Worlds Apart (Khaleej Times - Dubai,United Arab Emirates)
A number of analysts lay the blame on what they say is a failed policy and “good versus evil simplistic ideological stubbornness that the American public seems to be increasingly turning against”, said Daniel Levy, senior fellow and director of the Middle East Policy Initiative at the New America Foundation. “Expect more of the confusion on Iran, optimism on Iraq….” said Levy, who also served as a senior advisor in the Israeli prime ministers’ office. "There is no sign of political reconciliation in Iraq. Iran pursues its nuclear weapons programme; the Middle East peace prospects are probably the worst in at least 20 years; long-term trends in Afghanistan are not good; Pakistan may implode…," said the former administration official. On the issue of Iran pursuing its nuclear ambitions, he said: "There was no sign that the sanctions being considered by the Security Council against Iran would be immediate or effective. That was true before the NIE fiasco. Now there is no chance that sanctions will work." ...