Clifford D. May

The region we now call the Middle East is an elaborate mosaic. Among its peoples are the Arabs, desert denizens who became great conquerors and colonists. The Persians possessed a mighty empire in antiquity and will again if Iran's current rulers fulfill their ambitions. The most vibrant city of the Turks is Istanbul, the Christian capital known as Constantinople until it fell to Sultan Mehmed II in the 15th century. The Middle East also is home to Kurds, a nation without a state, and to Jews, reestablished as a nation in their ancient homeland.

The attacks of 9/11/01 awoke Americans -- by no means all -- to the threat posed by totalitarian interpretations of Islam. John Fonte, a scholar at the Hudson Institute, has long been concerned about another ideology that is perhaps no less dangerous to free peoples.

It goes by names that sound either vaguely utopian, like "global governance," or too wonky to worry about, like "transnational progressivism." But in a new book, "Sovereignty or Submission," Fonte makes clear how this ideology -- widely embraced in Europe and, increasingly, among elites in the United States as well -- is stealthily undermining liberal democracy, self-government, constitutionalism, individual freedom and even traditional internationalism, the relations among sovereign nation-states. To put it bluntly: While the jihadists call for "Death to the West!" the transnational progressives are quietly promoting civilizational suicide.

For more than 30 years, Bat Ye'or, a refugee from Egypt, has been writing about dhimmis -- Christians and Jews living under oppression in Muslim lands for over a millennium. Now, she has a new book, "Europe, Globalization and the Coming Universal Caliphate," that looks at Muslims living in lands that once were Christian but today call themselves multicultural.

In late September, leaders of the Palestinian Authority are expected to issue a Unilateral Declaration of Independence and ask, in the words of PA Foreign Minister Nabil Shaath, that it receive "the blessing of the U.N."

That blessing will not come from the U.N. Security Council: If the Palestinians ask for approval from that body, President Barack Obama is expected to exercise the American veto, though he has not unequivocally pledged to do so.

On June 28th, Iran's rulers test-fired 14 ballistic missiles, including long- and medium-range Shahab missiles and short-range Zelzal missiles. Also, their new and improved centrifuges are turning out more enriched uranium for nuclear weapons.

In addition, departing Defense Secretary Robert Gates noted last month that North Korea's nuclear weapons and missile development "now constitutes a direct threat to the United States. ...They are developing a road-mobile ICBM (intercontinental ballistic missile). ... It's a huge problem."

President Barack Obama has now made two speeches on the Middle East in quick succession -- speeches characterized by soaring rhetoric and glaring inconsistencies.

To take but one example of the latter, on Sunday the President said: "Israel cannot be expected to negotiate with Palestinians who do not recognize its right to exist." He was referring to Hamas, which not only refuses to recognize Israel but also is openly committed to her extermination. Hamas recently announced it was merging with Fatah, considered a more moderate Palestinian faction.