In The News

A New Coalition To Keep WMD Out of Terrorists' Hands

Michael Richardson May 10, 2004
Current arms control treaties make it easy for countries like North Korea and Iran to import the materials needed to make WMD. Yet despite widespread fear about terrorism, observes correspondent Michael Richardson, no effective international laws exist to prevent the sale or transfer of weapons or related technology to state or non-state actors. To remedy this worrisome loophole, Richardson,...

The Medium Shapes the Message

Seth Fein May 7, 2004
The fact that US President George W. Bush addressed audiences on Arab television this week made clear to all that Washington sees a need to communicate better with people in the Middle East about its policies and programs. Nonetheless, says Yale historian Seth Fein, past US efforts to promote American foreign policy goals through the media have met only with skepticism and distrust. A news...

Pragmatic Politics

Peter Sturm May 7, 2004
German Chancellor Helmut Kohl's cozy relations with China's leaders are raising some eyebrows in his native land. An annual visitor to China, Kohl has consistently promoted German business interests during his discussions with Beijing. While this may be good for German investors, Kohl's one-issue focus happily ignores China's human rights abuses, says Peter Sturm. Sturm...

New Prison Images Emerge

New Prison Images Emerge May 6, 2004
The shocking images that have emerged from Iraqi prisons, showing American and British soldiers abusing and humiliating prisoners, have created a "combustible international scandal". The photos, taken with the digital cameras that soldiers brought with them to communicate with families back home, mimic tourist snapshots – except in their horrific content. Without this sort of...

Iraqi Prison Scandal Hits US in a Big Way

Ilnur Cevic May 5, 2004
The recent uproar in the US over the torture and abuse of Iraqi prisoners in US custody is really not big 'news' in the Arab world, says this editorial in the Turkish Daily News. Although the humiliating photos circulating the globe may have "devastating consequences" for the US, writes Ilnur Cevic, the problems are seen by many in Iraq and the Middle East as just another...

North Korea Builds Up Missiles

Joo Sang-min May 5, 2004
According to a South Korean newspaper, North Korea is building two underground launching sites capable of deploying intermediate-range ballistic missiles. If successfully established, the new missiles could reach as far as Guam and possibly Hawaii, says the Chosun Ilbo newspaper. Defense experts say that Pyongyang is trying to demonstrate its limited military muscle. But, they caution, it could...

Invite China to Join G7 for Everybody's Sake

Kevin Rafferty May 4, 2004
In this op-ed for the Hong Kong-based The Standard, Kevin Rafferty argues for the inclusion of China in the G-7/8 group. Though he acknowledges arguments about China's not having the proper "system" or freely convertible currency that naysayers deem necessary to be in the exclusive club of like-minded economic powers, Rafferty argues that China's awesome economic status and...