century needs - 20th October 2010
 * A 'new deal' is needed on refugees - Four-fifths of all refugees eke out a living in the developing world – the west must do more to carry its share of the burden - 15th October 2010
 * Obama faces humiliation over Middle East talks - Collapse of the peace talks would leave Obama exposed – and leave the two-state solution in tatters - 4th October 2010
 * Beware friendship with Moscow - William Hague may be keen to 'reset' relations, but under Putin and Medvedev Russia remains a land of murky deeds - 29th September 2010
 * This dangerous new world of self-interested nations - From Kashmir to Kurdistan, a non-interventionist stance from the major powers is of no help to the world's trouble spots - 23rd September 2010
 * Kim Jong-il's year of living dangerously - A crunch moment over Kim's succession is looming – and it could just spark an end to North Korea's isolation - 22nd September 2010
 * Turkey's too important to dismiss its referendum as a rowdy squabble - A no vote may undermine Erdoğan's stabilising role in the region - 10th September 2010
 * China needs Sudan to vote peacefully - Its biggest investor takes a pragmatic approach to Sudan's affairs – and is keen that the independence vote runs smoothly - 8th September 2010
 * Sorry General Petraeus, Iraq and Afghanistan are only too similar - If Obama's Iraq handover strategy is anything to go by, any optimism about Afghanistan is deeply misguided - 1st September 2010
 * India's blinkered policy on Kashmir - India and Pakistan's failure to resolve Kashmir could see a huge escalation of violence, and derail an Afghan settlement - 11th August 2010
 * Australian election: Mars versus Venus? - In a campaign largely devoid of policies, Julia Gillard is suffering from gender having become an issue - 6th August 2010
 * Five things Cameron should know about Pakistan - Some advice for David Cameron before his meeting with Pakistan's president, Asif Ali Zardari, this Friday - 3rd August 2010
 * Indonesia's door is open for Obama - Indonesia's strategic importance is of growing interest to the jousting superpowers of the US and China – and it wants friends - 2nd August 2010
 * Cameron has proved himself – as Obama's useful idiot - On his travels, Cameron made relations with Israel, Pakistan and Europe just that little bit harder. But he made a friend of Obama - 29th July 2010
 * Gaza remark signals Cameron's kick-and-run diplomacy - Cameron's characterisation of Gaza as a 'prison camp' during a love-in with Turkey reflects a very different diplomatic approach - 27th July 2010
 * War logs aren't just about bungling Bush - Obama may try to blame his predecessor, but the Afghanistan war logs make it clear that it's his war now - 26th July 2010
 * The end of the battle for Kosovo - When the dust settles, common sense and self-interest may dictate Serbia's acceptance of Kosovo's independence - 22nd July 2010
 * Iran could spring a nasty surprise - It wouldn't take much for the row over nuclear weapons between Iran, the US and Israel to spark a full-blown crisis - 15th July 2010
 * Sangin pullout may be seen as retreat - Many will ask why troops went there in the first place, and what, if anything, was achieved - 7th July 2010
 * William Hague can't be a Palmerston - The foreign secretary's impressively ebullient talk of Britain's global relevance in the 21st century is short on substance - 1st July 2010
 * China trade deal has a sting its tail for Taiwan - The economic co-operation agreement has provoked Taiwanese fears of increased Chinese influence - 30th June 2010
 * David Petraeus is the loneliest man in America - For Obama's new top commander in Afghanistan, escalating an unpopular war might be just as hazardous as not doing so - 29th June 2010
 * The Chinese behemoth awakes - The trade deal with Greece is the latest in a series of increasingly aggressive moves by China to extend its influence - 18th June 2010
 * Will Obama's Afghan surge run into the sand? - Pressure is growing on General McChrystal to produce results in Afghanistan that he may not have time to deliver - 16th June 2010 (Afghanistan: summary)
 * Kyrgyzstan unrest gives big powers cause for concern - The economic, security and strategic interests of Russia, China and the US are increasingly affected by central Asian instability - 15th June 2010
 * Ethiopia's 'one-party democracy' is spreading - The election of Meles Zenawi with 97% of seats reflects a worrying trend away from multiparty systems throughout Africa - 27th May 2010
 * Israel's nuclear weapons: the end to nods, winks and blind eyes - Continuing official ambiguity served a useful purpose. Now the veil has been torn aside - 24th May 2010
