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—Voices from the Sensible Center— Interpreting the Middle
East for North Americans— Current Affairs 2 The PLO: Agony, Frustration—We tried to bring some perspective, for Humphrey's benefit, to the causes of the PLO's current problems—and this meant going back quite a few years to recall events that many people have forgotten. Many others, like Humphrey, have never known about them at all. 4 Congress Wrestles Over Iraq—Congress couldn't make up its mind, before its Thanksgiving recess, whether U.S. exports to Iraq should be restricted on grounds that it sponsors "international terrorism." The Administration says it doesn't, and is lobbying Congress to come into line when it resumes the debate. But the chances for success still look murky. 5 Lobby Activities—The American Israel Public Affairs Committee's (AIPAC) latest report on the need for stronger cooperation between Israel and the U.S. was released just as Yitzhak Shamir was stepping off his plane in Washington recently. We don't know if Mr. Shamir took the report into the Oval Office, but some of the measures it recommended were just what Israel ended up getting, in the form of an unprecedented strategic cooperation package. Two leading Arab American groups immediately denounced the accords as damaging to U.S. interests. Regular Features 2 Editorial—Some of the labyrinthian turns in U.S. policy towards Lebanon have got us properly confused. We pass along one startling example, in the hope that someone might help us find our way out of the maze. 6 Facts For Your Files—Chronology of U.S.-Middle East Relations 7 Book Review—In this dangerous world, small states must work even harder than large ones to assure their security and survival. In his book, Kuwait and the Gulf, Hassan Ali Al-Ebraheem examines how the members of the Gulf Cooperation Council have been going about it. 8 Personality—It is tragic, but true, that those who deal with or are otherwise involved in Middle East affairs can seldom overlook the military dimension. So meet Anthony Cordesman, a military analyst who not only has great knowledge in this field but also knows how to impart it.
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