In The News

Big Questions for Big Oil

Sacha Kumaria September 5, 2007
Oil prices will probably rise with the approach of winter in the northern hemisphere, continuing a wave of profits. But the world’s largest oil companies plan for contraction rather than expansion. National oil companies in countries like Russia or Venezuela, as monopolies, demand high payments from the competing independent firms, allowing less funds for research and development. Independent...

Party With Islamist Roots Set to Modernize Turkey

Hasan Kösebalaban August 28, 2007
With the rise of liberal conservative Abdullah Gül as Turkey’s new president, the country is at a crossroads. His Justice and Development Party (AKP) has unflinchingly stood for internationalism, economic reform and integration with the European Union, winning steady support of Turkish voters. But the party has faced strong opposition from secularists and nationalists, including the military...

Amid the Mortgage Defaults, America's Day of Reckoning

Joseph E. Stiglitz August 22, 2007
As President George W. Bush’s tax cut for the rich did not help to stimulate a lagging economy during the 2001 recession, the Fed sought to lift by a drastic interest rate cut. Unfortunately, this only made matters worse as more Americans went into large debt. In recent years, lured by "subprime" mortgages and "teaser rates," many Americans overextended themselves, resulting...

Pakistan's Anniversary Wish – Justice

Ahmed Rashid August 16, 2007
Following a bitter split and violence, Britain's colonial rule over India ended 60 years ago this week, resulting in two independent nations, the Islamic state of Pakistan and the secular state of India. The division left many boundary issues unresolved and institutions in disarray, resulting in fierce nationalism, bitterness and wars. Those challenges, combined with military rule,...

Good Statecraft Means Not Excluding the Enemy

Dennis Ross August 16, 2007
For the interest of state, diplomats cannot exclude the tools of negotiation in dealing with rogue states. Any efforts to engage difficult players can win international support, while an early cut-off of contact can make a powerful nation look petty, stubborn or ineffective. Although diplomats refrain from engaging with non-state actors, for fear of legitimizing them, some limited contact is...

All at Sea Over Resources in East Asia

Barry Wain August 14, 2007
As Asia celebrates ongoing economic growth, the nations that ring the South China Sea cannot resolve their dispute over geographic features that dot the sea. The waters could cover rich reserves of oil and gas, and more than half the world’s merchant fleet sails across every year. Nations that prove claims to islands and rocks hope to collect those resources. Six countries claim the Spratly...

Pakistan at the Crossroads – Part II

Nayan Chanda August 9, 2007
General Pervez Musharraf has been a key ally in the US war on terror, but opposition parties demand free elections as scheduled, even as Pakistan churns with political instability and street violence. Former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, in exile, is among the candidates ready to return to Pakistan and work for stability and moderation. In an exclusive interview with Bhutto – the second part of...