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John Brennan, the CIA director, told a Senate committee Tuesday that the violence and instability in the Middle East was the worst it had been in 50 years, painting a dire picture of a region he said was facing "unprecedented" bloodshed.

The UN has moved peace talks concerning Syria back to March 9th. This is to let the current cessation of hostilities settle down even more; there is a reduction in violence, but both sides of the conflict are still violating the cease fire.

Before the deadly raid of his home by the US Special Forces team, Osama Bin Laden was reported to have been notified of the early movements of our present day ISIS. The group was separating itself from Al-Qaeda and murdering Muslims who were not waging jihad.

A New York Times article discussing how the various sides were following the truce at the time of publication. I think this truce is a step in the right direction and therefore is worth bookmarking.

Citing a fear of instability and violence that is still ongoing in Libya, Jordan will reconsider sending an envoy back to Libya. While Jordan still has diplomatic facilities in Tripoli, they are cautious about sending personnel back given violence and a kidnapping that happened during the past 5 years.

The webpage lays out the larger plans and goals when providing aid to Egypt's women to promote equality. The goals range from various aspects including career development, civic participation, reducing poverty (including an increase in girl's enrollment in school), and an increase in healthy habits and standards. The concerns and goals listed also reflect the outline of the  U.N. Commission on the Status of Women. 

The webpage lays out the larger plans and goals when providing aid to Egypt's women to promote equality. The goals range from various aspects including career development, civic participation, reducing poverty (including an increase in girl's enrollment in school), and an increase in healthy habits and standards. The concerns and goals listed also reflect the outline of the  U.N. Commission on the Status of Women. 

USAID helps women gain equality and they promote women empowerment. It helps through various programs in agriculture, education, and health.

The article focuses on the Muslim Brotherhood's belief that Women's rights would result in the destruction of Egyptian Society. The brotherhood disagreed with the statements made in the UN Declaration regarding women's rights. Such concerns included the potential access women would have to travel, work, money, and contraception without the approval of their husbands. The U.N. Commission of the Status of Women seeks to improve the lives of women. The conflict that exist between women's rights/freedoms are restricted by the religious beliefs of the Muslim Brotherhood. 

After many years of trying to give women rights, a decision can not be made without bringing important issues like religion and culture to the table. The Muslim Brotherhood is on the opposing side when coming to a decision on giving rights to women.

After many years of trying to give women rights, a decision can not be made without bringing important issues like religion and culture to the table. The Muslim Brotherhood is on the opposing side when coming to a decision on giving rights to women.

Women in Egypt continue to fight for their rights. They continue to be abused even with laws that aim to protect them. 

Al-Qaeda-linked militants have shelled the Syrian city of Aleppo, killing 16 people and injuring 86, state news agency SANA reports, as the fragile ceasefire is being threatened by resurging violence. A source at Aleppo police command told SANA on Monday that shells fired by al-Nusra fighters landed in Aleppo's al-Sulaimaniyeh neighborhood, claiming lives of four, three of them children, and injuring 19 others, many in critical conditions.

This article follows a cartoonist from Al-Masry Al-Youm a private newspaper in Egypt 

A string of assassinations over a 24-hour period in Benghazi has heightened tensions in the already blood-soaked Libyan city, raising fears that the killings could initiate an even deadlier wave of violence as the country threatens to fracture.

The Council on Foreign Relations published an article about democratization in the middle east and the major obstacles that are present in the process. While most assume Islamists and Islamic embedded institutions are the root of the delayed democratic transition, the problems are much bigger than that. While Islamist regimes do indeed stunt the growth of democratic progress in terms of creating a stable government, Arab countries struggle with economic and social factors as well. The Arab Spring Revolutions have caused economic and social degradation across the region, resulting in a road block of political leadership. Without a reliable and capable government structure, the states are unable to progress economically. However, in order to have a stable government, social and economic institutions must be in place to create this capitalist economy that they strive for. Because most wealth resides in oil, the revenue that the states bring in isn't distributed properly throughout society and is concentrated within few business elites. The article stresses that instead of foreign aid going into the hands of an unstable leader or regime, it should be invested in institutions in order to spur economic growth and eliminate corruption. Rather than focusing on the Islamist-secularist divide, the world should be working towards the strengthening of institutions to create a stable foundation for governance. 

This was an article (originally published by the Independent, however, I found it on their website via my first article from the BBC) by the International Center for the Study of Radicalization and Political Violence of London. The article suggests, allowing fighters to return home safely and enroll in a De-radicalization program would be more beneficial than current policies of severe punishment (prison, stripping of citizenship, etc.). The authors contend current repercussions for fighters returning to their home countries leave them trapped and isolated and prison sentences often lead to further radicalization. Overall this article really captured my attention in its non-conventional proposal for governments to handle these situations.

Due to Libya's lack of institutional structure and weak centralized government, rival militia violence and clashes have created constant chaos leading the country towards another civil war. After the fall of Qaddafi, who obliterated institutions necessary for a functional government, Libya has been unable to manage the state. The National Transitional Council, which replaced the Qaddafi Regime, turned into the General National Congress and was given 18 months to form a democratic constitution. When the deadline passed the constitution was incomplete, which forced Congress to organize elections to a new House of Representatives. The former GNC members declared a new self proclaimed GNC, electing Omar al-Hasi as their prime minister. The new GNC is not recognized by Libya's parliament nor is it by the international community. Al Jazeera says the country literally has two parliaments and two governments, creating inconceivable instability throughout the state. The newly elected House has moved to Tobruk after armed islamic GNC militia groups overran the capital, seizing control over the major institutions in Tripoli. Due to this lack of a functional government, the rest of the state has turned to chaos. After the civil war, anti and pro Qaddafi forces branched into militias striving for power. Without a working state and government, militias had to rely on themselves to provide security, and really have no incentive to give up arms and no true government to be a part of. General Khalifa Hifter, a former Qaddafi general who later joined the Libyan rebel army in 2011, formed an anti-militia militia, targeting islamist militias like Ansar al-Sharia. Hifter is not affiliated with either of the governments, but rather strives for a military government, and supreme control of the armed forces.

This article details were certain countries, that are most affected by the Syrian conflict, stand within the conflict and how they would like to solve the issue.