 * Poodle politics of UK and US are over – for now - Obama's keenness to congratulate David Cameron suggests Washington feels less secure about British support - 18th May 2010
 * Sri Lanka faces new calls for Tamil inquiry - International Crisis Group claims to have credible evidence of security forces killing tens of thousands of civilians during conflict - 18th May 2010
 * Thailand's unrest may unsettle region - Without international help to reconcile the warring redshirts and Bangkok establishment, there is a wider security risk - 15th May 2010
 * Obama's Burmese engagement risks falling apart - The effective exclusion by the junta of the NLD from elections has increased pressure on the US president to get tough - 14th May 2010
 * Iran could be the big winner in Iraq's election - Iran appears to be using its influence to manipulate the electoral process in Iraq successfully – but it risks overplaying its hand - 11th May 2010
 * India and Pakistan's proxy war puts Afghanistan exit at risk - The machinations of two old foes grow in intensity as they seek to fill the power vacuum left by Nato's pullout - 7th May 2010
 * What Nick Clegg can learn from Japan - The Japanese prime minister won on a platform of change – but was then humiliated in Washington, losing support at home - 5th May 2010 (Cif at the polls)
 * Why Manuel Noriega became America's most wanted - Manuel Noriega's extradition to France this week has refocused attention on why the US went to such lengths to silence him - 29th April 2010
 * Kim Jong-il's weakening grip - North Korea was almost certainly behind the Cheonan sinking. It points to a leader under pressure from a hawkish military - 27th April 2010
 * Obama feels the heat on Iran's threat - The release of Robert Gates's memo has exposed disquiet over Obama's diplomatic approach to stopping Iran going nuclear - 21st April 2010
 * Erdogan must raise his game on Cyprus - Simon Tisdall: Hopes for Cypriot reunification are petering out, leaving Turkey's prime minister with much to do to secure EU accession - 20th April 2010
 * Fuelling the Middle East arms race - Allegations that Syria has sold missiles to Hezbollah may not pose a direct security threat but will revive tensions with Israel - 15th April 2010
 * Israel impasse gives US much to ponder - Pressure on Obama to act is mounting, but a fractured US-Israel relationship could make the settlement row look like a minor spat - 13th April 2010
 * Don't rubbish Sudan elections - The elections won't be perfect, but the chorus of condemnation from those pursuing a Darfur-focused agenda misses the point - 9th April 2010
 * Kyrgyzstan: a Russian revolution? - The US is on the back foot in Central Asia after Vladimir Putin appears to be winning a round in the new Great Game - 9th April 2010
 * The US needs Hamid Karzai - Despite the current rift, for Barack Obama it is a case of better the devil you know when it comes to Afghanistan - 8th April 2010
 * Gloves are off between US and China - Growing US pressure on China over internet censorship and human rights coincides with a string of other flashpoints - 25th March 2010
 * Battered Binyamin Netanyahu comes out fighting - Britain's expulsion of an Israeli diplomat is another blow to Netanyahu, but he's defiant in the face of global pressure - 23rd March 2010
 * Sarkozy's problems aren't unique - Nicolas Sarkozy has taken an electoral kicking – but EU leaders of all political hues face similarly daunting challenges - 23rd March 2010
 * An African success story in Sudan - The situation remains fragile but Sudan is next month set to hold its first multi-party elections since 1986 - 16th March 2010
 * Keep the army out of Bangkok - The Thai elites may not like it but the people support Thaksin-aligned parties. Bringing in the army is not the answer - 16th March 2010
 * Business as usual in Burma - The Burmese junta's new electoral laws are designed to give the regime a veneer of democratic respectability - 12th March 2010
 * Bibi's snub to Biden may backfire - Intentional or not, the announcement of new settlements in East Jerusalem may push the US into a tougher stance towards Israel - 10th March 2010
 * Is the tide turning in Somalia? - A new offensive against Islamist militias is a sign of hope for Somalia's fragile western-backed government - 10th March 2010
 * China threat can heal US-Japan rift - The US and Japan are going through a rocky patch but mutual fear of China makes their relationship too precious to wreck - 9th March 2010
