Washington Watch Articles From 2005
AS AIPAC MEETS
Despite recent controversy, the thousands of pro-Israel activists gathering at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee’s (AIPAC) annual policy conference will find official Washington appearing to be as receptive as ever to the organization and its cause.
THE POPE AND THE WORLD: THEN AND NOW
When the Roman Catholic Church’s College of Cardinals meets next week to select a new leader for the world’s more than one billion Catholics, they will begin their deliberations by considering the needs of their Church and the situation of Catholics in the world.
CONGRESS’ BAD BEHAVIOR
While the Palestinian Authority, under new leadership, is making a determined effort to reform and reorganize, entrenched anti-peace forces in the US Congress present real barriers to forward movement. Evidence of their continuing ability to define the limits of what is possible was on display this month.
AN EFFORT TO REBUILD US-ARAB RELATIONS
While the Bush Administration and much of the US media paint a rosy picture of US success in producing “Freedom on the March,” from Afghanistan to Egypt, a more thoughtful assessment of the real problems facing the US-Arab relationship came last week from a distinguished group of former US government officials.
LEBANON, AS COMPLEX AS EVER
The continuing signs of ferment in evidence in the streets of Beirut are being heralded in the US as signs that “another Middle East domino is falling.” The Bush Administration has been quick to latch on to the demonstrations as a validation of the President’s democracy campaign.
HOPEFUL, BUT NOT OPTIMISTIC
I’m not a fan of the Prime Minister of Israel, but it is important to acknowledge that, whatever his intentions, the dynamic Ariel Sharon has unleashed will have a transformative impact on Israeli-Palestinian relations.