Washington Watch Articles From 2001
LOOKING BACK AT 2001
2001 began awkwardly. It seemed from the beginning that this was not destined to be a good year. As the year began here in Washington, there were signs of problems, on both the domestic and international fronts.
NEW POLL SHOWS DAMAGE DONE
There is almost no good news in the most recent Zogby International poll on the U.S. public’s attitudes toward some Middle East countries and the continuing Arab-Israeli conflict.
CONFRONTING THE CHALLENGES WE FACE
Some pro-Israel groups and their erstwhile friends in the neo-conservative movement are not satisfied with the destruction of the Middle East peace process.
A DEAD END
Five years ago I wrote an article in which I discussed a strategy paper that had been prepared for then-Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by a group of leading US neoconservatives.
A CLEARER PICTURE
Much has been written about what is happening to Arab Americans and American Muslims in the U.S.
“THE STEPS AFTER POWELL”
Israel’s early responses to U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell’s long awaited Middle East policy speech shows just how difficult it will be to revive peacemaking efforts.
TWO PARALLEL DISCUSSIONS
During the past week, I found myself engaged in two parallel and, in many ways, complementary sets of discussions.
“REDISCOVERING”ARAB AMERICANS
My children are fond of teasing me about my age. They say, “it must be fun being 55 years old, because you get to meet new people every day.
STILL A DANGEROUS TIME
Sometimes it feels as if we are living on the edge. The wounds of September 11 are still open, the anthrax scare continues to grow, and now the nation’s leaders are warning of credible threats of new terrorist attacks.
THE U.S.-ARAB RELATIONSHIP UNDER ATTACK
There has been an unprecedented spate of news articles and media commentary critical of the U.S.-Saudi and U.S.-Egyptian relationship.
LESSONS LEARNED
On Thursday, I waited in line for four hours to be tested for anthrax. On Monday, I had been in the area of the US Senate building where the bacteria had been found.
ARAB AMERICAN ATTITUDES AND THE SEPTEMBER 11 ATTACKS
Arab Americans are proud and committed Americans, who give strong support to President Bush’s efforts to combat the terrorists who struck the United States.
U.S. ATTITUDES AND THE CURRENT CRISIS
One month after the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington, President George Bush retains the strong support of a significant percentage of American voters.
ARAB AMERICANS ARE DEFENDED
Much has been made of the ugly crimes that have been committed against Arab Americans, Muslims and Sikhs in the aftermath of the September 11 terrorist attacks.
I AM ANGRY
I am angry, very angry. The terrorists who struck on September 11 violated the openness and freedom of my country.
A WEEK OF COMPLEX EMOTIONS
This was a dramatic week. A week in which we experienced a range of powerful emotions.
UNDOING PEACE
Pro-Israel groups in the United States have launched an aggressive legislative and propaganda effort to complement the anti-peace politics of the Sharon government.
AMERICA: STILL A MOSAIC OF ETHNICS
Earlier this month a book I authored was released here in the United States. Entitled What Ethnic Americans Really Think, it is a comparative analysis of the views and values of six different American ethnic communities.
THE MEDIA WAR WE ARE LOSING, BUT CAN WIN
Recent efforts by the Israeli government and America’s pro-Israel lobby have focused extensively on media coverage of the current crisis between Palestinians and Israelis.
THE “SETTLEMENT FREEZE” RUSE
In 1865, the British author Lewis Carroll wrote the classic Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.