July 19 - June 21, 2002

1: Get him before September 11 2: What he's up to 3: The sheikh against the Saudi  4: Tracking al-Qaeda in Europe 5: Intelligence matters (July  '02)

THE ROVING EYE
Bring on the Hashemites 
Former Iraqi top brass now in exile, plus opposition leaders, met recently in London in an attempt to map out a strategy to oust Saddam Hussein. The beleaguered leader has nothing to fear from them, though, and continued US belligerence against his regime may be his salvation.
- Pepe Escobar  (Jul 19, '02)

Army on collision course with Musharraf
Sections within the Pakistani army have long been disenchanted with President General Pervez Musharraf for what they call selling out to the US. But while in the past they have toed the official line, they refuse to budge on Kashmir, placing them in dangerous conflict with the general.
- Syed Saleem Shahzad (Jul 16, '02) 

    Pakistan and the triangle of terror

HEY JOE
The Philippines' kidnap industry
The multimillion-dollar US-Filipino battle against the Abu Sayyaf bandits, which had produced little besides shoring up morale and a rescued hostage (two others were killed in the crossfire), scored a coup recently: a wanted terrorist was killed. Except no one could produce his body. Regardless, one thing is still alive in the Philippines: the kidnap-for-ransom business. - Ted Lerner (Jul 16, '02)

Facing the 'real' enemy in the Arab world
A report prepared by a group of Arab intellectuals on the state of Arab societies will add interesting ammunition to the "why they hate us" debate. The real enemy, it emerges, is authoritarian Arab governments. - Ehsan Ahrari (Jul 12, '02)

Afghanistan: A body blow to US
If there was one man whom the United States hoped could unite the fractious Pashtun warlords in the eastern provinces of Afghanistan, it was Haji Abdul Qadir, even if it was through nefarious means. But now he is dead, assassinated by people who certainly don't have peace in mind.
- Syed Saleem Shahzad (Jul 8, '02)

THE ROVING EYE
Saddam's sleepless nights
Saddam Hussein is not likely to lose sleep over the "mediocre" alleged US plan for an attack on Iraq, which was "leaked" last week. He has other things to worry about, such as the timing of the leak and the solidarity of his Arab "friends". - Pepe Escobar (Jul 8, '02)

Peace brokers answer South Asia's call for arms
While on the one hand urging India and Pakistan to cool tension, leading arms-supplying countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, France and Russia have stepped up efforts to sell weapons worth many billions of dollars to New Delhi and Islamabad. - David Isenberg  (Jul 8, '02)

Musharraf and the Kashmir curse
When even usually staunch supporters question his policy something must be wrong. And indeed there is with Pakistani President General Pervez Musharraf's about-turn on Kashmir, which can only lead to further violence. - Syed Saleem Shahzad (Jul 2, '02)

      Al-Qaeda arrests put pressure on Saudis

COMMENTARY
The US as an 'indispensable' power
Many dispute the appellation of the United States as an "indispensable state", but when it comes to Kashmir, the Middle East and Chechnya, the onus is on Washington to become indispensable as a force for change, and quickly. -Ehsan Ahrari (Jul 2, '02)

Kashmir a litmus test for Musharraf
Despite dramatic policy changes, such as ditching the Taliban and siding with the United States, Pakistani President General Pervez Musharraf has managed to contain opposition within the country to these moves. When it comes to the question of Kashmir, though, writes Syed Saleem Shahzad, the general will face far greater dissenting forces if he chooses to go through with his about-turn. (Jun 28, '02)

COMMENTARY
Divergent views on the common scourge of terror
The greatest challenge the Bush administration faces on global terrorism is that all countries of the world condemn it, but only a few are willing to adopt the United States type of voluble perspective on that issue, which is an intermingling of militarism and highfalutin moralism, writes Ehsan Ahrari.  (Jun 26, '02)

New dangers from dirty bombs
The International Atomic Energy Agency has launched new moves with governments to counter threats from dirty bombs made from radioactive material, but with more than 100 countries having no minimum infrastructure in place to control radiation sources properly, the agency has an uphill task. (Jun 26, '02)
 
Human rights agenda under the gun
Since September 11, not only have Asian governments used the war on terrorism as an excuse to tighten security legislation, human rights organizations themselves have been put on the defensive. Undeterred by charges that rights groups are "romantic idealists at best, defenders of terrorists at worst", Amnesty International has again given Asia a spotty report card. But there are bright spots, notes Alan Boyd. (Jun 26, '02)

Turkey plots its own course on Iran
While the recent visit of Turkish President Ahmed Necdet Sezer to Iran was largely ceremonial, it indicates that not everyone agrees with the United States on its treatment of Tehran, writes Hooman Peimani in the first of a series of articles on Iran's emerging diplomatic offensive. (Jun 24, '02)

Critics on warpath against US military aid to Jakarta
The Bush administration wants to renew military aid to Indonesia, and the concern in Washington these days is not so much al-Qaeda's influence in the world's largest Muslim nation as Indonesia's internal security and territorial integrity. But critics say that the military abuses that led the US to cut off aid in the first place have not been dealt with adequately.  (Jun 24, '02)

COMMENTARY
Preemption's the new buzz word
George W Bush is out to get Saddam Hussein, and has come up with the "new" concept of preemption (as practiced by Cimon of Athens) to help move things along. Unhappily, writes Marc Erikson, there is quite a bit wrong with this "new thinking" and this whole new "preemption thing".  (Jun 21, '02)

Fighting dirty: Radioactive alert
Recent revelations of plans to use a dirty bomb against a US city have renewed fears of such an attack, especially by al-Qaeda. David Isenberg writes that while such fears are exaggerated, there is still considerable cause for concern - and the need for preventive action. (Jun 21, '02)