Contents -- Introduction: The Epicenter of Crisis -- Rethinking Religion: The Legacy of the U.S.-Saudi Relationship -- Al Qaeda and the House of Saud: Eternal Enemies or Secret Bedfellows? -- The Irony of Islah (Reform) -- Bashar Al-Assad: In or Out of the New World Order? -- U.S. Policy toward a Weak Assad -- Confronting Syrian-Backed Terrorism -- Hizballah and Syria: Outgrowing the Proxy Relationship -- The Critical Battles: Political Reconciliation and Reconstruction in Iraq -- Is the Media Being Fair in Iraq? -- After Zarqawi: The Dilemmas and Future of Al Qaeda in Iraq -- A Win-Win U.S. Strategy for Dealing with Iran -- The Hizballah-Iran Connection: Model for Sunni Resistance -- Understanding Iran's New Authoritarianism -- How Relevant Is the Iranian Street? -- Poppies for Peace: Reforming Afghanistan's Opium Industry -- Afghanistan: When Counternarcotics Undermines Counterterrorism -- When 10 Billion Is Not Enough: Rethinking U.S. Strategy toward Pakistan -- U.S. Strategy: Assisting Pakistan's Transformation -- What If Pakistan Fails? India Isn't Worried ... Yet -- The Role of Islam in Pakistan's Future.