In The News

White House, Joint Chiefs At Odds on Adding Troops

Robin Wright December 19, 2006
With violence and civil war escalating in Baghdad, the US Joint Chiefs of staff do not agree with a White House plan to send more troops into Iraq. Since the US invaded and overthrew tyrant Saddam Hussein in March 2003, Iraqi public services, political control and law enforcement have steadily deteriorated. Dedicated military troops can overthrow dictators, deliver bombs to pinpoint targets and...

Theologians Battle Female Circumcision

Amira El Ahl December 19, 2006
The World Health Organization estimates that up to 140 million women worldwide are circumcised, most living in Africa, with some also in Asia and the Middle East. Some cultures – mostly in Africa, but also in Asia – have embraced female circumcision for thousands of years, expecting it to decrease sexual desire in women. The practice is common in Ethiopia, Sudan and Somalia, but not in Iraq,...

Seeking Iran Intelligence, U.S. Tries Google

Dafna Linzer December 15, 2006
With the Central Intelligence Agency busy, the US State Department turned to Google to track individuals linked to Iran’s nuclear development program, collecting names that emerged most often when searching for “Iran” and “nuclear.” Critics question whether a Google search is the best way for tracking down targets for international sanctions that involve limiting their travel and freezing assets...

Revisiting the Debate on America's Pro-Israel Lobby

Rami G. Khouri December 14, 2006
When it comes to issues of conflict and hatred, debate is best managed with a calm, evidence-based approach, according to analyst Rami Khouri. The comment comes amid world condemnation for Iran hosting a conference that questions the Nazi effort during the mid-20th century to kill all Jews. Khouri bemoans the lack of “rational middle ground between those who question or deny the Holocaust...

Washington’s Iraq Dilemma: Dialogue with Syria Could Serve Bigger Purpose

Matthew Lee December 14, 2006
The Iraq Study Group report recommends diplomatic initiative to resolve the war in Iraq. If the US administration heeds the advice of the Iraq Study Group, by seeking containment of the Iraqi conflict through dialogue with regional powers, one promising candidate would be Damascus. In the second of this two-part series, Matthew Lee explores how, for a brief moment, the interests of the US and the...

Washington’s Iraq Dilemma: Why Engaging Iran Is a Good Idea

George Perkovich December 12, 2006
Many states throughout the Middle East have authoritarian leaders, disgruntled citizens, troubled economies – and governments as tenuous as houses made of cards. The report from the Iraq Study Group warns that the war in Iraq could widen into a regional conflict and encourages US policymakers to change tactics by initiating direct engagement with Iran and Syria to gain their cooperation in...

Slumping Dollar Has Nasty Surprise in Store for Lebanese Consumers

Michael Bluhm December 11, 2006
Even as Lebanon tries to avoid falling into civil war, the country’s fortunes are further imperiled by the falling US dollar. The dollar plays a prominent role in Lebanon’s economy: It is universally accepted alongside the Lebanese pound, and bank machines routinely dispense money in both pounds and dollars. Now, a weaker dollar means that Lebanese consumers can expect to pay more for goods...