In The News

Sharm El Sheikh & al-Aqaba: New Emperor to Reap Conquest

Kareem M. Kamel June 2, 2003
This article by Kareem Kamel on Islam Online maintains that the upcoming summits at Sharm El Sheikh and al-Aqaba will deal only with furthering US diplomatic aims in the region. Amidst continuing resentment over Iraq and powerful tensions between Palestinian and Israeli leaders, current diplomatic moves by the US will result in continued polarization between pro-US Arab nations and anti-Israeli-...

Arab Pride, US Prejudice

Abel-Moneim Said May 30, 2003
The Arabs have started a round of heated discussion on the post-war reforms. Divided as they are, says Arab scholar Abel-Moneim Said, they appear to agree on the idea that the U.S. should not be the one to set up reform standards in the region. The Arab world has long been in need of reform, he says, but because of the war and the America's push for "regime change," many Arabs now...

European Union’s Southern Drive

Shada Islam May 30, 2003
Despite apparent attempts by the US to lead the world in every way and area, when it comes to northern Africa and the Middle East, the European Union has its own ideas. Europe's importation of immigrant labor to support its aging population has contributed to a buildup of over 13 million Muslims of Middle Eastern descent across the continent. In the face of continued economic shifts and...

A Tale of Two Visions

Omayma Abdel-Latif May 30, 2003
After the war on Iraq, Arab intellectuals have grouped into two camps and centered their argument on what really is ahead and what the Arab world should do next. While the liberals and democrats are pro-U.S. in many ways and pushing for reforms in the region, the Islamists and radicals are still opposed to Western intervention of any sort and are holding fast to their ideologies. In this article...

International Tension Isn't Good for U.S. or Mexico

Enrique Rangel May 28, 2003
When U.S President George Bush and Mexican President Vicente Fox took offices in their respective countries, the U.S. and Mexico promised to have the friendliest relationship seen in years. However, the strain caused by differences on Iraq and Washington's focus on terrorism is worrying more and more people on both sides. Immigration issues have further worsened this relationship. Despite...

President Rewards Like-Minded World Leaders With State Visits

David E. Sanger May 28, 2003
U.S. President George W. Bush has used his Texas ranch for many world leaders' state visits. Now he has even had Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi sit in on his highly classified morning intelligence briefing on global affairs and terrorist activities and given President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo of the Philippines special treatment as well. Japan has recently launched its first spy...

We've Seen This Situation Before

Mark Turner May 21, 2003
Almost a decade ago half a million Tutsis and moderate Hutus were massacred in Rwanda through a "state-sponsored genocide." Recent reports of ethnic killings in the northeastern part of Congo have international observers fearing a repeat of Rwanda. But this time the UN seems determined not to have the international community be mere bystanders, and already efforts to form a sizeable...