On December 14, 2001, the respected Beirut English language newspaper, The Beirut Daily, published a feature story by its correspondent Saad Mehio, which commented on remarks made by IASPS Strategic Fellow, PM Wihbey. Referring to the fluid geopolitical situation in the Greater Middle East, Wihbey is quoted as saying, "It is reasonable to assume that the status quo ante is over, there will be a new regional order proposed in the Middle East.  It is a dangerous time."

Mr. Mehio explained that indeed, significant developments were occurring in the greater region including fundamental geopolitical alterations in key conflict areas like Afghanistan, Cyprus and Israel/Palestinian Authority. The impact of these sudden post-September 11th changes are being felt in all the key capitals of the Middle East.

Mehio writes, "Everything about us seems to be in a state of flux, from the villages of the West Bank to the plains and mountains of Iraq--including such capital cities as Cairo, Riyadh and Damascus, seen as beacons of political stability over the last thirty years.  We all know that a new regional order is just over the horizon."  The correspondent speculates that a new Western strategy for the greater Middle East may be formulating itself.  He points to the NATO presence in Afghanistan, the EU influence in the Cyprus negotiations, and the American war on terrorism.

He also suggests that the West is considering institutionalizing the Middle East wherein "Turkey is expected to become a major pillar" of a new American regional blueprint for stability.

This analysis merits careful and thoughtful reading and suggests that leading scholars and journalists in the Arab World are beginning to contemplate different futures for the region, a future no longer based on the assumptions of Cold War leverage or the discredited ideologies of secular Arab nationalism and Islamic universalism.  In fact, the various geostrategic issues that Wihbey and other IASPS fellows have addressed over the last several years, have seemingly had a desired ideational impact, which is to provoke intelligent and thoughtful debate on the future course of Middle Eastern political and economic development.