News stories by Analysis by Mona Alami

Caught in a wave of pro-democracy and pro-government protests, the Syrian political landscape seems far more complex than its Tunisian and Egyptian counterparts, where demonstrations ousted decades' old regimes. President Bashar al-Assad’s speech today may however give new momentum to pro-democracy protests.

In spite of its recent successes, Hezbollah seems to be experiencing increasing difficulty in harmonizing the interests of its Shiite constituency and those of its Iranian patrons as it delves into the chaos of Lebanese politics.

Last month's bloody gun battle in the streets of a heavily populated Beirut neighbourhood may have been triggered by an individual incident; its sectarian dimension, however, has once again highlighted the underlying battle of two currents — two visions of Lebanon that have been tearing the country apart for the last four years.

Violent conflict is hardly new to the Middle East, but increasingly it is taking the form of unconventional warfare.