 * A Japanese lesson for David Cameron - As the island nation confronts its post-boom problems, the fate of Japan's new ruling party may interest the Tories - 4th March 2010
 * Japan is ready for North Korea - Japan is now prepared for anything Pyongyang might want to throw at it and is gaining new confidence in its foreign relations - 1st March 2010
 * This isn't Falklands II - Sabre-rattling over Malvinas oil serves a useful political purpose for Argentina's President Kirchner. But she's no Galtieri - 17th February 2010
 * Another hyped-up push in Afghanistan - Operation Moshtarak is more a battle against time than against the Taliban, and risks displacing the problems facing allied forces - 15th February 2010
 * Saving the Baltic sea - After the Copenhagen debacle, Finland has set a new standard for environmental action - 15th February 2010
 * America is broke, and needs its old friends - The US badly needs its European allies to help redress its loss of balance and stem the haemorrhaging of its international clout - 2nd February 2010
 * Obama's hi-tech weapons plan for Gulf sees US reverting to type - Proposal to counter Iran may come to be seen as a gamble with peace, rendering the war president seeks to avoid more likely - 31st January 2010
 * Clear views from the Afghan summit - London's conference on Afghanistan concentrated minds, but did not answer the vital question: will the new strategy work? - 28th January 2010 (see: Afghanistan: summary)
 * The west's uncertain Afghan steps - Karl Eikenberry's leaked cables raise fundamental questions – and do nothing to bolster confidence in US leadership - 26th January 2010 (see: U.S. Envoy’s Cables Show Worries on Afghan Plans - The New York Times)
 * The wave of anti-Christian violence - Christians in the Muslim world are becoming scapegoats as anger about the "crusader west" takes hold - 14th January 2010
 * Turkey starts to love its neighbours - The rapprochement policies of Ahmet Davutoglu are making a splash in the region, though Israel relations remain prickly - 13th January 2010
 * China in a mood to punish Britain - In cancelling human rights talks, a confident Beijing is showing it won't stand for being rebuked over cases such as Akmal Shaikh - 12th January 2010
 * Sudan braces itself for change - Aid agencies fear that the forthcoming elections may reignite civil war if Sudan's underlying problems aren't addressed - 7th January 2010
 * Spooks are struggling in Afghanistan - The allied intelligence effort has not covered itself in glory of late, but there are signs of a smarter, grassroots network developing - 6th January 2010
 * Yemen intervention risks ripple effect - If the US blunders into Yemen the whole region could suffer unintended consequences, from Israel to the Horn of Africa - 5th January 2010
 * 2009: the year of living dangerously - Barack Obama's inauguration provided hope in a period marked by war, terror, nuclear fears and climate change anticlimax - 31st December 2009
 * Obama takes 'war on terror' to Yemen - As Obama vows to track down the would-be bombers, he could be creating a new launch-pad for attacks against the west - 29th December 2009
 * Is this Iran's second revolution? - Clashes at protests show that fantasy politics can no longer conceal the widening fissures that are splintering Iranian society - 28th December 2009
 * Yemen: the international jihadi's destination of choice - Attempted bombing of Northwest flight 253 has belatedly turned spotlight on terrorist network inside troubled state - 27th December 2009
 * Corruption at heart of Afghan state - As Hamid Karzai launches an anti-corruption conference, western aid donors need to put their houses in order too - 18th December 2009
 * Karzai opens Afghan anti-corruption conference - Hamid Karzai says large-scale reforms required to root out corruption, as suicide bomber kills eight outside hotel - 15th December 2009
 * No room for false moves in Pakistan - The west needs Pakistan's support in 'degrading' militant Islamists – but a shove too far could mean its descent into chaos - 8th December 2009
 * America's sudoku wars - Beware misinterpreting Obama. Afghanistan is an asset and the US won't be leaving any time soon - 7th December 2009
 * The Golan Heights' long wait - The city of Quneitra is preserved in devastation as attempts to improve Syria's relations with its neighbours and the US stall - 27th November 2009
 * EU turns away from Ukraine - The EU's loss of patience with a turbulent Kiev suggests another victory for Russia in the struggle for the former Soviet republics - 26th November 2009
 * Whatever Obama decides, Brown must set withdrawal date - Will Britain continue to allow its standing in the world to be held hostage to American political calculations? - 17th November 2009
