The show trial of Saddam Hussein was drawn out until two days before the midterm US elections.

Nov. 06, 2006, Information Clearing House- The death sentence imposed on the former Iraqi president may help the deluded band of Bush supporters find victory in the defeat that Bush has met in Iraq and motivate them to support the beleaguered Republicans on November 7.

Regional forces — both pro-U.S. and anti-U.S. — are facing off in Beirut

Rami Khouri, editor-at-large of Beirut's “Daily Star” newspaper — widely regarded as the region's most important English-language daily — discussed the implications of Nasrallah’s move, as well as its potential impact on the the fragile state of Lebanon’s democracy, with MSNBC's Seth Colter Walls.

MSNBC, Nov. 03, 2006

What have been the practical consequences of last summer's war with Israel? How does Hezbollah find itself in a position to be making the moves it's making?
What we're seeing now is the continuation of the battles that took place this summer between Israel and its allies — the U.S. and Britain among them — and Hezbollah and its allies.

Policymakers can never fully control the outcome of their conscious choices because they inevitably act on incomplete information, personal bias and wishful thinking.

Oct. 02, 2006, Mail&GuardianOnline- A political intervention itself creates new conditions, the fallout of which is seldom anticipated. These unintended consequences comprise the irony of history, and recent Middle Eastern events serve as a good example, affecting each country in unforeseen ways.

The spectre of a nuclear race in the Middle East was raised yesterday when six Arab states announced that they were embarking on programmes to master atomic technology.

Nov. 04, 2006, TimesOnline- The move, which follows the failure by the West to curb Iran’s controversial nuclear programme, could see a rapid spread of nuclear reactors in one of the world’s most unstable regions, stretching from the Gulf to the Levant and into North Africa.

This is a city of nightclubs, but the night life is something else these days, and not just because of the feverish edge sharpened by the war last summer.

Nov. 02, 2006- By 8 p.m., women in their 20s and early 30s are prowling in packs of five and six, casting meaningful glances at any and all passing men. In the bars the women dance for hours - often on top of the bar - and legs, midriffs, bare shoulders and barely covered bosoms are offered for public admiration.