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Read our <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160914024035/http://www.independent.co.uk/service/privacy-policy-a6184181.html">Privacy</a> and <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160914024035/http://www.independent.co.uk/service/cookie-policy-a6184186.html">Cookie</a> Policies to find out more.</p> </div> <div class="tabs"></div> <div class="region region-content"> <div class="term-listing-heading"><header class="section-title"> <ul class="breadcrumb"> <li><a href="/web/20160914024035/http://www.independent.co.uk/author-list" class="parent">Authors</a></li> </ul> <dl> <dt>Name</dt> <dd class="name"><h1 class="box-title">Robert Fisk</h1></dd> <dt>Photo</dt> <dd class="avatar"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20160914024035im_/https://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-public/styles/author_thumb/public/thumbnails/image/2016/07/20/13/robert-fisk-skyline.jpg" title="Robert Fisk"></dd> <dt>Bio</dt> <dd class="bio"> Robert Fisk is the multi-award winning Middle East correspondent of The Independent, based in Beirut. He has lived in the Arab world for more than 40 years, covering Lebanon, five Israeli invasions, the Iran-Iraq war, the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, the Algerian civil war, Saddam Hussein’s invasion of Kuwait, the Bosnian and Kosovo wars, the American invasion and occupation of Iraq and the 2011 Arab revolutions. Occasionally describing himself as an ‘Ottoman correspondent’ because of the huge area he covers, Fisk joined The Independent in 1989. He has written best-selling books on the Middle East, including Pity the Nation and The Great War for Civilisation. He was born in Kent in 1946 and gained his BA in English and Classics at Lancaster University. He holds a PhD in politics from Trinity College, Dublin. </dd>   </header> <div class="content"> <div class="row" data-tb-region="row-1"><article data-weight="2" class="weight-2"><div class="container grid-mod-story bottom-text grow-photo " data-url="/web/20160914024035oe_/http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/saudi-arabia-cannot-pay-its-workers-or-bills-yet-continues-to-fund-a-war-in-yemen-a7232466.html" data-tb-region-item="1-1"> <div class="image_wrapper"> <div class="image image-align-cc" style="background-image: url('https://web.archive.org/web/20160914024035im_/https://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-public/styles/size2/public/thumbnails/image/2016/07/27/11/jeddah-skyline.jpg');"> <a href="/web/20160914024035/http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/saudi-arabia-cannot-pay-its-workers-or-bills-yet-continues-to-fund-a-war-in-yemen-a7232466.html"></a> </div> </div> <div class="content"> <div class="capsules" data-capsule-count="0"> <ul> <li class="shares"> <span class="icon-trending"></span> <span class="label"></span> </li> </ul> </div> <h1><a href="/web/20160914024035/http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/saudi-arabia-cannot-pay-its-workers-or-bills-yet-continues-to-fund-a-war-in-yemen-a7232466.html"><span class="media-prefix "></span>Saudi Arabia cannot pay its workers or bills</a></h1> <div class="lead"> <p>In Saudi Arabia itself, the government seems unable to cope with the crisis. The 'Arab News' says that 31,000 Saudi and other foreign workers have lodged complaints with the government’s labour ministry over unpaid wages. On one occasion, the Indian consulate and expatriates brought food to the workers so that their people should not starve</p> </div> </div> </div> </article><article data-weight="1" class="weight-1"><div class="container-half grid-mod-half-story " data-tb-region-item="2-1"> <div class="image_wrapper"> <div class="image image-align-tc" style="background-image: url('https://web.archive.org/web/20160914024035im_/https://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-public/styles/size1/public/thumbnails/image/2016/09/01/13/gettyimages-544836742.jpg');"> <a href="/web/20160914024035/http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/a-year-on-from-alan-kurdi-we-continue-to-ignore-the-facts-in-front-of-us-and-we-ignore-them-at-our-a7220111.html"></a> </div> </div> <div class="content"> <h1><a href="/web/20160914024035/http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/a-year-on-from-alan-kurdi-we-continue-to-ignore-the-facts-in-front-of-us-and-we-ignore-them-at-our-a7220111.html"><span class="media-prefix "></span>A year on from Alan Kurdi, we continue to ignore the facts</a></h1> </div> </div> <div class="grid-mod-card-list"> <ul> <li class="story" data-tb-region-item="2-2"> <a href="/web/20160914024035/http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/iraq-sunni-shia-nasiriyah-prison-hangman-excutions-back-and-they-re-becoming-more-efficient-a7208816.html"> <span class="image" style="background-image: url('https://web.archive.org/web/20160914024035im_/https://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-public/styles/storylist/public/thumbnails/image/2016/08/25/10/speicher-massacre.jpg');"></span> <h2>Iraq’s hangmen are back and they’re becoming more efficient</h2> </a> </li> <li class="story" data-tb-region-item="2-3"> <a href="/web/20160914024035/http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/turkey-syria-kurds-middle-east-a7207506.html"> <span class="image" style="background-image: url('https://web.archive.org/web/20160914024035im_/https://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-public/styles/storylist/public/thumbnails/image/2016/08/24/09/turkey-tanks-jarablus.jpg');"></span> <h2>Turkey is now in Syria and this is what it means for the Middle East</h2> </a> </li> <li class="story" data-tb-region-item="2-4"> <a href="/web/20160914024035/http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/turkey-kurdish-wedding-gaziantep-bomb-isis-gaziantep-erdogan-putin-syria-robert-fisk-a7202751.html"> <span class="image" style="background-image: url('https://web.archive.org/web/20160914024035im_/https://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-public/styles/storylist/public/thumbnails/image/2016/08/20/23/turkey-bombing.jpg');"></span> <h2>Turkey's hit list of enemies grows as Erdogan prepares to enter Syria</h2> </a> </li> </ul> </div> </article><article data-weight="1" class="weight-1" data-locked="true"> <div id="mpu0" class="grid-mod-single-mpu"> </div> </article></div><div class="row" data-tb-region="row-2"><article data-weight="1" class="weight-1" data-locked="true"> <div id="mpu1" class="grid-mod-single-mpu"> </div> </article><article data-weight="1" class="weight-1"><div class="container grid-mod-story bottom-text grow-photo " data-url="/web/20160914024035oe_/http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/the-shiites-are-winning-in-the-middle-east-and-its-all-thanks-to-russia-a7197081.html" data-tb-region-item="1-1"> <div class="image_wrapper"> <div class="image image-align-tc lazy" data-original="https://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-public/styles/size1/public/thumbnails/image/2016/08/09/15/putin-erdogan.jpg"> <a href="/web/20160914024035/http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/the-shiites-are-winning-in-the-middle-east-and-its-all-thanks-to-russia-a7197081.html"></a> </div> </div> <div class="content"> <div class="capsules" data-capsule-count="0"> <ul> <li class="shares"> <span class="icon-trending"></span> <span class="label"></span> </li> </ul> </div> <h1><a href="/web/20160914024035/http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/the-shiites-are-winning-in-the-middle-east-and-its-all-thanks-to-russia-a7197081.html"><span class="media-prefix "></span>The Shias are winning in the Middle East – thanks to Russia</a></h1> </div> </div> </article><article data-weight="1" class="weight-1"><div class="container grid-mod-story bottom-text grow-photo " data-url="/web/20160914024035oe_/http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/turkey-release-prisoners-make-room-arrested-failed-coup-robert-fisk-a7195401.html" data-tb-region-item="2-1"> <div class="image_wrapper"> <div class="image image-align-tc lazy" data-original="https://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-public/styles/size1/public/thumbnails/image/2016/08/11/11/turkey.jpg"> <a href="/web/20160914024035/http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/turkey-release-prisoners-make-room-arrested-failed-coup-robert-fisk-a7195401.html"></a> </div> </div> <div class="content"> <div class="capsules" data-capsule-count="0"> <ul> <li class="shares"> <span class="icon-trending"></span> <span class="label"></span> </li> </ul> </div> <h1><a href="/web/20160914024035/http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/turkey-release-prisoners-make-room-arrested-failed-coup-robert-fisk-a7195401.html"><span class="media-prefix "></span>Erdogan’s new prisoners could languish for years without trial</a></h1> </div> </div> </article><article data-weight="1" class="weight-1"><div class="container grid-mod-story bottom-text grow-photo " data-url="/web/20160914024035oe_/http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/isis-syria-radical-islam-extremism-not-radicalised-infantilised-young-muslims-robert-fisk-a7184746.html" data-tb-region-item="3-1"> <div class="image_wrapper"> <div class="image image-align-tc lazy" data-original="https://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-public/styles/size1/public/thumbnails/image/2016/06/02/09/isisflag.jpg"> <a href="/web/20160914024035/http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/isis-syria-radical-islam-extremism-not-radicalised-infantilised-young-muslims-robert-fisk-a7184746.html"></a> </div> </div> <div class="content"> <div class="capsules" data-capsule-count="0"> <ul> <li class="shares"> <span class="icon-trending"></span> <span class="label"></span> </li> </ul> </div> <h1><a href="/web/20160914024035/http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/isis-syria-radical-islam-extremism-not-radicalised-infantilised-young-muslims-robert-fisk-a7184746.html"><span class="media-prefix "></span>Isis has not radicalised Muslims, it has infantilised them </a></h1> </div> </div> </article></div><div class="row" data-tb-region="row-3"><article data-weight="1" class="weight-1"><div class="container grid-mod-story bottom-text grow-photo " data-url="/web/20160914024035oe_/http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/erdogan-putin-turkey-russia-meeting-after-failed-coup-isis-syria-what-future-holds-a7180551.html" data-tb-region-item="1-1"> <div class="image_wrapper"> <div class="image image-align-tc lazy" data-original="https://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-public/styles/size1/public/thumbnails/image/2016/08/07/20/istanbul-rally-5.jpg"> <a href="/web/20160914024035/http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/erdogan-putin-turkey-russia-meeting-after-failed-coup-isis-syria-what-future-holds-a7180551.html"></a> </div> </div> <div class="content"> <div class="capsules" data-capsule-count="0"> <ul> <li class="shares"> <span class="icon-trending"></span> <span class="label"></span> </li> </ul> </div> <h1><a href="/web/20160914024035/http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/erdogan-putin-turkey-russia-meeting-after-failed-coup-isis-syria-what-future-holds-a7180551.html"><span class="media-prefix "></span>Erdogan’s meeting with Putin will signal Syria's future</a></h1> </div> </div> </article><article data-weight="1" class="weight-1"><div class="container grid-mod-story bottom-text grow-photo " data-url="/web/20160914024035oe_/http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/its-sad-but-true-that-in-colonial-times-our-governments-were-better-at-responding-to-human-rights-a7174241.html" data-tb-region-item="2-1"> <div class="image_wrapper"> <div class="image image-align-tc lazy" data-original="https://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-public/styles/size1/public/thumbnails/image/2016/07/22/12/yemen-children-soldiers.jpg"> <a href="/web/20160914024035/http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/its-sad-but-true-that-in-colonial-times-our-governments-were-better-at-responding-to-human-rights-a7174241.html"></a> </div> </div> <div class="content"> <div class="capsules" data-capsule-count="0"> <ul> <li class="shares"> <span class="icon-trending"></span> <span class="label"></span> </li> </ul> </div> <h1><a href="/web/20160914024035/http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/its-sad-but-true-that-in-colonial-times-our-governments-were-better-at-responding-to-human-rights-a7174241.html"><span class="media-prefix "></span>In colonial times, our governments were better at human rights</a></h1> </div> </div> </article><article data-weight="1" class="weight-1"><div class="container grid-mod-story bottom-text grow-photo " data-url="/web/20160914024035oe_/http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/aleppo-siege-syria-assad-isis-srebrenica-kosovo-robert-fisk-west-won-t-go-to-war-a7171466.html" data-tb-region-item="3-1"> <div class="image_wrapper"> <div class="image image-align-tc lazy" data-original="https://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-public/styles/size1/public/thumbnails/image/2016/07/17/16/aleppo.jpg"> <a href="/web/20160914024035/http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/aleppo-siege-syria-assad-isis-srebrenica-kosovo-robert-fisk-west-won-t-go-to-war-a7171466.html"></a> </div> </div> <div class="content"> <div class="capsules" data-capsule-count="0"> <ul> <li class="shares"> <span class="icon-trending"></span> <span class="label"></span> </li> </ul> </div> <h1><a href="/web/20160914024035/http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/aleppo-siege-syria-assad-isis-srebrenica-kosovo-robert-fisk-west-won-t-go-to-war-a7171466.html"><span class="media-prefix "></span>No, Aleppo is not the new Srebrenica</a></h1> </div> </div> </article><article data-weight="1" class="weight-1" data-locked="true"> <div id="mpu2" class="grid-mod-single-mpu"> </div> </article></div><div class="row" data-tb-region="row-4"><article data-weight="1" class="weight-1"><div class="container-half grid-mod-half-story grid-mod-half-height " data-url="/web/20160914024035oe_/http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/dont-be-fooled-by-the-news-that-al-qaeda-and-nusra-have-split-for-the-good-of-the-syrian-people-a7161776.html" data-tb-region-item="1-1"> <div class="image_wrapper"> <div class="image image-align-cc lazy" data-original="https://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-public/styles/size1_half/public/thumbnails/image/2016/03/11/16/Syria-protest-shut-down-2.jpg"> <a href="/web/20160914024035/http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/dont-be-fooled-by-the-news-that-al-qaeda-and-nusra-have-split-for-the-good-of-the-syrian-people-a7161776.html"></a> </div> </div> <div class="content"> <div class="capsules" data-capsule-count="0"> <ul> <li class="shares"> <span class="icon-trending"></span> <span class="label"></span> </li> </ul> </div> <h1><a href="/web/20160914024035/http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/dont-be-fooled-by-the-news-that-al-qaeda-and-nusra-have-split-for-the-good-of-the-syrian-people-a7161776.html"><span class="media-prefix "></span>Don't be fooled by the news that al-Qaeda and Nusra have split</a></h1> <div class="lead"> <p>Turn it into a respectable army of 'moderates', give it a spanking new name, and then the Americans and Russians will stop bombing the daylights out of it and Qatar’s loyal militia will destroy the Assad regime and… Well, if that happened, Qatar would control the future of Syria</p> </div> </div> </div> </article><article data-weight="1" class="weight-1"><div class="container-half grid-mod-half-story grid-mod-half-height " data-url="/web/20160914024035oe_/http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/qatar-sheikh-tamim-bin-hamad-al-thani-british-business-us-influence-arab-autumn-a7160401.html" data-tb-region-item="2-1"> <div class="image_wrapper"> <div class="image image-align-tc lazy" data-original="https://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-public/styles/size1_half/public/thumbnails/image/2013/06/25/20/pg-6-sheikh-1-reuters.jpg"> <a href="/web/20160914024035/http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/qatar-sheikh-tamim-bin-hamad-al-thani-british-business-us-influence-arab-autumn-a7160401.html"></a> </div> </div> <div class="content"> <div class="capsules" data-capsule-count="0"> <ul> <li class="shares"> <span class="icon-trending"></span> <span class="label"></span> </li> </ul> </div> <h1><a href="/web/20160914024035/http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/qatar-sheikh-tamim-bin-hamad-al-thani-british-business-us-influence-arab-autumn-a7160401.html"><span class="media-prefix "></span>Qatar could be heading for an 'Arab autumn'</a></h1> <div class="lead"> <p><span style="line-height: 20.8px;">Investments by Qatar’s state-owned companies in Britain are the largest in western Europe: Shell, Barclays, the Shard, Harrods, Canary Wharf and 30 per cent shares in the London Stock Exchange will surely guarantee a lowering of the UK flag to half-mast when Hamad and Tamim die</span></p> </div> </div> </div> </article><article data-weight="1" class="weight-1"><div class="container-half grid-mod-half-story grid-mod-half-height " data-url="/web/20160914024035oe_/http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/to-understand-the-islamist-beheading-of-a-french-priest-i-remembered-the-words-of-a-man-whose-monks-a7158506.html" data-tb-region-item="3-1"> <div class="image_wrapper"> <div class="image image-align-tc lazy" data-original="https://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-public/styles/size1_half/public/thumbnails/image/2016/07/26/16/normandy-priest.jpg"> <a href="/web/20160914024035/http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/to-understand-the-islamist-beheading-of-a-french-priest-i-remembered-the-words-of-a-man-whose-monks-a7158506.html"></a> </div> </div> <div class="content"> <div class="capsules" data-capsule-count="0"> <ul> <li class="shares"> <span class="icon-trending"></span> <span class="label"></span> </li> </ul> </div> <h1><a href="/web/20160914024035/http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/to-understand-the-islamist-beheading-of-a-french-priest-i-remembered-the-words-of-a-man-whose-monks-a7158506.html"><span class="media-prefix "></span>How to understand the Islamist beheading of a French priest</a></h1> <div class="lead"> <p>'It is true that we found only their heads,' the Archbishop of Algiers said quietly to me on a hot afternoon, the sound of police sirens echoing over the city, as he spoke of monks being slaughtered. 'Three of their heads were hanging from a tree near a petrol station'</p> </div> </div> </div> </article><article data-weight="1" class="weight-1"><div class="container-half grid-mod-half-story grid-mod-half-height " data-url="/web/20160914024035oe_/http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/it-is-10-years-since-un-peacekeepers-were-killed-in-southern-lebanon-and-it-could-happen-again-now-a7154571.html" data-tb-region-item="4-1"> <div class="image_wrapper"> <div class="image image-align-tc lazy" data-original="https://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-public/styles/size1_half/public/thumbnails/image/2014/08/28/16/un-peacekeepers.jpg"> <a href="/web/20160914024035/http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/it-is-10-years-since-un-peacekeepers-were-killed-in-southern-lebanon-and-it-could-happen-again-now-a7154571.html"></a> </div> </div> <div class="content"> <div class="capsules" data-capsule-count="0"> <ul> <li class="shares"> <span class="icon-trending"></span> <span class="label"></span> </li> </ul> </div> <h1><a href="/web/20160914024035/http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/it-is-10-years-since-un-peacekeepers-were-killed-in-southern-lebanon-and-it-could-happen-again-now-a7154571.html"><span class="media-prefix "></span>UN peacekeepers were killed in Lebanon – and it could happen again</a></h1> <div class="lead"> <p style="line-height: 20.8px;">The Israelis have never revealed their secret. Nor has the present Canadian Government, under the more politically neutral Justin Trudeau, restored the Canadian investigation report to its website</p> </div> </div> </div> </article></div><div class="row" data-tb-region="row-5"><article data-weight="1" class="weight-1"><div class="container