Realistically Speaking ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jordan Times (Editorial) October 2, 2007 - 7:33pm It is not too hard to figure out what Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni must have meant when she asked Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, during their encounter in New York last Friday, to be realistic in his quest for peace with Israel. For Livni and the rest of the Israeli government, realism in the search for a peaceful settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict means one thing only: the status quo. That means that few cosmetic changes might be made to peripheral issues only. » Read more

Getting Over The Fear Of Arab Elections ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Daily Star by Michele Dunne - (Opinion) October 2, 2007 - 7:32pm Concern about chaos in Iraq, Palestine, and Lebanon and fear of Islamist political victories have led many American commentators to identify Middle East democracy promotion as unwise. The Bush administration should not have insisted on elections in Arab countries, according to the new conventional wisdom, but instead should have patiently promoted the growth of institutions, civil society, and the rule of law. » Read more