according to Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walid_PharesPhares authored a number of books and many articles and was the publisher of weekly and monthly publications. His Op Ed appears in many US and international periodicals and newspapers. He has been an academic advisor to human rights, ethnic and diaspora groups.
Phares is often characterized in U.S. media as giving an "Arab" point of view. His beliefs are actually more in tune with the Israeli right wing than the Palestinians. Phares frequently attends events paid for and hosted by AIPAC (American-Israeli Public Affairs Committee) and other Zionist supporters. He is a darling of the neoconservative movement and a staunch supporter of the 2003 Iraq War.
During the Lebanese Civil War, Phares was the deputy commander of the Lebanese Forces right-wing sectarian Christian militia which allied itself with Israel and was responsible, along with Ariel Sharon, for the Sabra and Shatila massacre. Benador Associates uses him (well-known neo-con propaganda mill)
http://www.benadorassociates.com/phares.phpand as you can see, he gets around in the MSM
http://www.futurejihad.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=14&Itemid=28snip
Walid Phares is currently MSNBC/NBC terrorism and Mideast expert and a senior fellow with the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies in Washington. He has been a Professor of Middle East Studies and Ethnic and Religious Conflict at Florida Atlantic University and lectures worldwide. He regularly appears on NBC, Fox News, CNN, BBC, C-Span, Voice of America, al Jazeera, al Hurra, NPR International, and Abu Dhabi TV, among others and is a frequent contributor to US and international radio programs.
Phares conducts briefings to the State, Justice, Defense and Homeland Security Departments, the US Congress, the European Union, the United Nations Security Council, and other international bodies on the Middle East, Jihadism, counterterrorism, democratization, al Qaeda and other issues. His columns and articles, in such venues as The Washington Times, Philadelphia Inquirer, Denver Post, Indianapolis Star, San Diego Tribune, etc, have received much attention. He is a media communicator, and has the academic, professional, and insider credentials to offer an unprecedented analysis and prescription for the future of Jihad.
BTW - Foundation for the Defense of Democracies is registered at a Washington DC P O Box and there is no information as to who runs it, who is on the Board of Directors, etc.
According to this site,
http://www.antiwar.com/orig/royer1.html - it was co-founded by none other than Richard Perle with Wolfowitz on the team also.
Look up Guardians of the Cedar, to which Phares belonged..