In The News

Dmitry V. Suslov February 28, 2005
Though the recent meeting between US President George W. Bush and Russian President Vladimir Putin ended predictably with handshakes and smiles, all is not well with bilateral relations. As Dmitry V. Suslov reports, the superficial glazing-over of fundamental disagreements, though a short-term diplomatic "band-aid," may do substantial harm to regional and international politics. Of...
Jessica Einhorn February 25, 2005
At a time when many analysts predict a booming future for the Indian economy, India remains hesitant to fully embrace globalization. India and its neighbor China have been tagged as the world's next economic superpowers. Yet while China industriously makes its shores hospitable to foreign capital, Indian reformers continue to grapple with a long history of intransigent domestic opposition to...
Dina Ezzat February 25, 2005
In the wake of the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, Syria has landed in hot soup. Though accusations of complicity in Hariri's killing remain unsubstantiated, Syria faces mounting pressure over its occupation of Lebanon. Not only does Washington want to erase Syrian influence in Lebanon, but US officials also hope to coerce Syria into tightening its border with...
Boris Yunanov February 25, 2005
There were no major surprises when US President George W. Bush and Russian President Vladimir Putin met on February 24. After a candid conversation, both leaders emerged wearing smiles. And, according to The Moscow News, the positive relationship between the two leaders stems from more than global strategic considerations, but from a close personal friendship which has colored the whole US-...
Fareed Zakaria February 21, 2005
Former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri’s killing last week, possibly the result of his anti-Syrian remarks made at a summit months earlier, has now sparked a new Lebanese nationalism and international outrage that could seriously threaten the Syrian state. Among the many repercussions following Hariri’s death, an unprecedented partnership between the US and France has appeared, as both...
Marianne Stigset February 17, 2005
Though President Bush did not include Syria in his famous "Axis of Evil," he may as well have. Thanks to Syria's defiant and often belligerent stance towards US policy in the Middle East, officials in Washington have taken an increasingly critical approach to the country and its Baathist government. The assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri has only heaped...