Not too late
Pakistan's ambassador to Cairo, Anwar Kemal, said his country was willing to talk with India to solve their problems. But New Delhi should give up its language of threats and ultimatums first, he told Khaled Dawoud

Elementary, my dear Musharraf
The second "war on terror" in the space of a few months is gaining momentum, drawing in nuclear arch-rivals India and Pakistan. Beneath the rhetoric lies a classic murder-mystery. Who did it? Mukul Devichand puts on his detective hat

Keeping up the heat
US President George W Bush is beating his war drum all the way into the New Year, writes Anayat Durrani from Washington

To the bitter end
The ongoing hunt for an ever-elusive Osama Bin Laden and the latest round of US bombings prove one thing -- the war in Afghanistan is far from over, as Absar Alam writes from Islamabad

Passing on the torch?
Will Bin Laden's latest videotape aired by Al-Jazeera be his last? Khaled Dawoud reports

Victory of sorts
After the carnage, the stock-taking. Iffat Malek considers the United States' record in the war in Afghanistan

Lessons unlearned
If there was anything to take away from the bloody prisoner uprising in Afghanistan last month, it was that detained Al-Qa'eda fighters do not stop fighting, Absar Alam reports from Islamabad

The dynamics of escalation
Drum-beating in New Delhi suggests that just as one South Asian war is dying down, another may be starting up, writes Iffat Malik from Islamabad

Somalia next on the block?
Few of the countries on America's post-Afghanistan hit-list in Africa have the stomach for a fight with Uncle Sam. Not least Somalia, writes Gamal Nkrumah

Take me to your leader
The US is hoping that Taliban and Al-Qa'eda prisoners will provide a "treasure trove" of intelligence. But at what expense? Nyier Abdou tracks the fate of thousands of war prisoners netted in Afghanistan

On to the next round
As the US war in Afghanistan inches towards a conclusion, the focus turns on the next country-candidate for the campaign against terrorism. Anayat Durrani reports from Washington

Dragging the terror net
With the war in Afghanistan nearly over, Yemen moved to forestall it's possible inclusion in the next phase of America's "war against terror", reports Nasser Arrabyee from Sana'a

Caught on camera
For relatives of 11 September's victims, it was painful to watch Osama Bin Laden joyfully recall the carnage. But the Pentagon-released tape did little to boost Arab and Muslim support for the US military campaign in Afghanistan, writes Khaled Dawoud

An opportunity to seize
Afghanistan's new interim administration takes office in Kabul on 22 December. A spokesman for the country's former king Mohamed Zaher Shah, told Samia Nkrumah in Rome that Afghans now have a chance to solve their country's problems

Heir apparent
Hamid Karzai, who is slated to take the reins of power in Afghanistan this week, is a seasoned politico equally at home among his tribesmen and on the international political stage, writes Absar Alam in Islamabad

Vying for clout
India and Pakistan, as if not content with their dispute over Kashmir, are now battling for influence in Afghanistan. So far, India is doing better. Iffat Malik writes from Islamabad

Who listens to Bukhari?
A suicide attack on India's parliament building has brought the "war on terror" to the heart of the subcontinent. Meanwhile, India's 140-million Muslims are refusing to be drawn in, reports Mukul Devichand

No rest for troublemakers
Germany is cracking down on its Islamist groups. Gamal Nkrumah looks into the implications

Marking Iran?
The Islamic Republic of Iran stopped sponsoring international terrorism years ago. Azadeh Moaveni explores why the reputation has stuck

'Wake-up call'
A foiled plot by a militant Jewish organisation to target Islamic institutions in the US has energised calls by Muslim American groups for authorities to turn their attention to non-Muslim militant organisations, reports Anayat Durrani in Washington

Cultural losses of the war
An unsung casualty of the Afghan civil war has been the country's cultural heritage, writes David Tresilian, 80 per cent of the Kabul Museum's treasures having now been either looted or destroyed

Conspiracy theory
News that the US Army has been weaponising anthrax is no small development in the anthrax mystery. Nyier Abdou catches the scent of an inside job

Rules of engagement
A Libyan initiative to save the families of "Arab Afghans" was ignored by the United States, increasing fears that thousands of pro- Taliban fighters will be massacred, reports Khaled Dawoud

Stability at long last?
The deal for an interim administration in Kabul, thrashed out in Bonn, resulted in a precarious balancing act between Afghanistan's many factions. Iffat Malik asks whether the deal will work

