In The News

Belief in a Worldwide Islamist Conspiracy Foolish

Max Hastings August 18, 2006
“He who has one enemy will meet him everywhere.” The proverb attributed to a 7th century Islamic caliph serves as a germane warning for the US. The Bush administration has amalgamated all Muslim opponents of US foreign policy into one group of “terrorist enemies,” and a more discriminating policy is necessary, argues author Max Hastings. He urges a policy that can differentiate between the just...

Drop the “War on Terrorism” Metaphor

Richard N. Haass August 17, 2006
Although terrorists have yet to launch another attack on the scale of the September 11th attacks, the arrests in London remind the world that extremists still plot. Globalization allows would-be terrorists to move around easily, and modern technology such as weapons of mass destruction increases the potential for destruction and loss of life. The Bush administration insists that promoting...

Gauging Terror – Part II, India

Michael Krepon August 17, 2006
Fierce military operations may eliminate individual terrorists, but do nothing to destroy their strategy. Some analysts go as far as to argue that excessive force only encourages hatred, boosting the networks that nurture new recruits. In the second article of this two-part series, author Michael Krepon suggests that India – with almost 20,000 civilians killed in terror attacks since 1994 – has...

Europe Says It Will Unify Effort in Fight on Terrorism

Heather Timmons August 17, 2006
After the terrorist plot targeting British flights was foiled, Europe realized that new and more coordinated anti-terrorism measures needed to be implemented. Fighting terrorism involves a delicate balance between individual rights and the need for security. European ministers, while recognizing this challenge, have vowed to speed up plans that would make information sharing between countries...

A Self-Defeating War

George Soros August 16, 2006
The metaphor “war on terror” is inappropriate, leading to real conflicts in Iraq, Afghanistan and Lebanon and causing far more civilian deaths than the 9/11 attacks. A majority in the US now recognizes that the war in Iraq in particular is a huge and costly blunder, but remains stymied, like US leaders, about how to withdraw from the nation without creating more problems. More Iraqis died in July...

Gauging Terror – Part I, Lebanon

Fawaz A. Gerges August 15, 2006
The world remains divided about the best way to respond to extremism – fierce military retaliation versus controlled anger that focuses on diplomacy, tolerance and the power of example. This two-part series examines the viability of two responses: Israel’s fierce invasion of Lebanon after the kidnapping of two soldiers and India’s restrained reaction after train bombings in Mumbai that killed...

Waiting for the Other Shoe to Drop: How Inevitable Is an Islamist Future?

Cameron Brown August 15, 2006
Since the 1979 Iranian Revolution, observers have anticipated the next big Islamist takeover. Analyzing attempts at power grabs and current trends, Cameron Brown concludes that, in fact, democracy is proving the most effective way for Islamist groups to take control of state apparatus. For now, Islamist parties are the major opposition party in many states throughout the Middle East, and Brown...