"...beneath the surface of mass-media discourse, there are strong indications that the U.S. military command will intensify its bombardment of Iraq while reducing the presence of American occupying troops before the U.S. congressional elections next fall. With the White House eager to show progress toward U.S. disengagement from Iraq, we should expect enormous media spin to accompany any pullout of troops in 2006."

"...if Fateh emerges from the Palestinian elections stronger, and Hamas weaker, Labor might benefit in the Israeli elections. One way or another the two elections, and the coalition-building on both sides that follows them, can be expected to interact in a number of influential ways. It may seem an unfair burden, but politicians on both sides must now take into account that their campaign statements and their ministerial decisions may affect more than one important election."

"India is certainly on the go, Indians have reason to consider the country “shining” but the shine is like the gloss on a new cricket ball. After a few overs have been bowled the rough edges do creep through. And one’s inferiority complex straightens itself out when passing through the antiquated and cumbersome procedures at India’s international airports."

"...with the potential for real and progressive change on both sides, there is a chance for both a resumption of and a breakthrough in negotiations. But this will depend on the willingness of the international community to take up the gauntlet. The sides, as has been seen before, need the help of the international community, not only in coaxing them into negotiating, but, perhaps more importantly, to bridge the gap in confidence between them. In addition, and by the US in particular, serious pressure must be brought to bear on Israel to cease its settlement- and wall-building in the West Bank, as these constitute long-term and serious impediments to any chance of grasping the opportunity that imminent political change might bring."

"There are some in the Bush Administration who have sought to play into these divisive currents—“cherry picking” groups and cultivating their support. At different times they have played the “religion card” alternately courting Muslim groups and separatist Christian groupings as well."

"The Palestinian people, including the refugees of 1948 and 1967, are well deserving of land, as stated under multiple UN resolutions. Resolution 194 explicitly states, “The refugees wishing to return to their homes and live at peace with their neighbors should be permitted to do so at the earliest practicable date.” The resolution continues to state, “the Governments or authorities responsible” should compensate “those choosing not to return and for loss of or damage to property.” In 1967, Resolution 242 called for Israel to withdraw from “territories occupied” and this call was reaffirmed in Resolution 338."

"While India's vast population of more than 1 billion somehow seems to hold together, the country itself has failed to resolve major problems, such as the status of Kashmir and the Sikh separatist movement. Moreover, the collective Indian psyche is still profoundly wounded by the 1947 partition; no healing process has yet begun."

"The concern among Islamic groups is how much bloodshed this will take and how many innocent lives will be lost in the process. If the tactics remain extreme and the resistance claims too many innocent lives, the eventual success of the Iraqi resistance may be seen as having come about not because of, but in spite of the Islamic groups."