Frost on the White Mountain
US forces, facing not just an elusive enemy but also the certainty of a harsh winter, are still soliciting the help of a host of allies. Galal Nassar finds out what France, Turkey, and Israel have to offer

Dangerous by definition
The quest for basic information on thousands of detained Arabs in the US continues. Amira Howeidy tries to see through the fog

Bridges over troubled waters
Arab Americans are learning that being politically oriented is an invitation for aggravation in the US, writes Dina Ezzat

Counting chickens
Legions of aid and humanitarian workers are readying for the task of rebuilding Afghanistan. Nyier Abdou wonders if they are jumping the gun

Terrorising the market
The United States' heavy investment in the war industry has failed to turn the economy around, writes Faiza Rady

The end, or the beginning?
Germany and Japan will be the major donors to Afghanistan under the terms of the Berlin settlement. But he who pays the piper does not always call the tune, as Gamal Nkrumah writes

Uneasy bedfellows
US Secretary of State Colin Powell's visit to Ankara last week was preceded by conflicting signals from the Turkish government. And, as Gareth Jenkins reports from Ankara, cooperation with the United States may well hinge on the state of the Turkish economy

Tehran counts its mixed blessings
The Iranian administration is rejoicing at the Taliban's defeat, but support for Hamas could yet complicate the Islamic Republic's diplomatic moment of glory. Azadeh Moaveni tallies the geopolitical score in Tehran

iSpy
E-spionage is recruiting strange allies, and claiming unexpected victims. Pascale Ghazaleh reports

The bottom line
It's highly sophisticated, but is it truly free? As the mainstream US media continues to beat the drums of America's "war on terror" Fatemah Farag investigates the implications for press freedom and, opposite, finds islands of dissent

Swimming upstream
What do we make of the "U. S. of A."? What speech is it that clings to our ears and moulds our perceptions? --read on--

A hard look in the mirror
The West urges Muslims to engage in serious introspection. But Islamic thinkers speaking to Al-Ahram Weekly say soul-searching should happen on both sides. Omayma Abdel-Latif reports

It's only natural
The cultural revival currently being experienced in Islamic civilisations is not a threat. In fact, it is nothing more than a natural consequence of the plurality of human culture, writes Ahmed Davutoglu

A push and a shove
Compromise was hard won among Afghan delegates hashing out a post-Taliban scenario, but the final accord may set the foundation for a happy ending in Afghanistan, reports Abdel-Azim Hammad from Bonn

Soul-searching in Bonn
The UN-sponsored talks in Bonn are a show of mind over muscle as Afghan leaders try and hash out a deal for a future government, writes Iffat Malik

Final target, Kandahar
Though the military campaign in Afghanistan seems to be drawing to a close, the final push to Kandahar is a war on its own, reports Anayat Durrani from Washington

The plan for Afghanistan
The result of the UN-brokered talks on Afghanistan's political future was a sticking plaster applied to deep political wounds. Gamal Nkrumah writes from Bonn

High noon at Tora Bora?
Will the US get its man? As the war in Afghanistan enters its final phase, Galal Nassar looks at some of the factors impacting on the US's hopes of capturing Bin Laden

So long Geneva, hello Kandahar
Have we lost sight of the Geneva Conventions? Nyier Abdou tracks the atrocities left in the wake of Afghanistan's Northern Alliance

Unmourned soldiers
With the death of hundreds of Pakistani PoWs in last week's prison revolt in Afghanistan, Pakistan needs to take a hard look at the madrassas that produced them, writes Absar Alam in Islamabad

Once bitten, forever smitten
If the US decides to extend its "war on terror" to Iraq, the country's Kurds may not support their former ally, writes Maggy Zanger after a visit to northern Iraq

A ruckus over Iraq
The press and hawks in the US administration are talking tough on Iraq. But Russian influence may defer the resumption of hostilities between old foes. Michael Jansen reports

The siege of Kandahar
If the fall of Kunduz is anything to go by, the siege of Kandahar could be a bloody exchange, writes Absar Alam from Islamabad

Pakistan's balance sheet
The current crisis has turned the international media spotlight on Pakistan, mainly portraying it as a bulwark of Western support in a mostly hostile region. But, as Iffat Malik reports, the external impression belies a maelstrom of domestic debate and dissent

