In The News

Don’t Punish the Palestinians

Jimmy Carter February 23, 2006
Former US President Jimmy Carter analyzes the new Palestinian government under Hamas and finds that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas retains certain key powers. Abbas can appoint a prime minister who recognizes Israel and endorses the “road map.” As the leader of the PLO, Abbas can also continue to pursue peace talks with Israel as he has done throughout 2005. Despite their high numbers of...

Globalization Spawns Port Situation

Douglas Birch February 23, 2006
Controversy surrounding a plan to transfer management of six US ports from a British company to Dubai Ports Worldwide reveals the complexities of US-Arab relations. Dubai belongs to the United Arab Emirates, not known for radical Islamic politics. In fact, the UAE is a key Arab ally of the US, with US Navy ships frequently moving in and out of its ports. The al Dafrah Air Base facilitates US...

American Ports in a Storm

Thomas L. Friedman February 23, 2006
New York Times foreign affairs columnist Thomas L. Friedman criticizes politicians in Washington for their opposition to a proposal to turn management of six US ports over to a state-run Dubai company. In an interview with YaleGlobal editor Nayan Chanda, Friedman argues that a far greater danger than any perceived threat to US security is thinking that holds it untenable for the US to cooperate...

¿Vender crisis humanitarias?

Clifford Bob February 21, 2006

Marketing Humanitarian Crises

Clifford Bob February 21, 2006
In an era of human rights accords and global benefit concerts, international tribunals and rubber wristbands for any cause, attention to humanitarian crises seems both pronounced and profuse. Yet, as political scientist Clifford Bob writes, the world has far more crises than what catch the proverbial eye, and he questions why certain “hot zones” receive more attention than others. An entire...

From Cartoon War to Trade War

February 9, 2006
Europe views a recent decision by Tehran to boycott Danish products as a blatant financial attack against the EU itself. Ostensibly a response to the Danish cartoons of Mohammed, the Iranian move puts Europe on the defensive about Iran’s nuclear program. Financial Times Deutschland counsels that the EU must remain calm and not antagonize Iran. The center-left paper, Süddeutsche Zeitung, has...

At Mecca Meeting, Cartoon Outrage Crystallized

Hassan M. Fattah February 9, 2006
Recent violence in response to the infamous cartoon depictions of the Prophet Mohammed may have not been as spontaneous as initially thought. At a December meeting in Mecca of Muslim leaders, Saudi, Iranian, Syrian and Lebanese officials thumbed through a dossier of the Danish cartoons. Ahmed Akkari, a Danish immigrant leader, brought the folder to the Middle East after appeals for redress to the...