"Following the death of Lebanon’s symbol of pragmatic nationalism, there will be political turmoil within Syria. However external elements including the US and France will indirectly intervene to ensure that chaos is short-lived. Meanwhile the Harriri assassination will gravely damage the thirty year old Syria-Lebanon connection."

"Many of the so-called cuts were slated to take place several years in the future, in what budget planners call the “out” years. For fiscal year 2005 military spending, no cuts whatsoever were proposed. Needless to say, given the political context, not to speak of uncertainties about the course of events in the Middle East and elsewhere, all such long-range “planning” contains a large element of wishful thinking even when advanced seriously. The greater problem in this case, however, is that no such seriousness attached to this litany of cutbacks in the first place."

"...military and economic coercion are not likely to sway this Stalinist holdover, perhaps a fresh counterintuitive approach is needed: empathy. After the neo-conservatives finish screaming about appeasing the human rights monsters in North Korea, a cooler, more rational analysis might discover that a more empathetic U.S. policy would produce better results than threats and coercion."

"Make no mistake - despite the Democratic floundering this is a Republican War, not an American War. If dissent is the highest form of patriotism as Thomas Jefferson once said, then American citizens need to send a message to their government before the drumbeats of war lead to Iran."

"If Israelis and Palestinians are to succeed in the immediate aftermath of Sharm, and Americans and Egyptians are to provide effective support, we must all concentrate on a measured confidence-building process that focuses on mutual security, Palestinian reform, and cooperation to make disengagement work."

"The criteria that should guide these efforts must be the roadmap and aspects of international legality embodied in it. Without such a third party role, the strong elements, especially in Israel but also in Palestine, that are not happy with the current calm will continue to try to sabotage it."

"...before reading too much into these two speeches, a cautionary note is in order. Like his role model, Ronald Reagan, this President Bush is convinced by the power of “big ideas” to transform, not reality, but public opinion."

"It is up to those who have considered it legitimate to realise that in true sense no occupation could be a legitimate occupation. The only solution for individuals, groups and governments to avoid future embarassment of siding with tyrants is to boycott cooperation in consolidation of an illegal and illegitimate occupation of Afghanistan."