Shifting into second gear
The US cannot afford to rest on its laurels in the north. Galal Nassar ponders the ensuing cat-and-mouse chase in the south

Nowhere to run
"Arab Afghans" have their backs against the wall: their governments do not want them back, and the new rulers in Kabul have vowed to show them no mercy, reports Khaled Dawoud

Displaced
For most Afghan refugees, the journey to the border is only the beginning, writes Nyier Abdou

A race against time
Though US bombing has abated in Afghanistan, opposition forces are creating sufficient havoc to hinder the distribution of food, writes Faiza Rady

Forms of assistance
Cairo is happy to provide humanitarian assistance to a post-Taliban Afghanistan. Taking part in a peace-keeping force is something else altogether, reports Soha Abdelaty

Peace now
Mohamed Hakki writes on the deliberations of a Middle East conference in the US

Now, Iraq?
Afghanistan is starting to look like the beachhead of an extensive military campaign, reports Anayat Durrani from Washington

McCarthyism returns
Under the guise of patriotism, civil liberties in the US are being eroded to the dismay of ethnic and religious minorities and anti-war activists, writes Gamal Nkrumah

Profession of fealty
Yemen is leaning over backwards to prove its loyalty to the American war against terrorism, reports Nasser Arrabyee from Sana'a

Back to square one
With the Taliban losing its control over most Afghan cities, civil war is likely to sweep the country, Absar Alam writes from Islamabad

America's 'disappeard'
Is America turning into a banana republic? Mohamed Hakki sees the signs

Meanwhile, back in Islamabad
As a new regime for Afghanistan is brokered, Pakistan continues to speak out. But its voice is going increasingly unheard. Iffat Malik writes from Islamabad

A portentous prelude

As their hold on Afghanistan's urban centres crumbles, Taliban forces go on the defensive, but the anti-war movement in the West shows no signs of abating, writes Gamal Nkrumah

Imaging the future
Brute murderers, religious fanatics and abusers of women. What can Arabs and Muslims do to break down harmful stereotypes? Omayma Abdel-Latif reports on a recent attempt to do just that

No man's an island
Osama Bin Laden's maternal family in Syria speaks to Ranwa Yehia of memories of the most wanted man in the world

Profiling racism
How "civilised" is harassing and detaining people on racial, ethnic and religious grounds? Fatemah Farag checks in

Plus ça change...
Assessing the US and Northern Alliance's military-strategic performance in Afghanistan, Galal Nassar asks what the seemingly impressive results mean for the country's internal stability in the future

Arab-Afghans battered
The death of Al-Qa'eda's military commander, Mohamed Atef, and the arrest by the Northern Alliance of Ahmed Omar Abdel-Rahman, the son of Al-Gama'a Al-Islamiya's spiritual leader, have dealt two severe blows to Arabs fighting with the Taliban
--read on--

None of the above
The US is caught between a rock and a hard place when it comes to setting down a plan for post-Taliban Afghanistan, writes Nyier Abdou

The issue at hand
NA commander Haji Mohamed Mohaqiq talks to Al-Ahram Weekly on the Hazara minority, allegations of human rights infractions and Afghanistan's future leadership

State of emergency
It couldn't have come at a worse time -- but why did it have to come at all?

Contest heats up over the Palestine linkage
US President Bush has declared support for the creation of a Palestinian state. But opposition has dogged his every step. Mohamed Hakki, in Washington, writes

All Western hands on deck
The provision of additional military units by Western countries to assist the US-led war in Afghanistan is indicative of foreign policy concerns as well as the interoperability of NATO members, writes Robert Lowry

Nervous about the Northern Alliance

Islamabad may soon sever all ties with the Taliban. But it is far from keen on the mooted alternative. Absar Alam reports from Islamabad

Calling Bin Laden's bluff
With Kabul in Northern Alliance hands, the Taliban looks more vulnerable than ever. But what do they have in store? Galal Nassar assesses the military situation

The road untravelled
As the murmur of naysayers and sceptics of the US-led military campaign in Afghanistan rises to an audible din, international powers are scrambling to settle on a feasible post-Taliban scheme. Nyier Abdou looks at the limited scenarios on offer

A tangled web
With the fall of Mazar-i-Sharif, the war is now literally on the back doorstep of the Islamic Republics of Central Asia -- a development that is bound redraw the political map of the area, writes Fatemah Farag

