Azeem Ibrahim

The appalling nature of the recent sex abuse cases being discussed in the media may be shocking but wild theories about race and religion are obscuring the fact that the statistics of child sex abuse deserve much closer study.

Paedophilia is essentially a crime of white males who make...

Domestic Drones and Spies in Mosques

Americans have become remarkably careless about their civil liberties -- issues that previous generations fought and died for, like the right to vote and the right to religious freedom with liberty and justice for all. The United States today is home to millions of...

A triumphant Vladimir Putin, Russian president from 2000 to 2008 before becoming prime minister due to term limits, has just won a third six-year term with nearly 64 percent of the vote.

Opposition claims that his presidential election victory was unfair and fraudulent are ignored by...

In December last year, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) announced their 2012 "Muslims Vote" campaign. A 2012 presidential voter guide is available, they have an online registration tool and a video, as well as a presence on Twitter. The hope is to encourage participation in the election...

What makes a nation great?

Traditionally, military power has undoubtedly been a part of it. Much ancient history is almost the story of the rise and fall of the military power of tribes, leaders and empires. And it is no coincidence that historians view the Second World War as something...

A lot is being asked of the leader of the Labour Party, Ed Miliband. He is expected to unify a dispirited party, present a road map to reform the capitalist system, provide a feisty opposition to the Conservative- Liberal Democrat coalition and also come up with solutions to the damaging...

In 1707 the Act of Union gave Westminster political and economic authority over Scotland and some Scots have been protesting ever since. Nearly 300 years later, a process of devolution has been set in place with a Scottish Parliament coming into being in 1999. Devolution has disappointed many Scots as...

"Those who give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither safety nor liberty."

Benjamin Franklin wrote these words in 1775, and they remain startlingly relevant today. We live in a counter-terrorism world, where the pursuit of public security has led to the erosion of civil liberties,...

Now that Syria has been declared by the United Nations to be in a state of civil war, President Assad must be reflecting on the fate of leaders in the Middle East who have been overthrown recently. The ignominious capture of Saddam Hussein was followed by a speedy trial and...

The oil- and gas-rich country of Azerbaijan is of great significance to Europe's need for a strategic alternative to its oil dependency on the Middle East. Late President Haydar Aliyev made his country into a new regional player in international energy politics and his son Ilham Aliyev continues to preside...

Pakistan's emerging frontrunner in the next elections, Imran Khan, has displayed in a remarkable first, his consummate skill as a rising statesman as well as politician. His recent visit to China at the invitation of the Chinese Communist Party is highly unusual for a man who has not been in...

Whether Greek Prime Minister, George Papandreou, is still leading his country next week or not, someone has to stop Greece from sliding into default and further calamity. The latest rescue deal suggested by the Eurozone countries has already been described as "too little, too late" by George Soros, as...

The increasing popularity of Imran Khan makes him look like a serious contender for the leadership of Pakistan in the next national election in 2013. A recent rally in Lahore drew twice the expected crowd and a Pew Research Center poll in June found him to be the...

In April, 2010 a New York Times article commented on President Obama's quiet approaches to the politically isolated Arab-American and Muslim communities. Without public fanfare, he has included Muslim leaders in policy discussions on a range of subjects including health care legislation, foreign policy, the economy, immigration and national...

According to Guardian writer David Graeber, the young people protesting in the financial districts of cities all over the United States are there "to reclaim the future." Young, educated and unemployed (or underemployed), the protesters are reacting to "the results of colossal social failure." Their banners say they are...

Republican presidential candidate, Ron Paul, is calling Al-Awlaki's assassination "an impeachable offense," and says that the administration "flouted the law" and is moving towards "tyranny." These are strong words and not unexpected in campaign season, but they do have a disturbing ring of truth.

This may be the first time...

Corruption in Pakistan is widespread and growing. In the latest Corruption Perception Index, the country is ranked the 34th most corrupt country in the world, up from 42nd last year. Recent polls reveal a pervasive culture of fraud, bribery, nepotism, cronyism and misappropriation of funds. 69% of poll...

The Islamic Republic of Pakistan may have been one of the more resilient Asian countries in the wake of the global financial crisis, but since then the economy has been seriously weakened. The earthquake in 2005 did great damage to the country's infrastructure but the ruinous floods of 2010 have...

"This is what democracy looks like!" A familiar chant from protesters, these words have reverberated this year from Wisconsin, in support of unions, to Cairo and other Middle East capitals throughout this exciting period of change.

But as we approach the end of this momentous year, we may well ask...

Turkey's secular democracy is increasingly establishing itself as a fulcrum for East-West relations, notably as a bridge to Iran and Syria. Its pending application to join the European Union is seen by some to be a powerful opportunity for better Middle East relations, enriching the possibilities of a more effective...