Archive for October, 2007|Monthly archive page
Why solving the Mideast crisis is so complex
Filed under: Iraq, Israel, Lebanon, Middle East, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, conflict resolution, military intervention, politics, refugees, terrorism |
Leave a Comment POLITICS & POLICIES
Claude Salhani, Middle East Times
October 29, 2007
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| MIDEAST MIND MAP: A mind map of the Israeli-Palestinian dispute would offer a quick snapshot of the interlinked problems facing attendees of an upcoming Middle East peace summit expected to be held in Annapolis, MD in November 2007. (Claude Salhani) |
– A few days ago, I was explaining the functionality of a “mind map” to a group of students studying for their Masters degree at my alma mater, Royal Roads University in beautiful Victoria, the capital of British Columbia, Canada, where I lecture two weeks every October.
A mind map is a very instructive tool used by conflict interveners to identify the principal stakeholders in a dispute, and then further find and represent all possible sources of strife or influence over the situation. The advantage of a mind map is that it permits one to see in a single slide all problems, problem makers, as well as potential problem facilitators. The mind map allows its users a quick snapshot of the minefield of problems a conflict resolution specialist is up against when trying to resolve a particular dispute.
Editorial: A second, staggering Mideast refugee crisis
Filed under: Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Middle East, Palestine, Syria, War, military intervention, refugees |
Leave a Comment Middle East Times
October 29, 2007
– The US-led invasion of Iraq in March 2003 has created the Middle East’s second-largest refugee crisis in the region’s modern history. The first came about with the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948 and the mass exodus of Palestinians that ensued. To this day, some 4.5 million Palestinian refugees remain unsettled and, with them, so does the Middle East.
Is a successful Mideast summit possible?
Filed under: Iran, Iraq, Israel, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Syria, War, politics |
Leave a Comment BY CLAUDE SALHANI (View From Washington)
29 October 2007
DENNIS Ross, who served two US presidents — a Democrat and a Republican — as special Middle East chief negotiator told a small group seminar at the Council on Foreign Relations on Monday that he did not hold much hope in the forthcoming Middle East peace conference President George W Bush is trying to convene in Annapolis next month. While the conversation itself was off the record, Ambassador Ross at several points cited his forthcoming article which will appear in the November/December issue of The National Interest.
Bin Laden resurfaces
Filed under: Iraq, Islam, Middle East, War, military intervention, politics, religion, terrorism |
Leave a Comment Claude Salhani, Middle East Times
– A new audio recording said to be of Al Qaeda chief Osama Bin Laden’s voice surfaced Monday, further dispelling rumors of his death. On this new recording, the world’s most-wanted man urges the multitude of Iraqi insurgent groups to unite under the banner of Islam in the fight against the US-led coalition.
Appealing to their sense of unity as Muslims and Arabs, Bin Laden is reported to have said: “The interest of the Islamic nation surpasses that of a group; it is more important than that of state.”
While experts in Washington believe the voice on the tape to be genuine, unlike previous recordings, this one does not refer to any specific event, allowing it to be dated. What Bin Laden’s latest recording does indicate, however, is that Al Qaeda in Iraq has suffered a major setback.
Odds for a successful summit?
Filed under: Democracy, Israel, Middle East, Syria, War, military intervention, politics |
Comments (1) By CLAUDE SALHANI
UPI Contributing Editor
WASHINGTON, Oct. 22 (UPI) — Uncertainty hangs over the Middle East peace conference President Bush wants to convene in Annapolis, Md., in November. Analysts, meanwhile, are somewhat pessimistic at what they perceive as a last-ditch effort by the president at resolving the longstanding Israeli-Palestinian dispute before he leaves the White House next year.
With time rapidly running out for his administration, Bush, ironically, finds himself in a situation similar to that which befell President Clinton during the waning days of his administration: Both men attempted to resolve the 60-year-old Middle East problem with too little time left on their White House clocks.
Two ways of looking at the Armenian genocide
Filed under: Armenians, Ottoman Turks, Turkey, genocide, military intervention |
Leave a Comment BY CLAUDE SALHANI
21 October 2007
THERE are two ways of looking at the diplomatic tug-o-war currently being fought in Washington over the question of the Armenian genocide. One can either decide with his heart, taking the side of the Armenians, and vote, yes, the slaughter of 1.5 million Armenians was genocide. End of story.
Or, one can vote with his mind, and oppose the notion. Either way the United States will upset a close ally in the region.
Burns echoes Rice: Time is right for Palestinian state
Claude Salhani
Middle East Times
October 18, 2007
WASHINGTON – “Establishing a Palestinian State is the “right thing to do,” said U.S. Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns.
“The time for a Palestinian state,” said U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, “is now.”
“Israel should halt the settlements’ expansion, and reduce its footprint in the West Bank,” said Burns, the keynote speaker at the second annual gala of the American Task Force on Palestine in Washington Wednesday night.
How to win the war in Iraq
Filed under: Iraq, War, military intervention, politics, terrorism |
Comments (1) POLITICS & POLICIES
Claude Salhani, Middle East Times
October 16, 2007
“Lieutenant General Ricardo Sanchez ought to qualify his statement, ‘victory is unachievable,’ with the addition of, ‘under the current political climate in the United States, and within a time frame that the people of America will find acceptable,’” says Charles W. “Bill” Henderson, a former marine and author of numerous books on warfare.
The Baghdad follies
Filed under: Iraq, War, military intervention, politics, terrorism |
Comments (1) By CLAUDE SALHANI
UPI Contributing Editor
WASHINGTON, Oct. 15 (UPI) — Statements that the situation in Iraq seems to be improving, despite daily car bombs, attacks against coalition forces and continued slaughter of innocent civilians caught in the crossfire, are reminiscent of the “Five o’clock follies,” the daily briefings given by the U.S. military command in Saigon during the Vietnam War.
Muslim outreach
Claude Salhani
October 15, 2007
In what can only be described as a historic event, prominent Muslims from around the world extended an olive branch to Christianity on the eve of the Eid, the Muslim holy day marking the end of Ramadan.
In an open letter to the heads of all Christian churches — including Pope Benedict XVI — and to all Christians around the world, 138 of the world’s most senior Muslim leaders, including several prominent leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood, stressed that “the future of the world depends on peace between Muslims and Christians.”
