http://www.ft.com/comment/columnists/roulakhalafhttp://www.ft.com/rss/comment/columnists/roulakhalafFT.com - Roula Khalafen© Copyright The Financial Times Ltd 2009. "FT" and "Financial Times" are trademarks of the Financial Times. See http://www.ft.com/servicestools/help/terms#legal1 for the terms and conditions of reuse.client.support@ft.com (Client Support)Mon, 16 Nov 2009 17:12:07 +0000Mon, 23 Nov 2009 05:59:44 +0000Newspapers15http://news.ft.com/cms/d1f3ce1a-6bbe-11da-bb53-0000779e2340.gifhttp://www.ft.com/comment/columnists/roulakhalaf(PICS-1.1 "http://www.classify.org/safesurf/" L gen true for "http://www.ft.com/" r (SS~~000 1))http://traxfer.ft.com/cms/s/0/b95b658a-d2ca-11de-af63-00144feabdc0.html?o=%2Frss%2Fcomment%2Fcolumnists%2Froulakhalafhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/b95b658a-d2ca-11de-af63-00144feabdc0.htmlAnkara's political and cultural charm offensive has for the first time gained it a leading role in the Middle East as the power of other leading players has wanedMon, 16 Nov 2009 17:12:07 +0000http://traxfer.ft.com/cms/s/0/9b3d711c-cd5f-11de-8162-00144feabdc0.html?o=%2Frss%2Fcomment%2Fcolumnists%2Froulakhalafhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/9b3d711c-cd5f-11de-8162-00144feabdc0.htmlMahmoud Abbas's decision not to contest the next Palestinian presidential election is a reflection of how quickly and dramatically the hopes for peace that accompanied the election, a year ago, of US president Barack Obama have been extinguished, writes Roula Khalaf Mon, 9 Nov 2009 20:02:08 +0000http://traxfer.ft.com/cms/s/0/feec7b7e-c7c7-11de-8ba8-00144feab49a.html?o=%2Frss%2Fcomment%2Fcolumnists%2Froulakhalafhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/feec7b7e-c7c7-11de-8ba8-00144feab49a.htmlWestern powers might run out of patience with Tehran's negotiating tactics and demand a complete end to the country's uranium enrichment activities Mon, 2 Nov 2009 16:13:26 +0000http://traxfer.ft.com/cms/s/0/5cce6684-b743-11de-9812-00144feab49a.html?o=%2Frss%2Fcomment%2Fcolumnists%2Froulakhalafhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/5cce6684-b743-11de-9812-00144feab49a.htmlIndicators such as oil prices and stock markets suggest a recovery is underway, writes Roula Khalaf. However, it will be some time until the effect is passed on to citizens in the form of eased lending conditionsMon, 12 Oct 2009 16:45:59 +0100http://traxfer.ft.com/cms/s/0/130906b2-ac49-11de-950b-00144feabdc0.html?o=%2Frss%2Fcomment%2Fcolumnists%2Froulakhalafhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/130906b2-ac49-11de-950b-00144feabdc0.htmlAnti-government violence in the north, a secession movement in the south and fugitive jihadis throughout the country, allied to failing oil production, mean the southern Gulf state is destabilising quicklyMon, 28 Sep 2009 17:23:31 +0100http://traxfer.ft.com/cms/s/0/3222ea5c-a142-11de-a88d-00144feabdc0.html?o=%2Frss%2Fcomment%2Fcolumnists%2Froulakhalafhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/3222ea5c-a142-11de-a88d-00144feabdc0.htmlDespite its vagueness, Tehran's proposal paper on its controversial nuclear programme to the UN Security Council has bought Mahmoud Ahmadi-Nejad a platform from which to address world leaders Mon, 14 Sep 2009 16:38:02 +0100http://traxfer.ft.com/cms/s/0/54119612-9635-11de-84d1-00144feabdc0.html?o=%2Frss%2Fcomment%2Fcolumnists%2Froulakhalafhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/54119612-9635-11de-84d1-00144feabdc0.html Three months after the parliamentary elections the country still has no government because of the intransigence of those who actually lost the June voteMon, 31 Aug 2009 15:06:25 +0100http://traxfer.ft.com/cms/s/0/903412f8-90ec-11de-bc99-00144feabdc0.html?o=%2Frss%2Fcomment%2Fcolumnists%2Froulakhalafhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/903412f8-90ec-11de-bc99-00144feabdc0.htmlThe election disaster has made the western ability to respond to Tehran's moves trickier, writes Roula Khalaf. Inaction is dangerous because it could encourage Israel to launch a military adventure. Rushing to impose new sanctions, particularly on petrol imports, is also riskyMon, 24 Aug 2009 22:05:58 +0100http://traxfer.ft.com/cms/s/0/d5ffd4a0-6a3d-11de-ad04-00144feabdc0.html?o=%2Frss%2Fcomment%2Fcolumnists%2Froulakhalafhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/d5ffd4a0-6a3d-11de-ad04-00144feabdc0.htmlWestern countries tend to ignore rigged elections in the Arab world that disadvantage Islamist parties, whereas Iran's reformist opposition drew unqualified support Mon, 6 Jul 2009 16:45:33 +0100http://traxfer.ft.com/cms/s/0/2eff0020-6594-11de-8e34-00144feabdc0.html?o=%2Frss%2Fcomment%2Fcolumnists%2Froulakhalafhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/2eff0020-6594-11de-8e34-00144feabdc0.htmlHaving all but put down a popular uprising in support of Mir Hossein Moussavi, the Iranian regime will not – and should not – relax. Tehran may have declared the election crisis over. But it is notTue, 30 Jun 2009 18:07:06 +0100http://traxfer.ft.com/cms/s/0/0bc72270-64c9-11de-a13f-00144feabdc0.html?o=%2Frss%2Fcomment%2Fcolumnists%2Froulakhalafhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/0bc72270-64c9-11de-a13f-00144feabdc0.htmlGiven the people's will to stand up for their rights and Ayatollah Khamenei's refusal to compromise, the crisis may have caused irreparable damage to the Islamic RepublicMon, 29 Jun 2009 17:45:00 +0100http://traxfer.ft.com/cms/s/0/b0175122-59bd-11de-b687-00144feabdc0.html?o=%2Frss%2Fcomment%2Fcolumnists%2Froulakhalafhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/b0175122-59bd-11de-b687-00144feabdc0.htmlThe results of the election were a reaction to the fact that Lebanon and Hizbollah have become so inexorably intertwined, says Roula Khalaf Mon, 15 Jun 2009 17:58:45 +0100http://traxfer.ft.com/cms/s/0/4470042c-5441-11de-a58d-00144feabdc0.html?o=%2Frss%2Fcomment%2Fcolumnists%2Froulakhalafhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/4470042c-5441-11de-a58d-00144feabdc0.htmlEven if the hardline Mahmoud Armedi-Nejad were toppled in the presidential election, the west could still face problems in trying to engage with the countryMon, 8 Jun 2009 16:58:47 +0100http://traxfer.ft.com/cms/s/0/04bfa642-4bb9-11de-b827-00144feabdc0.html?o=%2Frss%2Fcomment%2Fcolumnists%2Froulakhalafhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/04bfa642-4bb9-11de-b827-00144feabdc0.htmlAt a time when Obama is on a mission to improve America's battered image in the Muslim world it would be a mistake to punish voters for their choice. Indeed, if Hizbollah wins it will be forced to confront its own contradictions, writes Roula Khalaf Thu, 28 May 2009 20:09:59 +0100