THE UNITED-STATES IN THE MIDDLE-EAST - THE GULF WAR AND ITS AFTERMATH

The convening of a Middle East peace conference in late October was the culminating event in the Bush administration's diplomatic maneuvering after the Persian Gulf war. As Adeed Dawisha notes, "The peace conference was not the end but the beginning of a long and hazardous journey. The mistrust and suspicion among the participants were so great that the road to peace will be arduous, at times painful and full of frustration. Failure is possible at every stage.... The months to come will prove a singular test of the Bush administration's willingness to stay the course."