Article Alert

The Rule of Law

1.    DECISION-MAKING TRENDS OF THE REHNQUIST COURT ERA: CIVIL    
       RIGHTS AND CIVIL LIBERTIES

       Smith, Christopher E.; Hensley, Thomas R.

       Judicature, Vol. 89, No. 3, November/December 2005, pp. 161-169

In this article outlining the legacy of late Supreme Court Chief Justice William Rehnquist, the authors compare the decision-making trends of the Rehnquist court to that of the Burger and Warren courts. The authors argue that despite Rehnquist's conservative orientation, an empirical study of Supreme Court rulings on civil rights and civil liberties demonstrates that during his tenure as chief justice, the court upheld several major liberal tenets. For example, although the court appears to be more conservative on issues such as the scope of warrant requirements in criminal cases, the court never actually overruled the Fourth Amendment protections from previous, more liberal courts. According to the authors, "The Rehnquist court did not overturn [certain] major liberal precedents...[and] the Rehnquist Court justices recognized Fourth Amendment limitations on warrantless searches especially in regard to a person's private dwelling." The authors use tables and graphs to provide a snapshot of the Warren, Burger and Rehnquist courts' rulings on major issues, as well as an analysis on individual Rehnquist court justices' voting patterns.

2.    EVERY MAN'S BURDEN

       Miller, John J.

       National Review, vol. 58, no. 6, April 10, 2006, pp. 22-23

Miller describes the controversies surrounding the renewal of the Voting Rights Act. Both Democrats and Republicans will probably vote for the renewal of the act, but Miller questions its relevance. In Georgia and other Southern states, black and white Americans register to vote and vote in elections in equal percentages. Blacks and Republicans have benefited from the "majority-minority" redistricting lines. While the "majority-minority" district aids a minority candidate, it also has had the unintended consequence of creating districts with only a few minorities and containing predominately conservative voters. The new battle, according to Miller, is about foreign-language ballots in districts with large populations of non-English speakers.

3.    IS PATRIOTISM GOOD FOR DEMOCRACY? A STUDY OF HIGH SCHOOL    
       SENIORS' PATRIOTIC COMMITMENTS

       Kahne, Joseph; Middaugh, Ellen

       Phi Delta Kappan, vol. 87, no. 8, April 2006, pp. 600-608

From their 2005 survey of 2,366 California high school seniors, authors Kahne and Middaugh conclude that educators have serious work to do if they hope to foster a strong and committed sense of democratic patriotism in their students. The point of Kahne and Middaugh's study was to assess high school seniors' views on patriotism and to determine the connection between love of country and democratic ideals. The authors found that while more than 73 percent of the seniors surveyed agreed that "the United States is a great country" and that 68 percent agreed that they "oppose some U.S. policies because I care about my country and want to improve it," these students were also three times more likely to endorse the idea that it is "un-American to criticize the country." Only 41 percent of the surveyed seniors agreed that "to be truly patriotic, one has to be involved in the civic and political life of the community." The authors are concerned that the United States is becoming a nation of passive patriots or spectators; "the risk this tendency poses to democracy is substantial," they write.

4.    STRENGTHENING PROTECTION OF IDPS: THE UN'S ROLE

       Cohen, Roberta

       Georgetown Journal of International Affairs, Vol. 7, No. 1, Winter 2006, pp. 101-109

The author, a Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution and Co-Director of the Brookings-Bern Project on Internal Displacement, describes the plight of the 20-25 million internally displaced persons (IDPs), noting that providing them with food, medicine and shelter, while ignoring violent abuse, has led to the tragic description of them as the "well-fed dead." Cohen cites U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan's description of IDPs as often falling "into the cracks between different humanitarian bodies" in his 2005 report on UN reform, IN LARGER FREEDOM, but points out that the 2005 U.N. World Summit document does not deal with how to improve the UN's ability to address their plight. Cohen concludes that the UN High Commissioner for Refugees needs the authority, resources and international military support to expand its role with IDPs; she points out that "a more reliable and predictable system for those trapped inside borders will require stronger legal, institutional, and protection measures from the international community."

5.    THE STRUGGLE FOR DEMOCRACY

       Horowitz, Irving Louis

       National Interest, No. 83, Spring 2006, pp. 114-120

Horowitz laments that even though America has "a zeal for spreading democracy," there is no consensus when it comes to defining the term "democracy". He looks at several views, starting with that of Robert A. Dahl of Yale University, who believes in taking democracy to universal level through legislation and education, rather than limiting to a nationalist stand. James Gibson of Washington University sees achieving democracy in increments, in a slowly developing process. There were others who saw democracy as "distributive justice," and emphasized a socialist approach to establishing foundation for democracy. According to Horowitz, none of these are perfect, however, success lies in balancing the ideals with reality.

