Faith, Freedom And Bling In The Middle East ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times by Maureen Dowd - (Opinion) January 16, 2008 - 5:21pm As a Saudi soldier with a gold sword high-stepped in front of him, President Bush walked slowly beside King Abdullah through the shivery gray mist enveloping the kingdom, following the red carpet leading from Air Force One to the airport terminal. When the two stepped onto the escalator, the president tenderly reached for the king’s hand, in case the older man needed help. He certainly does need help, but not the kind he is prepared to accept. » Read more

Gaza Strike Hardens Hamas Position ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Christian Science Monitor by Dan Murphy - January 16, 2008 - 5:20pm Mahmoud Zahar, the Hamas leader widely seen as the strategic mind behind the Islamist movement's successful takeover of the Gaza Strip last summer, struck a defiant tone when asked in an interview last week how long he thinks Hamas can maintain control in the face of an economic blockade and Israeli pressure. » Read more