Christopher Dickey on Hamas, Protests, and Iran

Fresh Air | By Terry Gross

Published February 23, 2006 at 5:52 PM EST

The new Hamas-led Palestinian government is causing U.S. and Israeli leaders to analyze their aid policies. Also in the region, Muslim protests continue against cartoons that depicted the prophet Muhammad.

Those two developments -- and a re-started nuclear program in Iran -- mean that it's a busy time for journalists specializing in the region. Christopher Dickey is the Middle East regional editor for Newsweek magazine.

Dickey, the Paris bureau chief for Newsweek magazine, is also the author of the novel The Sleeper. The 2004 thriller tells the story of an Army veteran -- and former terrorist --living in the United States. But the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, prompt him to target his former al-Qaida comrades.

Terry Gross

Combine an intelligent interviewer with a roster of guests that, according to the Chicago Tribune, would be prized by any talk-show host, and you're bound to get an interesting conversation. Fresh Air interviews, though, are in a category by themselves, distinguished by the unique approach of host and executive producer Terry Gross. "A remarkable blend of empathy and warmth, genuine curiosity and sharp intelligence," says the San Francisco Chronicle.

See stories by Terry Gross