Washington Watch Articles From 2012
Second Term/Second Chance: Arab Attitudes toward U.S. Rebound in 2012
As President Obama prepares to launch his second term in the White House, he can take some comfort in the fact that positive attitudes toward the United States have once again risen sharply in several Arab countries.
Remembering Bethlehem
Fourteen years ago, I went with then President Bill Clinton to Bethlehem where he participated in the lighting of the tree in Manger Square.
From This Day On: Christmas in Newtown
From this day on, Christmas in Newtown, Connecticut will always mean something very different. It is difficult to imagine the raw pain and the horror being felt in that community now ravaged by unspeakable violence.
Obama’s Second Term: Full Plate of Middle East Challenges
As President Obama gears up to begin a second term, his Middle East agenda will be more complex and potentially more consuming and dangerous than the one he inherited from his predecessor four years ago.
The UN's Palestine Vote: Why the Panic?
Here in Washington, negative reactions to the United Nations' vote to admit Palestine as a non-member state have ranged from silly and infuriating to downright dangerous
Gaza: Clarifying Israel's Intentions
Sometimes wars, even little ones, can become clarifying moments in which the clouds of propaganda are blown away and motives of the antagonists come into clear focus. This appears to be the case with the recent hostilities in Gaza.
Gaza: No Lessons Learned
The escalating violence between Israel and Gaza should remind us of old lessons that still need to be learned and new realities to which attention must now be paid.
Why I'll Vote to Re-elect President Obama
On November 6th, I will cast my vote to reelect Barack Obama as President of the United States.
Romney’s Foreign Policy: "About Face" or "Two-Faced"?
During the last few weeks of this Presidential campaign, I have become terribly confused listening to Mitt Romney address America's foreign policy challenges.
Efforts to Silence an Appeal for Human Rights
Two weeks ago, fifteen religious leaders representing major Protestant denominations dared to challenge one of Washington's most powerful taboos.
Don't Buy into the Hysteria: This Election Isn't about a Debate
Long before this week's Presidential debate, the contours of this election had already been set. Despite the near hysterical and, at times, irritatingly silly reactions from pundits, right and left, the debate itself added very little that will impact the ultimate outcome of the contest.
The Arab American Vote: 2012
Arab Americans matter. Well integrated into all spheres of American life, Arab Americans are teachers, medical professionals, auto-workers, and first responders
Crisis Averted; Challenges Remain
The crisis created by the film "The Innocence of Muslims" that many feared might spin out of control, seems to be subsiding across the Arab World.
In Crisis, Romney Reveals Neo-Con Tendencies
I was in the Middle East when the US Embassy in Cairo and the Consulate in Benghazi were attacked by extremist mobs resulting in the deaths of Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other U.S. personnel.
Conventions End: On to November
Tradition holds that it is only now, with the Republican and Democratic party conventions over, that voters will actually begin to focus on the choices before them and the campaigns will, therefore, begin in earnest.
The Partisan, Racial, and Generational Divide: How We View Arabs and Muslims
It is one thing for American voters to be deeply divided on issues like health care, taxes, and the role of government.
Thank you, Mitt Romney!
With one factually wrong, decidedly insensitive, and patently biased comment, Republican presidential aspirant, Mitt Romney, did more to focus U.S. media attention on the impact of the Israeli occupation on the Palestinian economy than any other development in the past two decades.
Romney's World View
Republican presidential aspirant Mitt Romney is visiting the U.K., Poland, and Israel this week in an effort to broaden his foreign policy exposure
Beyond Bachmann: A Challenge for the GOP
During the past week Congresswoman Michele Bachmann was sternly rebuked by Senator John McCain and other GOP leaders for her attack against State Department official, Huma Abedin, and her call to investigate and root out other "Muslim extremists" who may hold sensitive posts in the U.S. government.
Ellison Challenges Bachmann: Put Up or Shut Up
A few weeks back, the sensation-seeking Representative Michele Bachmann did her best imitation of the late Senator Joseph McCarthy.