In The News

A Lobby, Not a Conspiracy

Tony Judt April 20, 2006
Some international critics suggest that Israel wields too much influence when it comes to US foreign policy. An essay assessing Israel-as-lobbyist, published in March by the “London Review of Books,” has unleashed raucous debate about the nature and purpose of the US-Israel relationship. The essay makes two claims: first, that uncritical support of Israel does not always serve US interests and...

Chinese Turn to Civic Power as a New Tool

Howard W. French April 19, 2006
It’s human nature to complain. As China encounters more social problems – land seizures, accidental AIDS transmissions, pollution and corruption – citizens expect some legal recourse. Disgruntled citizens turn to the media, community groups and even public protests to point out social problems. Nongovernmental organizations – more than 280,000 registered in all – have taken a lead in giving...

Mothers Want Hope for Their Children

Sonia Nazario April 19, 2006
The tide of illegal immigrants to American shores has become unmanageable, with numbers far outstripping those at any other time in US history. Immigrants take jobs that are unpopular with native US workers, often at reduced wages, thus allowing US firms to compete globally. The immigrant workforce reduces US food and clothing costs and makes child-care readily available for US families,...

The US and China: Friends or Foes? – Part I

David Shambaugh April 18, 2006
The US and China are parties to the world’s most important bilateral relationship, and this two-part series analyzes the challenges and opportunities confronting two world powers. In the first article, China scholar David Shambaugh presents a litany of issues that bedevil their relations. From President Bush’s perspective, three points of contention most likely to take center stage: First is...

Poland Averts Clash With Europe Over Italian Bank Deal

Mark Landler April 18, 2006
The Polish government has agreed to allow the Italian bank UniCredito to go forward with a deal to acquire two of Poland’s own banks. In return, UniCredito will sell nearly half of its new Polish bank branches, preserve and put out for bid a leading Polish bank brand name, and guarantee jobs for at least two years to its new Polish employees. Without these conditions, the deal would have...

Gas Deal Roils Ukraine and May Have Cut Leader's Vote

Steven Lee Myers April 16, 2006
A mysterious company called RosUkrEnergo, whose executives and addresses are largely unknown, brokered a deal in January to resolve a confrontation between Russia and Ukraine over the price and sales of natural gas in the Ukraine. The company has links to Russia's state energy monopoly, Gazprom. Opposition to that deal reflects concerns about other corrupt privatization deals of the past –...

US Is Its Own Worst Enemy

Kevin Rafferty April 12, 2006
Opposition to the US creates both real and imagined threats to national security, yet the biggest threat for the US and the world comes from US policy and its formulators, both Congress and President Bush. After 9/11, the world displayed sympathy for the US, exemplified by the “Le Monde” headline – “We are all Americans.” Yet President Bush squandered cooperation with unilateral actions that...