The Rule of Law 

1.  AFTER THE BUSH DOCTRINE: THE FIGHT FOR REPUBLICAN FOREIGN POLICY
     Kurlantzick, Joshua
     New Republic, February 13, 2006

The author notes that the Republican Party overwhelmingly supported the foreign policy goals of the Bush Administration for the four years following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, but perceived problems with the conduct of the war on terror and the Iraq war have caused a split in the party on foreign policy matters. The Bush doctrine, which Kurlantzick describes as relying on unilateral power, preemptive force and a high priority on promoting market-oriented democracies to counter terrorism, remained strong until "failure to find weapons of mass destruction and the rise of a seemingly unexpected insurgency sapped much of its power." Kurlantzick describes the three foreign policy camps and the key players from both the executive and legislative branches who hold these varying views. Despite the growth of these new schools of thought within the Republican Party, the Bush doctrine still has support, Kurlantzick says, but in light of the 2008 presidential elections, "selling the continuation of the Bush Doctrine to a republican base scarred by Iraq and moving toward nationalism might seem a tall order."

2.  THE CONTEMPORARY PRESIDENCY: THE SIXTH-YEAR CURSE
     Shogun, Colleen J.
     Presidential Studies Quarterly, vol. 36, no. 1, March 2006, pp. 89-101

Shogun, a university government and politics professor, describes the scandals, economic depressions, and weakened political coalitions that have plagued sixth-year presidents since Ulysses S. Grant. Shogun describes the serious scandals and problems that dogged Presidents Clinton, Reagan, and Nixon and the less calamitous events of the Roosevelt and Eisenhower years. The article includes graphs depicting downturns in numbers of the congressional representatives from the sixth-year president's party during the mid-term elections. Shogun asserts that it is never an easy task to figure out the political prospects of George W. Bush but difficult fifth-years and generally followed by the "cursed" sixth year.

3.  DEFENSE ATTORNEY
     Friel, Brian
     National Journal, vol. 38, no. 9, March 4, 2006, pp. 19-25

Supporters of U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales regard him as committed to the administration of justice and the war on terrorism, while critics argue that because of his prior position as chief White House counsel, he is serving as the President's defense attorney rather than the nation's top prosecutor. The author compares Gonzales' relationship with President Bush to that of former attorneys general and the presidents that they served under, and uses a graphic to demonstrate the various roles that previous attorneys general have played in the administrations of John F. Kennedy to George W. Bush. Friel concludes that Gonzales' legacy as attorney general may depend not on whether he is too close to the president to be effective as his opponents argue, but whether or not that closeness "ultimately benefits the nation." 

4.    ENGAGING AUTOCRATIC ALLIES TO PROMOTE DEMOCRACY
     Adesnik, David; Mcfaul, Michael
     Washington Quarterly, vol. 29, no. 2, Spring 2006, pp. 7-26

The U.S. should improve its efforts to promote democracy abroad, especially under regime-change conditions and in autocratic allies such as Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Algeria and Pakistan, through diplomatic engagement, according to authors Adesnik and McFaul. NGOs lack the ability to confront regimes directly, but the U.S. government can challenge autocratic regimes through what Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has called transformational diplomacy. Although U.S. diplomats often underestimate their leverage, allowing their preference for stability to blind them to a regime's vulnerabilities, write Adesnik and McFaul, using close ties with a regime to exert pressure can influence the course of political liberalization. The authors look closely at Cold War democratic breakthroughs in the Philippines, South Korea and Chile, and suggest that U.S. officials should engage autocratic allies while pushing for evolutionary change as a preemptive strategy to avoid revolutionary change.

