Iraq still votes, but democracy never arrived. In his new piece, Faisal Saeed Al Mutar traces how militias, corruption, and foreign power hollowed out Iraq’s institutions—and why Iraqis keep showing up anyway. 🔗 themiddleeastuncovered.com/p/fifteen-year…

“The liberal order won’t collapse by attack—it will rot quietly from within.” Part 2 of “The Shifting Global Order” explores the cultural and ideological cracks weakening democracy itself. By Ammar Abdulhamid (theactualammar.bsky.social) for Middle East Uncovered → themiddleeastuncovered.com/p/the-shifting…

Qatar says Hamas broke its own ceasefire. Iran funds its hardliners. And Gaza burns as two factions fight for control of the same movement. Hamza reports on Hamas’s internal collapse: 🔗 themiddleeastuncovered.com/p/hamas-at-war… #Gaza #Hamas #MiddleEast #Iran #Qatar #Politics

In Baghdad, young Iraqis are rewriting what patriotism means: not loyalty to factions, but to the constitution. @MuhiAlAnsari argues that defending the rule of law is the only path to a sovereign Iraq. 🔗 themiddleeastuncovered.com/p/iraqs-youth-…

A single tweet suggesting Hezbollah’s tunnels become wine cellars sparked a national debate. Issam Fawaz argues it struck a nerve because it asked the real question: will Lebanon keep digging into war, or into its own potential? 🔗 themiddleeastuncovered.com/p/wine-cellars…

Under Saddam, people hid banned books in garden soil. Today, they’re fighting a different battle: keeping eyes on pages instead of screens. Iraq’s readers are trying to bring back the habit that built their civilization. Read Olivia Cuthbert's latest for Middle East Uncovered:

Bagram was once America’s hub of power projection in Afghanistan. Now, it’s a symbol of what Washington lost, and what Beijing, Moscow, and Tehran see as opportunity. What still draws the world’s powers to the airbase THE U.S. left behind? ✍️ By Shabnam Nasimi:

Hamas is preparing an internal war in Gaza, not disarmament. Rival militias, divided zones, and a “massive security campaign” are already underway. Hamza breaks it all down. themiddleeastuncovered.com/p/hamas-is-not…

Washington’s caution on Syria feels “safe,” but Ammar Abdulhamid (theactualammar.bsky.social) argues it’s now strategically self-defeating. Sanctions are suffocating recovery & pushing Syria back toward extremism, not reform. A deeply important read on what comes next for Syria. themiddleeastuncovered.com/p/the-case-for…

Phil Juma walked away from wealth management and returned to the flavors he grew up with, reconstructing them dish by dish. The result is an Iraq shaped by migration, distance, and a London upbringing. 50ShadesOfBeige reports on his journey. themiddleeastuncovered.com/p/how-phil-jum…

Two major quakes in two months have shown how exposed Afghanistan has become. A 6.0 quake turns deadly when early-warning systems don’t exist, experts have left, and female staff are barred from most relief work. The result: slow access, weak infrastructure, and avoidable loss.

After Omid Sarlak burned a portrait of Supreme Leader Khamenei, he was found dead with a gunshot wound to the head. Iranian authorities called it suicide. Mourners called it murder, and turned his funeral into a protest. 50ShadesOfBeige reports from inside Iran’s latest

Lebanon’s institutions are unraveling, and President Joseph Aoun is refusing to confront the forces driving the collapse. With reforms stalled and authority eroding, the country is edging toward a point it may not return from. Read Issam Fawaz’s full analysis here: