World Today, The

Russia And The West

That Sinking Feeling

When ordinary people are asked about their country's most significant contribution to world history, they invariably cite the Soviet Union's defeat of Nazism and the liberation of Europe. The most promising area to work on is US-Russia political cooperation over Iran and an economic deal which would open the American nuclear energy market to the state atomic energy agency Rosatom. Even though there is no reason for a new Cold War - Russia is not the Soviet Union, and historical parallels wi...

Middle East

Divide and Rule?

Some have argued that in the event of American failure to bring stability and democracy to Iraq and therefore transform the region as a whole into the image of the US, an alternative strategy is to let Iraqis fight Iraqis, Arabs fight the Iranians, Shi'ites fight the Sunnis and Palestinians kill Palestinians to contain and neutralise each other.

Turning to Tehran

At the very least there are three competing agendas, each with their own extremists and moderates and including governments, sub-state and transnational actors and various ideological platforms: * The traditional, pragmatic and essentially materialist alliance of the United States and Sunni Arab governments; * An Arab Quartet' of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates, galvanised by antipathy to Israel on the 'Arab street' and fear of Iranian regional domination; * A revisio...

Un And The Middle East

Heavy Burden

De Soto claimed the tipping point for his resignation was when, on his visit to the region on March 25, Ban introduced Out the blue', conditions for whether he would meet the prime minister of the Palestinian Authority in future, thus sabotaging UN efforts to lead the rival Palestinian organisations Hamas and Fatah towards a solution. The Palestinian mission secured restatement and expansion of those UN positions, for example with a meeting of states which are party to the Geneva Conventions...

The Politics Of Multiculturalism

Three Mistakes

[...] the whole thrust of multiculturalism is to accentuate, even exaggerate, differences between majority and minority and to insist on their importance. 'our' way of life versus 'theirs'; 'our' language versus 'theirs'; 'our' religion - or lack of its versus 'theirs'; 'our' ideas of fairness and respect versus 'theirs'; 'our' values versus 'theirs'. [...] striving to spotlight and honour the cultural identity of Muslim minorities, political leaders have evoked the very exclusionary reactio...

Us Policy Towards Israel

Fact and Myth

When Israel is widely thought to face imminent threat, no American official will second-guess Israeli leaders on security matters; but when the threat level is low and there are believed to be credible negotiating partners, there will be broad support for initiatives by the president to facilitate negotiations, even if the lobby does not agree. [...] Tom Lantos, a Holocaust survivor and chair of the House Foreign Relations committee co-sponsored the Palestinian Anti-Terrorism Act, which woul...

Iran And China

Energising Links

Energy Fuel And Efficiency

Loft Insulation As Foreign Policy

All around its borders, from the Shtokman gas field in the Barents Sea, to the Sakhalin Islands, to the Caspian Sea, to the proposed Nordstream gas pipeline hi the Baltic Sea, President Vladimir Putin's Russia is demonstrating ruthless determination to get maximum political advantage from its oil and gas. If Britain is serious about reducing vulnerability to disruption of international fuel supplies, the government can start on its own premises, with contracts to prime the pump for energy se...

Five Years Of The International Criminal Court

Waiting for a Day in Court

Does success lie in the number of people prosecuted, in the Court's deterrent effect, in its part in recording the history of a society in conflict, or in a claim to be part of broader solutions for ending conflict? A further measure of success might be how far it provides an incentive for states to prosecute international crimes themselves, or its ability to assist in strengthening national judicial systems in post-conflict reconstruction. For at least the next decade the most that can be h...

Investing In Russia

Bullish About the Bear's Market

With a population of over 140 million, private consumption per head of almost $3,400 last year, and real disposable income expected to rise at nine to ten percent per annum for the next five years, the domestic consumer market offers massive opportunities.

Sierra Leone

Better Than Bullets

The post-war settlement - brokered by the United Nations, the Economic Community Of West African States and Britain, the country's former colonial ruler and chief foreign sponsor - has therefore emphasised democratic elections and the rebuilding of state institutions to prevent the slide into another war. A recent Department for International Development review of the Anti-Corruption Commission, which it partially funds, concluded that the Commission has had no impact on public perception of...