Silent Lonesome Man

Iran, Turkey and Saudi Arabia - the three biggest nations in West Asia, or the Middle East, in terms of influence. The history of the three countries is complex, marred between degrees of alliance, cooperation and conflict. The trio is irritated, at least, when going after each other for interests. All three only want to reshape the borders, reclaim what they believe to be the rightful positions three nations' predecessors once got. Such development reminds me of the famous era of China's Three Kingdoms. First the warlord era, different warlords persuaded different dreams. Then, only three warlords showed their merits: Cao Cao, Liu Bei and Sun Jian. They created their own states, fighting for the unification of China before Cao Cao would end up victorious. Of course, Cao Cao would not live to see his Cao Wei empire ended shortly at the hand of the Jin dynasty, which upheld the promise of continuing Cao Cao's dream of conquest and unified China by surprise. The era was histo...

When Israeli military and Palestinian militants clashed over the decision by the Israeli court to evict six Arab families from Jerusalem, little expected it would escalate into a full-blown conflict, with Israeli military now tries to flatten entire Gaza strip in accusation of the Hamas militants firing rockets to the country. Usually, Israel's actions would always receive condemnations from the majority of Muslim world. This time, no exception. But one country, once being Israel's strongest ally in the Islamic world, has now instead only expressed reservation. This was Azerbaijan, the Caucasus Shiite Muslim nation bordering Russia and Iran. The country's strange silence is abnormal because, in the past, Azerbaijan played an even more active role: it mediated between Israel and the Muslim nations; being one of only a few Muslim-majority states to not condemn Israel. So what happened? Israel and Azerbaijan have a unique relationship that made Azerbaijan the best Muslim ally ...