In The News

Our Failure in Somalia

John Prendergast June 20, 2006
Rather than help root out terrorists finding refuge in war-torn Somalia, the US support of warlords against Islamist militias has created what analyst and former US National Security Council official John Prendergast calls “an al-Qaeda recruiter’s dream.” The Islamists have gained control of the capital, and the relative security that their rule promises has swung Somalia public opinion in their...

A Global Web of Justice Is Up and Running

Luis Moreno-Ocampo June 19, 2006
Luis Moreno-Ocampo, chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, describes the relative success of three recent ICC investigations: war crimes in the Congo, the Lord's Resistance Army killings in northern Uganda, and the genocidal events in Darfur, Sudan. The ICC, which carries no allegiance to any one country, intervenes in domestic criminal adjudication only when national...

Washington’s Tactical Error in Somalia

Jen Alic June 17, 2006
Naivité is not particularly helpful in the war on terror. When Somali warlords extended the tempting offer of capturing several fugitive Al Qaeda operatives suspected of hiding in Somalia, the US government funneled hundreds of thousands of dollars to the cause. The cause turned out to be bloody conflict with Islamic militias who have emerged victorious, controlling Somalia and riding a wave of...

China Hosts Summit to Rival US

Jonathan Watts June 15, 2006
China hosted an “A-list” gathering of international leaders, with a meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). Representatives included Chinese Presient Hu Jintao, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. The SCO, formed ten years ago, “is designed to promote peace and stability in a region that has become an increasingly important source of oil and...

America's Image Slips, But Allies Share US Concerns Over Iran, Hamas

June 15, 2006
The Pew Global Attitudes Project has released results of its annual global public-opinion polls for 2006, and results show increasingly negative views toward the US. For its most recent release, the project conducted 16,710 interviews in 15 countries. The most significant reason for the slip in US popularity, in most cases, is the conflict in Iraq. Many respondents ranked this conflict – along...

Mexico Worries About Its Own Southern Border

Ginger Thompson June 15, 2006
While Mexican authorities have chided the US for its policy of increasing militarization of the US-Mexico border, Mexico’s President Vicente Fox also makes plans for more patrols of the southern border in his own country. Indeed, Mexican regulations on immigration are far tougher than those in the US. Detentions and deportations have risen by about 74 percent in the past four years, according to...

US Approach to Iran Has a Familiar Ring

Jay Solomon June 14, 2006
International applause greeted the Bush administration’s policy shift and decision to participate in international talks with Iran about its nuclear program. The basic strategy focuses on offering Iran economic incentives in exchange for compliance on nuclear development. As the talks proceed, US diplomacy with North Korea may emerge as a precedent. In some ways, bargaining with Iran could be...