In The News

Antiglobalism's Jewish Problem

Mark Strauss November 12, 2003
Anti-Semitism is again on the rise, says Mark Strauss, a senior editor for Foreign Policy. Globalization is being pinned on the Jews – the traditional 'villain' of capitalism – and thus the Jewish people are being blamed for all perceived negative effects of increased market integration, Strauss writes. In the Middle East especially, where economies are stagnant everywhere but Israel,...

A Bloodied Kingdom

November 10, 2003
Saudi Arabia has come under attack from both Al Qaeda and the US: one accuses it of being too liberal and subject to Western influences, while the other is demanding faster liberal-democratic reform and wants less promotion of strict Islamic teachings. These demands may come to a head in the aftermath of the November 9th terrorist bombing that killed only Muslims – including children – and...

Another American Casualty: Credibility

Zbigniew Brzezinski November 9, 2003
After using faulty intelligence to justify war, the US has isolated itself and lost the world’s trust, argues Zbigniew Brzezinsky, national security adviser to President Jimmy Carter. This isolation is enhanced by the US government’s “paranoic” view of the world, in which nations who oppose elements of US foreign policy are seen as enemies. The US “cannot have a relationship if we only dictate...

The Reformers Must Always Go

Kristina Merkner November 7, 2003
At the general assembly of the Club of Madrid, a group of former heads of state and government officials, former Polish President Hanna Suchocka expressed optimism about Poland's accession to the European Union (EU) in 2004. While excited about Poland's new membership in the EU, Ms. Suchocka was aware of the potential problems that might arise once the country's 10-year old market...

What Does America Mean by Democracy in Iraq?

Salamander Davoudi November 7, 2003
The Financial Times review on Arab press commentary for the past week highlights some of the most hotly debated issues on security in the Middle East. An article in Al-Hayat says that the United States should not draft a constitution for Iraq, but rather that such a job should be done by an elected Iraqi legislative body; moving west, another of its editorials argues that "Israel has...

President Bush Discusses Freedom in Iraq and Middle East

George W. Bush November 6, 2003
President Bush challenged Middle Eastern countries – allies and enemies alike – to embrace democracy and recognize the fall of Saddam Hussein as "a watershed event in the global democratic revolution." In a speech given in honor of the 20th anniversary of the National Endowment for Democracy, Bush aligned his administration's intentions in Iraq with efforts to establish democracy...

Iraq Said to Have Tried to Reach Last-Minute Deal to Avert War

James Risen November 6, 2003
Could the war in Iraq have been averted with last-minute concessions by Saddam Hussein's regime? There were offers on the table in February, says this report in The New York Times. Iraqi intelligence officials are reported to have approached a Lebanese-American businessman to outline their position, who in turn met with Richard Perle, an influential adviser to the White House. The...