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This article focuses on a seeming contradiction between ‘Islamophobic’ and ‘Islamophilic’ approaches in contemporary Western policies and discourses on the Middle East. While Islamophobia continues to shape some domestic policies of Western states and provide ideological justification for the wars they wage abroad, ‘Islamophilic’ tendencies in foreign policy have also emerged, especially in responses to the ‘Arab Spring’. Not clearly noted in Western public discourse, this represents a historical continuation of Western support for Islamism common during the Cold War, but is also a shift from the Islamophobic discourse of the post-cold war period, especially since 9/11. While Islamophobic and Islamophilic discourses may appear to be opposites, the paper argues that they represent two sides of the Orientalist logic, continuing to reduce understanding of Middle Eastern societies and politics to a culturalist dimension. Unlike traditional Orientalism, they treat Middle Eastern people as political subjects, but approach them as defined by their culture and religion. They define ‘moderate’ Islamism as the typical (and preferred) politics of the people of the region. Focusing on specific recent developments, the paper suggests that, rather than paving the way to more peaceful relations with the region or to internal peace and stability there, the Islamophilic shift in Western policy may rather lead to new waves of catastrophes by further destabilising and fragmenting the region, threatening to evoke new waves of Islamophobia in the West. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The image of the United States in the Middle East has plummeted dramatically since 9/11. To stem growing anti-Americanism and improve America's image, the U.S. State Department has substantially increased public diplomacy staffs and program funding in selected Middle East countries. Although officials stationed in the Middle East give their public diplomacy operations favorable ratings, the image of the United States remains bad and continues to decline despite occasional upward spikes. In this article the author argues that television entertainment programs, particularly American situation comedies broadcast throughout the Middle East, can be another reason for the continued low regard for Americans and for the United States. An analysis of three American television programs (The West Wing, That 70's Show, and Friends) shows that the images presented by the programs are distorted and portray an unrealistic picture of life in America. The fact that the attitudes of Middle Easterners are more in tune with television drama images than with their more realistic public diplomacy counterparts leads to the conclusion that the shows trump the State Department's public diplomacy efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the developments in the effort of the United States to establish long-term stability in the Middle East with emphasis on the policy otherwise known as the Freedom Agenda. The policy aims to effect democratic transformation in the region as well as reduce the appeal of extremist ideology. However, the author contends that the Arab democratization did not bring the desired results as radical groups with anti-American views still wield influence in the region.