20 - 26 March 2003 (Issue No. 630)

Lessons unlearned
As I followed recent Security Council meetings, another, much earlier, meeting kept springing to mind. It lasted three hours and took place in May 1967 on Egypt's Mediterranean coast at El-Alamein...
By Mohamed Hassanein Heikal

A world united against war
Ayman El-Amir believes that the way in which the US has handled the Iraq issue has severely weakened the very foundations of the United Nations

'Up against chaos'
On the eve of an almost certain US military invasion of Iraq, Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa spoke to Dina Ezzat about Arab efforts to stop the war

Toppling the tyrant
US President George W Bush defied the whole world and declared war against Iraq, Khaled Dawoud reports from Washington

Between tyranny and occupation
Saddam must go and the US should follow him out, a prominent Iraqi Shi'a figure told Omayma Abdel-Latif in a recent interview

Europe divided
The war council in the Azores irreparably damaged European unity. In its wake, anti-war and pro-war states traded insults and pursued conflicting agendas, writes Gamal Nkrumah

The morning after
Only hours away from an imminent military onslaught on Iraq, the question remains: who will rule after Saddam? Omayma Abdel-Latif reports

Baghdad vertigo
Tarek Hassan witnesses the last days of the Iraqi capital under Saddam Hussein

Once upon a war
Sinan Antoon remembers the bombing of Baghdad in 1991 and salutes the millions protesting the imminent war on Iraq

On equality
Sayyid Ali Al-Ridha argues that this month's Shi'a conference in Tehran should not be seen as a sectarian attempt to usurp the rights of Iraq's minorities

In the trenches
Can the anti-war movement survive the outbreak of war? Nyier Abdou finds activists smoothly shifting gears

13 - 19 March 2003 (Issue No. 629)

Crusaders and Mongols
Mohamed Hakki fears that a US invasion of Iraq will provide Israel with the cover it needs to forcibly transfer the Palestinians from their homes

"Don't look beyond March"
The United States will attack Iraq when its troops are ready, regardless of the Security Council vote, reports Khaled Dawoud from Washington

Think pink
Since US President George W Bush made war against Iraq his primary objective late last year, nearly every major American city, and dozens of small towns, have witnessed anti-war rallies that have seen the participation of hundreds of thousands of people in total...

Testing the waters
Incoming Turkish Premier Tayyip Erdogan is handed a poisoned chalice as the US begins establishing military bases in Turkey despite parliament's refusal to authorise a US troop deployment, reports Gareth Jenkins in Istanbul

Mission to Baghdad
Dina Ezzat looks at the aims of a high level Arab delegation to Iraq

As the world turns
Has the US stance on Iraq doomed the United Nations to "irrelevance"? Nyier Abdou asks UN Information Centre Director Dysane Dorani about the quixotic mandate of the real Big Brother

Beating about the Bush
German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder tries to take a stand against the war -- and keep the American door open, reports Tom Schimmeck in Berlin

Letting it ride
After the fireworks of the Arab summit, the tense wait for the attack on Baghdad resumes. But, as our correspondent in Doha discovers, the Qatari capital hardly feels like a town poised for war

Russian refusal
Russia's solid diplomatic manoeuvering keeps the ground firm under Russian President Vladimir Putin, reports Shohdy Naguib from Moscow

At the eleventh hour
With military action now almost certain, Britain's anti-war movement faces an urgent challenge: how to follow up the biggest demonstration in British political history. Alistair Alexander reports from London

The lesser of all evils
Why war in Iraq now? Veteran Middle East analyst Anthony Cordesman says that sooner or later, now has to come. He spoke to Khaled Dawoud in Washington

Flashback: A full moon in March
Today is Ashourah, the 10th day of Muharram, which is the first month of the Islamic lunar calendar...

6 - 12 March 2003 (Issue No. 628)

Exile fury
Calls for Saddam Hussein to resign cause a diplomatic incident in Doha. Dina Ezzat reports

Sauce for the gander
UN disarmament institute head Patricia Lewis tells Dina Ezzat that non-proliferation applies not only to Iraq

Collateral damage
In addition to the threat of damage from military action to Iraq's outstanding ancient monuments and sites, a war on Iraq could leave the country's heritage open to looting in the chaos following the first military strikes, writes David Tresilian from Paris

The natural catastrophe of war
Human beings are not the only victims of military conflict. Guy Jobbins reports on the threat faced by the environment

Hell-bent on battle
With war a forgone conclusion, the issue now becomes post-Saddam arrangements -- and whether the US can go it alone, reports Khaled Dawoud from Washington

