In The News

U.S. Boycott Being Felt, French Say

Robert J. McCartney April 16, 2003
French exports to the US, totaling almost $30 billion in 2002, may be off quite sharply this year, if the last two months are any indication. A major French industry group says that American imports of French wine are down dramatically, as 'Francophobia' has afflicted Americans unhappy with the France's failure to support the US-led war in Iraq. The boycott of wine and other...

Black Money Flowing Back to India

V. K. Raghunathan April 16, 2003
Since September 11 the US has cracked down on bank accounts that might be funding terrorists. It has even asked countries with secrecy laws to disclose information about account holders to help in its fight. An unintended consequence of this policy is that many Indians who have illegally stashed money outside of the country now fear discovery and prosecution, and have begun to bring their money...

US retailers back import ban on Burma

Edward Alden April 15, 2003
International agencies such as the International Labor Organization have long advocated sanctions against Burma to protest its record of human rights violations and "disregard for democracy." In spite of a United States government ban on US investments in Burma, the US remains one of the country’s largest trading partners. However, US clothing manufacturers and retailers recently...

War and a Slowdown Empty Caribbean Beaches

David Gonzalez April 8, 2003
Just as tourists to the Caribbean were getting used to new travel realities in the post-Sept. 11 environment, other global events have caused yet another downward slide in the fortunes of the scenic island nations. First, the general slump in the American economy has meant fewer tourist dollars for countries such as Jamaica and the Dominican Republic. And now the war on Iraq has discouraged all...

Use SARS as Excuse to Reinvest in Taiwan

Huang Tien-lin 黃天麟 April 7, 2003
SARS is frightening, but so is the 'economic Sinocization' that threatens Taiwan, says Huang Tien-lin, a national policy adviser to Taiwan's President Chen Shui-bian. In this opinion piece from the Taipei Times, Huang suggests that by encouraging Taiwanese businesspeople to stay home in relatively safe Taiwan, "the [SARS] crisis will not only boost the nation's GDP but...

And Now, the Battle for the Mother of all Contracts

James Buchan April 6, 2003
The US has already offered contracts to American companies to rebuild Iraq even before the war has been won. And despite calls for more international involvement, it seems that the US ultimately intends to employ only American companies – the House of Representatives has already voted not to let any money for reconstruction go to companies from the countries that opposed the war. Yet, Iraq...

A War Against Eurocrats

Ranvir Nayar April 3, 2003
This article from Outlook India suggests that one of the Bush administration’s objectives in the war on Iraq may be to maintain the dominance of the US dollar in the global economy. The Euro in recent years has been an attractive alternative to the US dollar for many countries around the world, including oil producing countries in the Middle East. Gaining control over Iraq’s oil fields would...