What does the Middle East offer America?
America’s president embarks on an aimless trip
For decades American presidents have arrived in the Holy Land like earnest pilgrims searching for the Grail of a two-state solution. George W. Bush hoped to find it in 2003 with his “road map for peace”. Barack Obama came in 2013 when John Kerry, his secretary of state, was trying to restart Israeli-Palestinian talks. Even Donald Trump promised to “give it an absolute go”.
This article appeared in the Middle East & Africa section of the print edition under the headline “A voyage to nowhere”
From the July 16th 2022 edition
Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents
Explore the editionMore from Middle East & Africa
America concludes genocide has been committed in Sudan—again
The move highlights the magnitude of Sudan’s civil war but does little to end it
Lebanon tries yet again to elect a new president
But it will not be easy to convince its corrupt politicians to reform
The West is making a muddle of its Syria sanctions
Outsiders should be much clearer about how and when they will be lifted
Alawites formed Syria’s elite. Now they are terrified
Fear of reprisal stalks the heartlands of the Assad regime
From inside an obliterated Gaza, gunfire not a ceasefire
In north Gaza the IDF is now facing “a bitter guerrilla war”
Mozambique’s opposition leader flies home into chaos
Will Venâncio Mondlane’s arrival on January 9th deepen or ease political crisis?