Stay Informed

Sign up to receive the Middle East Bulletin!

Support Middle East Progress

In-Depth Coverage

Original Commentaries

11/20/08
Pakistan: Learning the Right Lessons from Iraq  —Senator Robert P. Casey, Jr. (D-PA), Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Original Commentary for Middle East Bulletin.
11/13/08
The View from Gaza  —Taghreed El-Khodary, New York Times journalist in Gaza and Harvard University Nieman Fellow (2005-2006). Interviewed by Middle East Bulletin.
11/04/08
Getting on the Right Track  —Dalia Rabin, chairperson, Rabin Center, and daughter of the late Yitzhak Rabin. Interview with Middle East Bulletin.

Setting the Record Straight

Keeping Focus on Long-Term Objectives

“[W]hile we do need to have a cooperative approach that involves many of our friends and allies in meeting with the Pakistanis, … as we work out with them a rough division of labor, the U.S., I believe, ought to be taking the lead in addressing the issues in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas. And given the difficulty of doing so, I suspect that we will not have a great deal of difficulty in convincing them to allow us to take the lead there. But as we all know, there is a real tension between our short-term tactical aims in trying to capture or kill terrorists across the border and militants in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas and our longer- term counterinsurgency pacification goals. We very much need to be focusing on the end state. What is it that we want this area to look like? ... In that context we need to have a common agenda with the Pakistani government and very much to include the military on counterinsurgency in that area. There needs to be, therefore, a focus on combining military efforts with economic, development and political development in those areas.”
—Robert L. Grenier, managing director and chairman for Global Security Consulting, Kroll, event, “Partnership for Progress: Advancing a New Strategy for Prosperity and Stability in Pakistan and the Region,” Center for American Progress, November 17, 2008

Middle East Analysis

Syria and Israel Get Ready to Negotiate

April 28, 2008

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Syrian President Bashar Assad (AP)

Last week, the Middle East woke up to new hopes for peace. Both Syria and Israel showed signs of accepting a year-long mediation by Turkey. … In fact, Syria and Israel have been very close to achieving peace at least twice in the past 18 years. … So, the question arises: Would Turks succeed in bringing the old enemies to the peace table by encouraging the leaders of the two nations to move forward on the path of peace? The answer to this question is not simple. The history of the region shows that every time Syria and Israel are close to peace something happens somewhere that changes the course of events for the worse. … But can things be different this time? Yes, if the political difficulties faced by both Syria and Israel are taken into account by the Turkish mediators. …

Although it is not in a desperate situation, Syria is expecting the worse this year—and is preparing for it. Syria is not on good terms with at least half of its neighbors in Lebanon, and the political crisis in Lebanon might easily spill over into Syria. In addition, Bashar is not on good terms with the leaders in Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan, and there is still a great deal of suspicion about how the developments in Iraq will affect Syria. He is also not comfortable with the direction of U.S. policy in the region and there is a general feeling in Syria that the international probe into the assassination of the Lebanese prime minister Rafik Hariri will be politicized against Syria. … On the other hand, Olmert has been weakened after the 2006 war with Hezbollah, and was about to lose his post following the publication of the Winograd Commission report. A year later, Olmert is not any stronger and is facing genuine problems in Gaza.

Turkish mediators can do all they can for peace in the region, but they will definitely fail if they ignore the different voices in the Middle East. Turkey cannot succeed in its mediation efforts without the blessing of the Americans. Turkey must look seriously into the forces against peace outside Syria and Israel, and try to tackle them instead of falling prey to them. Access the full article>>