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ALEXANDRIA-- I had the privilege of living 3 years in Israel, where I earned an M.A. in political science from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. I also had the honor of living in Egypt, studying Arabic at the American University of Cairo. In my many years in the Middle East, I saw up close the peoples, cultures, and conflicts we see in the media today.

I saw how the constant state of war ravaged the countries and the peoples of the region--and how it affected individuals on a personal level.

A feeling of rage pervaded the air. People did not feel in control of their lives; they felt powerless to stop the violence.

The reality is that substantial majorities of Israelis, Palestinians, and Lebanese did, and do, want peace. However, the actions of some Palestinian extremist faction or Lebanese extremist group eventually destroys every peace initiative.

When I first arrived in the Middle East, I accepted the current misconception that the underlying problem in the Middle East was the Palestinian/Israeli conflict, or the Lebanese/Israeli conflict. Seeing the difficulties and suffering of people up close certainly enabled me to see the problems faced by individuals from all of those groups.

However, those crises were only symptoms. The underlying problems in the Middle East are the regional powers that foment violence, destruction, and hate by supporting and encouraging various extremist groups to advance their agendas, to wit: Iran and Syria.

The peace treaties Israel has with both Egypt and Jordan are examples of a "top- down" approach to peacemaking. Egypt was the most powerful and influential Arab/Muslim nation. When it decided to make peace with Israel, peace ensued.

Jordan was a much weaker country than Egypt, but still cohesive. So, when it decided to make peace with Israel, peace ensued.

However, the Palestinians and Lebanese have very weak polities. Much stronger Arab and/or Muslim powers have been manipulating them by supporting their extremist factions--so that any peace initiative eventually fails, frustrating the desires of substantial majorities of Israelis, Palestinians, and Lebanese.

Iran and Syria are the most powerful regional actors working against peace. They sow violence and seek to harm U.S. and humanitarian interests in the region. Only if the threats that these countries pose are confronted can problems such as Palestinian statehood and Lebanese sovereignty be solved.