But in one of those swift shifts of international politics, this vacuum in the sand has become the center of the storm, buffeted about by all the angry winds now loose in the Middle East.

Al-Monitor is an award-winning media outlet covering the Middle East, valued for its independence, diversity and analysis. It is read widely by US, international and Middle East decision makers at the ...

Al-Monitor is an award-winning media outlet covering the Middle East, valued for its independence, diversity and analysis. It is read widely by US, international and Middle East decision makers at the ...

Dust and sand storms are common in the Middle East, where the Arabic word "haboob" comes from. In Arizona, the word has come to mean a powerful dust storm with a rolling wall of dust.