National sovereignty is an obligation as well as an entitlement. A government that will not perform the role of a government forfeits the rights of a… - Richard Perle

I’ve never thought much of Joe Nye’s writings on soft power.

I think there is a potential civic culture in Arab countries that can lead to democratic institutions and I think Iraq is probably the best place to put that proposition to the test

I really don't have a solution. Except to say that a precondition for any solution must be a recognition on the part of all parties on the legitimacy of all parties. That is you cannot build a political agreement on the premise that a Jewish state in Palestine is illegitimate.