Monday April 19, 2010
This week the Arab American Institute (AAI) hosts its annual Kahlil Gibran “Spirit of Humanity” Awards Dinner in Washington, DC. This year’s event also marks the 25th Anniversary of the AAI... Read More »
Monday April 12, 2010
With the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) signed by the U.S. and Russia, a Nuclear Summit about to begin in Washington, and pressure mounting to rein in Iran’s nuclear ambitions, a few troubling issues need to be addressed. Read More »
Monday April 05, 2010
The arrests of nine members of an armed militia group in Michigan, hell bent on fomenting violence, should serve as a wake up call to those in political leadership roles who are inciting rage against the government. My fear, however, is that they will not see the connection between their rhetoric and the rage they inspire. (Michael Isikoff spoke about concerns of a possible rise in extreme right-wing, anti-government militia and hate groups on last week’s Viewpoint with James Zogby) Read More »
Monday March 29, 2010
A new poll out this week shows that while Israelis retain strong US public support, Americans are deeply concerned that the continuing Israeli-Palestinian conflict puts US interests at risk across the Middle East and the public, therefore, supports President Obama’s stand against Israel’s settlement plans. Read More »
Monday March 22, 2010
This coming week will tell us a great deal about the ability of President Obama to be a strong leader and an honest broker in Middle East peacemaking. Read More »
Monday March 15, 2010
There is one largely unreported aspect of the recently completed Iraqi elections that I find deeply troubling, and that is the fact that polling places were set up across the U.S. providing Iraqi-Americans the opportunity to vote. Read More »
Monday March 08, 2010
Proximity talks between Palestinians, Israelis and U.S. negotiators will begin next week, but I’m not hopeful, in large measure because the parties have never been further apart and confidence in the U.S. has been diminished. Read More »
Monday March 01, 2010
The last Administration displayed a rather perverse and dangerous penchant for dressing up their behavior, providing it with religious or patriotic intent. President Bush packaged the Iraq war, for example, as America’s mission – having been charged by God to bring the gift of freedom to the world. Read More »
Monday February 22, 2010
Last April we polled across the Arab World asking what Arabs thought was the most positive early action President Obama had taken to improve U.S.-Arab relations. High up on the list (barely topped by the decision to leave Iraq) was the President’s pledge to close Guantanamo and ban torture. That this issue would out poll Obama’s early steps to forge a Middle East peace or his outreach to the Arab and Muslim worlds should not have been surprising. Read More »
Monday February 15, 2010
Last weekend, when Washington was being hit by its worst-ever snow storm, the Tea Party Movement was holding its first national meeting in Nashville, Tennessee. With nothing else to do, and unable to travel, I watched parts of their convention on television and became quite concerned by what I saw and heard. After reviewing two sets of national polls, released this Friday, my concern was heightened. Read More »
Monday February 08, 2010
T. Boone Pickens has a big idea. It may even be a good one. But when Pickens stoops to using fear and bigotry to sell this idea, it becomes small and unsavory. Read More »
Monday February 01, 2010
As we mark one year into the Obama era, several realities have become painfully clear. Read More »
Monday January 25, 2010
Losing a senate seat in Massachusetts to a Republican was not the way Barack Obama wanted to celebrate his one year anniversary in the White House. The loss was a blow, for several reasons. Read More »
Tuesday January 19, 2010
On Jan 13th, television evangelist Pat Robertson pontificated on the horrific earthquake that had struck the country of Haiti. Noting how many recent tragedies had befallen the Haitian people, Robertson told his TV audience that, “something happened a long time ago in Haiti, and people might not want to talk about it…they were under the heel of the French and got together and swore a pack pact to the devil. They said, we will serve you and you’ll get us free from the French. And so the devil said, OK, it’s a deal. But ever since they’ve been cursed. But it may be a blessing in disguise.” Read More »
Monday January 11, 2010
Airport profiling is back, with a vengeance. In the aftermath of Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab’s December 25th, failed effort to bring down Northwest Flight 253, the White House swung into action. President Obama addressed the nation on three separate occasions, and ordered two comprehensive reviews of policy and practices in an effort to determine what broke down in airport security and inter-agency intelligence cooperation. He also instituted a number of new (and not so new) directives designed to provide greater security.
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Monday January 04, 2010
In the days after Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab’s failed attempt to kill himself and bring down Northwest Flight 253, the story followed a familiar pattern. Read More »
Monday December 21, 2009
In the wake of the Ft. Hood massacre and recent arrests involving some young men seeking association with dangerous international terrorist activity and others who appeared to be on the verge of carrying out terrorist actions in the U.S., questions have been raised by politicians and the media. “Do we have a homegrown terrorist problem?” “Are we becoming like Europe?” Read More »
Monday December 14, 2009
Israel’s near hysterical reaction to a Swedish proposal to recognize East Jerusalem as the capital of a future Palestinian state, their stubborn refusal to include East Jerusalem in their questionable “settlement freeze” and their defense of repressive policies imposed on Palestinians in the area of that holy city are framed in language that masks their real intent. Read More »
Monday December 07, 2009
Another tumultuous Washington week has come to a close and the dust has settled on President Obama’s Afghanistan speech. Critical issues were addressed, though little changed in our fractious political environment. Read More »
Monday November 30, 2009
I do not make a practice of using this space to express my disagreements with other columnists, but a piece last week by Abdul Rahman al Rashid was so off the mark that I cannot let it pass without comment. Read More »
During the past week, as President Barack Obama announced the withdrawal of U.S. combat forces from Iraq, there was considerable media commentary focusing on the lies that had been utilized to build public support for the war. Read More »
Air Date: August 5, 2010
On Thursday's edition of Viewpoint with James Zogby: Josh Kraushaar, Executive Editor of The Hotline, the National Journal; Michelle Richardson, Legislative Counsel at the ACLU; Andrew Serwer, Writing fellow at The American Prospect. Read More »
The subcommittee's meeting today to explore whether there are risk factors or preincident indicators of terrorist activity identified by intelligence and law enforcement organizations to enable them in thwarting attacks while preserving -- let me repeat that -- preserving individuals' right to privacy and civil liberties. Read More »
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