grid-mod-story bottom-text grow-photo " data-url="/web/20160914024035oe_/http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/munich-shooting-nice-attack-terrorism-robert-fisk-catch-all-finally-caught-out-a7153176.html" data-tb-region-item="1-1"> <div class="image_wrapper"> <div class="image image-align-cc lazy" data-original="https://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-public/styles/size1/public/thumbnails/image/2016/07/24/10/munich-memorial.jpg"> <a href="/web/20160914024035/http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/munich-shooting-nice-attack-terrorism-robert-fisk-catch-all-finally-caught-out-a7153176.html"></a> </div> </div> <div class="content"> <div class="capsules" data-capsule-count="0"> <ul> <li class="shares"> <span class="icon-trending"></span> <span class="label"></span> </li> </ul> </div> <h1><a href="/web/20160914024035/http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/munich-shooting-nice-attack-terrorism-robert-fisk-catch-all-finally-caught-out-a7153176.html"><span class="media-prefix "></span>We love to talk of terror – but this catch-all term can catch us out</a></h1> </div> </div> </article><article data-weight="1" class="weight-1"><div class="container grid-mod-story bottom-text grow-photo " data-url="/web/20160914024035oe_/http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/erdogan-turkey-coup-attempt-purge-armenian-genocide-still-defends-ottoman-army-a7147991.html" data-tb-region-item="2-1"> <div class="image_wrapper"> <div class="image image-align-tc lazy" data-original="https://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-public/styles/size1/public/thumbnails/image/2016/04/25/15/armenian-genocide.jpg"> <a href="/web/20160914024035/http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/erdogan-turkey-coup-attempt-purge-armenian-genocide-still-defends-ottoman-army-a7147991.html"></a> </div> </div> <div class="content"> <div class="capsules" data-capsule-count="0"> <ul> <li class="shares"> <span class="icon-trending"></span> <span class="label"></span> </li> </ul> </div> <h1><a href="/web/20160914024035/http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/erdogan-turkey-coup-attempt-purge-armenian-genocide-still-defends-ottoman-army-a7147991.html"><span class="media-prefix "></span>Through his own crisis, Erdogan still defends the Armenian genocide</a></h1> </div> </div> </article><article data-weight="1" class="weight-1"><div class="container grid-mod-story bottom-text grow-photo " data-url="/web/20160914024035oe_/http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/turkey-coup-erdogan-ankara-istanbul-military-army-turkey-s-coup-may-have-failed-but-history-shows-a7140521.html" data-tb-region-item="3-1"> <div class="image_wrapper"> <div class="image image-align-cc lazy" data-original="https://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-public/styles/size1/public/thumbnails/image/2016/07/16/04/turkey-soldiers.jpg"> <a href="/web/20160914024035/http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/turkey-coup-erdogan-ankara-istanbul-military-army-turkey-s-coup-may-have-failed-but-history-shows-a7140521.html"></a> </div> </div> <div class="content"> <div class="capsules" data-capsule-count="0"> <ul> <li class="shares"> <span class="icon-trending"></span> <span class="label"></span> </li> </ul> </div> <h1><a href="/web/20160914024035/http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/turkey-coup-erdogan-ankara-istanbul-military-army-turkey-s-coup-may-have-failed-but-history-shows-a7140521.html"><span class="media-prefix "></span>Turkey’s coup may have failed – but another will succeed</a></h1> </div> </div> </article><article data-weight="1" class="weight-1" data-locked="true"> <div id="mpu3" class="grid-mod-single-mpu"> </div> </article></div><div class="row" data-tb-region="row-6"><article data-weight="1" class="weight-1"><div class="container-half grid-mod-half-story grid-mod-half-height " data-url="/web/20160914024035oe_/http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/nice-terrorist-attack-france-isis-francois-hollande-response-syria-iraq-military-bombs-vicious-a7139101.html" data-tb-region-item="1-1"> <div class="image_wrapper"> <div class="image image-align-tc lazy" data-original="https://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-public/styles/size1_half/public/thumbnails/image/2016/07/15/12/nice-attack-14.jpg"> <a href="/web/20160914024035/http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/nice-terrorist-attack-france-isis-francois-hollande-response-syria-iraq-military-bombs-vicious-a7139101.html"></a> </div> </div> <div class="content"> <div class="capsules" data-capsule-count="0"> <ul> <li class="shares"> <span class="icon-trending"></span> <span class="label"></span> </li> </ul> </div> <h1><a href="/web/20160914024035/http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/nice-terrorist-attack-france-isis-francois-hollande-response-syria-iraq-military-bombs-vicious-a7139101.html"><span class="media-prefix "></span>Hollande's promise to respond militarily to Nice is wrong-headed</a></h1> <div class="lead"> <p>At some point, we in the West are going to have to learn that if we intervene militarily in Mali or Iraq or Libya or Syria or interfere in Turkey, or Egypt, or the Gulf, or the Maghreb – then we will not be safe 'at home'</p> </div> </div> </div> </article><article data-weight="1" class="weight-1"><div class="container-half grid-mod-half-story grid-mod-half-height " data-url="/web/20160914024035oe_/http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/middle-east-conflict-syria-shakespeare-could-help-solve-it-a7136956.html" data-tb-region-item="2-1"> <div class="image_wrapper"> <div class="image image-align-tc lazy" data-original="https://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-public/styles/size1_half/public/thumbnails/image/2016/03/24/18/shakespeare-richard-ii.jpg"> <a href="/web/20160914024035/http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/middle-east-conflict-syria-shakespeare-could-help-solve-it-a7136956.html"></a> </div> </div> <div class="content"> <div class="capsules" data-capsule-count="0"> <ul> <li class="shares"> <span class="icon-trending"></span> <span class="label"></span> </li> </ul> </div> <h1><a href="/web/20160914024035/http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/middle-east-conflict-syria-shakespeare-could-help-solve-it-a7136956.html"><span class="media-prefix "></span>How reading Shakespeare could help stop conflict in the Middle East</a></h1> <div class="lead"> <p>There is a lack of humanist studies in the universities of the Arab world, and an absence of the texts which flourished in the very golden age which Islamists so often proclaim</p> </div> </div> </div> </article><article data-weight="1" class="weight-1"><div class="container-half