Dynastic rulers and dictators in the Middle East stood amazed and impressed as the upper house of the Russian parliament passed constitutional amendments on Nov. 26, paving the way for Vladimir Putin to return to supreme power in the Kremlin – or for Medvedev to hold supreme power for Putin for the next 16 years.

Palestine Liberation Organization officials said Monday they are willing to move forward with the two-state solution as proposed by U.S. President George W. Bush at the Annapolis summit, regardless of the situation in Gaza.

BERLIN -- In looking at how the ascension of Barack Obama to the presidency of the United States could affect the Middle East, I am firmly of the belief that to find the answer one need look no further than the way he ran his stunningly successful campaign. By far, it was the most professional, strategically mapped and brutally well-managed two years that any politician could design, with a potent mix of inspiration and perspiration tapping into the Zeitgeist [spirit of the time].

Barack Obama should not miss this golden opportunity come Jan. 20 when he takes over as the nations 44th president. Three other U.S. presidents who preceded him have tried their hand, often half-heartedly, but could not seriously strive for a reasonable solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict, brewing since 1948.

PARIS -- Condoleezza Rice, U.S. secretary of state in the outgoing George W. Bush administration, has this week paid yet another of her pointless visits to the Middle East - her eighth in the past year since the Annapolis Conference of November 2007 - and very probably her last. The mystery is why she has bothered to come to the region, again and again and again. She has been indefatigable, but totally ineffectual.

Many people in the Arab world wasted little time before criticizing President-elect Barack Obama for choosing Rahm Emanuel as his chief of staff. Before those who find fault with the president-elects new appointment, let me offer the following advice: take a deep breath and give the next American president and his team the benefit of the doubt.

WASHINGTON -- President-elect Barack Obama named his first appointment Thursday, Rahm Emanuel as his chief of staff, a somewhat behind the scene, but all-powerful position. Many say the chief of staff is the second-most powerful job after the president.

The Obama euphoria that has swept America and much of the world after his historic victory this week will not last forever, and his new administration will find itself once more caught in the traditional American dilemma between ideals and realities.

A whole new world began Tuesday when Sen. Barack Obama won the U.S. presidential election: Expect some big changes in the Middle East, but expect some things to remain remarkably unchanged too.

In two weeks Americans will elect their next president. The whole world is watching the U.S. elections with a great deal of interest. In particular the international community is anxiously waiting to see how the United States will deal with Iran.