In The News

US-German Relations Undermined by CIA Flights

Bertrand Benoit December 5, 2005
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice’s trip to Europe this week was once thought especially important because it was an opportunity to build ties with Angela Merkel, whose right-of-center leanings were thought to make her a natural ally of the Bush Administration. Merkel, however, faces a firestorm of public outrage at the revelation that the CIA used Germany as a major hub in its secret...

Indonesian Democracy’s Enemy Within

Sadanand Dhume December 1, 2005
The common wisdom that democracy will help subdue the Islamic militantism is being questioned in Indonesia. While the world condemns the terrorists who have struck Indonesia in recent years, Sadanand Dhume reports that one of Indonesia's own political parties embraces those terrorists' Islamist ideology. The Justice and Prosperity Party (PKS) shares the radical beliefs of Egypt's...

Growth of Islam in Russia Brings Soviet Response

Steven Lee Myers November 22, 2005
Muslims have never enjoyed as much freedom in Russia as they do today. Since the fall of the Soviet Union, there has been an Islamic revival of sorts in Russia. Muslims number 10 to 16 percent of the Russian population, and Islam is recognized as one of Russia’s four official religions. Yet that tolerance is tinged with suspicion, and some Muslims feel they are being persecuted. A perception...

Remittances Are Effective Weapon Against Poverty

Norman Lamont November 18, 2005
In a report this week, the World Bank drew attention to the money flow from immigrants back to their countries of origin. The amount of money transferred annually is between two and three times the level of development aid from rich to poor countries. According to the bank, the economic benefits of remittances could outstrip even the benefits of trade liberalization. Yet many governments now...

Censuring the U.S. Gave Jordan No Security

Rami G. Khouri November 14, 2005
The recent terror attacks in Jordan marks a new turn in the global war on terror. Jordan itself is no stranger to terrorist attacks, but since September 11, the rules of the game have changed. Where Jordan once battled terrorism at a local level, now the country is caught up in a global struggle. Events are now defined by the conflict between Washington and its allies, and a plethora of anti-...

Musharraf's Islamist Challenge

November 10, 2005
Islamist groups have long used charity to boost their support amongst poor Muslims. They are now coming to the aid of the millions left homeless, injured, or hungry by last month's devastating earthquake in Pakistan—to great effect. Refugee camps run by organizations like Jamaat-i-Islami, Pakistan's most powerful Islamist group, feature far better medical care than their state-run...

This Is Not Only a French Crisis - All of Europe Must Heed the Flames

Timothy Garton Ash November 10, 2005
With urban insurrection raging from Normandy in the north to Marseille in the south, it is now impossible for the French to dismiss the country’s enormous demographic faultlines with appeals to republican greatness and unity. The riots revealed that France, the European country with the largest proportion of men and women of immigrant descent, faces a tremendous social and cultural crisis. In a...