In The News

Security, Terrorism and the U.K.

Chatham House July 18, 2005
In response to mounting concerns about terrorism, as well as the attacks of July 7, Chatham House, an independent think-tank, has commissioned a report on counter-terrorism and security policy options for the UK as part of its New Security Challenges program. Frank Gregory and Paul Wilkinson discuss the need for a change in thinking about what constitutes the greatest threat to Britain’s national...

Indo-US Relations Headed for a Grand Transformation?

Ashley J. Tellis July 14, 2005
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to Washington this week could mark a watershed in Indo-US relations. This is the highest level visit since late March, when the US announced its plan to "help India become a major world power in the twenty-first century." Defense specialist Ashley J. Tellis describes Washington's new South Asia policy as offering unprecedented...

The Changing Face of Al-Qaida: "Outsourcing" Worldwide Terror

The Baltimore Sun July 11, 2005
Last week's terror attacks in London are widely suspected to be the work of an offshoot of al-Qaida. If so, they are further evidence of the shift in the terrorist network's strategy and identity since September 11. Many experts believe that Osama bin Laden and his followers have temporarily moved away from planning large-scale, centrally coordinated attacks on America directly and...

Muslim Problem Needs a Muslim Solution

Thomas L. Friedman July 8, 2005
After the terrorist attacks in London yesterday, politicians, journalists, and the public at large began searching for answers, and started thinking about how to prevent future atrocities. Columnist Thomas L. Friedman posits that the best way to counter Islamic terrorism is for the Muslim community to publicly speak out against extremists. One of the greatest potential dangers of extremist...

China Seeks to Build Regional Influence at Summit

July 7, 2005
In an attempt to gain greater access to the energy resources in Central Asia, China is stepping up its efforts to strengthen the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) – a regional security group featuring China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. By developing the SCO into a major regional alliance, says expert Niklas Swanstrom, China is hoping not only to assure...

Africa Needs an Al-Jazeera

Philip Fiske de Gouveia July 6, 2005
The spotlight on Africa of late has focused on many laudable goals: sustainable development, debt relief, disease prevention and control, and reining in governmental corruption. But promoting democracy and permanently establishing open and honest government, Philip Fiske de Gouveia writes, is inherently linked to a feature which most Africa nations still lack: a free press. The overwhelming...

Angst of a Stagnating Germany

Dominic Sachsenmaier July 5, 2005
In the midst of fierce debate concerning the future of the EU, German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder's call for a September election has opened a national discussion about the future of Germany. Since the unification of East and West Germany, the economy of the formerly prosperous welfare state has stagnated. Already high jobless rates are intensified by competition with low-wage foreign...