Faith or Fanaticism?: A Dialogue on the Problem and Promise of Faith in the Middle East
Michael Gerson, Michael Ostrolenk, Gregory Khalil, Suhail Khan Thursday, 16 September 2010
This is an edited and abridged transcript of a presentation and panel discussion.
Michael Gerson:
We are in a time of deep distrust, growing conflict, historical grievances, and tribal hatreds—and that's just the healthcare debate! It's also an interesting and challenging time in the Middle East. We're seeing a real outbreak of tensions between Israel and the United States on a variety of issues that have simmered for quite a while. The Israeli ambassador for the United States recently described it as the lowest point in relations in 35 years. ...
Religion is the atmosphere that surrounds many global issues, everywhere present but invisible. I can remember very few substantive discussions about religious trends and ideas during my time with the government. The State Department is famously deaf to these issues and diplomacy involving religion is generally viewed as an irrational source of conflict. And of course it can be.
To continue reading this free sample article, please visit this article's page at informaworld, the web platform of our publishing partner Routledge.