Grip and grin
A whirlwind tour ending in New York was a public relations coup for Musharraf. But will photo-ops translate into real aid? Iffat Malek writes from Islamabad

A two-pronged crisis
Turkey's government is facing strong popular opposition to its decision to send troops to Afghanistan to take part in the US-led war against Taliban, Gareth Jenkins report from Istanbul

Islamism's new face
The war on terror will change political Islam; political Islam in turn might well change the region. Diaa Rashwan writes

Qa'eda invokes Palestine
While Ayman El-Zawahri devotes Al-Qa'eda's latest statement to the Palestinian cause and warns America of more strikes to come, Bin Laden claims he possesses a nuclear capability

Cutting the cord
Once a lifeline for journalists to Islamist militant groups the world over, Egyptian exile Yasser El-Serri now faces new terrorism charges

Handed over?
Security sources remained tight-lipped concerning a claim that a leading Islamist militant was handed over to Egypt by Syria

Come hail, storm or Ramadan
The US military campaign against Afghanistan appears set to escalate in coming weeks, undeterred by winter or Ramadan, Thomas Gorguissian reports from Washington

Caught in a cruel crossfire
Pakistan's Christians, among the most impoverished and persecuted sections of the population, were the latest victims to the can of worms which the war against Afghanistan has opened across its borders. Iffat Malek writes from Islamabad

Tough test of loyalties
The British anti-war effort is gaining momentum even at the heart of the political establishment, writes Gamal Nkrumah from London

War by other means
Galal Nassar on the difficulties faced by war reporters covering the US operation in Afghanistan

My enemy's enemy
In the days before 11 September, the Northern Alliance was a frail coalition of tired-out warlords. But a shift in US perspective has refashioned these misremembered mujahedin as a formidable guerrilla force, writes Nyier Abdou

A silent genocide
Ignored by the media and dismissed by American and British politicians, millions of impoverished Afghans are being casually starved to death. Faiza Rady investigates

Between the devil and the deep blue sea
Insecurity and tighter controls on asylum seekers have added to the looming human disaster of the Afghan refugees, writes Mervat Diab

Defining the terms
Arab ministers of justice expressed their determination to fight all forms of terrorism -- including Israeli state terror, reports Dina Ezzat

Britain's position
During his visit to Cairo, British Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon denied that the war against Afghanistan was a war against Islam and pledged that Britain will not let terrorists operate on its soil. Amira Ibrahim reports

Empty-handed both ways
British Prime Minister Tony Blair came to the region to win Arab support for the US war against Afghanistan. But with nothing to offer, he got nothing in return, writes Michael Jansen

Terrorism works
To say that terrorism is the weapon of the weak is a farce. It is the weapon of the strong, says Noam Chomsky, and for the world's superpower, it works

Islamists rise to the challenge
Pervez Musharraf's decision to cooperate with the US has been met with staunch opposition from religious groups in Pakistan. Iffat Malek reports from Islamabad

The death of more than Abdul-Haq
The killing of Commander Abdul-Haq last week has dealt a massive blow to the US effort to install a broad-based government in Afghanistan, writes Absar Alam from Peshawar

Alienable Rights
In the US and elsewhere, the fallout from 11 September may include the end of the era of civil liberties and human rights. Amira Howeidy monitors a chilling reality

Democracy under siege
Canada is putting the finishing touches on anti-terrorism measures widely seen as compromising civil liberties, reports Mohamed Khaled in Toronto

Targeting an old foe
As the sabre-rattling continues in Washington, people are asking whether Iraq will be next on the US hit-list. Salah Hemeid reports

Blair's new war
Brandishing the Bible in one hand and the Qur'an in the other Tony Blair makes believe he is waging a humanist kind of warfare, writes Gavin Bowd from London

US faces Gulf static
Despite official support, the US-led war against Afghanistan has not been welcomed in oil-rich Gulf countries , writes Ayman Ali from Dubai

A new world order?
The Russians and the Americans are edging closer together, but old rivalries die hard, writes Mona Abdel-Malik in Moscow

Time for a policy rethink
US punitive strikes on Afghanistan have yet to flush out the enemy, but manifold and unforeseen repercussions are already evident, writes Mohamed Hakki in Washington

Reports from the void
What is going on in the US war against Afghanistan? Hardly anybody knows, Thomas Gorguissian reports from Washington

Give and take, American style
Improved relations between Pakistan and the United States might not be all good news for President Pervez Musharraf, writes Mariana Baabar from Islamabad