5.  INFORMATION WARFARE
     Guardiano, John
     American Enterprise, Vol. 17, No. 2, March 2006, pp. 36-37

The author, who served in Iraq with the Marine Corps Reserve, asserts that many armed-forces personnel who have served in Iraq believe that we are winning the war, and are confident that the mission will result in self-rule by the Iraqis. What they are not so confident of, he tells, is the resolve and commitment of America's media and political establishments. Guardiano believes that the media portrayal of our military's efforts in Iraq has been "relentlessly negative and very misleading," and the "gloominess and pessimism is pronounced among the media elites of Washington and New York." He asserts that "imbalances are everywhere," citing various examples of the media's focus on the negatives; notes that the latest "scandal," the U.S. military's alleged insertion of favorable articles in the Iraqi press as nothing more than a choice it made to "work within Iraq's nascent and fledgling civil society to try to ensure that Iraqis hear truthful and balanced accounts of what is happening." Guardiano believes that Iraq is "a war of information and ideas ... we can win in Iraq, but not if we surrender in the media war."

6.  POLL POSITIONS
     Newport, Frank
     American Legion Magazine, vol. 160, no. 3, March 2006, pp. 16-20

This article summarizes the origin of polling and the usefulness of public opinion polls, especially in the context of political process. The author explains the methodology of polling, from the rationale behind random sampling to the legitimacy and validity of extrapolated results. Polling has become an integral part of the political process in the U.S., providing a essential means for voters to tell elected officials to pay more attention to public opinion, not special interests, and a way for politicians to maintain a dialogue with the public. Newport asserts that "paying attention to the collected wisdom of the people has a higher probability of guiding our society in the right direction in the long term" and the best way to measure that is with scientific polls. 

7.  PRIVACY EROSION: A 'NET LOSS
PRIVACY EROSION: A 'NET LOSS     Tessler, Joelle
     CQ Weekly, vol. 64, no. 8, February 20, 2006, pp. 480-485

According to Tessler, Congress has fallen behind in applying privacy laws to the ever-evolving Internet technology. This results in government's ability to tap private information from e-mail storage, Internet search engine logs, and online wiretapping. Since most targeted individuals are not aware that they are being tracked, there haven't been many court cases to shed stronger light on the situation. Although a number of lawmakers in Congress recognize this as a problem, "it doesn't attract a lot of attention or excitement," notes Sen. John Sununu (R-NH). However, with more high-profile cases, like Google resisting subpoenas, stronger focus would be set on privacy protection.

8.  WASHINGTON'S RULES PUT THE SQUEEZE ON STATES
     Adams, Rebecca
     CQ Weekly, Vol. 64, No. 10, March 6, 2006, pp. 586-7

The author notes that the Bush administration's push to limit the ability of people to sue is raising the ire of supporters of states' rights, and is generating opposition across the political spectrum. State officials feel blindsided by the administration's use of the arcane federal rulemaking process, and critics view this as another attempt to shield corporations from litigation. In fact, the most pointed criticism of the administration's use of agency rulemaking to preempt state laws comes from conservative lawmakers and academics on the political right, who lament that the White House is betraying the ideal of decentralizing government, and predict the rules designed to limit lawsuits will trigger expensive legal challenges. 

Economics and Trade

9.  AID AND GROWTH: THE POLICY CHALLENGE
     Rajan, Raghuram
     Finance & Development, Vol. 42, No. 4, December 2005, pp. 53-55

Rajan, Director of the International Monetary Fund's research department, notes there is general agreement among economists that there is little evidence of a robust unconditional effect of aid on growth. He emphasizes that aid effectiveness studies need to distinguish between causality and correlation when interpreting country studies. Despite extensive country studies, no one has found a "magic bullet" for growth, he writes, but there are clearly some things that seem important such as good governance, sensible macroeconomic management, laws and policies that support a positive business environment, and an economy open to international trade. Rajan recommends rich countries should make policies that meet these requirements an essential condition for aid, but cautions against micromanaging or being too prescriptive.

10. BANK HEIST
BANK HEIST      Rich, Bruce
      Environmental Forum, vol. 22, no. 5, September/October 2005, pp. 28-35 

The author says corruption -- both in international development lending and embedded in the international economy itself -- threatens hopes for poverty alleviation and sustainable development. According to Congressional testimony, crooked contractors and bureaucracies in borrowing nations have stolen over $100 billion from the World Bank over the past five decades; and, ongoing theft from lending from multilateral development banks may total 20-30 percent, he reports. It's not just corrupt Third World elites, either, he says -- western international banks facilitate corrupt and illegal financial capital flight from poor nations at and estimated $500-$600 billion a year. The current anti-corruption efforts may punish a token few, he asserts, but they don't even begin to resolve this interdependent culture of corruption in the international economy.

11. CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES: WORKING TOWARD CLEAN, ABUNDANT, RELIABLE, AND AFFORDABLE ENERGY
      Fischer, James; Finnell, Janine
      Resource, Vol. 13, No. 1, January/February 2006, pp. 9-10

The authors say worldwide energy use could grow by more than fifty percent -- with U.S. energy use expected to increase by a third -- in the next two decades. Increased global demand presents challenges to find new ways to increase energy efficiency, decrease carbon dioxide emissions, and replace aging electric grids that are growing increasingly vulnerable to power outages, they write. Technological advances are creating opportunities to transform energy consumption and production through such things as fuel cells, renewable energies, new lighting options, and distributed power networks, they explain. Energy policies can help accelerate these technologies by encouraging research and development, providing market-based incentives and educating consumers, the authors note. 

12.  HOME-GROWN GROWTH: PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS TO ECONOMIC GROWTH
       Rodrik, Dani
       Harvard International Review, vol. 27, no. 4, Winter 2006, pp. 74-77

Rodrik, a professor of international political economy at Harvard University, discusses development problems. He addresses questions such as human rights vs. economic development; the role of trade liberalization in spurring economic growth; the failure of the Washington Consensus; the role of foreign aid in poverty alleviation; and the need for democracy and strong institutions for sustainable successful economies. A lot of development has to do with accountability, giving people a sense of ownership, a stake and a voice in the community -- and that is what democracy is all about, he writes.

13.  MONEY TALKS: REVALUING CHINA'S CURRENCY
MONEY TALKS: REVALUING CHINA'S CURRENCY       Sharma, Shalendra
       Georgetown Journal of International Affairs, Vol. 7, No. 1, Winter 2006, pp. 59-64 

The analyzes the controversy surrounding the exchange rate of China's currency, the yuan, including recent changes, the effect on the U.S. trade deficit, and future expectations. Since the under-valued yuan has contributed to the recent acceleration in China's GDP growth rate, the excessive growth in credit, and the "overheating" caused by large capital inflows, the author argues that now is a good time for revaluation. There is also considerable pressure from U.S. manufacturers and lawmakers who contend that the under-valued yuan amounts to an unfair trade subsidy. However, Sharma notes, a revalued yuan could also spell trouble for the U.S., since a more expensive yuan not only means higher prices for Chinese goods, but greater domestic U.S. inflationary pressures. Sharma also suggests that an appreciated yuan might be counterproductive for the U.S., because Asian central banks might then sell their dollar assets; it might also lead to higher oil prices, since China would increase its imports because oil would become relatively cheaper. It is likely that any revaluation will be gradual. 

14.  THE SINO-AMERICAN GAME OF FINANCIAL CHICKEN
       Wachtel, Howard M.
       New Perspectives Quarterly, Summer 2005, pp. 58-60

The author believes that China, as an emerging economic superpower, is entangled with the United States in a financial relationship so complex that to try to unravel it would cause financial disaster. When the Chinese Communist Party merged its political authoritarianism with managed market economics in the 1980s, one of the beneficiaries was U.S. companies that entered the Chinese market with the support of U.S. government policy, he says. By the 1990s, U.S. companies were far ahead of other countries in benefiting by the explosive growth of production in China. However, explains Wachtel, Chinese imports are mostly created by American companies in China, sold in the United States as imports, then counted as imports just like any other product made by foreign companies. In turn, American jobs and income are lost through such outsourcing. If the U.S. places undue pressure on China or slows down the rate of Chinese imports, he warns, it risks losing the financial foundation on which its debt-ridden economy prospers. If China retaliates by diversifying out of U.S. debt into the stronger euro, it could risk a financial fallout in the United States that would have consequences for its prosperity from reduced imports from China. He notes that political pressure has increased because of the further expansion of Chinese textile imports following a WTO-mandated end in 2005 of the 1974 Multifiber Agreement that established quotas on textile imports.

