Oman

The Gulf states have a big decision to make about Iran

Iran threatened harsh retaliation in the wake of the American-Israeli attacks that killed the country’s supreme leader and many of its senior commanders. Its response consisted of a barrage of missiles aimed at Israel. So far, so predictable. Yet, at the same time, Tehran chose to direct its firepower at neighboring Gulf states, countries that have been encouraging diplomacy and warning against war. Iran’s actions are an object lesson in how to alienate your friends and neighbors. So far, they have continued to employ the rhetoric of de-escalation. But that’s untenable if Iran continues to target their territory The Iranians targeted Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and Jordan. Explosions rocked the Saudi Arabian capital Riyadh.

gulf

I Dream of Lamu

An hour after the propeller plane lifts away from Wilson, Nairobi’s regional airport, it is arching over the blues and greens of the Lamu archipelago; a pattern of islands that extend 130 kms to the Somali border. Views of Lamu, which is also the name of the island and the stone town, have the dreamlike quality of an acid trip; the candy-pink minaret of the main mosque rising over coralline houses in the oldest, continuously inhabited, settlement on Kenya’s Swahili coast. And beyond the hazy shoreline, confetti-scatterings of white are the dhows that powered the fortunes of this former hub and deep-sea port. These criss-crossed the Indian Ocean on seasonal monsoon trade winds swapping ivory and slaves from the African hinterland for silks and spices from India, Yemen and Oman.