Raging violence between Israelis and Palestinians has raised fears of a wider war in the region. For background on the possible use of weapons of mass destruction in future conflicts, this analysis summarizes on the chemical and biological weapon capabilities of countries in the Middle East.
After the September 11 attacks, the global threat of radical Islamist terrorism gave the United States an opportunity to rally much of the world behind it. But by mixing up the struggle against terrorism with a very different effort at preventing nuclear proliferation, and by refusing to take the interests of other states into account, the US risks endangering itself and its closest allies.
Marina Ottaway was joined by Shibley Telhami, Nawaf Obaid, and Mamoun Fandy to discuss challenges in the aftermath of the September 11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon. Terrorism's deep roots in the Middle East, and the nationalities of those involved in the recent attacks, have drawn even greater attention to the region.
It is important to have partners in the war on terrorism, Carnegie's Robert Kagan writes, but a unilateral determination to act invariably precedes a policy of effective multilateralism.
Mending the sad state of relations between Israel, Palestinians, and Arab countries is not merely an issue of peace-making, but rather of reconciliation. And this simply cannot be achieved without addressing the deep-rooted feelings of hatred which have become socially ingrained over the years.
At the ongoing NPT review conference, Arab states have strongly expressed their resentment over Israel's barely concealed nuclear arsenal, and have signaled their displeasure at the "discriminatory" approach of the United States towards nuclear weapons in the Middle East.
Breakfast Briefing on refugee protection, burden sharing and resettlement.
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