Washington Watch Articles From 2003
SAUDIS RE JECTBIN LADENAND TERRORISM
What are Saudi attitudes toward terrorism, bin Laden, and the United States? These are questions that have plagued U.S. policymakers and the American people for the past two years.
ARAB AMERICAN AND AMERICAN JEWS AGREE ON PATH TO PEACE
As readers of this column no doubt know, I love to write about polling. Polling opens a window on opinion and gives us a picture of people’s thoughts on issues.
PIPES NOMINATION DOWN THE DRAIN?
Arab Americans and American Muslims won a small but important moral victory in the battle against bigotry last week.
BUSH AT RISK?
There is a growing debate in the United States over George W. Bush’s State of the Union speech claim that “The British government has learned that Saddam Hussein recently sought significant quantities of uranium from Africa.”
AN EARLY LOOK AT ARAB AMERICANS AND THE 2004 ELECTIONS
If the 2004 election were held today President George W. Bush would win the support of just one-third of Arab American voters.
HOW THE NEO-CONS OPERATE
A number of articles have appeared in recent weeks shedding new light on the thinking of the neo-conservatives who have, until now, appeared to have the upper hand in shaping the foreign policy of the Bush Administration.
DREAMING OF PALESTINE
It was more than 30 years ago that I fell in love with Palestine. It was 1971 and I was in Lebanon doing research for my doctoral dissertation.
THE WMDDEBATE,US STYLE
During the next few weeks, in both the United States and the United Kingdom, some form of official inquiries may begin into the background of the pre-war claims made regarding Iraq’s possession of weapons of mass destruction (WMD).
STEPS THE US SHOULD TAKE
With the United States’ standing in the Arab world at an all time low, President George W. Bush met with Arab leaders at Sharm el Shaikh and renewed his pledge to implement his vision of a viable Palestinian State.
GIVE IT A CHANCE
WASHINGTON—There are some positives, some negatives and some very real dangers ahead on the “Road Map” to peace. I want to focus, for a moment, on the positives.
40 YEARS LATER, U.S. STILL FACES CIVIL RIGHTS CHALLENGES
WASHINGTON—Forty years ago, on August 28, 1963, 250,000 Americans convened in Washington, DC to demonstrate for the full civil and political rights of African Americans.
TEACHING AND LEARNING
DAVIDSON, NC—I spent this Spring as the Batten Professor of Public Policy at Davidson College in North Carolina. It was a wonderful opportunity to leave Washington and spend five months teaching a remarkable group of young people.
TROUBLING BUT HELPFUL: U.S.-IRAQI DIALOGUE
In March and then again this past week, I had the opportunity to host a televised dialogue between students in the United States and groups of Iraqis in Baghdad.
NO QUESTIONS ASKED
One can’t fault the White House for trying to sell the war and the President. What is troublesome, however, is the way the American media has been such an uncritical conveyor of these White House efforts.
AN IMPORTANT NIGHT FOR THE SPIRIT OF HUMANITY
In the most difficult of times, Arab Americans convened their annual Kahlil Gibran Spirit of Humanity awards dinner in Washington, DC.
THE UPS AND DOWNS OF GEORGE W. BUSH
For the second time in his short presidency, George W. Bush has reversed a downward slump in the polls and is now registering high public approval ratings. Recent polls place the President’s approval numbers between 61 percent and 74 percent.
WHAT NEXT?
Giddy over their perceived success in Iraq, some neo conservative ideologues are all ready preparing for the next battle.
WHITHER THE ROADMAP?
The heated discussion in the United States regarding the release of the Middle East peace “roadmap” is really quite interesting to observe.
A WAR LIKE NO OTHER
This is a war like no other. I am not referring to its preemptive, regime changing aims or its potentially dramatic regional implications. What, in fact, makes this war so unique is its worldwide audience.