 |
| —Voices from the Sensible Center— Interpreting the Middle
East for North Americans— Current Affairs 3 Egypt: Between War, Peace—For some 40 years, the U.S. and the Soviet Union have been frozen into a cold war enormously expensive to both. Unfortunately, says author Stephen Green, the six-year-old "peace" between Egypt and Israel may soon be every bit as cold. 4 U.S. Interests & Afghanistan—Theodore Eliot, former U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan and former president of the American Foreign Service Association, who now is Dean of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, says the U.S. has fundamental interests and obligations in Afghanistan that can be furthered by making certain care fully-considered moves. 5 A Look Ahead at Congress—Lawmakers in the new 99th Congress are expected to handle some pretty hot Middle East issues this year. The "big two" are greatly increased aid to Israel and a sale of weapons to one or more Arab states. 6 Lobby Activities—Big media campaigns are in the making at the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee and the National Association of Arab Americans to spotlight Israel's requests for huge U.S. aid increases. Even many Jewish Americans normally supportive of Israel are reported to believe that this time Israel has asked for too much. 8 An Economy in Big Trouble—Israel's economic crisis began in 1973, when Israel began spending far beyond its means for both guns and butter. Now, says economic editor John Haldane, only changes in Israel's political and military policies can restore the economy. Regular Features 2 Editorial—When the press quotes one of the U.S. survivors of the Kuwaiti plane hijacked to Iran as saying it's dangerous to be an American overseas today, that's no longer news. What's important now is to understand why more than 260 Americans have been killed in the Middle East in the past two years. 7 Personality—If you think one of your child's textbooks has gone astray in depicting Arabs or their culture, let Omar Kader know about it. As the new executive director of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, he has set out to solve just that sort of problem. 8 Facts For Your Files—A Chronology of U.S.-Middle East Relations 10 Book Review—Fr. Elias Chacour's Blood Brothers accomplishes two purposes. It provides a first-person, eyewitness account of the tragedies that overwhelmed the Palestinians more than 35 years ago, and it points the way toward a future reconciliation that would enable Jews and Arabs to live peacefully together in the Holy Land. |