BULLETIN No.60

Anatomy of the Cartoon Protest Movement A cultural divide transformed an almost incidental decision to publish a dozen cartoons in the inside page of a small newspaper in Denmark into a global conflagration.
How the Cartoon Protests Harm Muslims - Daniel Pipes, New York Sun
Widespread Outrage Over Cartoons : Anger Grew in Months Following Publication in Danish Newspapers By Anthony Shadid
U.S. Condemns Violent Response to Cartoons: Anger Spreads in Middle East Over Depictions of Muhammad By Philip Kennicott
UPI Analysis: Cartoon spat a culture clash? By GARETH HARDING, Is the cartoon war the first battle in Samuel Huntington's prophesized clash of civilizations?
Gulf News West should change its attitude
Europe and the US need to reconcile themselves to the fact that Islam is a growing religion.
Asia Times The clash of fundamentalisms By Ehsan AhrariReligious fundamentalists and their secular counterparts are both convinced that they are right. Yet fundamentalists of both sides are equally at fault. The secular fanatics are as much responsible for fanning the current flames of hatred and turbulence in Europe and other Muslim countries as their Muslim counterparts.
Newsweek Hirsh: Islamic Democracies Just Might Work
IHT Editorial Dealing with Hamas Hamas will only grow stronger if the U.S. and Israel try to starve it out of office.
Thomas L. Friedman: The weapon of democracy NYT Hamas wins in the Palestinian legislative elections and confusion reigns.
Los Angeles Times The West as Scapegoat - Max Boot WHY ARE SO many Muslims so enraged by a handful of cartoons published in an obscure Danish newspaper? It's not enough to point out how the governments of Egypt, Syria and Iran are stoking the protests in a cynical ploy to deflect Western pressure for democratic reform and to curry favor with Islamic radicals.
IHT Sharon's legacy and Hamas HENRY A. KISSINGER Sharon's personal intellectual odyssey is a metaphor of Israel's history and even of its biblical past: Like Moses, he caught a glimpse of the promised land.
BBC Hamas win prompts US aid cut vote The US House of Representatives votes to cut aid to the Palestinians after Hamas' election victory.
Christian Science Monitor Palestinian factions vie for spoils
President Abbas and Hamas are expected to jostle over who controls key government posts.
BBC Israel threatens to cut PA ties
Haaretz Hamas official says Israel must accept new reality
MSNBC Hamas set to name Cabinet before Israeli vote
FT Hamas fills first parliamentary postsHamas has made its first parliamentary appointments as Israel prepares to decide on its strategy towards the Palestinians after the Islamic militant group takes up the reins of power.
Gulf News Fatah sets terms for joining Hamas-led government
A senior Palestinian official yesterday set three conditions for his mainstream Fatah movement to join a government led by the Islamist group Hamas which won last month's polls.
Jerusalem Post Fatah reportedly willing to join gov't coalition with Hamas Israel to discuss sanctions on Palestinian Authority ahead of Hamas taking office Saturday.
Haaretz PA police: Hamas government will not meddle with our force
MSNBC Hamas assails U.S., Israel
Yedioth Ahronoth Democracy? Not here by D. Friedman
Hamas, haredim share fundamental opposition to democracy
Gulf News Hamas denies receiving money and training from Hezbollah
Palestinian movement says reports are Israeli 'leaks' and it is capable of financing itself to reach legitimate goals
Haaretz Kadima maintains commanding lead as Labor, Likud slip in poll
Yedioth Ahronoth Poll: Kadima down, Right up Yedioth Ahronoth election poll shows Kadima down to 41 Knesset seats, Likud and Labor stable. Meanwhile, right-wing parties get boost, merger between National Religious Party, National Union nets eight Knesset seats
Jerusalem Post Mandates stay stable in weekend pollsKadima gets 39-41 votes; National Union-NRP merger allows them eight.
Haaretz Editorial Go for the political approach Olmert is subject to a lot of pressure when dealing with the PA, but he'll do best taking a long-term approach.
The Washington Institute Miscommunication between Iranian Society and the West on Iran’s Nuclear Program By Mehdi Khalaji The West faces major barriers in explaining to the Iranian public why it is against Iran’s decision to resume uranium conversion and enrichment.
NYT Rice Is Seeking Millions to Prod Changes in Iran By STEVEN R. WEISMANThe Bush administration proposed to spend $85 million to promote political change inside Iran by subsidizing dissident groups
FT US will ‘actively confront’ Iranian policies The Bush administration set out a tougher policy towards Iran, asking Congress for an extra $75m this year to support opponents of the Islamic regime and fund the first 24-hour official US television station broadcasting in Farsi.
Christian Science Monitor Why Iran's enrichment rattles the West
Once it masters the difficult technique, a nuclear bomb is not far away.
Rice Asks for $75M to Pressure Iran
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice asks Congress to provide $75 million in emergency funding to step up pressure on Iranian government, including expanding radio and television broadcasts into Iran.,
Antiwar Having 'Fixed' Iraq, Hawks Eye Iran by Geov Parrish
Iran ready to counter any US aggression AFP
BBC Beirut divided Many came to remember Hariri, but many stayed away
Newsweek Dickey: Is Lebanon’s Jumblatt the Next Target?
FT UN presses Lebanon over Hizbollah weapons claimThe United Nations has called on the Lebanese government to explain allegations that the Lebanese army aided the transfer of weapons from Syria to Hizbollah, the Iranian-backed militant Islamic group.
Syria Comment Hariri Commemorated: Syria Cracks DownMEMRI Feb 16 SD# 1094 - Syrian Gov't Daily Suggests Israel Created, Spread Avian Flu Virus
Radical Cleric Rising as a Kingmaker in Iraqi Politics By ROBERT F. WORTH and SABRINA TAVERNISEThe man who twice led the Mahdi Army against American troops now controls 32 seats in Iraq's Parliament, enough to make him a kingmaker.
The Lessons of Counterinsurgency The last time the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment served in Iraq, in 2003-04, its performance was judged mediocre, with a series of abuse cases growing out of its tour of duty in Anbar province.
Newsweek U.S. Handover to Iraqis Marked By Mistrust The American military wants to help Iraqi soldiers get control over their country—but it's a delicate mission, marked by mistrust. An Iraqi view of the U.S. effort.
Der Spiegel Moscow's Mideast Challenge to America Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russia seemed to cede much of its influence in the Middle East to the United States. No longer. Now, Moscow appears eager to present itself as a counterbalance to Washington in the region -- with major geopolitical consequences. By Charles Hawley
US Plan for the "Great Middle East": The Kurdish Pipeline
Foreign Policy - What Next for Middle East Peace?