James Steinberg: Cease fire critical after intense Mideast violence

James Steinberg is the head of Foreign Policy Studies at Brookings Institution, and the author of "An Ever Closer Union: European Integration and Its Implications for the Future of U.S.-European Relations," and a CNN analyst. He served as Deputy National Security Adviser during the Clinton administration, and was national security counsel to Senator Edward Kennedy.

CNN: Welcome to CNN.com James Steinberg. We are pleased to have you back with us today.

STEINBERG: I'm very pleased to be back in the chat room, and I'm looking forward to your questions.

CNN: Now that the United States is involved in its own war against terrorism, how will that affect U.S. attitude and policy toward the weekend suicide attacks in Israel and today's Israeli retaliation via missiles near Yasser Arafat's headquarters?

STEINBERG: I think the events of the past weekend will be very much seen through the lens of our own effort to deal with the problem of terrorism. There are two different kinds of factors that will influence U.S. policy. On the one hand, since the United States has taken a very uncompromising position against terrorists and governments that harbor terrorists, it will be important for the administration to show that the policy does not just apply to terrorists and governments that are attacking the United States, but also to terrorists who are attacking others. And so, the administration will want to take a very tough line on the terrorist attack in Israel ...and on the need for the Palestinian authority to take decisive measures.

At the same time, the administration knows that it is important to maintaining the anti-terrorist coalition to have the support of moderate Arab governments. Thus, while the administration can be expected to be sympathetic to Israel's right of self-defense, it will also want to emphasize the fact that it is working to try to defuse this conflict, and will point to the presence of General Zinni, the special envoy of the State Department, who is now in the region.

CHAT PARTICIPANT: Mr.Steinberg, can one really draw an analogy between the 9-11 events and the situation in the Middle East?

STEINBERG: The 9-11 events are not identical to the situation in the Middle East, because there is an underlying political context to the Middle East conflict. But the need for a very strong and clear rejection of terrorism, no matter what the avowed intention of those terrorist acts, means that for the United States it will be important to be very clear about how we stand on this issue.

CHAT PARTICIPANT: The UN should step in. They should have done so a long time ago!

EXTRA INFORMATION CNN.com In-Depth Specials:Mideast struggle for peace

STEINBERG: The UN has not historically been a very useful vehicle for dealing with the Middle East conflict, because the discussions there tend to polarize the situation, rather than seek for common grounds. In the current circumstances, only the United States has the ability to talk to both sides effectively, and that's why the mission of General Zinni is an important effort to re-energize the possibility of a cease-fire and future discussions on the issues.

CHAT PARTICIPANT: Why, when Israel killed five children last week, didn't the United States say that Palestinians had a right to defend themselves?

STEINBERG: I think it's important to focus on the specific facts. Although the incident involving the children was a terrible tragedy, there is no allegation that the Israelis targeted in any way these children. That is a very different situation from the deliberate attempt to take innocent civilian lives that we saw this weekend. Nonetheless, it is critically important to find a way to move to an effective cease-fire so that tragedies such as the deaths of those five children will not be repeated.

CHAT PARTICIPANT: James, do you think today's attacks will effect American relations with other Arab states?

STEINBERG: I think that the events of the weekend should have the effect of energizing all moderate governments to encourage both sides to deepen their efforts to achieve a cease-fire. The violence of this weekend will only make a region which is already very tense more fragile, so it is important for other Arab governments not to simply stand on the sideline and take rhetorical positions, but for them to work with the United States to help move the parties toward an effective cease fire.

CHAT PARTICIPANT: Do you think the current crisis in the Middle East will escalate and expedite our strategy in Afghanistan, in case a need arises for us in the Middle East?

STEINBERG: I think that the timetable for Afghanistan is moving as quickly as the military situation allows, so I think it is difficult to imagine steps we could take now that would significantly accelerate that effort.

CHAT PARTICIPANT: Mr. Steinberg -- Arafat has received several similar "messages" from the Israelis in the past. Have his responses been what Israel would like?

STEINBERG: There have been times in the past in response to heightened violence that Arafat has successfully taken measures against the terrorist threat. We saw that back in 1995 for example, after a particularly intense wave of suicide bombings. It's clear from this weekend's attacks, however, that the measures taken recently have been inadequate to address this very serious threat, and therefore, it is especially critical now for Chairman Arafat and the Palestinian Authority to demonstrate that it is both willing and capable of taking meaningful action.

CNN: Secretary of State Colin Powell stated that the weekend attacks in Israel were not only a terrible attack against Israelis, but it was also an attack against Arafat himself and his authority. Do you believe that Arafat sees it this way and if so, what are his options for regaining control?

STEINBERG: I think it is an open question as to whether Chairman Arafat sees the very insightful observation of Secretary Powell, although I believe that Chairman Arafat understands how grave the risk is from the attacks of the weekend. It remains to be seen whether he is prepared to take the decisive steps, which do have political risks for him, necessary to get the threat under control.

CHAT PARTICIPANT: Is there a successor for Arafat, and does he want peace?

STEINBERG: Up until now, there has been little effort on the Palestinian side to develop a successor to Chairman Arafat. And there are risks in others, including the United States or Israel, from trying to cultivate a successor on their own, because such an individual would have great difficulty in establishing his credibility vis-a-vis the Palestinian population.

CHAT PARTICIPANT: Mr. Steinberg, if a government is placed in Afghanistan and the problem comes closer to an end, (with the exception of bin Ladin if he is not found by then), would Afghanistan become a staging platform for a possible addressing or attack on Iraq?

STEINBERG: Afghanistan would not present a very useful staging ground for an attack on Iraq, both because the military facilities there are very rudimentary, and because the problem of overflights of Iran and Pakistan are likely to prove very difficult. For an effective military operation against Iraq, the two most important areas are Turkey in the north, and Kuwait and the Gulf states in the south.

CNN: Do you have any closing comments for us today? STEINBERG: I think that the events of the past weekend demonstrate how fragile the overall situation is in the Middle East. It is critically important that the United States make clear that there can be no compromising with terror, but at the same time, we must demonstrate that there is a benefit to be had if the Palestinian leadership can effectively take on this critical challenge. The United States can play an important role in taking this message to Chairman Arafat and the other Palestinian leaders, as well as the leaders of the Arab world.

CNN: Thank you for joining us today, James Steinberg.

STEINBERG: I appreciate the questions from this very informed audience, and look forward to participating in the chat room again in the future.

James Steinberg joined CNN.com via telephone from Washington, DC. CNN provided a typist. This is an edited transcript of the interview, which took place on Monday, December 03, 2001.