In The News

Keep the Ban on Arms for China

Roger Cliff March 22, 2004
15 years ago, in the wake of the Tiananmen Square violence, the US and nations that now make up the EU agreed to an arms embargo towards China. Until their human rights record improved, China should not be supplied with weapons technology, argued the European and American states. Now, EU nations are facing a call from China to eliminate the "outdated" embargo in order to cement their...

Looking over the Horizon

Robert L. Hutchings March 22, 2004
In assessing American foreign policy and strategy, the intertwined nature of the globe and the fast speed of change make any plan contingent on a variety of factors. In an effort to understand exactly that, the National Intelligence Council has created its '2020 project'. Using assessments of 'drivers' - factors that will affect the way the world changes - and a series of...

Ending the Divide

Shada Islam March 19, 2004
Spain's election shocker last week has left analysts speculating. Was it a victory for the democratic forces that mobilized against Prime Minister Aznar? Or was it a victory for terrorists who aimed to influence the vote by bombing Madrid on March 11? Shada Islam, a journalist specializing in European foreign relations, writes that in Spain the election results were seen as both a...

Failing Iraq

Graham Usher March 19, 2004
Marking the one year anniversary of the US-led war in Iraq, this week has seen increased violence and anger against the coalition forces. According to reporter Graham Usher, this reaction has been predictable from the offset, for "while the US and Britain knew how to conquer Iraq, they have no idea how to run it." Religious sectarianism, ethnic violence, weakening police power, and...

Rhetoric, Not Substance, to Change in Spain

Andres Oppenheimer March 18, 2004
The election upset in Spain last Sunday is being seen by some observers as a repudiation of outgoing Prime Minister José María Aznar's close ties with the US and support for the Iraq War. In Latin America, national leaders from Argentina to Venezuela are celebrating the arrival of a stronger ally in the new socialist party government of Spain. Despite the potential for change, however,...

A Year After Iraq War: Mistrust of America in Europe Ever Higher, Muslim Anger Persists

March 16, 2004
According to a recent study by the Pew Research Center, a year after the Iraq War global public opinion is heavily against the United States. In Pew's nine-country study, researchers discovered that even in the UK - a stalwart ally of the US in the war on terror and the Iraq War - public sentiment has turned more critical. Majorities in Russia, Germany, and France believe their national...

A Leaner, Meaner Jihad

Scott Atran March 16, 2004
Although the culprits behind last week's Madrid bombings have yet to be identified, it seems that most fingers are pointing to Islamic jihadists. In this op-ed article, Scott Atran argues that America's fight against terrorism is like Hercules' fight against the Hydra – each time one head is cut off, new heads spring forth to continue the battle. Contrary to many people's...