In The News

Iran Vows New Steps to Enrich Uranium

Thomas Fuller August 10, 2005
Iran has announced its intention to break the remaining seals on uranium-converting equipment at the Isfahan nuclear facility. The decision comes shortly after its government rejected a package of incentives offered by Europe to curtail nuclear activity. In the developing world, there appears to be more sympathy for Iran's cause. On Tuesday, led by Malaysia, developing countries of the...

The Web as Weapon

Susan B. Glasser August 9, 2005
Islamic militants are often perceived as having an "anti-modernity" platform. Yet certain terrorist leaders are placing an increasing importance on the control and dissemination of information related to their activities. As a result, the internet has emerged as a vital tool of terrorism, creating a union between technology and fundamentalism. More than anyone, Abu Musab Zarqawi, the...

Is Nuclear Diplomacy with the Mullahs Possible?

August 8, 2005
After calling an agreement drafted by European officials "unacceptable," Iran has announced its plans to resume uranium enrichment activities. Despite Tehran's claims that its nuclear program is for civilian purposes only, the general consensus is that Iran is building a bomb. If the nation succeeds in developing nuclear arms, the power structure in the Middle East would be...

Terrorists Turn to the Web as Base of Operations

Steven Coll August 8, 2005
When Osama bin Laden and other al-Qaida operatives were hiding out in Afghanistan in the 1990s, they were one of the first to adapt to the new technologies of globalization, communicating via commercial satellite telephones and producing video propaganda with hand-held cameras. Today, nearly four years after the 9/11 attacks, al-Qaida has become the first guerilla movement in history to "...

Mixed Signals

Rehab Saad August 1, 2005
In response to the recent Sharm El-Sheikh bombings, which have the potential to devastate Egypt's lucrative tourist industry, authorities are encouraging people to view the attacks in a global perspective. Egyptian tourism officials suggest that due to the globalization of terrorism, no single place is more dangerous than any other. But is this truly the case? And with the inability to...

Searching For Justice

Khaled Fahmy July 29, 2005
The American-led war in Iraq has led to the trial of Saddam Hussein, currently under way. But many academics who see the war in Iraq as an egregious violation of international law have convened a tribunal of their own – the World Tribunal on Iraq (WTI) – which just held its final session in Istanbul. While critics believe that the WTI is merely an opportunity for anti-Americans to vent their...

Great Game Reloaded

Ahmed Rashid July 26, 2005
Central Asia has historically been a stage for strategic power games involving Russia and Europe. Russia and China, who have inherited the mantle of earlier imperial powers, conceded the US a foothold in the wake of the September 11 attacks when the US needed Central Asian bases for its operation in Afghanistan. But nearly four years later, with the Afghan government still in turmoil and no end...