There is no part of the world more crucial to the strategic interests of the United States as is the Middle East. While the traditional problems of the regulation of international affairs are at play there, Arab language satellite channels have created a new force in the region, and Al Jazeera is one of the most controversial and the most important of these. Although there are satellites that are more extreme, no organization of this kind is more professional and sophisticated–characteristics that translate into power. Al Jazeera is not only a new powerhouse in the region, but also a new intellectual force in the world. If we are ever to witness peace and prosperity in the Middle East, it will be promoted either through Al Jazeera or on its model. For that reason those with an interest in conflict resolution should become more engaged in the ways in which the media shape political culture. One place to look for how this will play out is a recent gathering of journalists, academics and intellectuals in Doha, Qatar, called the Fourth Al Jazeera Annual Forum, where the use of this mighty new intellectual weapon was discussed.