Daryl G. Kimball: Reports that the U.S. plans to test new nuclear weapons mark an alarming departure. Ralph A. Cossa: On North Korea, we need to reiterate the basic questions. THE GLOBAL BEAT'S INTERACTIVE REPORTS Why We Are Hated,Nuclear Bunker busters AND Post-Moscow Disarmament

New York University

WHY THEY HATE US
[a Global Beat Exclusive]
"We’ve seen the future, and it’s not pretty. We saw it clearly through the media-soaked eyes of more than 1,200 teen-agers in 12 countries from all parts of the world whom we surveyed for a project entitled The Next Generation’s Image of Americans. "

THE SEARCH FOR A NUCLEAR WEAPON FOR LIMITED CONFLICTS
Mark Bromley and David Grahame report on the Pentagon's search for a nuclear "bunker buster"

THE FUTURE OF NUCLEAR ARMS CONTROL

Rose Gottmoeller:
an interactive assessment of nuclear disarmament after the Moscow Summit,

The Journalists' Essential Field Guide to Afghanistan
by Edward Girardet

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REPORTING ETHNICITY AND
OTHER DIVERSITY
ISSUES
by The European
Center for War,
Peace &
The News Media
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U.S.-SAUDI ALLIANCE UNDER STRAIN
Allegations of moneys from a Saudi princess reaching 9/11 hijackers may be overblown, but the Washington Post reports that a National Security Council task force is recommending that President Bush send Riyadh an ultimatum to clamp down on the activities of seven Saudis alleged to be funding al-Qaeda, or else let the U.S. tackle them directly. The move comes at a time when U.S.-Saudi relations are strained over 9/11 and by differences over Iraq, but Washington is concerned that al-Qaeda's coffers are full despite global efforts to stop them fundraising.
The Washington Post, November 26, 2002

'SAUDI ARABIA A PRIME SOURCE OF AL QAEDA FUNDS'
A Council on Foreign Relations report released in October found that Saudi individuals have provided the lion's share of funding for al-Qaeda, and accused the Saudi government of turning a blind eye to the problem despite bin Laden's hostility to the government in Riyadh.
Council on Foreign Relations, October 17, 2002

TORTURE IN THE HOUSE OF SAUD?
Britain's Observer offers an unflattering portrait of the Saudi Royals through the story of a British national allegedly tortured by Riyadh's secret police.
Observer, November 24, 2002

UNMOVIC GOES TO WORK
With a posse of journalists trailing behind to remind them of the stakes, UN weapons inspectors conducted their first inspections near Baghdad on Wednesday. The pressures on them are immense as they play the role of referee in a game where Iraq says it has no weapons of mass destruction, while the U.S. and Britain insist Baghdad's WMD programs are active.
Economist, November 27, 2002

IRAQ: MOMENTS OF TRUTH
Saddam Hussein has postponed war for now, argues Al-Ahram's Mohamed Sid-Ahmed. But avoiding one requires that inspections find no undeclared weapons programs. That creates tremendous pressure on Iraq to declare whatever it has. Once the inspectors go to work, however, the strength of U.S. and British intelligence claims about Iraq's programs will also face a test.
Al Ahram, 21-27 November, 2002

INSPECTIONS MAY NOT TRIGGER WAR
Even if Saddam fails to play open cards with UNMOVIC, the inspections won't necessarily trigger a war, says former U.S. Naval commander for the Gulf, Rear-Admiral Stephen Baker. The inspections process could take years, but the military buildup will continue. Baker also sketches scenarios for an invasion.
Center for Defense Information, November 22, 2000

SLIPPING THE INSPECTION ÔTRAP'
Former Clinton NSC staffer Ken Pollack, an advocate of invasion, writes that Iraq hopes to play out the clock by cooperating with the inspection regime an avoiding giving the Bush administration cause for war. If ousting Saddam is the plan, Pollack argues, the Bush administration will have to make the most of ambiguous evidence, and cry foul over Iraq's claims of having no weapons of mass destruction in order to persuade allies to back an invasion.
Brookings Institution, November 18, 2000

