In The News

Jihad Has Worked – The World is Now Split in Two

Ewen MacAskill December 8, 2003
"Osama bin Laden, two years and three months after the New York and Washington attacks that were part of his jihad against America, appears to be winning," writes the diplomatic editor of the UK's Guardian. The al-Qaeda leader has achieved a good deal of his objectives, says the author. Not only are US troops off Saudi Arabian soil now, but the world is also increasingly...

Moving Targets

Seymour M. Hersh December 8, 2003
American military officials have recently been struggling to find an effective strategy to counter the Iraqi resistance movement. One solution that has been proposed, and is being strongly supported by US Defense Secretary Rumsfeld, is to increase the number of Special Forces units who can operate covertly and in small numbers. The deployment of Special Forces does not need to be approved by...

Security Key Factor in Japan-ASEAN Relations

Bantarto Bandoro December 4, 2003
Japan may soon overhaul its relationship with ASEAN. The country is expected to sign the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation at an upcoming summit, an act that will deepen Japan's role in regional political affairs. According to this editorial in The Jakarta Post, Japan is concerned that its political and economic influence in Southeast Asia will diminish as China's presence continues to...

For the Iraqis, a Missile Deal That Went Sour

David E. Sanger December 1, 2003
Initially reported in the Central Intelligence Agency's October report on Saddam Hussein's weapons programs, it now seems that North Korean leader Kim Jong Il "took Saddam to the cleaners" by cheating him of $10 million. In exchange for the money, which may have been a down payment, North Korea reportedly promised to turn over the technology of their Rodong missile program....

Terrorism Undermines Political Islam in Indonesia

Endy M. Bayuni November 26, 2003
Although Indonesia has the world's largest Muslim population, Islamist political parties in the country have been unable to attract widespread support. Since the 1998 fall of the autocratic Suharto and the beginning of a transition to democracy, support for Islamist parties has not risen above sixteen percent, while their secular and pluralist rivals earn large majorities, writes Indonesian...

'Key' Terrorists Passing Through Kingdom

Prayuth Sivayaviroj November 26, 2003
220 people suspected of engaging in international terrorism are now on Thailand's immigration watch-list. After a check of border crossing records from the last 3 years, Thai authorities discovered the names of over two hundred people who were on most-wanted lists of the US FBI, the US CIA, and other international security organizations. Sources told Thailand's "The Nation"...

War on Terror's Collateral Damage

Ahmed Rashid November 21, 2003
Despite President Bush's call for democracy in the Middle East, his administration has strengthened military rulers by ignoring the domestic transgressions of those who cooperate in the terror fight, argues journalist and author Ahmed Rashid. Pakistan, where General Pervez Musharraf has held power since a 1999 coup, is a key US ally in the War on Terror. Inside the country, tensions between...