Free elections do not constitute democracy and when they precede the building of democratic institutions, they are more likely to produce instability and upheaval, especially in countries previously governed by authoritarian regimes. This explains why the United States should first assist

While the call this past week by Iran’s President Ahmadinejad to “wipe Israel off the map,” should not come as total surprise, it could suggest a dangerous shift in Iran’s policy toward Israel. In any case, such a grotesque breach of international conduct by Mr. Ahm

The recent suicide bombings in London stunned not only the British but people in other European counties and elsewhere. I, for one, perhaps like many other observers who have followed how al Qaida has evolved since its defeat in Afghanistan, was not in the least surprised. Among other impo

Nearly four years have passed since 9/11 and yet hatred toward America, especially in the Muslim and Arab world has intensified, so much so that tens of thousands, propelled by these feelings, are not just motivated to kill indiscriminately but die without hesitation. A number of reasons can prov

For the United States not to urgently adopt a sound energy-independence policy would be tantamount to a national travesty. The increasing dependence on oil does not simply undermine America’s economic health, it could seriously threaten national security. There is no greater legacy that Pre

Intellectuals have traditionally forged ahead as a force of social and political change, rejecting the oversimplifications, empty slogans, and sweeping generalizations that are the domain of the propagandist. Intellectuals act as the surveyors of past and present generations, and through clear th

Although democratic reforms in the Arab and Muslim worlds are a critical element, among several others, in combating terrorism, the question is: How can the United States promote democracy in these countries without precipitating political and social upheaval?

It appears that 9/11 was the

While the United States should encourage democratic reforms in the Middle East, the Bush administration must not overestimate the "democratic surge sweeping the region" and so lose sight of the social, political, and religious realities that will ultimately effect meaningful reform. The

We are soon approaching the fourth anniversary of the second Intifadah, so perhaps it is a good time to take stock of what has happened since that infamous day in September 2000, when the first Israelis and Palestinians were killed. Their deaths signaled the beginning of the destruction and despa