15.  USAID REVISITED
       Kumar, Raj
       Georgetown Journal of International Affairs, Vol. 7, No. 1, Winter 2006, pp. 51-57

Kumar, President of the Development Executive Group, says that given the current volume of U.S. foreign aid and its growing importance to national security, two basic things need to happen: unify all aid programs within USAID, and make the USAID administrator a cabinet-level position. As currently configured, he notes, U.S. aid programs suffer from "project proliferation" (many agencies funding many small projects across too many recipient countries), which results in aid fragmentation and reduces both efficiency and effectiveness. Kumar says the USAID administrator needs a seat at the policy table to ensure a strong development voice in foreign policy. Additionally, he explains, Congress needs to stop micromanaging special aid projects through earmarks and allow the experts who manage overall development efforts the flexibility to spend funds where they can best meet policy goals.

16.  WAR, TRADE AND UTOPIA
       Lynn, Barry C.
       National Interest, no. 82, Winter 2005/06, pp. 31-38

The author argues that the production systems of the vitally important electronics industry for both the United States and China has become dangerously intertwined and interdependent. Any conflict in or around the Taiwan Strait that resulted in a break in trade would cause the "computing equivalent of Mutually Assured Destruction" with extreme damage to both economies, he says. If the United States and China do in fact depend on the same means of production, explains Lynn, the political ramifications are immense, as raw trade flows continue to grow dramatically and the number of firms that have adopted super-specialized production models similar to those of the electronics industry has increased. This is a shocking transformation from the industrial division that existed as late as 1993, he notes. Since then, he writes, there has been a normalization of trade relations between the United States and China -- among other developments -- which has fostered the situation today.

17.  THE WORLD BIDS FAREWELL TO THE MULTIFIBER ARRANGEMENT
       Mcdonald, Stephen
       Amber Waves, vol. 4, no. 1, February 2006, pp. 20-25

The author notes that clothing is one of life's necessities -- and as such, a new trade policy that lowers clothing prices affects everyone. Such a change took place in early 2005, as the U.S., Canada, and the European Union discontinued most of their limits on the imports of yarn, fabric, and clothing from developing countries. Under the Multifiber Arrangement (MFA), signed in 1974, trade in textiles, primarily yarn and fabric, and clothing was managed through quotas. But, January 1, 2005, marked the end of a ten-year phase-out of the MFA quotas under the direction of the World Trade Organization. Most economists analyzing the MFA agree that free trade in textiles and clothing will mean significantly larger exports by China, India and Pakistan, while higher income exporters like Taiwan, Korea and Hong Kong will export less. The same is true of countries with preferential access to the U.S. and EU markets.

Global Issues

18.  INVASION OF THE COMPUTER SNATCHERS
INVASION OF THE COMPUTER SNATCHERS      Krebs, Brian
      Washington Post Magazine, February 19, 2006, pp. 10-15, 23-29 

Nearly all criminal commerce on the Internet is being driven by "botnets" -- networks of hijacked home computers, known as robots or "bots". Most of the botnets are created by hackers in the U.S. and abroad, who troll the Internet, looking for vulnerable computers to take over. The botnets, often consisting of tens of thousands of hijacked computers, are used to distribute millions of junk e-mails, spyware and adware. The author notes that computer-security firms and law-enforcement authorities are spending more and more time combating botnets; they often face the dilemma of whether to shut them down right away, or monitor them for a period of time in order to gather intelligence that would enable them to track down the criminals behind them.

