On this July 4, when the United States celebrates its Declaration of Independence in 1776, the country is grappling with the dismaying thought that it is losing a war. This is unusual. Every American war so far has been a victory, with the haunting exception of Vietnam. And the Vietnam War now looks with hindsight to have been a strategic victory, in that communism did not triumph in South-East Asia. China and Vietnam are no longer communist except in name. Capitalism has prevailed.

CNN commentator Jack Cafferty recently asked viewers a provocative question: "Should America or should Israel bomb Irans nuclear facilities?" Unfortunately, it is no longer a moot question. The lame duck phase of George W. Bushs presidency could become anything but lame in its last six months.

AMMAN -- The British government has deemed that the armed wing of the Lebanese Hezbollah organization is a terrorist branch because of its alleged support to Iraqi Shiite insurgents and Palestinian militant groups, a move that adds pressure on the Lebanese movement to disarm.

UPDATED: At least four people were killed and 44 were wounded – one seriously, one moderately and 42 lightly – shortly after noon Wednesday when a Palestinian from East Jerusalem went on a rampage and deliberately ploughed a bulldozer into as many vehicles as he could in the center of Jerusalem.

Listening to Sens. Barack Obama and John McCain endlessly debate U.S. energy policy according to their fixed positions is depressingly like listening to a conservative and liberal matched pair of Jekylls and Hydes.

The Middle East and North Africa, or MENA, will experience strong domestic growth in its energy, infrastructure, utilities, real estate and financial sectors, a survey into confidence and market sentiment in the regions private equity market shows.

It is often said that truth is the first casualty of war. The same can be said about the other war, the one being fought with sound bites, sharply worded communiqués, and party spokesmen trading accusations and counter accusations much in the same manner that infantrymen would lob hand grenades at enemy foxholes. In the battle for the Oval Office rarely does one take prisoners.

GAZA CITY, Gaza -- Last week, several days into the Gaza ceasefire between Hamas and Israel, a U.N. convoy and a delegation of humanitarian workers was trapped on the Gaza side of the Erez border crossing into Israel, along with this reporter.