When it comes to politics, Americans, much like everyone else, are terrible ingrates. People tend to forget how bad things were under the old regime and remember only the positive, sweeping the negative aspects into the forgotten corners of their memory. Indeed, it was just a matter of time before the honeymoon President Barack Obama…
A divided Cyprus remembers
Cyprus is part of the European Union but its problems are very much tied to the Middle East. July 20 marked 35 years since the Turkish invasion, the result of which was the division of Cyprus between the Greek Christian south and the Turkish controlled, and largely Muslim, north. Cyprus remains the only country in…
Peace at a crossroads
Propelled by United States President Barack Obama, the Middle East peace process is at an important and decisive crossroad. The next few months could see the greatest advances in the Arab-Israeli dispute since the conflict began 61 years ago. If successful, the outcome of Obama’s initiative could lead to a peaceful and permanent resolution of…
Vietnam then, Afghanistan now
In late March President Barack Obama unveiled his new policy for dealing with the war in Afghanistan, a conflict that is escalating and drawing the United States into deeper involvement in Central Asia. There was something of an eerie déjà vu to the president’s new policy. It was reminiscent of a previous policy put forward…
The linchpin of peace
Lebanon has been to taking on a more prominent role in the overall Middle East peace process as the conflict gets more complex with every passing year. And the delay in finding an amenable solution to the crisis — now 61 years in the making — is serving no cause except that of extremism on…
A false choice for president
The gap between Senator John McCain, the Republican Party’s candidate for the United States presidency next November and the Democratic Party’s candidate, Senator Barack Obama, may well differ on social issues in the US, but when it comes to the war in Iraq it is becoming increasingly more difficult to differentiate between the two parties’…
Red carpet arrival
Imagine traveling in the following manner: a sleek, dark and shining luxury limousine whisks you from your hotel to the airport. The speed limit is of no concern to your driver. In any case, there is hardly a traffic cop who would dare interfere after a quick glance at the license plates identifying the car…
The ‘Axis’ taking Bush for a spin
By now we are well familiar with what President George W. Bush labeled the new “Axis of Evil” — communist North Korea, socialist-leaning (Baathist) Syria and Islamist Iran. Each one has expansionist ambitions of varying degrees, though some are more grandiose in aspiration than others. North Korea and Iran want to dominate the world, while…
Greater Middle East in 2008
It’s that time of year again and there is little to rejoice about as 2007 draws to a close. The Middle East crisis, for decades confined mostly to the countries bordering Israel, has spread to include what the Bush administration calls the “Greater Middle East” with Turkey and Pakistan dragged into the fray. Pessimism is…
The Damascene dilemma
Strike Damascus, bomb Tehran,” say the hawks in Washington. “No,” argue others. “Open negotiations with Damascus, bring Syria out of the cold, into the fold, and help distance Damascus from its ‘really evil’ ally, Iran.” To strike, or not to strike? That is the question, if one may paraphrase the Bard and adapt his poetry…