Experts Debate Causes Of Middle East Extremism

By Samira Sadeque

During a discussion on Thursday, Director of the Middle East Program at Center for Strategic and International Studies Jon Alterman said Middle Easterners believe that the U.S. does not have any interest in doing “what it needs to do” to better its relationship with them.  

“The question is not American capability, but American intention, will, and commitment,” he said, adding that the Middle Easterners view the country’s ability to reach out to be “overwhelming.” 

Amin Tarzi, Director of Middle East Studies at the Marine Corps University, argued that Middle Eastern nations must assume responsibility instead of “hid[ing] behind somebody else’s faults.”

Tarzi also pointed out that for some Middle Eastern countries, maintaining a relationship with the United States is “as vital as their own survival.”

Pollster James Zogby, author of the book, “Arab Voices: What They Are Saying To Us and Why it Matters,” said that in a conversation with a newspaper editor from the Middle East, he got the impression that the region is eagerly awaiting an improved relationship with America. But, said Zogby, they don’t want to feel like a “jilted lover who [has] feelings for America”, but doesn’t sense that America is sincere about changing its policies toward the region.  

“This fuels extremism,” he said, adding that extremists in the Middle East are choosing to pursue violence, convinced that it will give them leverage against the U.S. and the rest of the West.

The Future Of Iran And The U.S. Lies In The Hands Of The New Administration

by Christina Lovato, University of New Mexico-Talk Radio News Service

Today on Capitol Hill experts gathered to talk about the future relationship between Iran and the United States and expressed their recommendations to the Obama administration.

This morning, the Middle East Policy Council, an organization that provides political analysis of issues involving the greater Middle East, held a discussion on the prospects of engagement between Iran and the United States.

Kenneth Katzman, a Middle East specialist at the Congressional Research Service and author of "Warriors of Islam: Iran's Revolutionary Guard" said that Iran envisions a Middle East free of what Iran believes is domination by the United States and Israel.

“Iran’s goal, it’s honored policy goal, the assessment of many, is to fundamentally restructure the Middle East by reducing U.S. influence in the region and weakening Israel to the furthest extent possible,” said Katzman.

Thomas Pickering, the former Undersecretary of State and former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations and the Russian Federation said that the future of our relationship with Iran will not depend on a totally accurate reading of Iranian internal politics because that remains something of a crapshoot.

“Watch as much as what is done, as what is said,” said Pickering.

Pickering said that the objective for the U.S. and Iran ought to be to seek a normal relationship over a period of time.

“A relationship that involves not just embassies and ambassadors but an ability for people on all sides to meet, talk with, know and work with each other.... We have a lot at stake and Iran has a lot at stake,” said Pickering.

Trita Parsi, the President of the National Iranian American Council and author of "Treacherous Alliance: The Secret Dealings of Israel, Iran and the United States" said that in order for the U.S. to improve relations with Iran there needs to be a change in atmosphere and said that the speeches and comments made by President Obama are creating just that and injecting trust.

But Parsi said that giving a deadline of diplomacy to Iran will only militarize the atmosphere, and that will not be successful.

“The more the atmosphere gets militarized, the more difficult it will be for the Obama administration to be able to pursue its path of diplomacy,” said Parsi.