Issues of Global Import

15 September 2003


Arabs Recognize Iraq
There is no doubt that the Bush administration has bungled, blundered and bumbled its way along since the murderers of Al-Qaeda attacked the United States. There are advantages, though, to being the big kid on the playground, not least of which is getting one's way through the reluctant acquiescence of others. So, even though there is no real Iraqi government with any real power, the US-picked Iraqi National Council has been recognized by the Arab League; the occupation has been accepted by the Arab world. Click here to read Kensington's Opinion.

Saving Arafat by Threatening Him
Abba Ebban once said, and many others have since repeated, "the Palestinians never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity" -- and so it seems. However on the other side of the fence, the Israelis have a knack for snatching political defeat from the jaws of victory. In case of point, the Israeli cabinet's decision to "remove" Mr. Arafat from his fief. Nothing could have united Palestinian opinion quicker. Click here for more.

IAEA Sets Iran Deadline
The International Atomic Energy Agency set an October 31 deadline for Iran to prove it had no nuclear weapons program. Iran promptly stormed out of the closed-door meeting in a fine case of pique and brinkmanship. Iran, of course, has no more need of a peaceful nuke program than any other country sitting on a lake of oil. The question is, what to do about Teheran's bomb? Click here to read why.