 * Allies in disarray as Obama ponders Afghan plan - Political and public opposition to the war continues to grow while the US president debates his policy for Afghanistan - 6th November 2009
 * Why won't Obama be Europe's friend? - Europeans are enamoured with the US president, but the feeling doesn't appear to be mutual - 3rd November 2009
 * America's new crusader castles - Across the Middle East, the US is building heavily fortified embassies which cut off diplomats and create hostilities - 30th October 2009
 * Iraq's last chapter is still not written - A rise in attacks is designed not only to disrupt elections but also to dismantle the state – the US may yet have to delay withdrawal - 28th October 2009
 * A glimmer of light for Burma - As the regime makes tentative steps to re-engage, western governments must take care not to undermine Burma's people - 26th October 2009
 * Israel is in denial over Turkish rage - Turkey was shocked by Goldstone's report on the Gaza conflict, but Israel is seeking other explanations for deteriorating ties - 23rd October 2009
 * Afghan run-off is a chilling prospect - Afghanistan's long-suffering voters may write off this convoluted election process as the bastard product of 'western meddling' - 20th October 2009
 * Obama has little choice on Sudan - To avoid disaster in the region, the US president must shift to a 'hugs not slugs' policy on Sudan, but fast results will be expected - 19th October 2009
 * Obama's mettle is about to be tested - As the Middle East slides towards renewed conflict, the president has to revitalise US efforts for a peace – or face humiliation - 18th October 2009
 * With friends like the US, Pakistan doesn't need enemies - Washington's clumsy attempts to strengthen Pakistan's government only serve to stoke a conflict approaching civil war - 16th October 2009
 * Would Europe back President Blair? - Selecting a 'president' will not be straightforward – and what difference it will make to the EU's credibility is anyone's guess - 8th October 2009
 * Where China leads, the US follows - Washington is increasingly beholden to Beijing's point of view – but some fear Barack Obama is being too accommodating - 6th October 2009
 * Economic storms hit Europe's elections - Greek voters bucked a trend by not favouring the political right but, like other Europeans, they were driven by financial fears - 5th October 2009
 * Obama's Kennedy moment on Afghanistan - The president's impending decision whether to downgrade US commitment in Afghanistan or escalate it has parallels with that of his predecessor over Vietnam - 5th October 2009
 * Putin in the firing line - While Medvedev isn't currently presenting a serious challenge, Putin faces looming problems that could be his undoing - 1st October 2009
 * Wheels fall off the sanctions bandwagon - US hawks are circling as enthusiasm for sanctions on Iran fails to materialise either among its neighbours or in China and Russia - 29th September 2009
 * Ahmadinejad should watch his back - Firing off missiles may make the hardliners feel better, but Iran's mood is broodingly uncertain, defensive and self-accusatory - 29th September 2009
 * Iran has been caught red-handed - News of Iran's secret nuclear plant has forced an opening in Tehran's defences and may strengthen Obama's bid for dialogue - 25th September 2009
 * Cyprus's 'last chance'? - An elusive deal to end the stalemate in Cyprus may be overwhelmed by external factors just when it seems within reach - 23rd September 2009
 * Running out of time in Afghanistan - As rows over troops deepen, General McChrystal's advice to Obama aims to avoid more mistakes and inspire decisive action - 22nd September 2009
 * Thaws and tensions in missile defence - Barack Obama's decision to shelve missile defence will be welcomed by Russia but cause discomfort in eastern Europe - 18th September 2009
 * From Celtic tiger to timid puss - The Irish are likely to vote 'yes' to the Lisbon treaty not for the love for Brussels but out of fear brought on by recession - 16th September 2009
 * Tearing Yemen apart - As clashes revive fears of a Saudi Arabia-Iran proxy war, the US is focused on al-Qaida's presence in a troubled nation - 15th September 2009
 * Kazakhstan, our repressive friend - The jailing of a human rights activist underlines the lack of promised reform in the nation due to chair the OSCE - 11th September
 * Iran's revolution? The hardliners won - The difficulties inherent in dealing with Tehran have taken on new layers of complexity in the disputed election's wake - 9th September 2009