6.    TRUE BELIEVERS

       Spalding, Elizabeth Edwards

       Wilson Quarterly, Vol. 30, No. 2, Spring 2006, pp. 40-48

The author, professor of government at Claremont McKenna College, notes that President Bush has suffused religion into politics in his presidency, alarming intellectuals and prompting the media to question proper role of religious faith in politics. Spalding analyzes how presidents Woodrow Wilson and Harry S. Truman sought guidance from their respective faiths; she notes that history has forgotten the role of their faith in politics, whereas "many have been all too quick to dismiss Bush's understanding of world politics as merely a religious worldview." Perhaps, in the future, Spalding writes, President Bush's faith-based politics would be seen as a part of American political tradition.

Economics and Trade

7.    THE COMING NATURAL GAS CARTEL

       Economides, Michael J.

Foreign Policy, web exclusive, posted March 28, 2006

The author, editor-in-chief of the Energy Tribune, warns of the dangers of the formation of a cartel by the world's suppliers of natural gas, pointing out that natural gas is increasingly popular because it is the world's cleanest-burning fossil fuel. Historically the United States has relied on domestic sources, but increasing demand and the inevitable decline of domestic production will combine to force an increase in the importation of natural gas, in competition with other importing countries. The author mentions Russia's use of natural gas as a political weapon and expresses concern that other exporting countries, notably Iran, "already appear headed for confrontation with the United States and Europe." As an example, he cites Iran's role in the formation of the Gas Exporting Countries' Forum (GECF), a group of 15 gas-producing countries which controls 73 percent of the world's natural gas reserves and 41 percent of production.

8.    ENSURING ENERGY SECURITY

       Yergin, Daniel

       Foreign Affairs, vol. 85, no. 2, March 2006, pp. 69+

Energy expert Daniel Yergin says energy security will be one of the main challenges for U.S. foreign policy in the years ahead. The current tight oil market and growing demand require a fresh look at energy security issues, he notes. He highlights four traditional energy security principals: supply diversification to provide alternatives; resilience to ensure a buffer against shocks and disruptions; recognizing the reality of an integrated energy market; and quality information on all aspects of the energy industry. Yergin asserts that there are two more critical principals that need to be incorporated into energy security plans. First, the entire energy security system needs to be globalized, and engaging rising economies like China and India will be central to accomplishing this. Second, the entire energy supply chain and infrastructure needs to be protected. Global trade in energy will grow substantially, he emphasizes, as world markets become more integrated and demand continues to escalate. Assuring the security of global energy markets will require coordination on both an international and national basis between private sector and governments -- including all the agencies involved from environmental to intelligence.

9.    THE HIDDEN KEY TO GROWTH

       Baily, Martin; Farrell, Diana; Remes, Jaana

       International Economy, vol. 20, no. 1, Winter 2006, pp. 48-55

The authors, from the McKinsey Global Institute, say dynamic, competitive local services can unlock a huge contribution to GDP growth and employment. While import substitution, export manufacturing and services for export have all captured policymakers' imaginations, local services are being overlooked, they write. Local services account for more than sixty percent of all jobs in middle-income and developed economies, and virtually all of new job creations, they write. Policymakers who want to leverage the economic power of local services growth need to ensure barriers to competition are removed and service companies are treated equally with manufacturing firms. The authors highlight the positive relationship between the local service sector and employment, and provide recommendations.

10.    THE IMPACT OF TERRORISM ON FINANCIAL MARKETS

         Johnston, E. Barry; Nedelescu, Oana

         Journal of Financial Crime, vol. 13, no. 1, 2006, pp. 7-25

The authors analyze lessons for effective policy and regulatory responses to protect financial systems in the face of terrorist attacks, using the events in New York on Sept. 11, 2001, and in Madrid on March 11, 2004, as examples. In the subsequent regulatory responses to protect the financial systems from abuse by terrorists, the authors found diversified, liquid, and sound financial markets that were quite efficient in absorbing the shocks of these terrorist attacks. They noted well-organized crisis management responses were key to the market's ability to continue to function in an effective way. At the international level, a coordinated effort was made to bolster the global payments system, strengthen confidence, and shore up financial markets. Monetary authority from major economies such as Canada, the Euro area, Japan, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom, directly injected large amounts of liquidity and made immediate interest rate cuts in response to the Federal Reserve's actions. Within a short period of time after the New York attacks, a majority of countries stepped up the fight against terrorism in an effort to maintain peace and security and to fight terrorism financing.

