The Middle East: 20 Things the Next U.S. President MUST Do

by Peter Ryan

Dear President Obama/McCain:

Okay. So, after a long and historic presidential campaign, you've made it to the White House. Congratulations. Or, perhaps it would be better to say: "I'm sorry." Things aren't going to be easy for you. The American economy is in trouble. The U.S. military is bogged down by dual insurgencies in Iraq and Afghanistan, soon to reach a confirmed death toll of 100,000 civilians in Iraq along with a body count among U.S. service members that has already exceeded 4,000.

In greater percentages than any other recent U.S. conflict, U.S. soldiers are coming home with serious physical and psychological wounds that they will struggle with for the rest of their lives.

In addition to the extraordinary toll in human life and suffering, these wars are going to cost trillions. Beyond even the "sticker price" of putting boots on the ground, if we are going to honor our promises to our troops (which we must), it will continue to have radical costs for us year after year in vital services for our veterans suffering from the wounds of war. Beyond the tens or hundreds of thousands of Iraqis who have been killed, millions have been displaced by the conflict–in Iraq, Syria, Jordan and throughout the world.

So, I'm sorry. You can't necessarily be held responsible for getting us into this mess. But it will be your job to get us out of it. Whichever of you is elected President in November, come January, you will inherit the consequences of a long series of disastrous policies, both foreign and domestic.

This article series is an attempt to offer a few humble proposals. None represent original ideas–all have been much discussed and debated and, where possible, I've provided supplemental links to experts who have explored each idea in depth (and in most cases, with greater sophistication). They aren't partisan ideas–some of the proposals both candidates are likely to embrace and others both candidates are likely to reject or ignore.

But these twenty key issues could begin the process of rebuilding America's image abroad and reversing the downward spiral with unleashed with poor preparation and poor U.S. foreign policy in years past.

Let's start with Israel and Palestine.