War

Hundreds of people joined a Shiite-led protest in Islamabad on Friday against Pakistan’s decision to join Saudi Arabia’s coalition against terrorism. The protesters presented a memorandum to a Foreign Office spokesman demanding that Pakistan drop out of the Saudi led alliance, which was announced in December. Pakistan confirmed they would join the Saudi-led military alliance to fight “terrorism” in the Islamic world on Thursday, following a meeting between Riyadh’s foreign minister Adel bin Ahmed Al-Jubeir and Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

It’s now been nearly a week since Saudi Arabia set the Muslim world on fire (both figuratively and literally) by executing prominent Shiite cleric Nimr al-Nimr.

The Sheikh was a leading figure in the 2011 anti-government protests staged in the kingdom’s Eastern Province and when the House of Saud moved to silence a dissident voice once in for all last Saturday, demonstrators poured into the streets from Bahrain to Pakistan to decry the execution.

Suspected Islamic State militants waving the black flag of ISIS have stormed a hotel beach resort in the Egyptian city of Hurghada.  Three men waving black ISIS flags attacked the Bella Vista Hotel by the Red Sea with guns and knives. According to reports they opened fire at the entrance to the hotel. At least three tourists were stabbed by the attackers, who arrived at the resort by boat. The Express reports: .The assailants travelled by sea to carry out the shocking attack in the upmarket Bella Vista hotel which is popular with European tourists.

Don’t take sides in other people’s quarrels. Paul Pillar explains why the U.S. should resist the urge to pick a side in the latest dispute between Saudi Arabia and Iran.

Poland’s plans to stick Washington with a bigger NATO bill. Doug Bandow objects to demands for increased U.S. commitments in Europe.

African Union intervention in Burundi may do more harm than good. Nina Wilen examines the possible pitfalls of an AU intervention.