In The News

Nations Vow Corruption Fight

Nancy San Martin June 9, 2004
At the recent annual general assembly of the Organization of American States (OAS) held in Quito, Ecuador, member nations agreed to improve the situation of democracy, human rights, and corruption in the Americas. In order to combat corruption, they pledged to deny refuge to corrupt officials from other countries and agreed to cooperate in the recovery of stolen funds. Further, the OAS'...

Asia ‘Needs Own Energy Resources’

Pennapa Hongthong June 9, 2004
A lack of domestic energy security has prompted discussion amongst Asian nations about a regional strategy on energy resources. At the Asia Development Research Forum, which concluded yesterday, researchers encouraged the region’s policy makers to develop domestic energy sources. Rather than depend on foreign imports, the focus should be on developing new and renewable energy resources. China’s...

Growing Anti-US Sentiments Roil Alliance With South Korea

Sook-Jong Lee June 8, 2004
Although South Korea’s legislature just approved the deployment of 3000 troops to Iraq, South Koreans’ anger about US military actions has reached a boiling point, argues Sook-Jong Lee, a Visiting Fellow at the Brookings Institution. South Koreans have become increasingly critical of the US since the 1980s, with the presence of US forces in South Korea serving as a daily reminder of the country’s...

New Violence, Old Problem

Neil MacFarquhar June 6, 2004
The last two terrorist attacks on Saudi Arabian soil left over two dozen people dead, including 25 foreigners. In both attacks, the corpse of a Westerner was dragged behind a car in apparent celebration. As gruesome as this sounds, writes Neil MacFarquhar, it is only a symptom of the times in Saudi Arabia. The ruling House of Saud, he says, officially maintains that the terrorists responsible...

June to November

Khaled Dawoud June 4, 2004
As the June 30 deadline for transfer of sovereignty approaches, it is increasingly clear that the triangular relationship between the US White House, the Iraqi Governing Council, and the United Nations is a bit lopsided. The UN envoy to Iraq, Lakhdar Brahimi, was supposed to be in charge of selecting Iraqis to fill key posts in a new interim government. But right up until the announcement of...

Trade Theory vs. Used Clothes in Africa

Carter Dougherty June 3, 2004
In Uganda the seemingly ubiquitous struggle between free traders and protectionists is played out in the debate over used clothes. Like so many other cities in Africa, Uganda's capital, Kampala, is the destination for millions of dollars worth of second-hand garments from the developed world. But while myriad jobs have sprung up in Uganda's used clothes trade, those involved in the...

Islam and West: Time for Enlightened Moderation

Pervez Musharraf June 2, 2004
The events of the recent past have brought the Muslim world to a state of emergency, writes Pervez Musharraf, president of Pakistan. The world perception of Muslims as violent extremists has placed the moderate and peaceful faithful – the “innocent multitudes” – at odds with the world. The proliferation of suicide bombers and the events of 9/11 have bred a deep fear in the West of Islam and its...