Catherine Shakdam

Catherine Shakdam is the Yemen Unit Director for the Next Century Foundation (London). Formerly a consultant on Yemen for the UNSC, her writings and commentaries have appeared in major outlets, including RT, Al Jazeera, CGTN, Elaph and the BBC. She is the author of several books and research papers on the Middle East.

Hour of reckoning looms for Lebanon as violent anti-government protests hit Beirut Opinion
As smoke rises over Lebanon’s capital Beirut, scenes of utter chaos stand in sharp contrast to protesters’ once-peaceful calls for reforms. With the Lebanese all but out of patience, the country now sits on the edge of civil war.
Jan 20, 2020 18:36
Hunting for wife number 2 online: Playing Islam to Wahhabism distortion Opinion
Look who’s coming for dinner, it's wife number two! While many will smile at the premise such a statement implies, one controversial Muslim entrepreneur decided to make it the basis of his new UK business venture … Talk about playing to a stereotype.
Oct 25, 2017 17:07
Dying in Myanmar – When genocide becomes normative rather than aberrational Opinion
It’s official. Myanmar, according to the UN in its latest report, has given in to wanton murder and systematic oppression to cleanse its streets of its designated undesirables: Rohingya Muslims. However, violence is but the tip of that iceberg.
Oct 18, 2017 13:27
Trump’s UN speech heralds end of the American empire Opinion
The floor of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) will long echo from US President Donald Trump’s military grandstanding against Iran and North Korea. In fact, it is likely his tirade will be remembered as the start of the sunset on the American empire.
Sep 21, 2017 15:58
The Grand Delusion: Saudi Arabia professes to be 'rampart against Terror' Opinion
Speaking at a reception marking the end of the Hajj pilgrimage earlier this week, King Salman ibn Saud, the grand Wahhabist monarch of Saudi Arabia, highlighted his country’s role in serving as a responsible power before the ravages of radicalism.
Sep 6, 2017 14:56
Yemen: War crimes the world can no longer ignore Opinion
For all the lobbying Saudi Arabia may have exerted in turning Yemen into an unspoken graveyard so it could proclaim itself a liberator over Southern Arabia, Yemen’s suffering has become too grand, and too grave to dismiss.
Aug 24, 2017 12:52
Intl. Community recoils as Saudi Arabia goes on 'Crusade' of mass killing in Yemen Opinion
While few will pause upon hearing that Yemen was bombed yet again by Saudi Arabia’s war coalition, thus leading to many deaths, the kingdom’s propensity to concentrate its firepower on civilians has become a little hard to stomach.
Aug 11, 2017 12:40
The mouse that roared: How Saudi Arabia underestimated Qatar Opinion
There is a certain irony to the crisis that ails the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), now that Qatar has been labelled a pariah by Saudi Arabia. Terror aside, this stand-off has potential to reshape the region into a completely new geopolitical entity.
Jul 9, 2017 07:46
What next? America waxes nostalgic for abusive Middle East autocracies Opinion
A former CIA operative has expressed a longing for the Saddam era. So why is America suddenly arguing on behalf of oppression as a safeguard against terrorism, at a time when both Iraq and Syria are making such significant advances against militants?
Jun 26, 2017 12:44
Iran voted Rouhani again – now what? The $350-billion question for Trump Opinion
For a country labelled a theocracy, Iran certainly knows how to throw a presidential election. One more cynical than I may even go so far as to posit that Iran has mastered the art of democracy, right down to the posters and caps.
May 21, 2017 14:39

Catherine Shakdam

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