In The News

Spread of 'Preemptive-ism' and Indonesia Sovereignty

Mohamad Mova Al Afghani October 7, 2004
Standing upon the precedent of US president George W. Bush, Australian Prime Minister John Howard has also claimed the right of his country to prevent terrorist attacks with preemptive strikes. In this op-ed from neighboring country Indonesia and likely home of many of the “terrorist bases” Howard wishes to target, the writer argues that the “doctrine” of preemption is not widely accepted in the...

Lack of Arabic Speakers is a Crack in US Security

Daniel Sneider October 5, 2004
The growing realities of world geopolitics have given non-traditional languages an elevated profile in the US-waged war on terrorism. The recent revelation that over 123,000 hours of FBI-collected audiotapes of terrorist "chatter" had been left untranslated has further sparked a movement toward developing competent translation and cultural agents. The US Army's Defense Language...

Africa Must Be Heard in the Councils of the Rich

Kevin Watkins October 1, 2004
The World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) have come under intense scrutiny, as the two international financial institutions prepare to meet in Washington this October. Though the agencies greatly influence the shape of the global economy, critics note that their decision-making mechanisms are profoundly undemocratic and favor the interests of rich nations. Wealthy countries maintain...

Measure first, then cut

September 9, 2004
Bad regulations rarely make headlines, but a new study by the World Bank, "Doing Business in 2005," shows that excessive red tape is one of the chief obstacles to growth in almost all poor countries. Pointless regulations often foster corruption, as firms and individuals have a greater incentive to bribe officials not to enforce them. Entrepreneurs suffer the most, not only from...

Countdown in Khartoum

Gamal Nkrumah August 27, 2004
The ongoing humanitarian crisis in Darfur, Sudan, has rendered 1.5 million people homeless and claimed 50,000 lives. Tensions between the Sudan Liberation Army (SLA) and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) threaten to destabilize the region, with costly consequences for Sudan’s neighbors, and the world at large. Efforts to secure peace have involved diplomats from neighboring Egypt and...

A Little Red Dot and Tension Across the Taiwan Strait

Lee Hsien Loong August 23, 2004
During his first National Day Rally speech, Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced and expounded upon the continuance of Singapore’s “One China” policy in the wake of his non-official visit to Taiwan. Tracing the root of the policy back to Singapore’s independence in 1965, Lee emphasized his nation’s desire for good relations with both Taiwan and the mainland. At the same time, he...

The Metrosexual Superpower

Parag Khanna August 16, 2004
Europe is a “metrosexual” superpower, writes Parag Khanna, a fellow in global governance at the Brookings Institution; just as modern metrosexual men mix traditional masculine traits such as strength with an eye for style, Europe wields influence around the globe through soft power and finesse. Instead of overt displays of military strength, Europe has racked up diplomatic success through doling...