11.    THE LONG WAR AGAINST CORRUPTION

         Heineman, Ben W.; Heimann, Fritz

         Foreign Affairs, vol. 85, no. 3, May/June 2006, pp. 75-86

Since the mid-1990s, corruption has become an important issue on the global agenda. Its key agents -- developed and developing countries, international organizations, and multinational corporations -- must do more to prevent and to punish misbehavior systematically, say the authors. Bribery and corruption, they explain, distorts markets and competition, breeds cynicism among citizens, undermines the rule of law, damages government legitimacy, and corrodes the integrity of the private sector. Some international organizations have adopted conventions that require their members to enact laws that prohibit bribery and corruption. However, during the past decade, many public- and private-sector organizations have paid minimal lip service to the idea that fighting corruption is in their own best interest and for the global good. To counter this, several international treaties have been adopted to fill gaps in existing national anticorruption laws, including an OECD convention that applies to industrialized countries; three regional conventions covering Europe, the Americas, and Africa; and the UN Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC).

12.    MAKING A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE THROUGH DEVELOPMENT
         ALLIANCES

         Runde, Dan

         Public Manager, Vol. 34, No. 4, Winter 2005/2006, pp. 38-41

Runde, Director of the Office of Global Development Alliances at USAID, says in the last thirty years, U.S. aid has undergone an important shift: more than 80 percent of resources flowing from the U.S. to the developing world now come from sources other than official development assistance (ODA). USAID created the Office of Global Development Alliances (GDA) to manage private-public partnerships designed to ensure coordinated, effective use of aid, regardless of source, he explains. Since its inception in 1999, reports Runde, GDA has increased public-private alliances from seven to 290 -- leveraging more than $1.1 billion of USAID funds with $3.7 billion in outside partner contributions, much of this in cash and in-kind goods and services from private companies. He says GDA's success comes with lessons learned, such as: the importance of showcasing success stories; the need to invest in staff training; adaptability is essential to innovation; and, metrics must be established and used to document effectiveness.

13.    TERRORIST FINANCING: HOW THE NEW GENERATION OF JIHADISTS  
         FUNDS ITSELF

         Napoleoni, Loretta

         RUSI Journal, vol. 151, no. 1, February 2006, pp. 60-65

Napoleoni reviews the policies implemented to combat terrorist financing since 9/11 and argues that they are obsolete because the structure of terrorism financing is no longer transnational, but deeply rooted in individual countries. Failure of the international community to pursue a unified strategy resulted in lost opportunities and fractured anti-money laundering efforts, she says. The United States, through the Patriot Act, successfully implemented a comprehensive anti-money laundering program, she writes, but this only shifted the terrorist finance epicenter to Europe because no other country adopted similar legislation. Today, jihadists with no links to Al-Qaeda find it easier to fund themselves with criminal activities than to contact Al-Qaeda and ask for money, she explains; anyway, small-scale attacks such as the London and Madrid bombings just don't cost that much. The London bombings, for example, were almost fully funded from the salaries of those who perpetrated them, notes Napoleoni. This pattern of funding, and the dynamic methods still evolving, means the post-9/11 counterterrorism funding policies will not be effective, and she suggests novel measures aimed primarily at preventing the indoctrination of young Muslims may obtain better results.

Global Issues

14.    THE KNOWLEDGE

         Williams, Mark

         Technology Review, vol. 109, no. 1, March/April 2006, pg. 44-53

According to the author, biotechnology's advance could give malefactors the ability to manipulate life processes -- and even affect human behavior. Williams tells the story through interviews with Sergei Popov, who for nearly 20 years developed genetically engineered biological weapons for the Soviet Union and is now working in the U.S. Popov's accounts of what the Russians accomplished in producing genetically engineered bioweapons are important now, Williams says, because the achievements show what is possible, and all can be accomplished today with time and money. The growing scientific consensus is that biotechnology -- especially the technology to synthesize ever-larger DNA sequences -- has advanced to the point that terrorists and rogue states could engineer dangerous novel pathogens. He describes the Soviet bioweapons program, which involved plague, Ebola virus, and even concepts of subtle bioweapons that modified behavior by targeting the nervous system, inducing effects like temporary schizophrenia, memory loss, heightened aggression, immobilizing depression, or fear, or pacification of a subject population. Just as a revolution in "targeting specificity" (targeting is the process of engineering molecules to recognize and bind to particular types of cells) is creating new opportunities in pharmaceuticals, it is advancing the prospects for chemical and biological weapons.

