Rami G. Khouri

About the Author: Rami G. Khouri, a Palestinian, hosts a weekly political affairs television program in Jordan. He previously was editor of the Jordan Times.

The relatively swift military defeat of the Iraqi army in the ground battle that never happened has shocked many people throughout the Arab world into momentary disbelief, concern and introspection. However, the scale and speed of the Iraqi defeat should not blind us to the deeper political and human reality that still characterizes the Middle East.

Understanding the contemporary frame of the Arab mind is essential in order to grasp the terms of reference with which we have viewed the conflict with the US, and thus the terms of reference that will dictate events in the aftermath of war.

The Arab...