The answer is 'no'
The decision to prevent US troops from deploying in Turkey has thrown war plans against Iraq into disarray, reports Gareth Jenkins from Istanbul

"It is not just about Iraq"
The Arab world stands on the brink of disaster, Iraqi Foreign Minister Nagui Sabri told Dina Ezzat

Iraq's oil: future prospects
Among the many uncertainties about the future of Iraq's oil industry in the aftermath of another war, there is at least one certainty, write Walid Kadduri and Gerald Butt: there will be no overnight oil bonanza

The 'Great Debate'
A backbencher rebellion in the British House of Commons made for highbrow entertainment, but cannot sway a prime minister who has already set his course, writes Nyier Abdou

Peace cities
As the Bush administration moves quickly on the path towards war with Iraq, more and more American cities are taking a stand by passing anti-war resolutions, writes Anayat Durrani in Los Angeles

Plans for the day after
Iraqi opposition groups concluded their four-day conference in Salahuddin, in northern Iraq, last Sunday, by setting up a six-member interim council...

An early letter to General Tommy Franks
From Saadi Youssef (Poet from Mesopotamia)

27 Feb. - 5 March 2003 (Issue No. 627)

Zero-hour approaches
The months and the weeks are over, and it's only a matter of days before America invades Iraq. Khaled Dawoud reports from Washington

Out on a limb
With the countdown to war under way, British Prime Minister Tony Blair may be staking his career on a dubious gamble, reports Nyier Abdou in London

Bracing for the shock
An "oil shock" seems inevitable after war, Michael Jansen reports

How much is enough?
Ankara has finally allowed US troops on its soil but at what price? Gareth Jenkins reports from Istanbul

A friend to all
With a few "Satans" in its own closet, Russian diplomacy is making steady gains against the backdrop of the current disarmament crisis, Shohdy Naguib reports from Moscow

Tug of war
As Europe stands divided like never before over Iraq, the massive anti-war demonstrations have taken some of the wind out of the sails of the pro-war Europeans, writes Gamal Nkrumah

Arab apathy
The Arabs are facing a situation fraught with great uncertainties. When will they stand up and be counted? Omayma Abdel-Latif asks Arab intellectuals

A guarded friendship
Thirteen years after Iraq's invasion of their country, Kuwaitis still have mixed feelings towards their Arab neighbour. Judit Neurink reports from Kuwait City

In solidarity
The venue was the Hong Kong Theatre at the London School of Economics (LSE), and the main event was a video-conference lecture by the inimitable Edward Said, reports Tarek Atia

'No support for war'
Veteran British leftist fireband and former parliamentarian, Tony Benn, 77, left the cosy comfort of his home in the London district of Notting Hill Gate to take part in the huge anti-war demonstration that rocked the British capital. Benn's fact-finding mission to Baghdad, unauthorised by the British government, was something of an eye-opener. Benn spoke to Assem El-Kersh Al-Ahram's London Bureau chief, about his trip to Iraq, the ramifications of a United States war on Iraq and about prospects for peace

How the West might be won
Peace groups in Britain are in ascendancy as the international anti-war movement flexes its muscle. But Nyier Abdou asks whether they have enough influence to change the course of history

Confronting the empire
The present crisis has demonstrated the ambitions of the United States -- nothing short of bringing the entire planet under its military control, writes Samir Amin

20 - 26 February 2003 (Issue No. 626)

'We should not lose focus'
As the US steps up preparations to invade Iraq, Arab countries are squabbling amongst themselves. Dina Ezzat reports

In solidarity
Though British Prime Minister Tony Blair has come under fiery attack for his singularly avid support of the US administration's determination to attack Iraq, the last week has seen Blair at his weakest point politically...

Betting on the willing nations
The United States and Britain are continuing to push for war against Iraq -- in spite of protests around the world and a major setback in the Bush administration's efforts to deploy troops in Turkey. Khaled Dawoud reports from Washington

Breaking faith
Leading figures of the Iraqi opposition derided US administration plans to appoint a US military governor to rule in post-Saddam Iraq. Omayma Abdel-Latif reports

The bottom line
US-Turkey relations took a turn for the worse last week as Ankara urged Washington to offer it more money in compensation for economic losses resulting from a war on Iraq. Gareth Jenkins reports

Where did all the anger go?
In Europe, Asia, the US and Australia, millions marched against war. In Egypt, only a few hundred took to the streets. Amira Howeidy wonders why

On 15 February, the world saw mass demonstrations opposing war in Iraq, with people protesting in some 60 countries and 300 cities across the globe. People from all walks of life took to the streets, from Sydney to Berlin, from Rome to New York, to send a message to their leaderships that came through loud and clear: STOP THE WAR!

