In The News

Fallout from the War on Terror – Part I

Mark Sidel June 14, 2005
Four years after the 9/11 attacks, protecting America from an invisible threat continues to shape domestic and foreign policy. The complex effects of the war on terror extend far beyond security – and the unintended results are not all positive. In this two-part series, YaleGlobal explores how US anti-terrorism policy is changing America's position in the world. In part one, Mark Sidel...

Wanted: A Roadmap for North Korea

Michael O'Hanlon June 9, 2005
With North Korea hinting at the possibility of a return to six-party talks amidst speculation about its testing a nuclear device, the long-simmering issue of non-proliferation is back in the limelight. On June 10, South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun arrives in Washington to discuss a possible solution to the crisis. While Pyongyang prefers bilateral talks, the US has insisted on the six-party...

Slow-Motion Reunification

John Feffer June 9, 2005
For a half-century, it has been impossible to cross the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea. But not today: Daily buses now transport South Korean workers across the border to work in a joint industrial complex. The project is part of a larger South Korean effort to promote engagement with North Korea and to stabilize the region. While President Bush hopes that North Korea will...

Prison Scandal Touches Raw Nerve of a Key US Ally

Paula R. Newberg June 7, 2005
Recent allegations of US forces' mishandling of the Quran have further inflamed Muslims worldwide. Pakistani reaction in this regard is of particular concern – in view of the country's nuclear arsenal and centrality to the US war on terror. As Paula R. Newberg explains, while the country remains a reluctant but cooperative US ally, the scandal renders the vacuum at the heart of...

The Globalization of Absurdity

Richard S. Ehrlich June 6, 2005
Cheaply produced knick-knacks are a feature of tourist traps around the globe. Recently, those in the market for something unusual have been purchasing Osama bin Laden action figures, al-Qaida video games and other products which either glorify or condemn the elusive terrorist, most of which are manufactured by nebulous Chinese firms and shipped worldwide. Many of the products' buyers are...

Diplomats Put on Backlash Alert

Cynthia Banham June 2, 2005
Contrary to initial reports, the "biological agent" scare at Canberra's Indonesian embassy may have been a false alarm. The white powder may not be as dangerous as previously thought, and many accuse Australian Prime Minister John Howard of over-reacting. Regardless of the substance's potency, overseas Australian diplomats remain on guard against a potential retaliation. A...

Indonesia's Canberra Embassy Shut After Scare

Michelle Nichols June 1, 2005
The Wednesday morning discovery of an envelope containing white powder left many nerves rattled in the Indonesian embassy in Australia. The toxin belongs to the same related to the bacteria that cause anthrax: "It is not an innocent white powder," said Australian Prime Minister John Howard. Authorities believe that the incident was likely a response to the recent conviction of an...