Last weekend, Israel allegedly attacked Iranian-made arms in Syria that were intended for Hezbollah in Lebanon (Jerusalem Post, May 6, 2013). The attack killed an unknown number of Syrian troops and prompted President Assad to threaten retaliation without warning (ibid.).

A recent Harvard study of 159 mental health patients found that “Belief [in God] was associated with not only improved psychological well-being, but decreases in depression and intention to self-harm” (PsychCentral, April 26, 2013; Journal of Affective Disorders, April 25, 2013).

The Arab Spring brought great hope as it swept through the Middle East, but something has changed.

Germany has recently become more assertive in making decisions for its future, with or without its allies.

In recent weeks, two earthquakes in Iran have caused significant damage and death.  “A powerful earthquake struck a border area of southeast Iran on Tuesday killing at least 35 people in neighboring Pakistan, destroying hundreds of houses and shaking buildings as far away as India and Gulf Arab states… It was the second big quake to hit Iran in a week.