Ghassan Charbel

The Lebanese politician said he was at a loss every time he thought about President Ahmed al-Sharaa. He has an intriguing and complex past that merits deep study to understand the major transformation he went through. He admitted that he was alarmed when he saw the 40-something man take over…

The fleets have approached closer, and the generals have pored over maps. The scent of war is in the air. The region holds its breath. Coexisting with Iran’s approach is less costly than enduring the collapse of the Iranian regime. Mediation has been set in motion. The region seems locked into a…

Don't say that you have a solution. You are not a decision-maker and have no right to steal the spotlight or praise. Your fate is to remain in the shadows and for others to take credit for your work. The solution comes from the source. Your participation in devising it does not give you any right…

General Mazloum Abdi asked President Ahmad al-Sharaa for something he cannot give. Al-Sharaa cannot parcel out the “new Syria” among its components. Genuine decentralization for Kurdish areas would immediately raise parallel claims by the Alawites of the coast and the Druze of Suwayda. Without a…

Ruling a country is already complex. One must consolidate legitimacy and maintain firm trust between governance and the people. One must listen closely to the people, not simply make do with official reports that often do not raise doubts or address difficult questions. The daily concerns of the…

It is hardly surprising that the Saudi initiative to host the intra-Southern dialogue has been well received in Yemen. The initiative offers the people of southern Yemen, as well as all of its factions, an opportunity to develop a united vision for the Southern Question and a framework for…

If “Trump’s court” summons you, then take the issue with the seriousness it deserves. This applies whether you are a president accused of sponsoring terrorism or of running a drug empire. It also applies if you are the leader of a faction assigned to harass the “Great Satan,” its embassies, and its…

The court of the first quarter of the 21st Century resumed its meetings. The judges spent a long time studying the accused's case. It is violent, terrifying, and a reminder of what rulers were like during World War II. They leafed through papers that smelled like blood, witnessed the piles of small…

The first quarter of the 21st Century was catching its breath like a weary warrior firing his last shots. Judges were hastily called to a meeting. They feared that the first quarter would leave behind deadly mines for the years to come. They were alarmed at how international laws were reviled and…

How difficult it is to wait in Gaza; hungry children wait for meals and mothers wait for a let up from the wind that has uprooted tents and rainwater that has spread diseases. Fathers are helpless as they wait on weak pledges and face the cruelty of the enemy. How difficult it must be to have…