Like most years in the Middle East, 2009 was not a particularly good one. War, instability, terrorism, and general mayhem showed no signs of permanently abating now or in the near future, but those of us who live here do have the cold comfort of reassuring ourselves that it certainly could have been worse. The year began, after all, with the aftermath of one war—Operation Cast Lead in Gaza—but appears to be ending without the outbreak of another. In this part of the world, that is enough reason to see the proverbial glass as half full.
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