Dale Gavlak

Dale Gavlak is a former Middle East correspondent for MintPress. Gavlak has been stationed in Cairo, Egypt Amman, Jordan for over two decades. An expert in Middle Eastern Affairs, Gavlak currently covers the Levant region of the Middle East from Amman for Associated Press (AP), National Public Radio (NPR) and Mint Press News writing in various topics including politics, social issues and economic trends. Dale holds a M.A. in Middle Eastern Studies from the University of Chicago. Contact Dale at [email protected]

Escalation Feared In Syria Amid Threats Over Ongoing Chemical Strike Investigation

The U.S. has already distanced itself from a U.N. investigation of an alleged chemical weapons attack, as regional war looms.

In this citizen journalism image provided by the Media Office Of Douma City, which has been authenticated based on its contents and other AP reporting, a Syrian man mourns over a dead body after an alleged poisonous gas attack fired by regime forces, according to activists, in Douma town, Damascus, Syria, Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2013. (AP Photo/Media Office Of Douma City)

Amman, Jordan -- Monday, the Syrian government gave the green light to U.N. inspectors to investigate the site of last week’s deadly chemical attack, which reportedly claimed the lives of hundreds in several suburbs east of Damascus. As suspicions mount over who carried out the attack, the U.N. team came under sniper fire on their way to the

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The Middle East Realigns… Again

New and sometimes unexpected friendships are forming as the entire region adjusts to the violence unfolding in Cairo.

Observers tuning-in to the sectarian narrative in today’s Middle East may find it jarring to see realignments by some of the region’s players as violent crisis engulfs Egypt. For those who have watched the oftentimes dissonant regional politics unfold over the years, such repositioning will seem less surprising. Sectarianism came to dominate and

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Al-Qaida Is Back And More Brutal Than Ever

Experts are now worrying that al-Qaida’s gains in Syria represent “the greatest threat to U.S. national security.”

While fighting has intensified recently between Syrian government troops and rebels throughout the country, the most significant development to date are attacks by mainly al-Qaida-linked fighters striking at the heartland of President Bashar Assad’s government and his Alawite base of support in Latakia province. It’s more evidence that al-Qaida

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Syrian Stalemate: Despite Rebel Victories, Assad’s Not Going Anywhere

Analysts say the road ahead for the opposition seeking to overthrow President Bashar Assad is not promising.

Despite some rare military gains by Syria’s fractious rebel forces in recent days, analysts say the road ahead for the opposition seeking to overthrow President Bashar Assad is not promising. Without serious weaponry and backing from the West, they believe, the rebels will not be able to oust the entrenched Syrian leader. But they add that Assad

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Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood Risks Political Suicide With Continued Protests

Both the Brotherhood and the military-backed interim government are upping the ante as the struggle for power escalates.

As Egypt’s turmoil deepens, analysts believe the embattled Muslim Brotherhood is committing political suicide by continuing street protests in an attempt to reinstate deposed President Mohamed Morsi. They say the Islamist group’s struggle portends a painful return to its all-too familiar role as opposition. This past weekend witnessed the

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Hamas-Led Gaza Faces Dwindling Options, Supply Lines After Losing Egypt’s Support

After ousting President Morsi, Egypt’s military has put a clampdown on Hamas-led Gaza’s only connections to the outside world.

Hamas is reeling from the repercussions of the sudden ouster of Egypt’s President Mohamed Morsi and the downfall of his Muslim Brotherhood movement earlier this month. While it seems unlikely, some have warned that the Palestinian Islamist group could face its own overthrow in Gaza, which it has ruled since its takeover of the coastal strip in

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In Egypt, Reconciliation Appears Distant Despite US Call For ‘Inclusive Transition’

As a U.S. official visited Egypt, ousted President Morsi’s supporters and opponents alike accused the other of receiving U.S. backing.

After initial calls by Egypt’s military-backed interim government for the Muslim Brotherhood to join the political process, prospects for reconciliation have further dimmed as the country’s new leaders issued arrest warrants, froze assets and detained Brotherhood members for criminal investigation. Brotherhood leaders and followers, meanwhile,

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