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In-Depth Coverage

Original Commentaries

11/20/08
Pakistan: Learning the Right Lessons from Iraq  —Senator Robert P. Casey, Jr. (D-PA), Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Original Commentary for Middle East Bulletin.
11/13/08
The View from Gaza  —Taghreed El-Khodary, New York Times journalist in Gaza and Harvard University Nieman Fellow (2005-2006). Interviewed by Middle East Bulletin.
11/04/08
Getting on the Right Track  —Dalia Rabin, chairperson, Rabin Center, and daughter of the late Yitzhak Rabin. Interview with Middle East Bulletin.

Setting the Record Straight

Keeping Focus on Long-Term Objectives

“[W]hile we do need to have a cooperative approach that involves many of our friends and allies in meeting with the Pakistanis, … as we work out with them a rough division of labor, the U.S., I believe, ought to be taking the lead in addressing the issues in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas. And given the difficulty of doing so, I suspect that we will not have a great deal of difficulty in convincing them to allow us to take the lead there. But as we all know, there is a real tension between our short-term tactical aims in trying to capture or kill terrorists across the border and militants in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas and our longer- term counterinsurgency pacification goals. We very much need to be focusing on the end state. What is it that we want this area to look like? ... In that context we need to have a common agenda with the Pakistani government and very much to include the military on counterinsurgency in that area. There needs to be, therefore, a focus on combining military efforts with economic, development and political development in those areas.”
—Robert L. Grenier, managing director and chairman for Global Security Consulting, Kroll, event, “Partnership for Progress: Advancing a New Strategy for Prosperity and Stability in Pakistan and the Region,” Center for American Progress, November 17, 2008

Middle East Analysis

Israel and Russia: A Complex Relationship

April 25, 2008

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Syrian President Bashar Assad (AP)

Russian-Israeli relations are complex. Israel is very unhappy about Moscow’s close ties with two of Israel’s primary opponents, Iran and Syria. Nor does Israel share Moscow’s willingness to talk with Hamas … Despite these differences, Russian-Israeli relations are remarkably friendly. Trade between them is growing. More importantly, there are strong cultural ties between the two countries that are also growing. The complexity of the Russian-Israeli relationship was evident at the conference on "Russia, the Middle East and the Challenge of Radical Islam," that took place in Jerusalem on April 9. Most of the speakers were either from Russia or from Israel. …

In the first part of the day-long conference, the Israeli speakers focused on describing how threatening Iran has become even though it does not yet have nuclear weapons, and how even more threatening it will be to many nations (including Russia) if Tehran ever obtains them. … Regarding Iran, several of the Russian speakers argued that while certain aspects of its behavior were indeed disturbing, it was necessary to engage Iran in order to change its behavior. Isolating Tehran, as they described Washington as attempting to do, would only encourage continued Iranian defiance.

Not surprisingly, the Russians and the Israelis did not find common ground on this issue. In the afternoon, though, the tone of the conversation changed dramatically when they discussed the Russian-Israeli bilateral relationship. In addition to praising their growing trade ties and calling for them to increase, both sides noted how the presence of over 1 million Russian speaking Jews in Israel has positively affected Russian-Israeli relations. … Access the full article>>