In The News

Saudis' Role in Iraq Insurgency Outlined

Ned Parker July 26, 2007
Despite US government complaints that Syria and Iran help Iraqi insurgents, Saudi Arabia is the largest source of foreign fighters in Iraq. Almost half of foreign fighters come from Saudi Arabia, and fighters from the oil-rich country may have carried out more suicide bombings than those of any other nationality. Some analysts report that Saudi Arabia does not properly patrol its border with Iraq...

Interrupting a History of Tolerance – Part III

Fahad Nazer July 26, 2007
Any religion with global stature, such as Islam, must accept diversity in terms of culture, beliefs and practices. Tolerance for evolving beliefs demonstrates confidence. This YaleGlobal series explores how external forces encouraged intolerance, such as anti-Semitism, in the Middle East throughout the 19th and 20th centuries. However, Saudi Arabia, as the guardian of holy Islamic sites, had its...

Iraq Finds Unity on the Global Soccer Field

Ahmad Fadam July 21, 2007
Iraq’s soccer team defeated Australia and advanced to the quarter finals in the Asia Cup. And despite a bitter civil war, Iraqis unite in cheering for their team. “If the team, which includes Sunni Arabs, Shiites and Kurds, can play together, then maybe the country can bridge the bloody hatreds that have ravaged so many communities here,” write Ahmad Fadam and Alissa J. Rubin for the...

Japan's Nuclear Accident Should Prompt Review

July 21, 2007
A 6.8-magnitude earthquake damaged a Japanese nuclear power plant, and reports of leaks could slow the rush to develop nuclear-power sources around the world. Many governments plan some nuclear capability as a substitute for declining oil supplies. “Accidents of the kind that occurred in Japan are all too likely to take place in Iran, which has seen seven major earthquakes in as many years and is...

Academic Boycotts Alone Are of Little Use

Mark Klusener July 20, 2007
The academic boycott of South Africa began in the mid-1960s as a move to eliminate apartheid. Over time, the boycott gathered momentum, but had limited success. Critics pointed out that the boycott stifled the flow of ideas and interaction, hurting the very people who were supposed to be helped by the end of apartheid. Additionally, academics could avoid the boycott by using third parties to...

The Middle East’s Five Crises

Joris Voorhoeve July 16, 2007
The unrest in the Middle East may seem overwhelming, but the key to stability rests in five areas, according to Joris Voorhoeve, former defense minister for the Netherlands – the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, Iran’s nuclear ambitions, the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, and the overall conflict between extremists and the government. Practical solutions are possible for each area: With Iraq troubled by...

Pakistan's Political Monsoon

Graham Usher July 11, 2007
Cyclones and floods battering southern Pakistan contribute to increased political unrest in the nation. The 2007 monsoon season represents the worst disaster for Pakistan since the October 2005 earthquake. In 2005, Pakistanis united to bring relief to victims and President Pervez Musharraf rallied the world for international support. In contrast, the 2007 disaster reveals the divisions throughout...