'Living like animals'
A calamity of apocalyptic proportions is befalling the Afghan people. Khaled Mansour, in Islamabad, explains why help is a matter of life or death

The Kashmir factor
India and Pakistan vie for US support for their positions on disputed Kashmir. The result could well depend on the unfolding war in Afghanistan. Iffat Malik writes from Islamabad

Many options, few choices
The US ground war in Afghanistan is less straightforward than it first appears, writes Galal Nassar

In two minds
Turkish military and the country's nationalists are eager for an active role in the US-led campaign in Afghanistan. But as Gareth Jenkins in Istanbul writes, the Turkish public is less enthusiastic

Strengthening bridges
Ties linking Arab-Americans to the Arab world are strengthening. Dina Ezzat reports

One problem begets the next
A proposal for the deployment of an "Islamic peace-keeping force" in Afghanistan begs the question of whether such a solution is workable, writes Michael Jansen

Who's doing it?
Someone, or some group, is creating an anthrax scare throughout the world. US investigators are working to find out who the culprits are. Gihan Shahine joins the search

Annan super star
"Saint-like" for some, a villain for others, this year's Nobel Peace Prize laureate Kofi Annan remains a highly controversial figure, writes Faiza Rady

Second wave of terror
Panic over the US anthrax scare is sweeping the West. This week, writes Willa Thayer, it reached Egypt

Testing time
The fight against terror has put China's and India's traditionally warm relations with Arab countries to the test, writes Gamal Nkrumah

Pakistan's predicament
Colin Powell praised Pakistan's support for the US in its war on terrorism, but he did not commit to hoped for economic assistance, writes Absar Alam from Islamabad

Backroom diplomacy and street violence
While the streets of Peshawar are wracked by virulent anti-US protests, the Pakistani city is playing host to scores of secret meetings that are likely to determine the shape of the future government in Kabul, reports Khaled Dawoud

Big bad apple
New York's rejection of a Saudi prince's charity has led to a war of words between the prince and the mayor of the Big Apple, writes Thomas Gorguissian from New York

Peacemaking as a weapon
Confident that no Arab country will be targeted by the US, Cairo focuses on peacemaking in the region. Nevine Khalil and Soha Abdelaty report

'Missing in Action'
It met with resounding success in Iraq but, writes Galal Nassar, Washington's attempts to stage-direct its current war in Afghanistan does not appear to be working

Fuel for the war machine
Big Oil, defence, and policy-making: Pascale Ghazaleh discovers some curious connections

The roots of anti-Muslim rage
Western governments say it is not a war against Islam. Osama Bin Laden says it is. Muslims at large are caught in the middle. Omayma Abdel-Latif reports

And us?
Arab but not Muslim, Christian but not Western. What room is there for Arab-Christians when the world divides into two camps? Mariz Tadros seeks an answer

Do we hate them?
Fatemah Farag, taking her cue from the Western media, searches Cairo's streets for expressions of anti-Western venom. She finds anger, curiosity and amusement

Barking up the wrong
Government cover-ups and media complicity: no wonder Americans prefer Jerry Springer. Fayza Hassan comments

Hunting the hoodlums
The outbreak of sectarian violence in Nigeria's second largest city, Kano, fuelled by anti-US protest bodes ill for Nigeria's two-year experiment with multi-party democracy, writes Gamal Nkrumah

Wrong answer
Not everyone in Britain and America wants war. Jasper Thornton reports

Nowhere to turn
In the wake of 11 September, refugees and asylum seekers may find that no doors are open to them, writes Nyier Abdou

Send in the hawks
Though Britain insists that no wider war is expected, hard-line American officials seem to be working towards just that, writes Michael Jansen

Syria's third way
With a two-year stint on the UN Security Council and a warming of diplomatic relations with Washington, Syria doesn't have the luxury of keeping a low profile in the "war against terror," writes Sherine Bahaa

Unease in the Gulf
As the military campaign against Afghanistan runs into a second week, tension is mounting in the Gulf region. Ayman Ali reports from Dubai

A sweet disguise?
Does a terrorism network lurk behind Yemen's seemingly innocent honey industry? Nasser Arrabyee, in Sana'a, says the proof just isn't there

Fears mount as US widens net
The new US most-wanted list hits several raw nerves, Azadeh Moaveni, in Doha, writes

