In The News

A Triumph Over the Romans Seen as the Birth of the German Nation

Hans Riebsamen May 2, 2003
Almost two thousand years ago, the Romans were marching towards Germania, intent on expanding their vast empire. In what is now Germany’s Teutoburg Forest, the region’s residents repelled the empire’s army, forcing the invaders to retreat southward for good. In the 19th century, the story became an important part of “the mythology of German nationalism”. Now, an exhibit at the Archeological...

Why the Security Council Failed

Michael J. Glennon May 1, 2003
The UN was weak and irrelevant long before the divisive US-led war on Iraq made this painfully obvious, International Law scholar Michael Glennon maintains. He explains that Iraq is more a symptom of UN structural problems and changes in its geopolitical environment than a cause.. The UN was created to preside over a multi-polar world and now finds itself dealing with an unrivalled US hegemony...

Talk Tough, Talk Quiet

Anita Pratap May 1, 2003
War hawks in Delhi are eager to use America’s war in Iraq as a model for a preemptive strike on Pakistan. Arguably, the situations are somewhat analogous: there have been instances of cross-border terrorism, some Pakistanis have cooperated with Al Qaeda, and India does not fear Pakistan has weapons of mass destruction – it knows they’re there. Author Anita Prajab argues that all of these...

The Roots of Anti-Americanism in Germany

Dominic Sachsenmaier April 30, 2003
Media coverage of the Iraq War varied to such an extent that viewers in the US and in Europe were left with distinctly different understandings of what was going on. Some Europeans claimed that America's 'embedded journalists' were simply 'in bed with' the US military, acting as propaganda machines for the US government. Meanwhile, massive and constant anti-war...

American Power Moves beyond the Mere Super

Gregg Easterbrook April 27, 2003
US success in Iraq shows US military supremacy that is virtually unmatched in the world today. The US has highly sophisticated weapons technology, superior reconnaissance satellites, and the highest military spending of all NATO countries combined. Recent battles in Iraq and Afghanistan serve as both, learning opportunities for US troops and also testing grounds of new US technology....

Saving the Remains

Nevine El-Aref April 24, 2003
When Baghdad fell, looters used the chaos to rush into the city’s museums and libraries and steal priceless ancient artifacts, including copies of the Koran, maps, and the world’s first calendar. Archaeologists around the world, furious that such important cultural objects were now lost, mounted a campaign to find them. The Arab League, in conjunction with Iraqi officials, has taken steps to...

The Perils of Empire

Paul Kennedy April 20, 2003
Historian Paul Kennedy argues that the perception of the United States as the world leader is borne out by its current economic, military and political strength and influence. At this historical juncture, the United States can use its military success in Iraq to push for democratic reforms in Iran, Syria and Saudi Arabia. The United States also aspires to positively affect the conflict between...