19.   IS YOUR LIFE TOO LOUD?
     Mcgrath, Tom
     msn.com, March 15, 2006 

There is little question that life has grown louder in recent years, notes the author, "thanks to everything from the jets that roar over our heads to the iPods that blast in our ears." In the 1950s, the typical sound level in movie theaters was around 70-75 decibels; now, the average level is 85 decibels, with spikes up to 130 decibels -- "just a few less than a jackhammer." Not only is this resulting in greater hearing loss -- some 30 million Americans are affected -- but McGrath notes that there is more evidence that loud noise triggers stress responses in the human body, and may cause sleep disorders, high blood pressure and heart disease. People exposed routinely to noise such as automobile traffic, and not necessarily at ear-splitting levels, exhibit heightened symptoms of stress. Some researchers hypothesize that constant noise can cause a thickening of the heart walls and coronary blood vessels, which is the "body trying to stabilize itself against the vibrations of the noise." Many researchers urge the public to be much more vigilant about protecting themselves from loud noise; says one, "I'd like to see earplugs become as common as sunglasses or sunscreen." 

20.  MEDIA IN CONFLICT: INCITING VIOLENCE IN KOSOVO
MEDIA IN CONFLICT: INCITING VIOLENCE IN KOSOVO       Salhani, Claude
       Georgetown Journal of International Affairs, Vol. 7, No. 1, Winter 2006, pp. 33-39 

The author points out the symbiotic nature of the relationship between the media and politicians and stresses the influence of the media in humanitarian crises. He contrasts the success in reporting on the NATO intervention in Kosovo in 1999 with the so-called "March Incident" also in Kosovo in 2004. Salhani notes that the media played a major role in shaping American perceptions of the 1999 Kosovo campaign as a "just war," unlike the U.S. intervention in Iraq. But in 2004, following an incident in which some ethnic Albanian boys drowned while crossing a river after playing in a predominately Serbian area, the Albanian-language media, "instead of reporting the story as the sad accident that it was, blew it out of proportion." This led to riots in which nineteen people were killed, about 600 wounded, thousands were evicted from their homes, and 35 Serbian Orthodox churches burned. After a review of the role of the media in the situation, the author was brought to the region to conduct a 10-day crash course on journalistic ethics.

21.  MY CROWD, OR PHASE 5: A REPORT FROM THE INVENTOR OF THE FLASH MOB
MY CROWD, OR PHASE 5: A REPORT FROM THE INVENTOR OF THE FLASH MOB       Wasik, Bill
       Harper's Magazine, vol. 312, no. 1870, March, 2006, pp. 56-66 

A flash mob is defined as "a public gathering of complete strangers, organized via the Internet or mobile phone, which performs a pointless act and then disperses again." In fact, as reported by the author, who claims to have created the first flash mob in New York City in June 2003, the flash mob can be variously a daring media experiment, an exercise in performance art, and a marketing opportunity co-opted by major corporations. Wasik describes the logistics of organizing a flash mob event, how it evolved from an obscure prank limited to a few of the author's friends into a phenomenon that migrated to other cities throughout the United States, and the breathless coverage that flash mobs generated on blogs and mainstream newspapers. Although lighthearted in tone, the article raises interesting questions about the surprising uses of communications technologies and the impact of their social effects. 

22.  THE OUTLOOK ON OIL
     Motavalli, Jim
     E: The Environmental Magazine, Vol. 17, No. 1, January/February 2006, pp. 26-38

The author notes that the age of cheap oil is over; global demand is soaring, and oil producers are struggling to keep up. World demand for oil is likely to grow 50 percent by 2025, yet Motavalli notes that some experts believe that global oil production may reach a peak in the near future and begin to decline, due to depletion. A debate is raging on whether the world has already reached an "oil peak" and that development of new oil sources will not keep pace with world energy requirements. Some are concerned that Saudi Arabia has already "peaked", and that projections that rely heavily on future Saudi oil production are unrealistic. While there is still plenty of oil, much of the remaining reserves are in hard-to-reach reservoirs, or are difficult to refine. A number of books and websites have recently emerged to dissect peak oil scenarios. While the timing of the oil peak is still disputed, most analysts agree that too little oil is chasing too much demand and that U.S. dependence on cheap oil has dire consequences for every aspect of the U.S. economy. Finding the political will to address future energy challenges is not likely given the influence of the oil companies in Washington. The article contains four sidebars -- on the future of biodiesels (limited); the development of oil sands in Alberta, Canada; the role of energy conservation; and alternatives such as hydrogen, ethanol and electric vehicles.

