In The News

Triumph of Pragmatism

June 25, 2003
Settling boundary disputes between China and India will draw the two countries closer together, this editorial in the Hindu maintains. Indeed, the Beijing Declaration produced at the recent India-China summit talks aims to settle long-disputed territorial claims and constitutes a mutual effort to repair strained relations between the two giants. By resolving these border issues, an agreement...

Friends with the Dragon

C.V. Ranganathan June 24, 2003
Indian Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee’s visit to China has attracted the world's attention. Many are hopeful that a mutual agreement can be reached to thaw cold political relations of the past. In this opinion piece in Outlook India, C.V. Ranganathan, a former Indian ambassador to China, emphasizes the importance of more mutual understanding and cooperation between the two countries....

Insecurity Drives WMD Proliferation – ElBaradei

Roula Khalaf June 23, 2003
After Iraq, Iran has become the new focus in the Middle East. With the US insisting that Iran has been active in building weapons of mass destruction (WMD), UN weapons inspection teams have been called upon to verify the allegations. Mohamed ElBaradei, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), says a twofold measure is necessary to effectively diffuse the crisis. While continuing...

Foreign Fighters Add to Resistance in Iraq, U.S. Says

Michael R. Gordon June 22, 2003
During the recent Iraq war, there were reports of foreign fighters sneaking into the country to aid Saddam Hussein’s forces. Now, as the U.S. army struggles to control post-war chaos, American commanders say foreigners are still being recruited by Hussein loyalists. A lack of American presence in some parts of the country has allowed these loyalists, many fueled by the belief that the dictator...

Anti-Semitic Book Distributed at Rally for Malaysian Leader

Reuters June 22, 2003
American car-maker Henry Ford’s anti-Semitic book, “The International Jew,” was passed out by Malaysian officials at a rally for the departing Prime Minister Mahathir. The book also contains the “Protocols of the Elders of Zion,” which has long been used to peddle theories of an international Jewish conspiracy in countries such as Russia. Mahathir denies connection with the book’s distribution...

2 Nuclear Weapons Challenges, 2 Different Strategies

David E. Sanger June 21, 2003
The U.S. has warned both Iran and North Korea that nuclear weapons programs will “not be tolerated”. But Washington is pursuing differing strategies with each country. With North Korea, which admits it already has weapons and is developing more, the Bush Administration is attempting to cut off development by slowing imports and exports. With Iran, which maintains that its program is peaceful and...

Left to Their Own Devices

Amr Elchoubaki June 20, 2003
The United States has frequently criticized Arab governments for suppressing freedom of expression and pluralism. Yet, when popular movements such as student protests in Iran belie such criticism, the author argues, the US does not see the protests as manifestations of an existing democracy but as expressions of popular revolt,. In Iran, the religious Supreme Guide and democratically elected...