In The News

Powell fails to win over China on two hot spots

Goh Sui Noi February 25, 2003
US Secretary of State Colin Powell concluded the China leg of his Asia tour yesterday with no clear promises from China that Beijing stands behind US security positions. Powell had hoped to win the Chinese leadership over to supporting a multi-lateral approach on North Korea's nuclear program. Also on his agenda was garnering support for possible military action in Iraq, although the lack...

Inspection of Weapons of Mass Destruction Should Be Universal

Martin Shubik February 25, 2003
With world opinion turning against the planned US war against Iraq there is a crying need for the US to assure the international community that it is not seeking domination. Martin Shubik, a noted game theorist who has been a consultant to several American administrations, says the dangers to world civilization are far greater than most citizens appreciate. He advocates a whole new approach to...

War for Peace? It Worked in My Country

José Ramos-Horta February 25, 2003
In this opinion article in The New York Times, José Ramos-Horta, East Timor's minister of foreign affairs and cooperation – and a man who shared the Nobel Peace Prize in 1996 – supports the possible use of force in removing Saddam Hussein from power in Iraq. East Timor was only liberated from Indonesia, he writes, thanks to an international peacekeeping force. Although he urges the Bush...

Marching Towards a High-Risk War in Iraq

Richard K. Betts February 22, 2003
Now that a US-led war against Iraq is a near certainty - unless a coup d'etat removes Saddam Hussein - the focus is shifting to the question of its consequences. Political and strategic analyst Richard Betts looks at the possible outcomes of the war, which he thinks is a "bad idea" to begin with, and sees the risks as very high to catastrophic. He reckons there is thirty percent...

U.S. Combat Force of 1,700 is Headed to the Philippines

Eric Schmitt February 21, 2003
Within days, the United States plans to deploy troops to the Philippines in order to "disrupt and destroy" the extremist group Abu Sayyaf. The Abu Sayyaf, with its goal of establishing Islamic states across Asia, has been aided in the past by terrorists across the world, including Osama Bin Laden. The latest US move shows that the war on terrorism is truly a global effort. – YaleGlobal

Road to Pyongyang through Beijing?

William C. Triplett II February 21, 2003
China and North Korea have had a close relationship since the Korean War, making it unlikely that North Korea could have developed a Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) program without China’s knowledge. Does that mean that China knew—and presumably approved—of North Korea’s weapons development? The author’s answer is yes. He suggests that the Bush administration should be wary of treating China...

Washington Needs a Roadmap to Peace in North Korea

Larry A. Niksch February 21, 2003
Despite persistent reluctance from China, Russia, and South Korea, the US has continued to call for a multi-lateral effort to dissuade North Korea from expanding its nuclear program. Why are these countries - North Korea's closest neighbors - dragging their feet on addressing the issue? Because, writes Larry Niksch, the US has yet to spell out exactly what negotiations with North Korea...