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COMMENTARY / World

Nov 27, 2007

Ghosts of possibilities haunt Annapolis

By Alvaro De Vasconcelos

America's return to the Israeli-Palestinian diplomatic front is a welcome development — one surely that EU diplomacy has sought to bring about. U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's efforts to push the peace process forward during her last years in office seem genuine. If they succeed, Rice and...

COMMENTARY / THE VIEW FROM NEW YORK

Nov 26, 2007

Plenty wrong with U.S. agricultural policy

By Hiroaki Sato

NEW YORK — The U.S. farm bill — a blanket term for all measures related to agriculture, some barely so — appears doomed this year. The House version passed at the end of July, but the Senate version has been stalled in such a way that there's even talk that its enactment may not occur until after...

COMMENTARY

Nov 26, 2007

U.K. liberties versus security

By David Howell

LONDON — The director general of the British Security Services (MI5) has been telling the world that there are at least 2,000 people inside Britain who are involved in terrorism-related activities, and there may be many more. Or to put it crudely, there are at least 2,000 individuals bent on killing...

COMMENTARY

Nov 26, 2007

One (very) small step forward for ASEAN

By Ralph Cossa

HONOLULU — The Association of Southeast Asia Nations (ASEAN) has, in commemoration of its 40th anniversary, adopted its first formal charter, thus conferring "legal personality" upon this intergovernmental organization, complete with its own flag, emblem, anthem (to be written), and motto: One Vision,...

COMMENTARY

Nov 26, 2007

Koreans who paid for Japan

By Kiroku Hanai

This summer I visited several monuments in Hiroshima and Okinawa that console the souls of Koreans who died during the Pacific War while living in Japan or serving in the Japanese military. It was a heart-wrenching experience.

COMMENTARY

Nov 26, 2007

Upbeat band of moderates keep the faith

By Tom Plate and Elizabeth Moore

BALI, Indonesia — A bad idea can sometimes illuminate the darkest landscape of truth with brilliant flair in a way that mere fact cannot. Consider, for example, the idea that Islam is incompatible with democracy. It's a really bad idea, but it can serve a very good purpose.

COMMENTARY / COUNTERPOINT

Nov 25, 2007

Salvation Skype's out for a state of despair

By Roger Pulvers

I must confess this Sunday. No, I am not about to blurt out my sins. I would rather keep those to myself, thank you. The confession today is out of total despair. Despair for this country we are living in: Japan.

COMMENTARY

Nov 24, 2007

Evidence on Iran doesn't seem to matter

By Gwynne Dyer

LONDON — Shaul Mofaz, the Israeli defense minister, is not a fan of Mohammed ElBaradei, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency. In fact, he wants him fired. "The policies followed by ElBaradei endanger world peace. His irresponsible attitude of sticking his head in the sand over Iran's...

COMMENTARY

Nov 23, 2007

Australia facing tough nuclear issues

By Robyn Lim

Australia's election Saturday will be fought mostly over domestic issues, especially interest rates. While Labor is well ahead in the polls, its victory is not assured. But whoever becomes prime minister after the election will face some contentious decisions on nuclear issues. And it's not just Australians...

COMMENTARY / World

Nov 23, 2007

It's Taiwan's referendum

By Hisahiko Okazaki

For China, the launch of the Fukuda Cabinet in late September was good news, so it must expect many things from the new administration. What concerns me now in this respect is Taiwan's move to hold a national referendum on whether to seek U.N. membership in the name of "Taiwan."

COMMENTARY / World

Nov 22, 2007

Thanksgiving Day's economic lessons

By Christopher Lingle and George Akerlof

BALI, Indonesia — One aspect of globalization is that some holidays have become internationalized. That is certainly the case with Thanksgiving Day, a distinctly American feast day now celebrated throughout the world on the fourth Thursday of each November.

COMMENTARY / World

Nov 21, 2007

Crime and punishment, refugee style

By Norman Manea

PRAGUE — The horrible murder of Giovanna Reggianni that took place near a Romanian refugee camp in the suburb of Tor di Quinto in Rome shocked both Italy and Romania. The case gained significance by adding fuel to the fiery public debates now under way not only in Italy but across Europe on the status...

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward.

Kabukicho: Tokyo’s ‘stadium of desire’

Passengers that were on a morning train attacked by members of the Aum Shinrikyo group wait for medical assistance outside Kasumigaseki Station on March 20,1995.

The day a religious cult brought terror to Tokyo

By Alex K.T. Martin

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