 * Afghanistan: Dig in or walk away? - Afghanistan's election debacle has increased the crushing weight of intractable problems besetting western policymakers - 7th September 2009
 * The drama Deutschland needs - Germany's state elections have injected a much-needed element of uncertainty into the final weeks of a typically dull campaign - 3rd September 2009
 * Is Japan's sun rising or setting? - While Europe and China seem complacent, America has reflected unease over Japan's election result - 2nd September 2009
 * Gaddafi's remarkable rehabilitation - The return of the Lockerbie bomber to Libya would boost Colonel Gaddafi's appetite for triumphalist showmanship - 14th August 2009
 * Japan tries to loosen the US leash - There is talk of a new generation of Japanese politics ahead of the upcoming election – but will the US relax its embrace? - 11th August 2009
 * Stormy outlook over the Black Sea - A year on from the South Ossetia conflict, Europe and Russia remain locked in a fight for influence and control in the region - 7th August 2009
 * Bill Clinton rejoins the merry-go-round - US policy towards North Korea is more circular than linear, as Bill Clinton's arrival in Pyongyang shows - 5th August 2009
 * Time's running out for Obama in Iran - Barack Obama still wants to talk to Iran – but may lack the political strength to keep the path to dialogue open much longer - 4th August 2009
 * Nigeria clashes bode ill for west Africa - Radical Islamists in Nigeria could pose a strong threat to the government, weakening its role as regional economic engine - 31st July 2009
 * Is Turkey preparing for peace? - There is much speculation about the government's 'Kurdish initiative' and if it will be enough to end the long-running conflict - 29th July 2009
 * Obama's faltering peace drive - The US president is pressing hard to kickstart the Middle East peace process – but can he make change a reality? - 28th July 2009
 * Memo to Clinton: US ain't top dog - The US doesn't necessarily lead the pack in world affairs – something Hillary Clinton should remember on her Asian tour - 24th July 2009
 * Medvedev faces Russia's new reality - Medvedev may be gaining political clout, but he will have to overcome a host of problems to win a second presidential gig - 22nd July 2009
 * Have faith in Zimbabwe's resurrection - Tsvangirai's fundraising failures are already being mocked by his opponents. If he stumbles, the unity government could implode - 26th June 2009
 * Iran's dash for foreign scapegoats - Allegations from Tehran are straining already rocky relations with the west – and could have a lasting impact in key policy areas - 23rd June 2009 (See: Iran: summary)
 * Iran's radical shows his reluctant side - Mir Hossein Mousavi's attempt to protect the protesters may destroy the momentum of his movement - 22nd June 2009
 * Iran's old rivals renew their battle - The post-election stand-off in Iran has pitted Mir Hossein Mousavi and Ayatollah Khamenei against each other once again - 19th June 2009
 * When will Obama back Persian people power? - Barack Obama has so far refused to support Iranian protesters, but he may not be able to stand above the fray for much longer - 18th June 2009
 * Iran plays the blame game - Iran's paranoia about interference from the west is worrying – but it may also be justified - 17th June 2009
 * Rafsanjani: shark or kingmaker? - The former president remains unpopular with many Iranians, but he may yet be able to force a re-run of Friday's disputed poll - 16th June 2009
 * The resonance of Iran's shattering dreams - The mullahs' stifling of the insurgency of ideas could spell serious trouble for international relations within the Middle East and beyond - 15th June 2009
 * Bashir slips out of court's grasp - ICC appeals for the arrest of Sudan's leader are falling on deaf ears at the UN, as the nation's relations with America improve - 12th June 2009
 * The numbers spell trouble for Merkel - Predictions that Germany would avoid the worst of the recession are proving wildly optimistic, and Berlin is under pressure to act - 10th June 2009
 * Lebanon feels the Obama effect - The pro-west coalition's narrow win in Beirut is the first indication that the US president's Middle East message is being heard - 9th June 2009
 * Zimbabwe: despite doubts, a warmer tone in London - Britain is edging towards closer engagement with Zimbabwe's new government despite concerns about appearing to legitimise Mugabe - 8th June 2009
 * Will Obama be Netanyahu's downfall? - Barack Obama's perceived tilt towards the Arab world has left Israel's fragile coalition government reeling - 3rd June 2009
