The New Republic

READ MORE >>

As President Obama prepares for his historic speech in Cairo next week, he faces a dual challenge--not only to redefine the troubled relations between the United States and the Muslim world, but also to clarify the place of democracy and human rights in his administration's foreign policy. The former would have been the centerpiece of his first speech in an Islamic nation no matter where he had chosen to deliver it. But it was the selection of Egypt as his venue that made the latter unavoidable. READ MORE >>

READ MORE >>

The White House puts out a schedule for Obama's coming talks with various Middle East leaders: Prime Minister Netanyahu of Israel will visit on May 18, President Mubarak of Egypt will visit on May 26, and President Abbas of the Palestinian Authority will visit on May 28. READ MORE >>

I missed this nice scoop from Mike Allen Tuesday: READ MORE >>

A blind source makes a good observation about Hillary Clinton to Laura Rozen--that she has made virtually no domestic TV appearances. "Who is talking about foreign policy on those shows? [David] Axelrod. Who is showing up at the meeting with Obama-Peres? Axelrod. They are controlling the message.... You have not really seen the secretary of state in the U.S. media; you've seen her in the international media. Who is their main messenger on foreign policy?" READ MORE >>

  READ MORE >>

...You should probably have been careful with the "we'll all be working for him someday"-type jokes. From Ryan Lizza's excellent Orszag profile in this week's New Yorker: READ MORE >>

I. READ MORE >>

Ha'aretz: Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi on Monday said that while Israel was interested in exhausting diplomatic options against Iran's nuclear program, the army must nevertheless prepare itself for a military attack.... During a visit to Washington, D.C., Ashkenazi met with Dennis Ross, the designated U.S. envoy to the Persian Gulf, and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to discuss the Iranian issue. READ MORE >>