Analysis & Commentary
What a Bunch of Winners
Here's one for the new ethics office at the United Nations: Not only do we now know that Secretary-General Kofi Annan accepted a $500,000 prize from the ruler of Dubai, courtesy of a judges' panel rife with U.N. connections, one member of which Annan then appointed to a high U.N. job. Less...
The Muslim World’s New Martyrs
It's one of today's most compelling news stories, yet it's all but ignored by most of the international media. I'm talking about the growing persecution of Christian minorities in the Islamic world.
Not for the Feint of Heart
It is often said that in order to keep polite company polite, we must refrain from speaking of religion and politics. Yet, the two are not equals in the hierarchy of politesse. Political debate may be unwelcome in many settings, but no one clears the room by observing that the great...
Face it, We’re Addicted
President Bush's call for America to end its "oil addiction" sparked a debate about whether the goal is attainable — or even desirable.
Spare the Rod, Spoil the Peace
The Bush administration announced earlier this month that the United States was ending direct financial assistance to the Palestinian Authority (PA), now that the terrorist group Hamas is installed at its helm.
The Middle East Link to Africa’s Conflicts
In an earlier commentary in this series, I lamented the fact that, despite clear and substantial evidence of terrorist activities, Sub-Saharan Africa remains largely ignored by both policymakers and scholars when it comes to threat assessment and resource allocation in the global war on...
Break the Oil Monopoly
A hundred years ago, Americans could use typewriters, the telegraph and primitive telephones. Today, Americans have computers, the Internet, cell phones, satellite television and radio, DVDs, iPods, email and instant messaging.
To Bomb, or Not to Bomb
WHEN I WAS RECENTLY in Paris, a French diplomat explained to me why he--and many others in the French foreign ministry--thought the United States would, in the end, bomb Iran's nuclear-weapons facilities. Owing to Chinese and Russian obstreperousness, the United Nations would probably fail...
United Nations Probes Sale of Irreplaceable Stamp Archive
Amid the many scandals at the United Nations, a new mystery now looms. What happened to the world organization's unique and valuable postal archive — in effect, the U.N.'s own stamp collection, one of the crown jewels of its past and a popular point of contact with the global public?
The New McCarthyism
THE MEDIA has been quick to lionize Mary McCarthy, the recently fired 61-year-old CIA analyst who allegedly leaked classified information to the Washington Post's Dana Priest.
Reporters and Investigations
National Review's Byron York sensibly asks: what are the next steps in the investigation into the intelligence community's leaking of classified information to the press, including the deeply sensitive detention arrangements for high-ranking al Qaeda captives (the so-called "black-site"...
Israel’s Fence, With all its Implications, is an Absolute Necessity
Having traveled to Israel recently and many times over the past 35 years or so, I take profound exception to the accusations leveled at Israel by my old friend and syndicated columnist Robert Novak, particularly his most recent column titled "Walled Off Christians."
Why Isn’t She in Cuffs?
There are countless questions that arise out of the CIA's dismissal of a prominent intelligence officer, Mary O. McCarthy (no relation), for leaking classified information to the media. But one in particular springs to mind right now: Why isn't she in handcuffs?
The War on Terrorism’s Forgotten Front
In early March, two American warships, the cruiser USS Cape St. George and the destroyer USS Gonzalez, were conducting maritime security operations off Somalia when a suspected "pirate" boat opened fire on them. Fortunately, there were no casualties other than one "pirate," who was killed...
The War on Terrorism’s Forgotten Front
In early March, two American warships, the cruiser USS Cape St. George and the destroyer USS Gonzalez, were conducting maritime security operations off Somalia when a suspected "pirate" boat opened fire on them. Fortunately, there were no casualties other than one "pirate," who was killed...
Bring Me the Head of Donald Rumsfeld
The question is not whether Donald Rumsfeld should resign. The question is not even who should replace him. The question is: What goals would a new Secretary of Defense set, and what strategies would he implement to achieve them?
Politicized Pulitzers
By sheer coincidence, the winners of journalism's Pulitzer Prizes were announced on the same day the Sami al-Arian terrorism case finally ended. The two make an interesting combination.
Human Rights in China
“Human Rights in China” House International Relations Committee Subcommittee on Africa, Global Human Rights and International Operations Testimony of Ethan Gutmann Author, Losing the New China
Iraq Is the War on Terror
The Bush administration evidently believes revisiting the case for toppling Saddam Hussein is a political loser. That this conclusion — which, of course, has played in the media like a tacit admission of guilt — is a terrible miscalculation becomes clearer with each passing day. As...
Iran Awareness Project’s Stifling Indicates Broader Problem
I have long subscribed to Johns Hopkins' motto: "Veritas vos liberabit" -- the truth shall make you free. So when a group of students approached me for advice on starting an "Iran Awareness Project," I applauded their efforts. Iran Awareness leader Sammy Chester, a freshman, explained that...