 * The EU must start squeezing Burma - Aung San Suu Kyi's trial should inspire concrete European action against Burma's junta, not just a collective venting of wind - 2nd June 2009
 * Middle East hangs on Obama's words - A strong speech in Cairo could help tip the balance in Lebanese and Iranian elections and convince Arabs of American intentions - 30th May 2009
 * No more sunshine in North Korea - There are three explanations for North Korea's nuclear test today, none of them palatable - 26th May 2009
 * Does Turkey have an answer to the Kurdish question? - President Gul has spoken of a 'historic opportunity' and a 'new consensus', but elsewhere in the country, scepticism remains - 22nd May 2009
 * Suu Kyi's trial backfires on junta - This trial highlights the plight not only of Aung San Suu Kyi but also of other political prisoners brutally treated in Burma - 21st May 2009
 * Will the US-UAE nuclear deal reach meltdown? - Signed by Bush in his last days of office, objections to the agreement are mounting almost daily as its implications sink in - 19th May 2009
 * The curious sacking of Gen McKiernan - Obama's top US general in Afghanistan has been shown the door, but top brass at the Pentagon haven't really explained why - 13th May 2009 (see: Top general sacked as US bids to turn around Afghan war)
 * For Obama and Netanyahu, it's showdown time - There's a lot riding on the US president's masterplan for peace in the Middle East. Expectations are high, but will it deliver? - 12th May 2009
 * Netanyahu's three-step solution - The US expects Israel to participate fully with its Middle East gameplan – but Bibi's counter-offensive is already taking shape - 8th May 2009
 * The real victims of swine flu - As the media focus on a global sneezing fit, the plight of people in Congo, Somalia, Burma and China is being ignored - 1st May 2009
 * The frozen conflicts start to thaw - Under pressure from Brussels, Europe's 'wild east' is coming in from the cold – but plenty of obstacles still remain - 29th April 2009
 * When Barack meets Bibi - Due to a widening gulf between the US and Israel, Obama's meeting with Netanyahu could present a tough challenge - 28th April 2009
 * Pakistan's Swat dream turns into a nightmare - The Taliban has failed to keep its side of the bargain in the Swat Valley – and Pakistan is facing criticism at home and abroad - 25th April 2009
 * Sri Lanka must now listen to its friends - An end to the war will not result in final, lasting victory for Sri Lanka's government. It has made too many mistakes along the way - 22nd April 2009
 * Where are human rights in Zuma's plan? - Nelson Mandela's clear vision for South Africa has grown cloudy, as Jacob Zuma shifts the focus away from human rights - 21st April 2009
 * Can Obama clean up in Latin America? - Tidying up after Bush is a difficult job – and his legacy could still hinder Obama's chances at the Summit of the Americas - 16th April 2009
 * In the hall of mirrors of the ailing Kim, nothing is quite what it appears - Outrage over UN censure for its missile test is all part of North Korea's game of parlaying nuclear compromises for aid and assistance - 15th April 2009
 * Thaksin waits in Thailand's wings - The prospect of the polarising former leader's return would be the most likely cause of a military coup - 14th April 2009
 * The Chechnya connection - Dmitry Medvedev's promise to uphold the rule of law sounds hollow when so many assassins remain at large - 9th April 2009
 * Normal service resumes in Tibet - With the Olympics out of the way and the west preoccupied by recession, China is again reinforcing its military occupation - 9th April 2009
 * Iraq: Obama's big gamble - Perhaps the country will hold together long enough for the US's rushed withdrawal, but recent attacks are a gloomy portent - 7th April 2009
 * Tensions rise in the Balkans - Having started well, the current decade is drawing to a ragged, confrontational close across the western Balkans - 24th March 2009
 * Obama's Afghan quagmire deepens - The US president inherited a mess in Afghanistan, but he needs to bring some order to his mish-mash of policies for the country - 23rd March 2009
 * Will US-China relations sink or swim? - A skirmish at sea provides a timely reminder that on certain key issues, the two nations are rowing in different directions - 10th March 2009
 * India's juggernaut has lost its way - As recession-hit India prepares for national elections, security problems in Pakistan are coming increasingly to the fore - 9th March 2009
