Help Michael J. Totten write his book

Maybe you've read Michael J. Totten's blog? Now you can help support him as he writes a book.

Robert Baer on Iran and America, their joint futures

Robert Baer is a respected former CIA case officer turned author. In this video below he gives a frank account of Iran's grip on America's future. Recorded in November 2008, the video shows Baer describing Shia significance and Iranian influence in the Middle East, why Iran is a powerful and necessary player in the region and how the USA can and must engage with Iran.

It's a lucid and realistic analysis.

Middle Eastern graffiti and street art and design

Cities like New York, London and Tokyo are famous for their street art and ever-changing graffiti. It's also popular in the Middle East. Flickr has a photo pool devoted to collecting pictures of street art in the Middle East.

There's also the gorgeous Arabeque book about graphic design with the Arabic script (both Arabic and Persian). The website has a great gallery of photos of Cairo and the contents of the book.

Christmas in Bethlehem last year

Christmas in Bethlehem last year.