editor — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 12:46:33 +0000

President-elect Barack Obama will have to carry a heavy burden: restore confidence in global markets and manage a country amidst a recession; confront the risk of nuclear proliferation; and contain the rise of forces that are inimical to free markets, civil rights and open society. We wish him well - for it is a daunting task.

In the Middle East, too, we trust that President Obama will, like his predecessors, protect regional stability and guarantee access to energy resources for the global economy. His support for Israel should not be questioned. The two countries share interests and values much more enduring than the political differences between Republicans and Democrats.

Nevertheless, and regardless of how small and nuanced a shift in US Middle East policy might be, we hope that President Obama will recognise that some regional challenges are not easily resolved.

Points East and West