In The News

Intelligence Puzzle: North Korean Bombs

David E. Sanger October 14, 2003
As US President George W. Bush prepares to depart for a meeting with Asian leaders next week, more concern is being raised by new intelligence on North Korea's nuclear program. While the United Nations' atomic energy agency believes Pyongyang has produced two nuclear weapons in recent months, US officials are less certain about how to interpret the available data. Although tell-tale...

Der Speigel: Israel Preparing Strike to Take Out Iranian Nuclear Sites

Ellis Shuman October 12, 2003
The German newspaper Der Speigel recently reported that the Israeli Military has developed a detailed plan to destroy Iranian nuclear sites with a preemptive air attack. In addition to the possible airstrike, Israel has enhanced its submarine capabilities in order to be able to launch nuclear warheads by sea, complementing its pre-existing ability to deploy nuclear weapons by air and land. Senior...

A Bird With Just One Wing

Mustafa El-Labbad October 10, 2003
Iran's enrichment of depleted uranium has been the subject of increasing concern in the international community recently, particularly by the US. This article in Egypt's Al-Ahram Weekly argues that by using the UN's nuclear inspection arm, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), to put pressure on Tehran, Washington is not only seeking to force Iran to reveal its nuclear...

US Agents Target Indonesia in Rigid Visa Checks

Tiarma Siboro October 9, 2003
As part of America's global war against terrorism, the US Department of Homeland Security announced it will deploy agents to oversee visa approval at US embassies and consulates in Indonesia and four other Muslim countries. The plan is not yet official – the Indonesian government said it was unaware of the proposed measures, and US embassy officials say Washington "is still discussing...

'North Korea is a Symptom of a Larger Problem'

October 8, 2003
While terrorism continues to preoccupy Western countries, some security thinkers worry about the disintegration of the non-proliferation regime. North Korea has withdrawn from the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), and Iran may follow suit. In an interview with YaleGlobal Editor Nayan Chanda, President of the International Crisis Group and former Foreign Minister of Australia Gareth Evans...

A Glimpse into the Terrorist Mind

Lee Kuan Yew October 7, 2003
The recent trial of terrorists accused in the Bali bombings prompts Lee Kuan Yew, Senior Minister of Singapore, to ask the question - what makes a terrorist? What he finds is that such recruits are often “vulnerable to religious indoctrination by charismatic preachers who employ strict discipline.” As a result, for these people, self-sacrifice and martyrdom become their highest purpose in life...

Where Did Iraq's Weapons Go?

Michael O'Hanlon October 6, 2003
It is now official that American inspectors have been unable to find any weapons of mass destruction within Iraq, contradicting pre-war claims by the Bush and Blair administrations about imminent threat from Saddam Hussein's possession of chemical and biological weapons. The lack of evidence has made the public doubt the original justifications for the Iraqi invasion. Michael O'Hanlon...