In The News

U.S. and Europeans Agree on Sharing of Airline Passenger Data

Philip Shenon December 17, 2003
In a move that averted a trans-Atlantic showdown over privacy rights, the European Union has agreed to allow the US to collect records on all passengers flying from Europe to the US. The Bush administration claims these records are vital to protecting against terrorists entering the country, but European privacy advocates and some countries claimed the policy violated European privacy laws. In...

Iraqi Planners Hope to Start Trial by Spring

Rajiv Chandrasekaran December 16, 2003
Only days after the capture of deposed Iraqi president Saddam Hussein, Iraqi leaders have already begun planning for his legal prosecution in an Iraqi courtroom. Vowing to choose only a manageable number of charges to bring against the former dictator, Salem Chalabi said the process would not be rushed, but that the trial could begin as early as the spring of 2004. "We don't want to...

Justice for Saddam

Harold Hongju Koh December 15, 2003
The capture of Saddam Hussein on December 13, 2003 marks an historic moment in the US-led effort to re-shape Iraq and the Middle East. To many of his foes and friends alike, Saddam's ignominious surrender to US forces was unexpected. Now, says Harold Koh, Dean-Designate of the Yale Law School, the world must face the question of what to do with this former dictator who chose to go...

European Press Review: Saddam Captured, but Iraqi Problems Still Persist

December 15, 2003
Reacting to the news of Saddam Hussein's capture, newspapers across Western Europe see both hope and continued difficulties ahead. This review of press commentary in Germany, France, the UK, and Spain highlights the problematic future for Iraq and the US. The British Guardian emphasizes the opportunity to hear Saddam's testimony and hopefully settle questions about Iraq's weapons...

Among Arabs, Embarrassment Over the Surrender of a Figure Who Once Defied the West

Neil MacFarquhar December 15, 2003
Across the Arab world, reaction to the capture of Saddam Hussein ranged from joy to frustration, according to this New York Times article. That Saddam was captured with no resistance – despite having weapons at his side – shocked and embarrassed many who had for decades looked to him as a leader of anti-foreign resistance for the region. "He did not fight like his sons; he went like a dog...

Editorial: Window of hope opens for Iraq

December 15, 2003
Saddam Hussein's capture by US forces has taken the world by storm. For Iraqi politics, says this editorial in the United Arab Emirates' Gulf News, the news could not be better. The paper encourages Iraqis to take control of their own political futures and "build a new political momentum looking for peaceful political development." Noting that the Iraqi Governing Council...

Bangladesh is Weak Link in War on Terror

Anand Kumar December 15, 2003
Bangladesh may be quickly becoming Islamic terrorists' favorite country. With no effective law and order, terrorists have little need to fear a crack down. Researcher Anand Kumar points to the recent surge in arrests of Bangladeshis in connection to questionable activities around the world as evidence of a growing presence for the nation within terrorist rings. Though Bangladesh remains a...