grid-mod-half-story grid-mod-half-height " data-url="/web/20160914024035oe_/http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/from-isis-jihadists-to-kurdish-forces-to-government-soldiers-speak-to-fighters-in-syria-and-you-will-a7132421.html" data-tb-region-item="3-1"> <div class="image_wrapper"> <div class="image image-align-tc lazy" data-original="https://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-public/styles/size1_half/public/thumbnails/image/2016/07/12/11/aleppopic-robertfisk.jpg"> <a href="/web/20160914024035/http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/from-isis-jihadists-to-kurdish-forces-to-government-soldiers-speak-to-fighters-in-syria-and-you-will-a7132421.html"></a> </div> </div> <div class="content"> <div class="capsules" data-capsule-count="0"> <ul> <li class="shares"> <span class="icon-trending"></span> <span class="label"></span> </li> </ul> </div> <h1><a href="/web/20160914024035/http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/from-isis-jihadists-to-kurdish-forces-to-government-soldiers-speak-to-fighters-in-syria-and-you-will-a7132421.html"><span class="media-prefix "></span>What fighters on all sides in Syria will tell you</a></h1> <div class="lead"> <p>In a military prison in Damascus, a 34-year old Muslim who wanted to be an Islamist fighter breaks down in tears as he tells us how he lied to his wife. Another man tells me his life is so framed by war that his biggest fear is peace</p> </div> </div> </div> </article><article data-weight="1" class="weight-1"><div class="container-half grid-mod-half-story grid-mod-half-height " data-url="/web/20160914024035oe_/http://www.independent.co.uk/world/rif-aleppo-the-decisive-battlefield-in-the-syrian-civil-war-a7131531.html" data-tb-region-item="4-1"> <div class="image_wrapper"> <div class="image image-align-cc lazy" data-original="https://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-public/styles/size1_half/public/thumbnails/image/2016/05/31/16/pp-isis-cockburn-6-getty.jpg"> <a href="/web/20160914024035/http://www.independent.co.uk/world/rif-aleppo-the-decisive-battlefield-in-the-syrian-civil-war-a7131531.html"></a> </div> </div> <div class="content"> <div class="capsules" data-capsule-count="0"> <ul> <li class="shares"> <span class="icon-trending"></span> <span class="label"></span> </li> </ul> </div> <h1><a href="/web/20160914024035/http://www.independent.co.uk/world/rif-aleppo-the-decisive-battlefield-in-the-syrian-civil-war-a7131531.html"><span class="media-prefix "></span>Rif Aleppo: the decisive battlefield</a></h1> <div class="lead"> <p>Some Syrian army commanders say al-Nusra Front is becoming a more formidable force than Isis, writes <strong>Robert Fisk</strong></p> </div> </div> </div> </article></div><div class="row" data-tb-region="row-7"><article data-weight="4" class="weight-4"><div class="partner-slots"> <div class="es-partners-slot parter-slot-1"> <div id="partner1"> </div> </div> <div class="es-partners-slot parter-slot-2"> <div id="partner2"> </div> </div> <div class="es-partners-slot parter-slot-3"> <div id="partner3"> </div> </div> <div class="es-partners-slot parter-slot-4"> <div id="partner4"> </div> </div> <div class="es-partners-slot parter-slot-5"> <div id="partner5"> </div> </div> </div> </article></div><div class="row" data-tb-region="row-8"><article data-weight="1" class="weight-1"><div class="container grid-mod-story bottom-text grow-photo " data-url="/web/20160914024035oe_/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/isis-syria-palmrya-russia-forces-journey-down-roman-road-to-barbarity-a7129406.html" data-tb-region-item="1-1"> <div class="image_wrapper"> <div class="image image-align-tc lazy" data-original="https://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-public/styles/size1/public/thumbnails/image/2016/04/02/11/palmyra-face.jpg"> <a href="/web/20160914024035/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/isis-syria-palmrya-russia-forces-journey-down-roman-road-to-barbarity-a7129406.html"></a> </div> </div> <div class="content"> <div class="capsules" data-capsule-count="0"> <ul> <li class="shares"> <span class="icon-trending"></span> <span class="label"></span> </li> </ul> </div> <h1><a href="/web/20160914024035/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/isis-syria-palmrya-russia-forces-journey-down-roman-road-to-barbarity-a7129406.html"><span class="media-prefix "></span>Inside Palmyra Russian forces reveal full horrors of the Isis regime</a></h1> </div> </div> </article><article data-weight="1" class="weight-1"><div class="container grid-mod-story bottom-text grow-photo " data-url="/web/20160914024035oe_/http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/after-receiving-a-gun-for-my-birthday-i-reconsidered-my-relationship-with-firearms-a7129646.html" data-tb-region-item="2-1"> <div class="image_wrapper"> <div class="image image-align-tc lazy" data-original="https://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-public/styles/size1/public/thumbnails/image/2016/07/10/15/fisk_gun.jpg"> <a href="/web/20160914024035/http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/after-receiving-a-gun-for-my-birthday-i-reconsidered-my-relationship-with-firearms-a7129646.html"></a> </div> </div> <div class="content"> <div class="capsules" data-capsule-count="0"> <ul> <li class="shares"> <span class="icon-trending"></span> <span class="label"></span> </li> </ul> </div> <h1><a href="/web/20160914024035/http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/after-receiving-a-gun-for-my-birthday-i-reconsidered-my-relationship-with-firearms-a7129646.html"><span class="media-prefix "></span>When is a gun not a gun? </a></h1> </div> </div> </article><article data-weight="1" class="weight-1"><div class="container grid-mod-story bottom-text grow-photo " data-url="/web/20160914024035oe_/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/tasked-with-translating-the-language-of-hate-jan-mahmoud-yahya-isis-syria-raqqa-7127636.html" data-tb-region-item="3-1"> <div class="image_wrapper"> <div class="image image-align-tc lazy" data-original="https://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-public/styles/size1/public/thumbnails/image/2016/04/19/17/sirte.jpg"> <a href="/web/20160914024035/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/tasked-with-translating-the-language-of-hate-jan-mahmoud-yahya-isis-syria-raqqa-7127636.html"></a> </div> </div> <div class="content"> <div class="capsules" data-capsule-count="0"> <ul> <li class="shares"> <span class="icon-trending"></span> <span class="label"></span> </li> </ul> </div> <h1><a href="/web/20160914024035/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/tasked-with-translating-the-language-of-hate-jan-mahmoud-yahya-isis-syria-raqqa-7127636.html"><span class="media-prefix "></span>The former Isis translator who learned to speak the language of