Peacewatch/Policywatch Anthology 2001: A Year of Terror; War on Terror: The Middle East Dimension

The Washington Institute for Near East Policy, generally deemed to have a pro-Israel orientation, is one of the most influential policy research organizations in Washington and a source of important publications. Its 2001 anthology presents summary analyses by both staff members and many outsiders, recapturing the region in 2001 as viewed at the moment. This advantage, however, is diluted by the anthology's treatment of Israeli-Palestinian issues as separate from the rest of the Middle East. War on Terror covers everything from terrorism to prospects for democracy. Both books offer serious short takes on that eventful year in the Middle East. In general, the collected interpretations favor regime change in Iraq, disparage Palestinian leader Yasir Arafat, support Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, and lean toward a more assertive, if not quite unilateralist, U.S. posture. Still, these many well-informed contributors do not march in lockstep. A case in point is the fascinating piece by former Shin Bet director Ami Ayalon in War on Terror.