The Diplomatic Times Review

The AP's 'Tendentious Little Fact-box' on the Golans

Writes Just World News editor and proprietor Helena Cobban in a November 25, 2007, post: "Whoa there, AP![The Associated Press]. The generally well-regarded US newswire is putting out an extremely tendentious little "fact-box" today, on the situation in the Israeli-occupied Golan. [link added.] Tendentious and, need I add, one-sided."

See "Golan: Getting it straight" to see what led Ms. Cobban to call the AP on the carpet.

Give Bush Credit for Convening Annapolis Summit

"Many flaws have been identified in the organization of the Middle East peace conference this week at Annapolis, in the US state of Maryland," says The Daily Star of Lebanon in a November 26, 2007, editorial headlined "Bush might fail at Annapolis, but give him credit for trying."

According to The Star, "Arab officials, in particular, harbor deep-seated fears that their participation may be used as cover for a gathering that fails to achieve anything of substance toward settling the dispute at the core of the region's troubles, that between the Palestinians and the Israelis."

The Star said, "Surveys indicate that ordinary Palestinians, meanwhile, have grown tired of the seemingly endless diplomacy that promises statehood, only to deliver continued occupation."

Some Observers Say Fear of Iran's Influence Behind Mid-East Summit

"When the Bush administration holds a meeting this week to formally relaunch the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, one uninvited guest will be looming large over everyone's shoulder: Iran," asserts The Christian Science Monitor correspondent Howard LaFranchi in an analysis in the November 26, 2007 edition of the Boston, USA-based publication.

Mr. LaFranchi said, Tuesday's [November 27, 2007] meeting in Annapolis, M[arylan]d, was once envisioned as a three-day conference to kick off the negotiation of final-status issues. It's now an incredibly shrinking 24-hour gathering, but its occurrence at all is in no small measure a result of the rise of Iran and its brand of radical Islam in the Middle East," he contends.

To read more, see "Behind Mideast Summit: The Iran Factor."

Technorati tags: U.S.-Middle East Summit, Iran, Israeli-Palestinian Peace process

What's Bush Trying to Accomplish With a Middle East Summit?

Haaretz.com's Aluf Benn think's "The main message of this week's summit [on the Middle East] at Annapolis [Maryland, USA] will be that the United States is back as a leader in the Middle East. When [U.S.] President George W. Bush stands before an audience of representatives of Middle Eastern countries at a summit he is hosting to promote Israeli-Palestinian peace, the message will be that when the U.S. calls, the world sides with it."

But will anything be accomplished other than a gathering of leaders from countries that could have solved the Palestinian matter years ago, if they had really wanted to do so? It remains to be seen, but what do you think?

To read Mr. Benn's perspective, see "Back on the block.

Technorati tags: Middle East Summit, George W. Bush, Aluf Benn, Haaretz.com

The New York Times' Interview With Barack Obama

U.S. Presidential Candidate "Barack Obama makes some very good points in this NYT interview," according to Gregory Djerejian at The Belgravia Disptach.

Mr. Djerejian's views are always worth reading, even if you may not agree with him.

Mohammed Reza Bageri: Iran and Turkey Should Work Together

"Turkey and Iran should work together against Kurdish terrorists and their cooperation could include military efforts, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Mohammed Reza Bageri said here Friday," November 2, 2007, according to Turkish Press.com. See "Turkey, Iran must cooperate against Kurdish terrorists: Iran."

The web journal quoted Mr. Bageri as saying "Turkey and Iran must cooperate on the PKK issue." He was "referring to the terrorist Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK)," according to Turkish Press.com

Turkish Press.com said, "PJAK, a PKK-linked organisation, is active in Iran and has conducted deadly attacks against the Iranian security forces."

Are Things 'Coming Unglued' for the U.S. in the Middle East?

"The signs are everywhere that a new, unpredictable and dangerous phase is beginning in Washington's "war on terror" and the fallout from the invasion of Iraq," contends the Vancouver (Canada) Sun's Jonathan Manthorpe in a November 02, 2007, commentary.

"In the Middle East," he opined, "much of the carefully balanced structure of alliances and loyalties has been thrown into confusion by NATO member Turkey's political imperative to confront Kurdish separatist terrorists operating out of northern Iraq."

To read more of his perspective on U.S. Middle East policy and terrorism, see "Things are coming unglued for Washington in Middle East."