MANUFACTURING A CRISIS
Newsweek's Fareed Zakaria concurs with Pollack that the U.S. will have to "manufacture" a crisis following Iraq's December 8 declaration. But simply accusing Iraq of lying won't be enough [EM] the U.S. will have to point inspectors to locations, people and documents to prove that Iraqi is lying.
Newsweek, December 2, 2000

THE WAR HAS BEGUN
Britain's Independent reports that the current pattern of Anglo-American bombing and reports of special forces being deployed in northern and possibly western Iraq suggest U.S. war plans are already being implemented.
Independent, November 24, 2002

BEAUTY, BELIEF AND VIOLENCE IN NIGERIA
The inter-communal violence that killed more than 200 Nigerians last week may have been sparked by controversy over attempts to stage the Miss World beauty competition in the West African nation, but there's a lot more to Nigeria's battle over Islamic Sharia law. The Financial Times argues it reflects a longstanding ethnic rivalry in a state throttled by corruption, and warns that the international community ignores the roots causes at its peril.
Financial Times, November 26, 2002

BEHIND NIGERIA'S SHARIA SPLIT
The BBC offers a useful backgrounder on the interplay of ethnicity and religion in Nigerian politics.
BBC, October 15, 2002

WILL SHARIA STOP THE MUSIC?
Nigeria has long been known as a vibrant international capital of both traditional and contemporary African music. But the introduction of Sharia law in the north has made life difficult for the country's musicians -- although even there, the rich and powerful managed to get around the rules.
World Press Review, November 18, 2002

'BIN LADEN' ISSUES NEW MANIFESTO
The British media has published a new call to arms purportedly from Osama bin Laden, which includes a laundry list of grievances against the West designed to appeal to the widest spread of Muslims. It gets as detailed as slamming the U.S. for agreeing to move its embassy to Jerusalem. Al-Qaeda's actions may have found little support among the world's Muslim populations, but the organization's propagandists have become adept at articulating a view of America designed to resonate even with moderate, liberal and secular Arabs and Muslims.
Observer November 24, 2002

DOES OSAMA'S SURVIVAL MATTER?
President Bush may have erred in demanding bin Laden, "dead or alive" as a goal of his war on terrorism. But even though he remains at large, effective counter-terrorism and domestic security strategies can minimize the significance of that fact, argues the Brookings Institution's Michael O'Hanlon.
Slate, November 20, 2002

BUILDING OUR OWN BIN LADEN
A perceptive analysis by B. Raman in the Asia Times argues that the Western media is inadvertently helping al-Qaeda by attributing every local act of terror to the international network. By inviting the public to imagine Bin Laden's imprimatur on everything from the Bali bombing to attacks on U.S. troops in Kuwait, the media may be helping bin Laden grow his legend.
Asia Times, November 26, 2002

U.S. IRAN POLICY AT AN IMPASSE
Columbia's Dr. Gary Sick, an Iran expert previously at the State Department, parses the relationship between Tehran and Washington since 9/11, and in light of a possible war with Iraq. Despite the current stalemate, however, he sees mutual interests that may improve relations.
Council on Foreign Relations, November 2002

PREVIEWING ISRAEL'S POLL
Will Sharon hold off Netanyahu? Will a strong Likud showing actually tie the leader's hands on the question of peacemaking? Will the Labor Party's decision to challenge Sharon rather than play loyal opposition pay off? Former U.S. ambassador to Israel Martin Indyk handicaps Israel's election.
Brookings Institution, November 25, 2002

ECUADOR'S OWN CHAVEZ?
When a Latin American electorate votes in a populist former military officer who previously tried to seize power in a coup, the comparisons with Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez are inevitable. Yet, Ecuador's new president, 45-year-old former colonel Lucio Gutierrez has gone out of his way to assure investors that he plans to abide by IMF loan terms and that his immediate goal is to tackle corruption and monopolies in order to lure investment.
Financial Times, November 24, 2002

HU'S REALLY IN CHARGE?
Hu Jintao may have been voted in as China's new leader, but Jiang Zemin is doing nothing to hide the impression that even in the top job, Hu continues to be his protege.
Far Eastern Economic Review, November 28, 2002

NYU FIRST
09/11 8:48AM: Documenting America's Greatest Tragedy
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