 * Game on in the Middle East - During her tour, Hillary Clinton has made clear that the grand US-Iran battle for strategic control of the region has been joined - 6th March 2009
 * What now for Bashir? - The decision to charge Sudan's president with war crimes is historic, but it is unlikely to have much immediate impact - 5th March 2009
 * Boom times for global retribution - Despite scepticism from some major countries, from Phnom Penh to Beirut international justice is alive and well - 3rd March 2009
 * No honeymoon for Tsvangirai - Far from observing power-sharing niceties, Zanu-PF bosses are behaving as if they are still in sole control of Zimbabwe - 27th February 2009
 * Courting Syria - Policy advisers in Washington increasingly see improved relations with Damascus as crucial to peace in the Middle East - 24th February 2009
 * ANC tactics bring shades of Zimbabwe to South Africa - Allies of Jacob Zuma seem prepared to stop at nothing to save him following a ruling that he should stand trial - 16th January 2009
 * The world gives Israel a free hand - The initial response to the crisis in Gaza from countries including Britain has comprised only routine expressions of dismay - 30th December 2008
 * Bungled bail-out vote bolsters mood swing in favour of Obama - 6th October 2008
 * US-India pact strains nuclear rules - 3rd October 2008
 * Bypassing bipartisanship - In a week when the wheels nearly came off the US economy, the gloves came off in the presidential race - 29th September 2008
 * High stakes in Islamabad and Washington - As Pakistan's situation worsens, Zardari faces paying for the Bush administration's desperation to leave a lasting legacy - Guardian.co.uk - 23rd September 2008
 * Locked in Burma - After 13 years of detention, Aung San Suu Kyi perfectly represents the suffering of the Burmese people, effectively trapped in the world's biggest prison. Pressure is building on the UN to act - Guardian.co.uk - 2nd September 2008
 * Putting on a smile for the world - As more and more countries reach for the fashionable new tool of 'public diplomacy', it's clear that some are better at it than others - Guardian.co.uk - 6th August 2008
 * The bear is back - When Russia unveiled its military plans this week, the need for a coherent European defence system could not have been clearer - 31st July 2008
 * A victory for democracy - The decision not to ban the ruling AKP in Turkey represents a score-draw between the secular and religious forces - Guardian.co.uk - 30th July 2008
 * Back to the future in Iraq and Afghanistan - Barack Obama's proposal for a switch of focus risks precipitating another double-headed military misadventure - Guardian.co.uk - 24th July 2008
 * Arresting developments for Serbia and the EU - The capture of Radovan Karadzic will help, but the problems associated with the reintegration of Serbia into Europe remain formidable - Guardian.co.uk - 22nd July 2008
 * Outburst makes matters worse - Furious finger pointing will do little to help the cause of freedom and democracy in Zimbabwe - 14th July 2008
 * Strange bedfellows in Sarkozy's Club Med - The idea of a 'Union for the Mediterranean' has drawn criticism, but it will provide an opportunity for leaders whose paths rarely cross to talk - 11th July 2008
 * Brown loses on points to Medvedev - 9th July (Gordon Brown, Dmitry Medvedev)
 * Don't discount Iran's internal debates - Iran's vigorous political scene - and Ahmadinejad's flagging popularity - has a crucial bearing on its nuclear stance - 7th July 2008
 * Only one lame duck here - Vladimir Putin seems to enjoy his meetings with George Bush. Little wonder. The canny Russian president invariably runs rings around his American counterpart - 7th April 2008
 * Sport and politics go hand in hand in the new China - 6th March 2008
 * Is McCain the new Comeback Kid? - 21st December 2007 (John McCain)
 * Patient shows a steady improvement - If Iraq were a hospital patient, the Bush administration would be tempted to take it off the critical list and send it home for Christmas - 20th December 2007
 * Fictional nightmare becomes Congo reality - The chaos Le Carré conjured in North Kivu is now a cruel reality - 19th December 2007
 * Reconciliation, sealed with a bombing run - Turkey's tumultuous year is coming to a fitting end in the desolate Qandil mountains straddling its border with Iraq and Iran - 18th December 2007
 * Eritrea's fighting talk takes region to brink - Little guys often make up in aggressiveness what they lack in size - and tiny Eritrea, the Horn of Africa's plucky bantam, is no exception - 14th December 2007



News & updates:


References:


Links:

 * http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simon_Tisdall