There is no doubt of the urgency in negotiating a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon. But, as the international debate moves into higher gear, the question is not whether a ceasefire should come as soon as possible but how to ensure that it will be sustained to prevent a reoccurrence of

For the first time, Israeli demands for ending the violence as a precondition for any progress in negotiation with the Palestinians converge with Hamas’ interests in ending the violence in order to survive politically following its overwhelming victory in the recent elections. This i

Hamas’ rise to power provides the United States and Israel with a strategic opportunity to shift their attention to Israel’s northern front with Syria. Damascus’ interest in recovering the Golan Heights remains on the top of its national agenda. Syria is also in dire need

No one has a lock on patriotism. This, however, has not stopped the administration from using it as a whip to lash out at the integrity of those who disagree with its disastrous and, by now, senseless war in Iraq. Yet the truth is that those who are against or in favor of a troop withdrawa

The increasing number of clashes between U.S. and Syrian forces raises serious questions about the Bush administration’s intentions and the wisdom of its actions. It appears that this escalation on the American side is dictated not entirely by the urgency over the infiltration of for

However admirable the Bush administration's efforts to spread democracy, especially in the Middle East, these efforts appear hollow and hypocritical as long as the White House refuses to accept the outcome of free elections when they don't turn out to its liking. It is high time for the Bush

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

For the United States to restrain Iran from pursuing a nuclear program will require a multi-pronged approach that can, over time, diminish Iran's strategic ambitions to obtain nuclear weapons or neutralize such weapons should it, nevertheless, acquire them. The continuation of Bush administra

Peace between Israel and Syria is now more possible than ever because of two factors: One is that most of the issues separating the two adversaries were resolved during their peace negotiations in 2000. The second is that both sides and the United States–whose role remains critical–need a