Welcome to the inaugural post of Instant Replay. Read on if you're interested in a student's reaction and analysis of current events in international affairs and domestic politics. My name is Salim, and I'm a junior in International Affairs and Economics at a university in Boston. I've been thinking about hanging out this virtual shingle for some time, and decided to on the spur of the moment 15 minutes ago. (For anyone who's wondering, it is very simple and low-stress.) The catalyst was a girl with whom I spoke earlier today; she has a blog, and asked if I had one. That proved enough to kickstart me. Expect me to react to various world and US events: Anthrax scares, Georgian riots, EU weapons sales to the Afghan resistance were all in the news today. The focus of my study - and interest - is on the Middle East, particularly the Arab-Israeli conflict. My credentials include having lived in Jordan, Israel, Palestine, and Egypt, being both 1/4 Lebanese and 1/4 Jewish, and actively studying and researching the area for my degree. If you have any questions you'd like me to react to and give my 2 cents worth, I'd be happy to. Drop me a note at s2000chops@yahoo.com