Powell Power

In a long-awaited speech that outlined the Bush administration's most comprehensive thinking on the issue, Powell announced a U.S.-funded initiative to stimulate political, economic and education reforms in the Middle East... The program to help modernize Arab society offers an initial contribution of $29 million and pledges to seek more from Congress and rich Arab countries.

On the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians, Powell said that the Palestinians are required replace their leadership, establish new institutes and put an end to terror in order to achieve peace, and that the Israelis will have to stop building in the territories.

Hmm, $29 mil isn't much, but it can't hurt. I hope we don't get a nation-building backlash. Maybe it's chauvinism on my part as a Middle East student, but I think that the unique complexities of Arab countries demand a very different approach from the standard U.S. approach to problems in Latin America, Africa, or Europe - sphere's where we've done a lot more.

Thanks to Ha'aretz for the quotes.