23.  PROTECTING NEW ORLEANS
PROTECTING NEW ORLEANS       Fischetti, Mark
       Scientific American, Vol. 294, No. 2, February 2006, pp. 64-71

Millions of people worldwide live on river deltas that are vulnerable to flooding as human activity contributes to land sinking and sea levels rising. When Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans in August of last year, levees (dikes) protecting the city failed during the storm surge, flooding wide areas of the city; loss of life and property was substantial. Plans are being developed to reconstruct and improve the levee system to protect from surges caused by category 5 storms, as well as restore coastal marshes that provide a natural buffer to hurricanes. Fischetti, a Scientific American contributing editor, reviews storm surge defenses used in other countries, which experts suggest should be considered for New Orleans. Diagrams illustrate floating and sluice gates used along the Netherlands coast, hydraulic disks on the River Thames near London, and flaps being installed to protect Venice, Italy. He notes the need to coordinate physical protection across governmental jurisdictions, incorporate scientific data into the plans, and address the issues of people living in such vulnerable areas.

24.  THE RETURN OF PATRIARCHY
THE RETURN OF PATRIARCHY       Longman, Phillip
       Foreign Policy, No. 153, March/April 2006, pp. 56-65

The author, a senior fellow at the New America Foundation and author of THE EMPTY CRADLE: HOW FALLING BIRTHRATES THREATEN WORLD PROSPERITY AND WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT, notes that across the globe, people are choosing to have fewer children or none at all. Governments are desperate to halt the trend, but their influence seems to stop at the bedroom door. If this trend continues, it would seem that some societies might become extinct; however, Longman believes that this is unlikely to occur. Instead, he predicts a growing proportion of the next generation will be born into conservative households. As governments hand back functions they once appropriated from the family, notably support in old age, people will find that they need more children to insure their golden years, and they will seek to bind their children to them through inculcating traditional religious values.

25.  WHEN BLOGGERS HIT TOO CLOSE TO HOME
WHEN BLOGGERS HIT TOO CLOSE TO HOME       Mitchell, Greg
       Editor & Publisher, vol. 139, no. 1, January 2006, pp. 20-21

Bloggers are constantly questioning, proofreading and second-guessing the mainstream media (MSM) in America, and Americans can't seem to get enough of it. Blogging has become such a staple attached to MSM, that it can be easily assumed to be fact-based reporting, rather that what is truly is, opinion-based ranting. The author sees fault in many of the large online news wires, such as The Washington Post and the New York Times, directly linking stories to blogs, pulling readers away from the stories, before they can even finish reading them, and analyze the information reported. He writes, "does the MSM really want to hasten its demise by making criticism of it -- often based on inaccurate information or purely partisan beliefs -- quite so accessible?" The instant analysis, counter-argument, and often-poor judgments that come with MSM support of blogging only undermines reporters and editors and their ethics and dedication to journalism. 

Regional Security

26.  THE CALM BEFORE THE STORM? REVOLUTIONARY PRESSURES AND GLOBAL GOVERNANCE
THE CALM BEFORE THE STORM? REVOLUTIONARY PRESSURES AND GLOBAL GOVERNANCE       Webb, Adam K.
       International Political Science Review, vol. 27, no. 1, January 2006, pp. 73-92 

The author, lecturer on social studies at Harvard University, takes issue with the conventional wisdom that the global trends towards globalization and democratization make large-scale social revolutions far less likely today than in the past. Indeed, he considers today to be the "calm before the storm," because the very economic, political and cultural trends deemed by most to be emollient may lead to a new wave of revolutions. Webb is particularly concerned with transnational organizations such as the World Trade Organization, whose policies he deems favorable to global capital and the status quo at the cost of the disenfranchised. As a result, Webb sees a loss of nation-state legitimacy and rising social inequality little different that existed in past eras prior to revolutionary upheavals. 

