Losing in Faluja
This week the US army decided to substantially reduce its troop presence in Faluja. It amounts to an admission of their failure to govern there, reports Graham Usher in Faluja

'Middle East surprises for America'
Can stability be achieved in the Middle East despite the failure of the post-Iraq "domino effect" to materialise, asks John V Whitbeck

Arafat vs Abbas
The tug of war between Arafat and Abbas has been contained for the moment, but as Khalid Amayreh reports, there are no guarantees it will last

Gaza's sweatshops
Palestinian workers have little choice but to work for Israeli settlers, writes Annika Hampson from Gaza

Childhood disrupted
One of the most terrible effects of the Israeli occupation is the destruction of Palestinian childhood. Lesley Whiting shows how

Partial Syrian withdrawal from Lebanon
Syria has scaled back its military presence in Lebanon in the fourth major redeployment in three years. Mouhalhel Fakih reports from Lebanon

Daggers and roses
The tribes of southern Iraq continue to hold the reigns of power despite efforts by the occupation forces to establish their own version of law and order, writes Karim El-Gawhary in Basra

Kurdish collision course
Kurdish militants killed six people in two attacks in southeast Turkey last week, further exacerbating the crisis in Ankara's ties with Washington. Gareth Jenkins reports from Istanbul

Archive: Invitation to the Madrid Peace Conference
Issued jointly by the US and the Soviet Union on 30 October 1991...