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In-Depth Coverage

Original Commentaries

08/20/10
Center for American Progress Welcomes Resumption of Direct Talks  —
08/10/10
A View from the Ground  —Darbaz Kosrat Rasul, chair, Rebaz Foundation. Interview with Middle East Bulletin.
08/03/10
U.S.-Turkish Relations  —Ambassador Francis J. Ricciardone, Jr., recently returned deputy ambassador in Afghanistan; former ambassador to Egypt (2005-2008); and deputy chief of mission and charge d'affaires in U.S. embassy in Turkey (1995-1999). Congressional Testimony.

Setting the Record Straight

Eye Still on the Ball

“Adverse developments in Iraq will be (and will look to be) increasingly a function of the Obama Team taking their eye off of the ball and rushing to declare mission accomplished. Yes, in such a scenario the Iraqis should bear most of the blame, but the part that is due to U.S. action or inaction will be Obama's responsibility. And it will matter. Iraq is at the center of a region that every president since Jimmy Carter has identified as vital to our national security. Iraq is next door to, and the playground for mischief from, the most thorny national security challenge the United States faces: a nuclear-weapons-seeking Iranian regime. These inconvenient facts mean that if the Iraqi situation demands more focused and costly U.S. attention, it will likely get it. At that point, what sort of domestic coalition will be available for President Obama's Iraq policy?”
—Peter Feaver, director, Triangle Institute for Security Studies; former director for defense policy and arms control, National Security Council, “Obama’s Iraq Speech: Another Missed Opportunity,” Foreign Policy, August 3, 2010versus
  • “Iraq is a strategically important place in the Middle East, just by its geographic location, by its population, by the influence it's had in the Middle East for a long time. So neighboring countries from around the Middle East have an interest inside of Iraq.

    “But I will tell you that I think Iraqis themselves are nationalistic in nature, and that's why it's important. A strong Iraq will defend itself against interference from outside countries, and I think as we build a strong Iraq and as we continue to build a strong security mechanism and as we continue to help them economically and diplomatically, that will make it less likely of others from the outside being able to interfere.

    “Now, for the vacuum as we see today, again, I remind everyone is that we still have a significant presence here, and we are not going to—we will not allow undue maligned influence on the Iraqi government as they attempt to form their government. What we're trying to do is provide them the space and time for them to do that, and we will continue to do that post 1 September. We'll still have a significant civilian presence, and again, we'll still have 50,000 troops on the ground here to ensure that this government can be formed by the Iraqis. And that all the other nations respect their sovereignty as they go about forming their government.”
    —General Ray Odierno, commander of U.S. forces in Iraq, interview, “This Week” with Christiane Amanpour, August 8, 2010

    • Middle East Analysis

    Upcoming Events

    The Road Forward on Middle East Peace

    Event: October 1, 2009 - 12:00pm-1:00pm

    Introduction:
    Winnie Stachelberg, Senior Vice President for External Affairs, Center for American Progress

    Featured speaker:
    Congressman Robert Wexler (D-FL)

    Moderated by:
    Moran Banai, U.S. Editor of Middle East Bulletin

    WATCH HERE

    Perseverance, Flexibility and Courage Required

    Special Envoy Mitchell discusses resumption of talks (AP)

    Center for American Progress Welcomes Resumption of Direct Talks

    Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s announcement of the resumption of direct talks between Israelis and Palestinians is the beginning of an important new chapter in the administration’s efforts to bring about comprehensive Middle East peace and a sustainable two-state solution.

    The resolution of the conflict is a U.S. national interest and we applaud the Obama administration’s ambitious vision of achieving an agreement within a year, as well as its continued emphasis on the importance of such an agreement, as Special Envoy for Middle East Peace George Mitchell said, “in terms of dealing with other conflicts in the region.”

    As all the parties move into this critical next stage, it is necessary to keep an eye on a few key factors: the parameters of the negotiations, the role of the United States and regional parties, the accountability mechanisms put in place to ensure that all sides are living up to their commitments, and continued progress on efforts to improve security and the economy as well as building Palestinian institutions.

    We should also expect that with renewed negotiations, there will be efforts to run the process off the rails by those who do not want to see a viable, agreed-upon solution. We encourage all parties to show the flexibility, courage, and persistence to come to an agreement and, with the support of the United States, work together to ensure that rejectionists on either side do not exercise a veto over the aspirations of both peoples to live in peace and security.

    Background Basics

    U.S. Administration Efforts Toward Middle East Peace, March-July

    Top-Down Track
    Proximity Talks
    Special Envoy for Middle East Peace George Mitchell is concluding his sixth round of talks this week, which have included meetings with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahayan, Qatari Prime Minister Sheik Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani and French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner. Plans for proximity talks were announced in March, but the first round did not begin

    more

    Review of Where Negotiations Last Ended

    When Israelis and Palestinians renew negotiations, one of the main questions will be where negotiations on the core issues should begin. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas wants negotiations to start from the point where they ended in his discussions with former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert as part of the Annapolis process, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu does not want to, as these were offers and no agreement was made.

    Below is an overview of where negotiations left

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    Guide to Preparing International Summits

    Do your homework
    Preparation in advance of the summit is essential in working with conflicting parties. In preparation for the 1979 Camp David summit, President Carter corresponded extensively with Israeli and Egyptian officials while greatly utilizing the full range of executive resources to gain a complete understanding of the parties’ interests. After the conclusion of the Gulf War Secretary of State James Baker made eight trips to the region in preparation for the Madrid Peace

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    Ten Lessons to Guide Arab-Israeli Peacemaking

    From Negotiating Arab-Israeli Peace by Daniel C. Kurtzer and Scott B. Lasensky.

    Negotiating Arab-Israeli Peace is the product of a United States Institute of Peace study group that included William B. Quandt (University of Virginia), Steven L. Spiegel (UCLA) and Shibley Telhami (University of Maryland and the Brookings Institution). Its conclusions draw on more than 100 interviews and consultations with diplomats, political leaders and civil society figures involved in Arab-Israeli peacemaking in the

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