Ending the Middle East’s Cycle of Terror Requires Some Serious Soul-Searching

The international community vocally condemned the bombing of the UN headquarters in Iraq and reaffirmed its commitment to the pursuit of peace. However, though this reaction was thoroughly appropriate, it was also insufficient, the editorial in a Lebanese daily maintains. "The imperative before us all today is not only to reaffirm our iron-clad abhorrence of terror and our principled commitment to peaceful progress, but also to understand more profoundly why such terror keeps recurring, especially in this part of the world." The editorial maintains that the four key players in the Middle East must pool their resources to break the cycle of violence. They must ensure that the rule of law is applied fairly and evenly and that the dictates of international institutions – particularly the UN – are upheld. In addition, the editorial says, the relationship between the region and larger international powers must be explored, as must the role of Middle Eastern civil society and non-governmental forces, which have become increasing shrouded in chaos. The editorial hopes that investigating these issues will allow the world to discover "why we have allowed this region of such rich cultures and talented, decent people to degenerate into a shooting gallery for terrorists and anarchists." – YaleGlobal