In The News

Latin America’s Hidden War in Iraq

Kristina Mani October 11, 2007
The mercenary companies operating in Iraq recruit a large number of fighters from Latin America – roughly a third of the estimated 30,000 currently deployed. The region boasts a large number of trained ex-military fighters, and a high level of unemployment makes many willing to accept wages that are a fraction of what American or British elite forces demand. An intense need for soldiers in the...

As Mideast Realigns, US Leans Sunni

Howard LaFranchi October 10, 2007
US President George Bush began his second term with a sweeping determination to spread democracy and freedom around the world. In the face of continued struggles in Iraq and a rising threat from Shiite Iran, that idealism has faded into "realpolitik." The main criterion for White House support today is opposition to Tehran rather than liberalization, which means that the Bush...

Trade and Security Trump Democracy in Burma – Part I

Bertil Lintner October 3, 2007
Burma, called Myanmar by its current rulers, is rich with natural resources, yet one of the poorest nations in Asia. All resources go toward keeping the current regime in power, and the military junta relies on violent repression to stop Buddhist monks and activists marching in protest to seek political and economic reform. This two-part YaleGlobal series analyzes the international response. In...

Burma's Brutal Crackdown Continues

October 3, 2007
Although the streets of Yangon, Burma's largest city are now quiet and empty of protesters, the killing has not stopped. Der Spiegel correspondents report that police forces have invaded monasteries in the area, imprisoning and executing dissenters under the cover of darkness. Although the world condemns violence against unarmed protesters, some authorities see cause for hope. British...

Scarier than Bin Laden

Bruce Hoffman October 2, 2007
The most formidable nemesis for the US is Ayman al-Zawahiri, according to Bruce Hoffman, a professor of security studies. “Zawahiri is the superior strategist,” writes Hoffman, who credits the Al Qaeda leader for designating both “near” and “far” enemies for attack. The “near” enemies include corrupt regimes throughout the Muslim world, in power only with the support of “far” enemies such as the...

Google Urges UN to Set Global Internet Privacy Rules

Bobbie Johnson September 21, 2007
The introduction of Google Street View – photographic images of street-level landmarks and people – sparked concern from consumers about loss of privacy and abuse of the internet. Internet users around the world are already alarmed by poor security displayed by some internet banking and other online services, so technology companies, including Google, prod international organizations such as the...

Democratize or Disintegrate

Bahey Eldin Hassan September 20, 2007
Political drama born of the waves of pro-democratic and anti-democratic influences in the Middle East has created a breeding ground for terrorism, argues analyst Bahey Eldin Hassan. He argues that a wave of democratization has not swept through the Middle East because of a loss of US credibility and moral standing, following the difficult occupation of Iraq and troubling images of prison torture...