The rounds of farewell dinners and roasts have barely begun. There are few of us who witnessed the beginning of the process. We are a vanishing breed. Although we did not always see eye to eye on everything, I will miss Walid's wit, charm and sarcasm. Maybe I failed to bring about a real push.
Time is always a factor in the Middle East, because it is full of surprises.
If there is progress, it is my doing, and if there is no progress, it is Dennis's doing. Moualem said he regrets leaving with his mission incomplete. He is someone whose contributions will never be forgotten in Damascus or Washington, Pickering said, adding that when he retires, he intends to look up Moualem in Damascus for some sightseeing, and that maybe they can find a hakawati, a traditional story teller, spinning tales of Arab heroism in a cafe. While Syria is leaving this crucial diplomatic post vacant, Israel is wasting no time in filling it. David Ivri, one of the pillars of Israel's security establishment, is coming to Washington as ambassador to replace Zalman Shoval, who stayed beyond the election defeat of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu last May 17 and the election of his successor, Ehud Barak.