In The News

Sony Leads Charge to Cash in on Iraq

Julia Day April 10, 2003
Sony has registered the phrase “shock and awe,” used to describe US military tactics at the beginning of the war in Iraq, for a possible computer game. However, the game may not be sold in Britain and Europe if the scenario is set in Iraq owing to the European criticism of the war. Sony registered the name on March 21 one day after the war began. Other companies have also sought to capture patent...

US Honeymoon may be Brief

April 9, 2003
Many Iraqis may express joy at being free from the terror of Saddam Hussein, but it would be wrong to confuse this joy with support for a US occupation of Iraq. In the coming weeks, the US has hard choices to make and should take care not to allow history to repeat itself. In this editorial, the lead up to the Iraqi invasion is compared to Israel’s invasion of Lebanon, with surprising...

Betrayal on All Sides

John R. Bradley April 9, 2003
The US has proved what many already knew: few armies, let alone any in the Middle East, can withstand its power. But before the ticker tape parades and triumphal marches, the costs of US victory in terms of Arab self-esteem need to be weighed. Such a sound defeat of Arab soldiers could spell years of disenchantment for the Arab psyche. Furthermore, as the writer suggests, the ‘roadmap for peace’...

Chinese Tourists Touch Down in Germany

Hugh Williamson April 6, 2003
Until recently, the Chinese middle class was able to visit only a few countries due to strict travel regulations by the Chinese State. A recent bilateral agreement between China and Germany that gave Germany the "approved destination status" has implications for tourism industries in both countries. This is the first such agreement between China and a European Union State. The...

The Arabs Are Watching a Different War on TV

Mamoun Fandy March 31, 2003
Arab television coverage of the war on Iraq is not unlike many US stations: talk shows, press briefings, and video footage. The messages differ, however. On Arab TV, Americans are portrayed as aggressive and barbaric, while Arabs are heroic. Networks like Al-Jazeera and Abu Dhabi TV did not exist at the time of the 1991 Gulf War, whose coverage was dominated by the likes of CNN and the BBC....

Western Media Toeing Official Line

K.K. Katyal March 28, 2003
Media in the US and the UK are too eager to report the "official" news from the war in Iraq, says this opinion piece in India's The Hindu. Western reporters "embedded" with their militaries have lost their objectivity, the author argues, despite having long lectured journalists in the developing world about ethics and responsibility. However, with competition from Al-...

Gambling: Las Vegas Seen as Model

March 26, 2003
The global spread of American culture is often seen as a form of cultural imperialism. But there are many cases where a nation will actively import American culture or use it as a model. Thailand is considering legalizing casino operations and eventually building a Las Vegas-like entertainment complex. And like most instances of cultural borrowing, the end product will likely be a unique Thai...