In Iran, modernity takes on the cult of the virgin
Iran’s men are having trouble dealing with the brave new world that’s imposing itself on their bedrooms: an unnoticed tide of sexual change that could prove far more important in shaping the country’s...
View ArticleWe don’t need to worry about the Middle East if we give up its oil
Back in 1976, the man who founded Opec, the oil cartel which was threatening to bring the world economy to its knees, held out a grim warning to its members: “We are drowning in the Devil’s excrement.”...
View ArticleLibya: what world leaders need to learn from Britney Spears
Four years ago, Britney Spears grabbed a pair of shears at Esther’s Haircutting Studio in the implausibly-named town of Tarzana, and shaved off her hair. Then, she looked into the mirror and sobbed:...
View ArticleBras, booze and how Islamic chauvinists have made satire redundant
“Political satire,” said Tom Lehrer, “became obsolete after Henry Kissinger won the Nobel Peace Prize.” Fox News reported over the weekend that Pakistan’s state-run Council for Islamic Ideology has...
View ArticleBefore intervening in Libya, we need to think through the consequences
“War is the father of all things,” wrote the poet and philosopher Heraclitus, “the king of all: some it has shown as gods, some as men; some it has made slaves, some free.” Later this week, European...
View ArticleThe Obama administration has betrayed its promise to support democracy in...
Back in 2009, Barack Obama announced that the United States' relationship with Pakistan would be “grounded in support for Pakistan's democratic institutions and the Pakistani people”. His...
View ArticleThe 'humanitarian hazard': what if rebels cause carnage in order to force us...
The world’s been busy these last few days: Sudan has been bombing the newly independent south; more than 70,000 refugees have fled violence in Darfur, bloodletting is tearing apart Côte d’Ivoire; 43...
View ArticleEgypt Air wipes Israel off the map – a sign of where Egypt could be headed
Israel has quietly dropped off Egypt Air’s route map this week. The airline’s explanation is that “flights to Tel Aviv are operated by Air Sinai, which is a separate company.” It explains that “our...
View ArticleLibya: Tyrants will learn from Gaddafi’s mistakes
Every war is, among other things, a medium. Britain and France, who are spearheading the intervention in Libya, hope their bombs are sending a message not just to Muammar Gaddafi but to other...
View ArticleWe’re firing blanks in the war against piracy
In the autumn of 1816, Admiral Lord Exmouth arrived off the port of Algiers with five ships of the line, and orders to use nothing but shot to negotiate with the city’s pirates. In the battle that...
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