hate</a></h1> </div> </div> </article><article data-weight="1" class="weight-1" data-locked="true"> <div id="ayl" class="grid-mod-single-mpu"> </div> </article></div><div class="row" data-tb-region="row-9"><article data-weight="1" class="weight-1"><div class="container-half grid-mod-half-story grid-mod-half-height " data-url="/web/20160914024035oe_/http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/chilcot-inquiry-report-iraq-war-robert-fisk-tired-of-lessons-ignores-iraqis-a7124841.html" data-tb-region-item="1-1"> <div class="image_wrapper"> <div class="image image-align-tc lazy" data-original="https://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-public/styles/size1_half/public/thumbnails/image/2016/06/30/11/iraq-war-4.jpg"> <a href="/web/20160914024035/http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/chilcot-inquiry-report-iraq-war-robert-fisk-tired-of-lessons-ignores-iraqis-a7124841.html"></a> </div> </div> <div class="content"> <div class="capsules" data-capsule-count="0"> <ul> <li class="shares"> <span class="icon-trending"></span> <span class="label"></span> </li> </ul> </div> <h1><a href="/web/20160914024035/http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/chilcot-inquiry-report-iraq-war-robert-fisk-tired-of-lessons-ignores-iraqis-a7124841.html"><span class="media-prefix "></span>I’m already tired of the ‘lessons’ of Chilcot</a></h1> <div class="lead"> <p>If Blair and Bush were sincere about the dangers of weapons of mass destruction, they would have invaded North Korea</p> </div> </div> </div> </article><article data-weight="1" class="weight-1"><div class="container-half grid-mod-half-story grid-mod-half-height " data-url="/web/20160914024035oe_/http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/i-read-the-chilcot-report-as-i-travelled-across-syria-this-week-and-saw-for-myself-what-blairs-a7123311.html" data-tb-region-item="2-1"> <div class="image_wrapper"> <div class="image image-align-cc lazy" data-original="https://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-public/styles/size1_half/public/thumbnails/image/2016/07/06/13/biritish-troops-iraq-war-getty.jpg"> <a href="/web/20160914024035/http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/i-read-the-chilcot-report-as-i-travelled-across-syria-this-week-and-saw-for-myself-what-blairs-a7123311.html"></a> </div> </div> <div class="content"> <div class="capsules" data-capsule-count="0"> <ul> <li class="shares"> <span class="icon-trending"></span> <span class="label"></span> </li> </ul> </div> <h1><a href="/web/20160914024035/http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/i-read-the-chilcot-report-as-i-travelled-across-syria-this-week-and-saw-for-myself-what-blairs-a7123311.html"><span class="media-prefix "></span>I read the Chilcot report as I travelled across Syria this week</a></h1> <div class="lead"> <p>What’s the difference between Iraqi WMDs that don’t exist, 45-minute warnings that are falsities, 70,000 non-existent Syrian “moderates” and a fictitious NHS windfall of millions if Britain left the EU?</p> </div> </div> </div> </article><article data-weight="1" class="weight-1"><div class="container-half grid-mod-half-story grid-mod-half-height " data-url="/web/20160914024035oe_/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/welcome-to-deraa-syrias-graveyard-of-terrorists-a7121596.html" data-tb-region-item="3-1"> <div class="image_wrapper"> <div class="image image-align-tc lazy" data-original="https://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-public/styles/size1_half/public/thumbnails/image/2016/07/05/19/deraa.jpg"> <a href="/web/20160914024035/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/welcome-to-deraa-syrias-graveyard-of-terrorists-a7121596.html"></a> </div> </div> <div class="content"> <div class="capsules" data-capsule-count="0"> <ul> <li class="shares"> <span class="icon-trending"></span> <span class="label"></span> </li> </ul> </div> <h1><a href="/web/20160914024035/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/welcome-to-deraa-syrias-graveyard-of-terrorists-a7121596.html"><span class="media-prefix "></span>Welcome to Dera'a, Syria's 'graveyard of terrorists'</a></h1> <div class="lead"> <p>The city in southern Syria, once the centre of fierce fighting in the country’s civil war, is now triumphantly claimed to be back in government control. But, as <strong>Robert Fisk</strong> reports, the city’s war-weary occupants are not counting on peace just yet</p> </div> </div> </div> </article><article data-weight="1" class="weight-1"><div class="container-half grid-mod-half-story grid-mod-half-height " data-url="/web/20160914024035oe_/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/inside-aleppo-the-syrian-city-with-a-past-and-present-shaped-by-war-a7119706.html" data-tb-region-item="4-1"> <div class="image_wrapper"> <div class="image image-align-tc lazy" data-original="https://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-public/styles/size1_half/public/thumbnails/image/2016/07/04/18/aleppo-citadel.jpg"> <a href="/web/20160914024035/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/inside-aleppo-the-syrian-city-with-a-past-and-present-shaped-by-war-a7119706.html"></a> </div> </div> <div class="content"> <div class="capsules" data-capsule-count="0"> <ul> <li class="shares"> <span class="icon-trending"></span> <span class="label"></span> </li> </ul> </div> <h1><a href="/web/20160914024035/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/inside-aleppo-the-syrian-city-with-a-past-and-present-shaped-by-war-a7119706.html"><span class="media-prefix "></span>Inside Aleppo, the Syrian city with a past and present shaped by war</a></h1> <div class="lead"> <p>Robert Fisk tours Aleppo and finds a broken civilisation with painful reminders of ancient tragedies</p> </div> </div> </div> </article></div><div class="row" data-tb-region="row-10"><article data-weight="4" class="weight-4"><div class="partner-slots"> <div class="es-partners-slot parter-slot-1"> <div id="partner6"> </div> </div> <div class="es-partners-slot parter-slot-2"> <div id="partner7"> </div> </div> <div class="es-partners-slot parter-slot-3"> <div id="partner8"> </div> </div> <div class="es-partners-slot parter-slot-4"> <div id="partner9"> </div> </div> <div class="es-partners-slot parter-slot-5"> <div id="partner10"> </div> </div> </div> </article></div><div class="row" data-tb-region="row-11"><article data-weight="4" class="weight-4"> <div class="grid-mod-titled-separator margin"> <h1 class="box-title"> More headlines </h1> </div> </article></div><div class="row" data-tb-region="row-12"><article data-weight="1" class="weight-1"><div class="container grid-mod-story bottom-text grow-photo " data-url="/web/20160914024035oe_/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/isis-in-syria-inside-the-air-base-that-held-out-against-islamic-state-for-two-years-and-the-death-a7117431.html" data-tb-region-item="1-1"> <div