Mohamad Bazzi reviews Robin Wright's Rock the Casbah.

Mohamad Bazzi discusses Bashar al-Assad and the Baathist regime in Syria.

Mohamad Bazzi discusses Muammar el-Qaddafi's "Green Book."

Mohamad Bazzi argues, "Internal problems won't stop Tehran from stirring up trouble abroad."

Mohamad Bazzi reviews The Media Relations Department of Hizbollah Wishes You a Happy Birthday, by Neil MacFarquhar.

Following the Lebanon's parliamentary elections, CFR's Mohamad Bazzi says a crucial question for the new government is whether it can operate without allowing Hezbollah and its allies to retain their veto power in the cabinet.

Syria’s improving relations with its Arab neighbors, its consent to indirect talks with Israel and its influence in the region have created ripe circumstances for the U.S. to revive a dialogue with Damascus, says Mohamad Bazzi

Whether Americans like it or not, Hamas represents a significant part of the Palestinian population. So why shouldn’t the United States engage them, asks Mohamad Bazzi.

Mohamad Bazzi criticizes the Bush Administration’s “flawed understanding of basic forces in the Middle East,” by pointing out his inaccurate grouping of Al-Qaeda, Hamas and Hezbollah in his speech to the Israeli Knesset. This is not the first time the President has made this mistake, says Bazzi. In his January 2007 State of the Union, he lumped Sunni and Shiite extremists as the same “totalitarian threat” with the “same wicked purposes.”

Mohamad Bazzi argues that while some of the blame for the conflict between Sunnis and Shiites in Lebanon can be placed on their “external masters” like the U.S. and Iran, most of the blame rests with the Lebanese themselves and their antiquated power-sharing pact.

“If President George W. Bush truly wants to leave a legacy of peacemaking in the Middle East, he's looking in the wrong place,” writes Mohamad Bazzi. Instead, he claims, the U.S. should focus its efforts on restoring Israeli-Syrian negotiations.  

Lebanon’s political future is uncertain, the country is on the verge of civil conflict, and Hizbollah is playing an increasingly larger role, says Mohamad Bazzi.

CFR’s Mohamad Bazzi describes the scene in Beirut, where fierce fighting has broken out between Hezbollah fighters and supporters of Lebanon’s government.

Mohamad Bazzi explains why Washington and the Maliki government should should change the draft election law and keep relations with Muqtada al-Sadr.

Two Mideast experts weigh the merits of isolating or engaging the terrorist group.

Hamas had a historic opportunity this week. By sending Carter home essentially empty-handed, Hamas allowed Israel and the Bush Administration to declare his mission a failure—and squandered a crucial opening, says Mohamad Bazzi.

Mohamad Bazzi argues that “the Iraqi government is about to make a major mistake: excluding Shi’ite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr from the political process.”

Mohamad Bazzi looks at the complexities surrounding Hamas, noting that “the longer Hamas remains isolated, the more it will depend on funding and support from Iran and Syria.”

Sistani’s clout is diminishing, and Sadr is eyeing his spot, argues Mohamad Bazzi.

Mohamad Bazzi, former Middle East correspondent for Newsday, says evidence suggests Israel’s intelligence agents as the most likely source of the bomb that killed Hezbollah terrorist chief Imad Mugniyah, but other scenarios also are feasible.

Imad Mughniyeh's killing “was the first major attack against a Hezbollah leader since Israel assassinated the group’s secretary-general in 1992,” reports Mohamad Bazzi.

CFR experts offer their analysis of President George W. Bush's final State of the Union address.

Instead of confronting Iran, as the Bush administration would like, Arab states are becoming friendlier with the Shi’a nation, argues Mohamad Bazzi.