Egypt's most wanted
Egyptian Afghans, the hard core of Al-Qa'ida, are based not only in Afghanistan but across Europe. In the United Kingdom, Germany, and Austria, Bin Laden's lieutenants have for years enjoyed political asylum. Only recently have some found their way to prison, or were delivered -- handcuffed -- to Egypt. Ahmed Moussa reports

Reaching out
A new campaign by the Arab League aims to bring Arab ex-patriates and Arab communities abroad closer to home, Dina Ezzat reports

Mount Sharon erupts
Sharon blew his top with America's new activism in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It is not clear that he had grounds to. Graham Usher reports from Jerusalem

Between the states and their people
While Arab leaders reacted cautiously to US strikes against Afghanistan, Arab citizens are clear about where their sympathies lie. Sherine Bahaa reviews the Arab response

Under control, for now
Pakistan's army is on high alert after President Pervez Musharraf threw his full weight behind the US-British attack against Afghanistan. Khaled Dawoud writes from Islamabad on an uncertain climate

War of the worlds
Despite efforts to pacify Muslim sentiments, the gulf between average Americans and the Arab street has been wrenched even wider, writes Mohamed Hakki from Washington

Means to an end
The US is juggling a gaggle of constraints in its attack on Afghanistan. Can it still come out on top? Galal Nassar looks at the kind of military campaign the US is facing

'At least, we are still alive'
On the outskirts of Pakistan's capital, more than 200,000 Afghan refugees live in miserable conditions, forgotten by the whole world. Khaled Dawoud visited Katchi Abadi camp in Islamabad

For and against
The leader of the Shiite community in Pakistan has lashed out at the Taliban but said he opposed the US military strike against Afghanistan. The man in the middle spoke to Al-Ahram Weekly

All the king's men
Both the West and the Afghan opposition to the Taliban regime are looking to the exiled Afghan King Zahir Shah for leadership, Samia Nkrumah writes from Rome

Front-line quandary
Will participation by Central Asian Islamic republics in the US offensive against Afghanistan help to crush Islamist opposition at home -- or revitalise them, asks Fatemah Farag

Striking hazardous chords
Bin Laden's defiance of a super power has struck a chord with some. Amira Howeidy reports

'Fast and first'
Qatar's Al-Jazeera emerges as part of the dynamics of a new age, as it scoops all the major Western news networks with its coverage of the war in Afghanistan. Shaden Shehab tunes in

Egypt backs US anti-terrorism action
Cairo has thrown its weight behind the US-led campaign against terrorism. Nevine Khalil and Soha Abdelaty report

A war against whom?
Egyptians reacted with concern, and sometimes anger, to the attack against Afghanistan. Rana Allam checks out the street

Non-violent anger
While condemning the US/British strikes against Afghanistan, Egyptian Islamists seem unlikely to respond to Bin Laden's call for jihad, reports Jailan Halawi

Collywobbles all round
Why London plays the jackal to the US lion knowingly antagonising friend and foe remains a mystery. Gamal Nkrumah writes

The war inside America
Is the tide of US policy slowly turning against Israel? Mohamed Hakki checks the wind

The politics of pacification
Clash of civilisations? Think again, writes Marwan Bishara

Addressing 'the nation', targeting America
Diaa Rashwan analyses the content of the video-taped statements released by Osama Bin Laden, Suleiman Abu Gheith and Ayman El-Zawahri

With us or against us
In America the "war against terror" sanctions some surprising alliances but covers a multitude of sins, writes Thomas Gorguissian from Washington

Dissenting voices
Many Americans are having second thoughts about the war hysteria gripping the US, writes Jihan Alaily from Washington

Time for SAS?
The hostile terrain of Afghanistan has confounded superpowers galore. Jasper Thornton investigates the military options available to the powers and discovers that special forces are likely to play a big role

'Afghanistan can never be destroyed'
A former head of Pakistan's intelligence service tells Khaled Dawoud that a US attack against Afghanistan would result in an even bigger calamity

Passionate pedagogy
Khaled Dawoud visits the school that gave birth to the Taliban

Bin Laden's right-hand man
Wherever Osama Bin Laden is hiding in Afghanistan, his closest associate, the leader of Egypt's Jihad group, Ayman El-Zawaheri, is probably with him. Khaled Dawoud takes a closer at the man dubbed by the US as its "second most wanted" suspect