27.  THE EUROPEAN UNION AS A SECURITY ACTOR: SECURITY PROVISION THROUGH ENLARGEMENT
THE EUROPEAN UNION AS A SECURITY ACTOR: SECURITY PROVISION THROUGH ENLARGEMENT       Stefanova, Boyka
       World Affairs, vol. 168, no. 2, Fall 2005, pp. 51-66

The author  discusses the question of whether regional integration can solve security issues, and presents a case study of the European Union's post-Cold War eastward expansion to illustrate its role as an independent security actor. Through successive rounds of enlargement in the 1990s, Stefanova traces the EU's centralization of authority through conditions of membership, progressive institutionalization of political and economic interdependencies, and increasing military capacity for direct intervention, both independently and jointly with NATO and OSCE. Continued eastward enlargement, Stefanova concludes, though bedeviled by resource relocations, institutional restructuring, and the divisive question of "where Europe ends," will continue to enhance regional security well beyond the status of the EU's actual military capabilities. 

28.  GREAT EXPECTATIONS
GREAT EXPECTATIONS       Pillar, Paul
       Harvard International Review, Vol. 27, No. 4, Winter 2006, pp. 16-21

The author, former Deputy Chief of the CIA's Counterterrorist Center and Visiting Professor at the Security Studies Program at Georgetown University, notes that in a poll conducted in June 2005, 65 percent of US citizens said that reforming the intelligence services is the best way to strengthen US security significantly. The author suggests that the public is using the intelligence community as a scapegoat, and that more often than not the intelligence reports are not promoting decisions that Capitol Hill and the administration are making, citing the Iraq War as an example. Pillar believes that the real problem with the intelligence community is the "politicized intelligence," the "cherry-picking" of intelligence reports or the pressure for analysts to devote disproportionate time to politically important topics and derive explanations that policymakers want to hear. Pillar believes that the solution lies in the hands of the American people, stating that changes can only occur when the public realizes that there are limits to the intelligence community; "intelligence is a service, not a savior." 

29.  PORT SECURITY IS STILL A HOUSE OF CARDS
PORT SECURITY IS STILL A HOUSE OF CARDS       Flynn, Stephen E.
       Far Eastern Economic Review, vol. 169, no. 1, January/February 2006, pp. 5-12 

The author analyzes one of America's weakest areas of counterterrorism, port security, noting that "it is only a matter of time before terrorists breach the superficial security measures in place to protect the ports, ships and the millions of intermodal containers that link global producers to consumers." He argues that the importance of improving trade security is not only a public safety imperative, but also an economic precautionary measure; any attack to a major port could shut down all international trade activity. While measures from the Coast Guard and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agency are in place, the actions have been "piecemeal," because "each agency [is] pursuing its signature program with little regard for other initiatives." Flynn finds the solution in a multilateral approach involving ASEAN, the EU and the U.S., which would allow for validation audits to occur. He foresees that this change will result in small economic differences on a corporate level, and large improvements against the possibility of a terrorist attack. 

30.  A QUESTION OF CHEMISTRY: CONTROLLING THE SPREAD AND USE OF CHEMICAL WEAPONS
A QUESTION OF CHEMISTRY: CONTROLLING THE SPREAD AND USE OF CHEMICAL WEAPONS       Litman, Leah
       Harvard International Review, vol. 27, no. 3, Fall 2005, pp. 32-34 

Litman, editor-in-chief of the Harvard International Review, traces the history and use of chemical weapons in warfare. She also provides background on international efforts to control chemical weapons, including the Geneva Protocols and the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC). The author feels a multi-layered monitoring mechanism, that can adapt to meet changing circumstances, is essential to control the current and future threat of chemical weapons. 

