In The News

Moscow Seeks to Take Advantage of Iraq Conflict to Reassert its Leadership in CIS

Igor Torbakov April 9, 2003
Some political analysts believe that the war in Iraq presents Russia with a "golden opportunity" to integrate the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).

Betrayal on All Sides

John R. Bradley April 9, 2003
The US has proved what many already knew: few armies, let alone any in the Middle East, can withstand its power. But before the ticker tape parades and triumphal marches, the costs of US victory in terms of Arab self-esteem need to be weighed. Such a sound defeat of Arab soldiers could spell years of disenchantment for the Arab psyche. Furthermore, as the writer suggests, the ‘roadmap for peace’...

The Political Battles to Come After the War

Rami G. Khouri April 9, 2003
The military part of the Iraq war may soon be over, but the US faces greater struggles ahead. First, the US’s moral high ground is tainted. As the author asserts of the US plan to bring good governance to Iraq, “Killing to promote life is a morally flawed and politically obtuse policy.” Second, its policy of pre-emption, no longer mere rhetoric, sends a grave message to the rest of the Middle...

Corporations as Good Global Citizens

Susan Ariel Aaronson April 8, 2003
Global corporate social responsibility (CSR) is often agreed about in theory, and has informed the policy of some governments. However, its implementation is still far from ideal. While some countries make no effort to promote CSR, even the ones that do have left the terms of compliance uncertain. CSR principles are often mandated, but corporations are rarely monitored. A number of European...

Agency Wages Media Battle

Bob Kemper April 7, 2003
If you think the Bush administration's spokespeople sound just like the US military officials speaking about the war on Iraq, there's a reason. When the Pentagon tried to launch an Office of Strategic Influence last year, the idea was shot down after cries of media manipulation from a broad spectrum of the US public. But since January, the White House has been running a similar...

Street Gaps

Amira Howeidy April 4, 2003
As the war in Iraq proceeds, demonstrators, political dissenters, and even frozen political parties wage their own war of dissidence within Egypt. Among their grievances are the US invasion of Iraq, Israeli aggression towards the Palestinians, and, according to some analysts, government corruption. Yet also within this battle both sides struggle over the right to demonstrate. The Egyptian...

U.S. Risks a Wave of Extremism

Husain Haqqani April 1, 2003
Most Arabs are skeptical of U.S. President Bush’s cry to bring democracy to Iraq. Arabs still remember France and Britain’s failed promises of liberation at the fall of the Ottoman Empire. They also fear that Bush is a fundamentalist Christian who will oppress Arab and Islamic identity as the US rebuilds Iraq. If, in the ensuing months, evidence confirms such fears, Islamic fundamentalism will...