Playing the war of civilisations
Silvio Berlusconi, Italy's prime minister, has slurred Muslims in a recent press conference. But is he an ignorant "provincial," or a masterly opportunist? Samia Nkrumah, in Rome, writes

Blood money
In its pursuit of the "money trail" of the terrorists, the US risks sacrificing civil liberties on the altar of the battle against terrorism, Omayma Abdel-Latif reports

Over the top
Draconian security measures under consideration in Congress suggest that a war on terror means more than coalition building and military might. Nyier Abdou finds the price of civil liberty could become cheap in shell-shocked America

Plastering over the past
As it bids to hunt down the terrorists, the US is reassessing its relations with Sudan. Gamal Nkrumah writes

Not in a rush
Lebanon pledged to join the battle against terrorism but was in no hurry to implement the measures urged by the recent Security Council resolution in this regard. Zeina Abou Rizk reports from Beirut

All the expedient moves
Jordan, the target of numerous plots during the last decade alleged to have been hatched by Osama Bin Laden's followers, has thrown its weight behind the US war against terrorism. Al-Ahram Weekly's special corespondent in Amman reports

'Think before you bomb'
As the junior Bush has discovered, winning support from the Gulf Arab front for a regional "war" is not going to be as easy as it was for his father, Michael Jansen writes

It's up to us
Things will get worse before they get better, writes Mohamed Hakki

Bitter harvest
Afraid yet? Gamil Mattar believes more is in store

At the grand bazaar
When selling off principles, Mohamed Al-Azaar advises, no price is too high

War of the worlds
Intolerance and fanaticism are descriptive of those who sponsor acts of terrorism, but also of those who blame a religion or a people for those acts, writes Thomas Gorguissian from Washington

Tales of injustice
Historically riven by religious and ethnic conflict, Afghanistan has long born the burden on its neighbours' wants. Yehia Ghanem recalls a trip to the frontline

The American art of war
What shape will the US war against terrorism take? Galal Nassar assesses the US arsenal -- including its ideological weaponry

Doing 'God's work'
As the US looks to Africa in its "war against terror," it should be careful not to see every Islamist as a terrorist. Gamal Nkrumah writes

Creative license
The attacks on the US have led to plenty of bizarre theories about "whodunnit". Omayma Abdel-Latif reports

Gambling on unity
Will the US strike Iraq? Dina Ezzat reviews the possibilities

New target, same drill
As the US gears up for yet another war on terrorism, policy-makers in Libya and Sudan are undoubtedly experiencing a feeling of déjà vu, writes Michael Jansen

Smothered by the flag
Can a small, but real, anti-war voice make its way to the mainstream? Nyier Abdou finds the spirit of protest alive and kicking in the US

Just dropping by?
As the British Foreign Secretary courts Iran to aid a US-led coalition against terrorism, Tehran struggles for consensus and considers the incentives for cooperation. Azadeh Moaveni reports

Welcomed by some
Turkey's pledge of full support to the US as it gears up to strike Afghanistan is viewed with concern by many Turks. Gareth Jenkins reports from Ankara

Opening the doors
Ahdaf Soueif hopes that this time around, it will be not about winning but about winning over

The other losses
In casting its net so wide, an international coalition against terrorism will inevitably catch a variety of fish. Pascale Ghazaleh wonders where the endangered species will find refuge

Letters to the editor

The search for vengeance
As grief gives way to anger Americans are demanding revenge, reports Jihan Alaily from Washington DC

Caught in the middle
Cairo is urging caution and restraint to a hotheaded Washington, warning: look before you leap, write Nevine Khalil and Soha Abdelaty

War, 21st-century style
The rhetoric is sweeping and popular support mounting, but few outside Bush's close circle can fathom what a "new kind of war" really is, reports Thomas Gorguissian from New York

The fear within
Being an Arab or a Muslim in the wild, wild West is a fairly dangerous thing these days, writes Amira Howeidy

'At the edge of an
inter-civilisational war'
The attacks on the United States have enlivened the notion that the world is on the brink of a global conflict rooted in a 'clash of civilisations.' Richard Falk spoke to Omayma Abdel-Latif about American perceptions of the tragedy

A Crusade of the mind
The tradition of maligning Islam and Muslims in the Western media has helped unleash a wave of anti-Muslim sentiments following the attacks on the US, writes Omayma Abdel-Latif

Mutating emotions
Disbelief, shock, distress, apprehension. Shaden Shehab reports on the reactions of commentators, Rana Allam on feelings in the street