class="image_wrapper"> <div class="image image-align-tc lazy" data-original="https://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-public/styles/size1/public/thumbnails/image/2016/07/03/17/fisk1.jpg"> <a href="/web/20160914024035/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/isis-in-syria-inside-the-air-base-that-held-out-against-islamic-state-for-two-years-and-the-death-a7117431.html"></a> </div> </div> <div class="content"> <div class="capsules" data-capsule-count="0"> <ul> <li class="shares"> <span class="icon-trending"></span> <span class="label"></span> </li> </ul> </div> <h1><a href="/web/20160914024035/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/isis-in-syria-inside-the-air-base-that-held-out-against-islamic-state-for-two-years-and-the-death-a7117431.html"><span class="media-prefix "></span>Inside the Syrian air base that held out against Isis for three years</a></h1> </div> </div> </article><article data-weight="1" class="weight-1"><div class="container grid-mod-story bottom-text grow-photo " data-url="/web/20160914024035oe_/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/inside-bashar-al-assads-syrian-jail-an-islamist-prisoner-talks-of-the-regret-for-his-killing-a7113556.html" data-tb-region-item="2-1"> <div class="image_wrapper"> <div class="image image-align-tc lazy" data-original="https://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-public/styles/size1/public/thumbnails/image/2016/06/21/15/pp-fisk-syria-1-getty.jpg"> <a href="/web/20160914024035/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/inside-bashar-al-assads-syrian-jail-an-islamist-prisoner-talks-of-the-regret-for-his-killing-a7113556.html"></a> </div> </div> <div class="content"> <div class="capsules" data-capsule-count="0"> <ul> <li class="shares"> <span class="icon-trending"></span> <span class="label"></span> </li> </ul> </div> <h1><a href="/web/20160914024035/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/inside-bashar-al-assads-syrian-jail-an-islamist-prisoner-talks-of-the-regret-for-his-killing-a7113556.html"><span class="media-prefix "></span>'I regret the murder': In Assad's jail, an Islamist prisoner speaks</a></h1> </div> </div> </article><article data-weight="1" class="weight-1"><div class="container grid-mod-story bottom-text grow-photo " data-url="/web/20160914024035oe_/http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/isis-middle-east-robert-fisk-savagery-division-hope-in-history-of-islam-a7110781.html" data-tb-region-item="3-1"> <div class="image_wrapper"> <div class="image image-align-tc lazy" data-original="https://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-public/styles/size1/public/thumbnails/image/2016/06/02/09/isisflag.jpg"> <a href="/web/20160914024035/http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/isis-middle-east-robert-fisk-savagery-division-hope-in-history-of-islam-a7110781.html"></a> </div> </div> <div class="content"> <div class="capsules" data-capsule-count="0"> <ul> <li class="shares"> <span class="icon-trending"></span> <span class="label"></span> </li> </ul> </div> <h1><a href="/web/20160914024035/http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/isis-middle-east-robert-fisk-savagery-division-hope-in-history-of-islam-a7110781.html"><span class="media-prefix "></span>There is hope in the fight against Isis in the history of Islam</a></h1> </div> </div> </article><article data-weight="1" class="weight-1" data-locked="true"> <div id="mpu5" class="grid-mod-single-mpu"> </div> </article></div><div class="row" data-tb-region="row-13"><article data-weight="1" class="weight-1"><div class="container-half grid-mod-half-story grid-mod-half-height " data-url="/web/20160914024035oe_/http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/brexit-eu-referendum-political-clich-s-heartbreaking-wake-up-call-european-union-a7109866.html" data-tb-region-item="1-1"> <div class="image_wrapper"> <div class="image image-align-tc lazy" data-original="https://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-public/styles/size1_half/public/thumbnails/image/2016/06/11/17/web-chuka-umunna-rex.jpg"> <a href="/web/20160914024035/http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/brexit-eu-referendum-political-clich-s-heartbreaking-wake-up-call-european-union-a7109866.html"></a> </div> </div> <div class="content"> <div class="capsules" data-capsule-count="0"> <ul> <li class="shares"> <span class="icon-trending"></span> <span class="label"></span> </li> </ul> </div> <h1><a href="/web/20160914024035/http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/brexit-eu-referendum-political-clich-s-heartbreaking-wake-up-call-european-union-a7109866.html"><span class="media-prefix "></span>Brexit has brought out the worst in political cliché</a></h1> <div class="lead"> <p>David Dimbleby announced portentously 12 hours after the ballot that ‘a new day has dawned’. Well of course it bloody well had</p> </div> </div> </div> </article><article data-weight="1" class="weight-1"><div class="container-half grid-mod-half-story grid-mod-half-height " data-url="/web/20160914024035oe_/http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/eu-referendum-brexit-my-father-fought-in-ww1-and-my-mother-learned-esperanto-this-is-what-they-would-a7105791.html" data-tb-region-item="2-1"> <div class="image_wrapper"> <div class="image image-align-tc lazy" data-original="https://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-public/styles/size1_half/public/thumbnails/image/2016/06/24/15/remain-3.jpg"> <a href="/web/20160914024035/http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/eu-referendum-brexit-my-father-fought-in-ww1-and-my-mother-learned-esperanto-this-is-what-they-would-a7105791.html"></a> </div> </div> <div class="content"> <div class="capsules" data-capsule-count="0"> <ul> <li class="shares"> <span class="icon-trending"></span> <span class="label"></span> </li> </ul> </div> <h1><a href="/web/20160914024035/http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/eu-referendum-brexit-my-father-fought-in-ww1-and-my-mother-learned-esperanto-this-is-what-they-would-a7105791.html"><span class="media-prefix "></span>This is what my father and mother would have thought of Brexit </a></h1> <div class="lead"> <p>My father would have said “Britain, right or wrong”; but Bill, who was also an accountant, knew what “wrong” was, and he and Peggy would have voted Remain</p> </div> </div> </div> </article><article data-weight="1" class="weight-1"><div class="container-half grid-mod-half-story grid-mod-half-height " data-url="/web/20160914024035oe_/http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/fallujah-the-resistance-city-is-liberated-yet-again-for-the-fourth-time-in-a-decade-a7104321.html" data-tb-region-item="3-1"> <div