In The News

The Sweetest Revenge

Stefan Theil July 14, 2003
The 2,000 year old Jewish community in Uzbekistan in Central Asia is all but a relic of the past. Due to the economic crisis in Uzbekistan, the majority of its Jewish population is choosing to immigrate to Germany, more even than to Israel. As a result, only 60 years after the Holocaust decimated Germany's Jewish population, the influx of Central Asian Jews is revitalizing the Jewish-...

US Rebuffs Iran Offer of Nuclear Talks

Guy Dinmore July 14, 2003
Although Iran has indicated its willingness to open direct talks with the US regarding its nuclear program, the Bush administration has not shown any interest. The Administration seems content to work with Europe and Japan to keep economic pressure on Iran. This latest offer of talk is seen as an invitation by the Iranian government to open the door to a wide discussion of contentious issues...

Why is Russia Dragging its Feet on Kyoto?

Michael Grubb July 14, 2003
Russia is yet to ratify the Kyoto Protocol, a treaty designed to reduce the threat of climate change through reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. The Kyoto Protocol, ratified by 110 countries, also includes provisions for market-oriented mechanisms for “trading emission allowances and emission credits granted for clean energy investment.” Michael Grubb and Yuri Safonov, scholars of climate...

Is Iraq Becoming a New Vietnam? - Part One

Orville Schell July 14, 2003
Is the American occupation of Iraq turning into a Vietnam-style quagmire? With American casualties mounting almost daily and the Bush Administration hinting at increasing troop levels, it is a question that will be asked. Historical comparisons are often misleading, because the actors and the context tend to be different. Yet, such comparisons with the past provide a valuable analytical framework...

A Muslim Missionary Group Draws New Scrutiny in US

Susan Sachs July 14, 2003
Tablighi Jamaat, a conservative Muslim congregation of traveling proselytizers, is facing increasing scrutiny of its members and activities by the FBI in the United States. Founded 75 years ago in colonial India, the Tablighi Jamaat is a nonpolitical congregation of Muslim preachers, who – much like Christian missionaries – travel throughout the world to proselytize. The Tablighi Jamaat has a...

When Frontier Justice Becomes Foreign Policy

Thomas Powers July 13, 2003
America has always been ambivalent about assassinations, says intelligence expert Thomas Powers. Though several leaders were targeted during the Cold War, such attempts were generally shrouded in secrecy and vehemently denied by government officials. The one endeavor that was publicized – against Fidel Castro – caused such public outcry that Presidents Ford and Reagan imposed executive orders...

Can the Third World Spend the AIDS Money Well?

Alan Beattie July 13, 2003
At the upcoming international conference on AIDS, much of the discussion will focus on ways to improve how the developing world utilizes funds for AIDS education, prevention, and treatment. In the past, similar concerns over the use of anti-AIDS funds led to the creation of the Global Fund, which allows aid to bypass weak and often corrupt governments in developing countries. This centralized...