Stop the war
In London, Nyier Abdou shadowed the organisers of the largest demonstration in British history and joined the crowds coursing through the city's streets

Let Americans listen
Anti war rallies were held in 150 American cities, sending a clear message to US President George Bush: "No blood for oil", Khaled Dawoud was among the huge crowd in New York

When in Rome...
Samia Nkrumah joined three million Italians

Two peoples, two crimes
Palestinians and Israelis throughout the country came together in Tel Aviv to add their voices to the worldwide protest. Annika Hampson reports

13 - 19 February 2003 (Issue No. 625)

The Godfather's war
The expected war against Iraq, says former Saudi Arabian Oil Minister Sheikh Ahmed Zaki Yamani, is anything but a weapons issue -- and its repercussions might prove catastrophic, reports Amira Howeidy

Hot under
The United States is increasingly isolated in its hawkish stance on Iraq, but it is too late to change course, writes Ayman El-Amir

Treading water
France this week joined Russia and Germany in calling for a reinforcement of UN weapons inspectors in Iraq and vetoing proposals to send NATO reinforcements to Turkey, writes David Tresilian from Paris

Every nation for itself
Faced with impending war across the border, Turkey has no choice but to align itself with the US, writes Gareth Jenkins from Istanbul

Hopes and fears
Amid growing signs of war in Iraq, the Turkish capital played host this week to a meeting of Turkish and US officials with several Iraqi opposition leaders. James Martone , in Ankara, listened to the Iraqi leaders express hopes and fears concerning the future of their country

Over a barrel
Africa begs to differ with Washington over Iraq, Gamal Nkrumah writes

Caught red-handed
A scandal over the sources of a British government dossier on Iraq is more than an embarrassment, it's a disturbing look into the British intelligence apparatus

Backdoor friendship
When push comes to shove, will India stand by Iraq? In Delhi, Saba Naqvi Bhaumik reads between the lines

Under wraps
A flurry of recent reports on the impact of a war in Iraq are building the case for an impending humanitarian disaster, writes Nyier Abdou

The war no one wants
In an interview with Ibrahim Nafie , US Secretary of State Colin Powell unpacks the argument for war in Iraq and shrugs off the imperialist label

Between Saddam and a hard place
Can the Iraqi opposition run a post-Saddam Iraq? asks Omayma Abdel-Latif

Untying the knot
THE FIRST Iraqi opposition conference held on Iraqi soil was in the city of Salahuddin, in northern Iraq, at the end of October 1992...

On record:
Sleeping splendour
On my last night in Baghdad, I attended a peace concert put on by the chamber group of the Baghdad Symphony Orchestra...

6 - 12 February 2003 (Issue No. 624)

Ruling by force
Bent on realising its "imperial ambition", the US seeks control over a "stupendous source of strategic power", oil. Noam Chomsky explains how, in a talk he delivered at the World Social Forum in Porto Alegre, Brazil, on 27 January

The final frontier
US military strategy in Iraq relies heavily on overwhelming power to realise short-term goals. Galal Nassar digs at the roots of the US's most strategic war

Before the fact
With US military buildup in the Gulf in high gear and diplomacy making its case, the window for peace seems to be closing, writes Salah Hemeid

Message to Baghdad
Upcoming Arab meetings will attempt to spare Iraq from US military aggression, reports Dina Ezzat

The last hope
Confusion and resignation abound as Iraqis await war, writes Michael Jansen in Baghdad

On record: Lost glory
Before Saddam Hussein assumed power in 1979, and before he launched a devastating war with neighbouring Iran that lasted most of the 1980s, Iraq was the envy of many countries in the region having used the enormous revenues from selling its oil to build up its economy and cultural infrastructure.