Sense and security
Though most American institutions and organisations in Egypt have resumed work this week, it's hardly business as usual, reports Mariz Tadros

A forbidden alliance?
Does Islam sanction suicide bombings? Can Muslim and non-Muslim countries join forces when launching attacks on Islamic states? Jailan Halawi monitors a growing controversy

The ripple effect
Strict security procedures, limited international flights and war clouds gathering in the region spell dark days for Egypt's aviation industry, reports Amira Ibrahim

Candle in the night
Yasser Arafat threw down a cease-fire and Ariel Sharon, reluctantly, was compelled to pick it up, writes Graham Usher from Jerusalem and, below, from Jenin

• In the shadow of the WTC
  There were no "celebrations" in the West Bank town of Jenin after the strikes on America

Time for respect
Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa argues that, once recovered from its sorrow, the US should reconsider aspects of its foreign policy. He spoke to Dina Ezzat

Waiting for the missiles
Will Iraq be another sitting duck for the new global coalition the Bush administration is forming to combat terrorism following last week's attacks? Salah Hemeid probes the possibility

Sympathy sinks 'Great Satan'
Can a global tragedy and common interests push Iran and the United States to patch-up two decades of mistrust? Azadeh Moaveni tests the waters in Tehran

Turkey seizes the day
Turkey wasted no time before declaring its support for any possible US strike against "terrorists" to prove that it was "a good friend of the West," Gareth Jenkins reports from Istanbul

Shoulder to shoulder?
The Gulf region is uncertain where to stand after the US declared war on terrorism, reports Ayman Ali from Dubai

Stamping on a hornet's nest
As sabres rattle, the Third World counsels wisdom -- often for reasons of self-preservation. Gamal Nkrumah culls reactions

An Afghan scene
In Afghanistan, few are sure who will turn against whom, and when. But the result is usually the same: scores of dead. Yehia Ghanem writes

Caught in the crossfire?
The United States wants to cement a broad international coalition before retaliating against last week's terrorist attacks. Europe's pious declarations of solidarity, however, might soon unravel, writes Dominic Coldwell

Letters to the editor

By understanding alone
Jasper Thornton examines some of the letters received this week by Al-Ahram Weekly

Striking at phantoms
Only mutual comprehension will allow us to confront our common enemies, writes Mohamed Hakki

A tale of two massacres
Sharif Elmusa listens to the silence

Twin towers
After the smoke has cleared, the dust has settled and the initial fury blown over, humankind will wake up and realise something new, writes Uri Avnery: there is no safe place on earth

A common, human cause
Only a truly international alliance can eradicate terrorism, writes Hassan Nafaa

The death of the United Nations?
A rogue response by the US will lead inevitably to the collapse of the international system it helped create half a century ago. Jean Allain cannot imagine the consequences

The time to act is now
Without an end to the Israeli occupation of Palestine, Sam Bahour and Michael Dahan foresee a plague on all our houses

On the bombings
Noam Chomsky dreads the alternative to understanding

When narratives collide
Desperation has no address, writes Azmi Bishara; and kamikaze operations speak a language no one understands

Back to the 19th century
The discriminatory rhetoric of the West is just as much to blame for the breakdown in the dialogue between civilisations as Islamism, argues El-Sayed Yassin

The mosaic shatters
Terrorism has widened its net to include nationals of each and every state as targets, writes Abdel-Moneim Said

One rule for all
Mohamed El-Sayed Said argues that the fight against terrorism must encompass all: including Israel and its occupying army

A war over resources
Diaa Rashwan searches farther afield for suspects in the attack on America

America's most wanted
Osama Bin Laden, the man whom the United States wants "dead or alive," is highly revered by his followers, Khaled Dawoud looks into his background

State of war
Tuesday's attacks in Washington and New York are being viewed as acts of war, writes Thomas Gorguissian from the US capital

The giant's feet of clay
Chaos reigned, hubris came home to roost -- and Gamal Nkrumah looked on in disbelief

In this together
A deluge of hate seems poised to rain down on Arabs and Muslims living in the West, even before those responsible for Tuesday's abominable acts are identified

Jumping the gun
Islamist leaders warn the West not to point fingers too quickly, reports Jailan Halawi

A human duty
Arab leaders were quick to condemn Tuesday's deadly bombing, reports Khaled Dawoud

An inside job?
By Salah Montasser