In The News

President Bush Discusses Freedom in Iraq and Middle East

George W. Bush November 6, 2003
President Bush challenged Middle Eastern countries – allies and enemies alike – to embrace democracy and recognize the fall of Saddam Hussein as "a watershed event in the global democratic revolution." In a speech given in honor of the 20th anniversary of the National Endowment for Democracy, Bush aligned his administration's intentions in Iraq with efforts to establish democracy...

Iraq Said to Have Tried to Reach Last-Minute Deal to Avert War

James Risen November 6, 2003
Could the war in Iraq have been averted with last-minute concessions by Saddam Hussein's regime? There were offers on the table in February, says this report in The New York Times. Iraqi intelligence officials are reported to have approached a Lebanese-American businessman to outline their position, who in turn met with Richard Perle, an influential adviser to the White House. The...

US Situation in Iraq and Afghanistan

John McCain November 5, 2003
In an address to the Council on Foreign Relations in Washington, Senator John McCain gives his view on the progress in Iraq. McCain asserts that US troop deployment is too low to ensure proper security and the decision to hand over security to Iraqis with minimal training is foolish. He claims that in continuing to mention exit strategy the US administration hinders its cause by sending the wrong...

Transcript of 'Global Challenges'

William J. Clinton October 31, 2003
The following is a full transcript of the public address, "Global Challenges," given by former US President William J. Clinton at Yale University on October 31, 2003.

A Chinese Lesson for the US: How to Charm South-east Asia

Evelyn Goh October 31, 2003
When the Presidents of both America and China visited individual countries in the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) recently, they seemed to have brought with them two different sets of agendas. According to this article in Singapore's Straits Times, while Hu Jintao, the Chinese president, spent his time "touring a market place", US President George W. Bush was "...

Safe Landing

Mostafa Al-Labbad October 31, 2003
Iran's decision to allow UN inspectors un-announced entry to its nuclear facilities was a shrewd diplomatic move, says this article in Egypt's Al-Ahram Weekly. By first threatening to disengage from international discussions altogether, then slowly taking steps to permit more monitoring of its program, the author says, Tehran was demonstrating to the Bush administration in Washington...

Whither NATO? European Defense Force May Counterbalance US Power

Shada Islam October 29, 2003
The European Union's planned appointment of a foreign minister signals the bloc's desire to speak with a unified voice on global issues and to compete with the US as an international power. Now, writes Shada Islam, the US is protesting an EU proposal for strong, independent defense capabilities, calling it a serious threat to transatlantic relations. As member nations begin to debate...