class="image_wrapper"> <div class="image image-align-tc lazy" data-original="https://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-public/styles/size1_half/public/thumbnails/image/2016/06/26/16/fallujah-2171iraqi-counter.jpg"> <a href="/web/20160914024035/http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/fallujah-the-resistance-city-is-liberated-yet-again-for-the-fourth-time-in-a-decade-a7104321.html"></a> </div> </div> <div class="content"> <div class="capsules" data-capsule-count="0"> <ul> <li class="shares"> <span class="icon-trending"></span> <span class="label"></span> </li> </ul> </div> <h1><a href="/web/20160914024035/http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/fallujah-the-resistance-city-is-liberated-yet-again-for-the-fourth-time-in-a-decade-a7104321.html"><span class="media-prefix "></span>Fallujah, the 'resistance' city, is liberated yet again</a></h1> <div class="lead"> <p>As history tells us, there are reasons to be cautious about the claims that the Iraqi city of Fallujah is freed from Isis control</p> </div> </div> </div> </article><article data-weight="1" class="weight-1"><div class="container-half grid-mod-half-story grid-mod-half-height " data-url="/web/20160914024035oe_/http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/brexit-eu-referendum-middle-east-saudi-housing-what-next-bahrain-a7104041.html" data-tb-region-item="4-1"> <div class="image_wrapper"> <div class="image image-align-tc lazy" data-original="https://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-public/styles/size1_half/public/thumbnails/image/2016/05/13/15/saudi-king.jpg"> <a href="/web/20160914024035/http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/brexit-eu-referendum-middle-east-saudi-housing-what-next-bahrain-a7104041.html"></a> </div> </div> <div class="content"> <div class="capsules" data-capsule-count="0"> <ul> <li class="shares"> <span class="icon-trending"></span> <span class="label"></span> </li> </ul> </div> <h1><a href="/web/20160914024035/http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/brexit-eu-referendum-middle-east-saudi-housing-what-next-bahrain-a7104041.html"><span class="media-prefix "></span>What does the Middle East think of Brexit? A lot more than you'd think</a></h1> <div class="lead"> <p>One Saudi businessman noted that the kingdom’s imports would be cheaper; so would purchases in London’s property market, the super-wealthy Arab bolt-hole for immensely rich Gulfies </p> </div> </div> </div> </article></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <footer id="mastfooter" tynt-data="no-content"> <div class="stamp"></div> <ul class="follow"> <li>Follow us:</li> <li> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160914024035/https://www.facebook.com/TheIndependentOnline" target="_blank" title="Facebook" class="icon-facebook"></a> </li> <li> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160914024035/https://twitter.com/independent" target="_blank" title="Twitter" class="icon-twitter"></a> </li> </ul> <ul class="links"><li><a href="/web/20160914024035/http://www.independent.co.uk/service/user-policies-a6184151.html" title="">User Policies</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20160914024035/http://www.independent.co.uk/service/privacy-policy-a6184181.html" title="">Privacy Policy</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20160914024035/http://www.independent.co.uk/service/cookie-policy-a6184186.html" title="">Cookie Policy</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20160914024035/http://www.independent.co.uk/service/code-of-conduct-a6184241.html" title="">Code of Conduct</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160914024035/https://independentnews.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/requests/new" title="">Complaint Form</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20160914024035/http://www.independent.co.uk/service/contact-us-759589.html" title="">Contact Us</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160914024035/http://www.independent.co.uk/service/external-contributors-policy-7905982.html" title="">Contributors</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20160914024035/http://www.independent.co.uk/topics-list" title="">All Topics</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160914024035/http://www.independent.co.uk/archive" title="">Archive</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160914024035/http://www.independent.co.uk/register" title="">Newsletters</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160914024035/http://independentjobs.independent.co.uk/" title="">Jobs</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160914024035/https://www.independentsubscriptions.co.uk/" title="">Subscriptions</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160914024035/http://esimedia.co.uk/" title="">Advertising Guide</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160914024035/http://syndication.independent.co.uk/" title="">Syndication</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160914024035/http://www.standard.co.uk/" title="">Evening Standard</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160914024035/http://en.novayagazeta.ru/" title="">Novaya Gazeta</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160914024035/http://www.independent.co.uk/marketing/apps/" title="">Install our Apps</a></li> </ul> </footer> <div id="outofpageslot"> </div> <div id="teadsib"> </div> <div id="znaptag" tynt-data="no-content"> </div> <div id="thirdparty01"> </div> </div>  <script>(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"]=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,"script","//web.archive.org/web/20160914024035/http://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js","ga");ga("create", "UA-27212627-1", {"cookieDomain":"auto"});ga("set", "anonymizeIp", true);ga("send", "pageview"); ; </script>  <div class="region region-page-bottom">  <script type="text/javascript" src="//web.archive.org/web/20160914024035js_/http://www.independent.co.uk/sites/all/libraries/sitecatalyst/ind_s_code.js?od4xow"></script> <script type="text/javascript"></script> <script type="text/javascript"></script> <noscript><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20160914024035im_/http://independent.122.2o7.net/b/ss/indepdev/1/H.27.5--NS/0?[AQB]&cdp=3&[AQE]/3698141" height="1" width="1" alt=""></noscript>   <div class="adblock-modal adblock" style="display: none;"> <aside class="adblock-notice"> <div class="ctrl"><button class="close" data-action="close">Close</button></div> <h2><span class="logo"></span></h2> <div class="adblock-container main"> <div class="content"> <p><strong>We've noticed that you are using an ad blocker.</strong></p> <p>Advertising helps fund our journalism and keep it truly independent. 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