Ambassador David Mack-Urgent Business in the Middle East for the Obama Administration.mp4

In his inaugural remarks and by naming George Mitchell as his envoy for the Arab-Israel conflict, President Obama signaled that he places the agonizing problems of the Middle East at or near the top of his foreign policy agenda. Since then, the Administration's statements and regional travel have dramatized the Administration's determination to move fast and assertively on a wide number of issues. Obama wants to avoid the mistake of almost all US presidents by delaying efforts for Arab-Israel peace until events forced them to give priority to this agonizing problem. At the same time, in his first week in office Obama met with US defense officials and Secretary Clinton to develop a strategy for responsible military disengagement from Iraq. Appropriately, the Administration is moving at a more measured pace to raise the level of US-Syrian relations and to expand contacts with Iran, but the strategic direction is clear. Careful not to alarm the closest allies of the US in the region, Obama and his senior aides have entered into close consultations with leaders of the moderate Arab states, Israel and Turkey. The Administration seems mindful of the pitfalls and barriers ahead, but it is determined to deal proactively with problems before they become crises.