In solidarity
Anti-war demonstrations and events have become a regular item in Egyptian activist circles

Taming the beast
In an exclusive interview, US National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice talks to Ibrahim Nafie about the countdown to war, the two-state solution and the war against terrorism

Before the storm
Moves in Ankara to prepare for a refugee influx indicate that Turkey is resigned to war on its borders. James Martone reports from southeastern Turkey

Slipping and sliding
Gavin Bowd looks at the problem with Old Europe

In extremis
Iraq's salvation now seems to hinge on Saddam himself -- or even on an assassin, writes David Hirst in Beirut

Democracy is...
Nyier Abdou talks to Iraq Institute for Democracy head Hussain Sinjari about change from within, the message of the anti-war movement and life after Saddam

Playing with fire
Can the US initiate democratic transformation in the Middle East? Scholars from a leading American think tank were in Cairo this week to find out, reports Aziza Sami

30 Jan. - 5 Feb. 2003 (Issue No. 623)

Plea from Iraq
Voices from Baghdad are calling for peace, warning that war will be catastrophic not just for Iraq, but for the entire world, writes Michael Jansen in Baghdad

Toppling Saddam
Although US President George W Bush stopped short of a unilateral declaration of war on Iraq in his annual State of the Union address, all indications are that war is imminent, reports Khaled Dawoud from Washington

On record
Unleashing the genie
While no one can forecast with any degree of certainty the specific form of alignments among the various segments of the Iraqi population in the immediate aftermath of an American assault, mass actions encapsulating a volatile mixture of euphoria, anxiety about the future, attempts at redressing the grave injustices of more than three decades of tyranny and the joy of practicing freedom would almost certainly be the order of the day once the Iraqi people firmly believe that Saddam's days are numbered.
By Isam al-Khafaji

"We are all Iraqis"
Arab and Western human shields stream into Baghdad in a last bid of protest against an impending Anglo-American military onslaught. Omayma Abdel-Latif talked to key organisers on both sides

In solidarity
In a sign that anti-war sentiment in the Arab world is gaining new momentum, numerous protests were staged in Arab nations this week ahead of the UN weapons report to the Security Council -- perceived to be a key event in Washington's decision to declare war on Iraq...

Jumping the gun
A warning issued by the US State Department to Americans abroad is another indication that US preparations for war are going ahead at full speed, writes Nyier Abdou

Keeping the peace
Regional moves to avert war in Iraq have been plagued by a clash of agendas among the six countries that met in Istanbul this week. Gareth Jenkins reports

Old, but still kicking
With US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld's dismissal of "Old Europe" unleashing a storm of protest in France, European hostility to an American-led war on Iraq is growing, writes David Tresilian in Paris

Winning hearts and minds
The United States is launching a multi-million dollar campaign to improve its image in the Muslim world. Aziza Sami examines the tactics being employed

Clash of the titans?
Russians feel that the US's stance on Iraq is merely the prelude to a much greater strategic initiative in the region. Shohdy Naguib reports from Moscow

23 - 29 January 2003 ( Issue No. 622)

Battles of the mind
One man's dream is another man's nightmare. Philip Taylor looks for a voice of reason in the world of propaganda wars

Spreading the news
Nyier Abdou talks to the International Action Centre's Sara Flounders about resistance in the information age

Getting there
I drove down [to Washington] by car with four friends for the rally and march. We left at 3:30 in the morning, and got to DC by 11am...

In solidarity
Saturday, 18 January, was a day of international protest, with large-scale demonstrations in the US and elsewhere in the world...

In search of Iraqi credibility
What goes on behind the scenes in the search for Iraqi weapons of mass destruction? Michael Jansen in Baghdad follows the inspectors

Hopes and dreams
Pernille Bramming finds that Iraqis reminisce about the past and dream of the future. Anything to forget the present

Braced for war
Most Kuwaitis have become comfortable with the US military presence in their country as they prepare themselves for a war in Iraq. James Martone reports from Kuwait City

On record
Against the backdrop of current events, the war on Iraq is starting to seem inevitable...

Many birds, few stones
Although Turkey has yet to respond to the US's request for support in a war on Iraq, as Gareth Jenkins writes, the country's new government is busy manoeuvring on the domestic, regional and international fronts

Black gold
Many believe that oil would be the motivation behind any future war in the Gulf. John Sfakianakis investigates the significance of Iraq's oil

Stepping into a burgeoning gap
Does anyone really know, asks Amira Howeidy , how a war on Iraq will resonate in Egypt?

Massive "No War" protests in Washington
Defying arctic conditions and a war-mongering administration, 200,000 protestors marched in Washington chanting "No war in Iraq." Khaled Dawoud reports

He said, they said
Concessions offered by Iraq in talks with UN inspectors seem unlikely to deter the United States from going ahead with its plans for war, Khaled Dawoud reports from Washington

From Arabism to regionalism
Does the Istanbul meeting on Iraq mean the end of Arabism and the beginning of regionalism? Dina Ezzat looks for an answer