Middle East & North Africa Archives - Page 225 of 595

A New U.S. Relationship with Libya?

by John Feffer, Ronald Bruce St John | Mar 27, 2009

Following decades of conflict, Libya and the United States took major steps to improve their bilateral relationship in the closing months of the Bush administration. In September 2008, Condoleezza Rice visited Libya, the first secretary of State to do so since John Foster Dulles in 1953. In November, two weeks after Libya contributed $1.5 billion to a newly created Humanitarian Settlement Fund intended to resolve outstanding lawsuits by American victims of Libyan terrorism, President George W. Bush telephoned the Libyan leader, Muammar al-Qaddafi, and voiced his satisfaction with the settlement. In December 2008, Gene A. Cretz took up his position as U.S. ambassador to Libya, the first since 1972.

The Budget’s Foreign Policy Handcuffs

by Emily Schwartz Greco, Stephen Zunes | Mar 20, 2009

Hopes that a Democratic administration with an expanded Democratic congressional majority might lead to a more ethical, rational, and progressive foreign policy were challenged with last week’s passage of the 2009 omnibus budget bill, which included many troubling provisions regarding the State Department and related diplomatic functions.

Neocons 1, Obama 0

by John Feffer, Stephen Zunes | Mar 16, 2009

The Obama administration’s choice to head the National Intelligence Council (NIC) recently withdrew in face of a concerted right-wing attack. Veteran diplomat Chas Freeman would not have had to face Senate confirmation. Instead, he had to face attacks in the right-wing press and blogosphere. His withdrawal was a victory for Bush-era neoconservatives and their allies regarding intelligence and broader Middle East Policy.

Film Review: A Waltz for the War-Weary

by fpifadmin | Mar 11, 2009

Waltz with Bashir might not change Israeli politics, but it is a powerful antiwar movie nonetheless.

Gaza: The Way Forward

by Emily Schwartz Greco, Benjamin Tua | Mar 11, 2009

The outcome of Israel’s extensive air, artillery, and ground assault on the Gaza strip from December 27 — January 17 illustrates Israel’s wrong-headed approach to Hamas, the religiously grounded organization that has controlled the territory since it ousted the rival Fatah faction in June 2007. It exposes the bankruptcy of the theory of reprisals and the flawed notion that inflicting hardship on the Palestinian people will lead them to choose more “moderate” leaders. And it highlights the urgency of the resolution of Israel’s longstanding conflict with the Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank. How Israel proceeds from this point will reveal whether it has learned from the results of its assault. How the United States addresses the underlying conflict will determine whether it will be resolved.

The War Online

by John Feffer, Ethan Pack | Mar 10, 2009

The collapse of the Israeli Left may be the latest casualty of last month’s war in Gaza. The fighting appears to have scuttled what remains of the Israeli-Arab peace process, as a nationalist bloc of parties opposing territorial compromise with the Palestinians now occupies the majority of Israel’s parliament. The right-wing Likud party will lead the governing coalition, to which they have pledged to invite parties that openly traffic in anti-Arab rhetoric.

Poem: From an Iranian Mother to an American Mother

by Farideh Hassanzadeh-Mostafavi, Melissa Tuckey | Mar 10, 2009

"I am the one, whom they will kill in the end, because he himself has never killed." Miklos Radnoti If as a tourist your son comes to my country my son will be kind with him simply because in our religion a guest is a gift of God even if he is our long-standing enemy....

Obama and Israel’s Military: Still Arm-in-Arm

by John Feffer, Stephen Zunes | Mar 4, 2009

In the wake of Israel’s massive assault on heavily populated civilian areas of the Gaza Strip earlier this year, Amnesty International called for the United States to suspend military aid to Israel on human rights grounds. Amnesty has also called for the United Nations to impose a mandatory arms embargo on both Hamas and the Israeli government. Unfortunately, it appears that President Barack Obama won’t be heeding Amnesty’s call.

The Making of a New Global Strategy

by Ehsan Ahrari, John Feffer | Feb 17, 2009

The Obama administration started with a bang in developing its own strategy toward different regions of the world. There are several ingredients in that strategy. The new president has promised a return to multilateralism. It’s searching for common ground with Russia. There are outstanding invitations for negotiations with America’s traditional adversaries like Iran and North Korea. And the administration’s approaches to Palestine, Pakistan, and Afghanistan are likely to be radically different from those the Bush administration pursued unsuccessfully.

Warring on Warriors

by John Feffer, Col. Daniel Smith (Ret.) | Feb 13, 2009

Last week Secretary of Defense Robert Gates briefed President Barack Obama on Afghanistan and the Pentagon’s proposal to send 15,000 more troops there by late spring. Obama is expected to accept the plan as a "down payment" on his pledge during the campaign to put more troops into the fight against al-Qaeda and the Taliban insurgents. These troops are only about half the number requested by the field commanders, and Gates will return with a new request soon.