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Issue 429 January/February 2012

News and Views

4 The View 6 Comment 8 Compass

Current Affairs 10 Gulf security: Obama’s Plan B

16 An Egyptian election primer

19 The Iranian enigma 22 Israel’s day of reckoning

25 Afghanistan’s water wars 30 Refugees across the Arab world

33 Libya: Where have all the weapons gone?

Business 36 What price oil? 42 Facing challenge

& compromise 46 Arab banking: Obstacles & opportunities

Travelog 53 Sharjah: a glittering new destination

Mosaic 56 UAE National Day: Celebrating an illustrious past and an enviable future 60 Egyptian collection at the Ashmolean Museum

64 Book reviews

66 Last Word