31.  THE STRATEGIC LOGIC OF TAIWANIZATION
THE STRATEGIC LOGIC OF TAIWANIZATION       Horowitz, Shale; Tan, Alexander
       World Affairs, vol. 168, no. 2, Fall 2005, pp. 87-95 

The authors assess the current strategic situation in the Taiwan Strait, weighing Taiwan's options in addressing a potential threat from China. Given China's massive economic and military expansion, the authors see trends toward an "inward" strategy, where the status quo of continued economic integration across the Strait benefits the mainland. However, the authors note that this may not preclude the adoption of an "outward strategy", where China chooses to forcibly integrate Taiwan through a rapid military intervention, particularly if future U.S. administrations choose to appease China by returning to its previous policy of "strategic ambiguity" on Taiwan's status. To augment the island's position, the authors recommend a three-point strategy they call "Taiwanization:" building military capability and domestic support to make an invasion costly (a "snarling dog posture"); increasing domestic reforms and international outreach to make Taiwan a country worth defending (the "embattled nation posture"); and continue efforts to facilitate cross-straits development of investment and trade ("economic jujitsu").

32.  TRANSFORMING MILITARY DIPLOMACY
       Shea, Timothy
       Joint Forces Quarterly, Vol. 38, Third Quarter, July 2005, pp. 49-52 

The growing need for security cooperation and the ongoing war against terrorism have increased the importance of U.S. military attaches serving in embassies around the world, the author says, pointing to examples such as their role coordinating the deployment of U.S. forces to fight the Taliban in Afghanistan and training and equipping soldiers in the Republic of Georgia. "Many countries recognize the strategic importance of their military attaches and send only their best abroad," Colonel Shea writes. Subjects such as security and arms control would be better managed, he said, by trained attaches "with the requisite language skills, cultural knowledge and regional expertise." He also advocates the assignment of higher-ranking officers and urges the military services to view these assignments by soldier-diplomats as career-enhancing. He concludes urging the military attache corps to "adapt to the strategic environment, which demands skillful military diplomacy and knowledgeable professionals" as they carry out their mission to advise the ambassador, represent the Defense Department overseas, and manage important programs such as the International Military Education and Training and Foreign Military Financing. 

U.S. Society and Values

33.  HOW DO I LOVE THEE
HOW DO I LOVE THEE       Gottleib, Lori
       Atlantic Monthly, March 2006, pp. 58-70 

The author, a single woman, interviews operators of online and personal matchmaking services and throws her name into the roster while doing so. Gottlieb notes that a new "science" of attraction is being developed by academic researchers and they are being used worldwide. It is still evolving, the author notes, and "it may well take a generation before we learn whether the psychological, anthropological, or sociological model works best". The author, however, was unable to find a suitable match. 

34.  THE NATIONAL URBAN LEAGUE: "STILL FIGHTING THE GOOD FIGHT"
 THE NATIONAL URBAN LEAGUE: "STILL FIGHTING THE GOOD FIGHT"      Chappell, Kevin
       Ebony, July 2005, pp. 110-118 

In the early twentieth century, hundreds of thousands of American Blacks left the American South for industrial cities of the North, such as Chicago, Philadelphia, Cleveland and Detroit. With few skills, the migrants endured harsh living conditions in settings very different from small Southern towns. To help Blacks survive and obtain employment, the Committee on Urban Conditions Among Negroes was formed, which eventually became the National Urban League, which celebrated its 95th anniversary in 2005. Since its inception, the Urban League has been at the forefront of the civil-rights movement, helping African-Americans joint the economic and social mainstream. Today the Urban League is as active as ever in dealing with problems such as crime, poverty, public health issues and education. 

35.  WOMEN OF INFLUENCE: A CONVERSATION WITH COKIE ROBERTS
       Cole, Bruce; Roberts, Cokie
       Humanities, vol. 27, no. 1, January/February 2006, pp. 6-9, 51-54 

Cole, chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities, talked with news analyst Cokie Roberts about her recent book, FOUNDING MOTHERS, and the importance of women in U.S. political history. Comparing the recent advances of women in politics with the role women played in the early days of the Republic, Roberts also discussed the difficulties of locating the original letters and manuscripts that formed the basis of the book. In a related article, "A Life in Letters: The Story of John and Abigail Adams," Maggie Riechers writes about the influence of Abigail Adams on her husband, President John Adams, throughout their fifty-year marriage.

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