Modernizing Arab Society

The Bush administration outlined a program Thursday to help modernize Arab society, offering an initial contribution of $29 million and pledging to seek more from Congress and rich Arab countries.

In the process, the administration hopes to deflect radicalism and combat illiteracy and poverty through scholarships and economic development.

"We are adding hope to the U.S.-Middle East agenda. We are pledging our energy, our abilities and our idealism to bring hope to all God's children who call the Middle East home," Secretary of State Colin Powell said.

"Hope begins with a paycheck," he said. "And that requires a vibrant economy."

Few details were released by Powell in a speech and news conference at the Heritage Foundation, a private research group.

On Wednesday, CIA Director George J. Tenet pledged in a speech that the United States would draw closer to the Muslim world.

Tenet said it was a "strategic imperative" to support democracy and reform among Muslim nations. Otherwise, he said, they will be vulnerable to al-Qaida and other terrorist groups.

The two speeches reflect an effort by the administration to convince Arabs and other Muslims that the U.S. fight against terrorism and the threat to use force to disarm Iraq are not directed at followers of Islam generally.

Powell said 14 million Arab adults lack the jobs they need to put food on their tables, roofs over their heads and hopes in their hearts. He said 10 million school-age children are at home or working and half the Muslim women in the region are illiterate.

"Too many people there lack the very political and economic freedom, empowerment of women and modern education they need to prosper in the 21st century," he said.

Powell said the $29 million contribution from the United States was designed to get the program started. He said the administration would ask Congress for more money next year that would be in addition to the more than $1 billion the United States already provides annually in economic assistance to Arab countries.

Asked whether such rich Arab countries as Saudi Arabia and Kuwait should help finance the program, Powell said the United States would seek contributions from Arab nations, as well.

Meanwhile, Powell said the administration would keep trying to establish a Palestinian state by 2005.

But acknowledging that peacemaking was moving at a snail's pace, he said: "We would do anything to find a way to move forward."

Next week, Powell will host a conference with U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan, Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov and leaders of the European Union on the stalled peace process.

They are working on what they call a "roadmap" toward Palestinian statehood and a settlement with Israel in which Israel is required to give up land on the West Bank and in Gaza.

An administration official said the roadmap was unlikely to be completed at the conference.

By Barry Schweid