Shibley Telhami Quotes (19 Quotes)

This is a positive indication since a large number of people in the Arab world don't view the current conflict as an Islam-Christian conflict.

Where they started having difficulty, and helping to direct and bring anger toward the United States, was taking the position that this was exploitation by politicians. While it's true at some level, it comes across as if it's missing the force of it for the vast majority of Muslims.

You can argue that in recent years, Fahd's own personal paralysis has led to Saudi political paralysis. Abdullah is seen as in charge, but not really in charge. Fahd's physical survival has prevented anyone else from being king, and in some ways has preserved a degree of stability.

They have been remarkably loyal to the state even under very tense circumstances. Many of them literally have cousins, sometimes brothers and sisters across the border. And yet despite that, if you look at the history of the Arabs in Israel, there's been far less violence inside, remarkably low levels inside, even under the most difficult circumstances.

He is terrifying to Middle Eastern elites. He is terrifying to Middle Eastern governments,

We often forget that there is a grass-roots level where local politics drives the reaction. If the environment remains one of despair, then the political environment is in trouble,

I think policy now is being reassessed in terms of what kind of position the United States could take not only to support the opponents of the Islamist groups, but also what to do if those Islamist groups in fact win.

I think she's doing far better than her predecessors. Because of her closeness to the president, she has real influence on policy. The problem is that she and her staff still lack real expertise in the Middle East.

He is terrifying to those who aspire to have a normal life because ... if it could be done to the United States, it could be done to them.

You'll find businesses where you hear Arabic and Hebrew right next to each other. It's not perfect, don't get me wrong, but there is a high level of comfort, where people have reconciled. There are genuine friendships and genuine alliances across communal lines.

Everyone assumed the Clinton peace negotiations would lead to the creation of a Palestinian state, ... The U.S., in effect, was working on what would be a Palestinian state, but the articulated policy was less than a Palestinian state.

I absolutely don't think there is a unilateral solution that works. It works fine as a tactical argument, but it isn't going to solve even the immediate problems. I don't think that worsening economic and political conditions in the Palestinian areas are going to be helpful to the Israelis.

I think clearly it's going to satisfy people who have suspicion about some of it, but some will still have conspiracy theories and that's not going to stop.

The polarization in Iran is clear and probably will grow. This is the kind of environment that can bring more tensions.

If the letter's true, it's new because they haven't shown any particular avoidance of certain ruthless tactics. It says to me they are concerned about the way they are being perceived in the Muslim world.

Anyone who says there's apathy at the University of Maryland is not here tonight.

Those people who are going to rally behind him are going to rally behind him dead or alive,

The U. S. ambassador there is very visible in his meetings over the constitution. There is the impression that the United States is driving this, and that is not a good thing.

There already is a prevailing perception of Arab Muslim countries they are being targeted for who they are, and this storm in the U. S. plays into this.