15.    NEW HOPE FOR DEFEATING ROTAVIRUS

         Glass, Roger I.

         Scientific American, Vol. 294, No. 4, April 2006, pp. 46-55

Rotavirus was identified in 1973 as the cause of diarrhea that affects most children before age 5 years and kills an estimated 610,000 each year worldwide. Glass reviews decades of research that have led to two vaccines against rotavirus that are now approved by a number of countries in Europe and North America. Manufacturers in India, China, Indonesia and Brazil are also preparing vaccines. Further testing is needed to determine if these vaccines are safe and effective in developing countries among children already in poor health from malnutrition, parasites or other untreated infections. The author, an epidemiologist at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, has researched rotavirus since the late 1970s.

16.    THE SNAKEHEAD; A REPORTER AT LARGE

         Keefe, Patrick Radden

         New Yorker, April 24, 2006, pg. 68-85

Illegal migration from China to the U.S. burst into public view in 1993 with the wreck of the tramp steamer Golden Venture; at least ten people died. This was not an isolated incident but part of a large human smuggling business run by "snakehead" Ping Jia, known in the U.S. as Sister Ping. The article details the nearly twenty year saga of Chinese criminal networks, operating in the U.S. and in China, that illegally transport people, at great personal risk, hardship, and expense, from China to the United States. Today Sister Ping is serving a 35-year prison sentence, and several of her associates are dead, murdered by rival gang members. There is, however, "no evidence to indicate that the total number of [Chinese migrants] entering the country illegally has diminished in the years since the Golden Venture incident."

Regional Security

17.    CHINA AND JAPAN'S SIMMERING RIVALRY

         Calder, Kent E.

         Foreign Affairs, vol. 85, no. 2, March/April 2006, pp. 129-139

The author, Director of the Reischauer Center for East Asian Studies at the School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University, notes that China and Japan account for nearly three-quarters of the region's economic activity and more than half of the military spending. Despite their deep economic ties and a doubling of their bilateral trade in the past five years, their relationship is increasingly strained - with dangerous implications for the U.S. and the world at large. Tensions have erupted over omissions from Japanese history textbooks and Prime Minister Koizumi's annual trip to the Yasukuni Shrine where World War II dead are buried. Calder argues that the U.S. should encourage cultural communication, exemplified by the State Department's International Visitors Program, which would be far more effective than official action, given the importance of personal networks in Asia. China has moved in a positive direction by appointing the well-regarded and Japanese-speaking former vice minister of foreign affairs, Wang Yi, as the ambassador to Tokyo. Japan should take the diplomatic high ground, allowing both countries to focus on the very real challenges of stabilizing their relationship and not be distracted by the peripheral yet politically contentious issues of history.

18.    CHINA'S MATURING NAVY

         Mcvadon, Rear Admiral Eric A. (Usn-Ret.)

         Naval War College Review, Vol. 59, No. 2, Spring 2006, pp. 90-107

The author presents an interesting and thought-provoking assessment of recent developments in the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy. While noting the relatively relaxed current situation across the Taiwan Strait, he points out that Beijing's ongoing military modernization ensures that its "policy of intimidation continues to work." He says that Chinese officials have been stressing that their military budget is not excessive, and that the newly modernized PLA is not a threat, but a deterrent force. Although the PLA "now seems almost wholly, even obsessively, focused on the Taiwan problem," there are two other important factors in Chinese strategic thinking -- the desire to build a military appropriate to a rising economic power and the dependence of the economy on ocean commerce. Therefore, a long-term capacity to secure sea and land routes for trade must be a priority. The Chinese navy has made a great deal of progress from the days when serving on Chinese nuclear submarines was "thought by some to be as much a joke as a job." The author notes that "the PLA Navy is not fully mature, but it has established its potential for that status in the air, on the sea, and, conspicuously, under the sea."

19.    HARDLY THE LAST WORD

         Flynn, Michael

         Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, vol. 62, no. 2, March/April 2006, pp. 14-16

On the occasion of the twentieth anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, Flynn examines the September 2005 U.N. report on the accident; its conclusion that the long-term health effects appeared to be less serious than initially feared. While the U.N. Chernobyl Forum, comprised of representatives from the International Atomic Energy Agency, World Health Organization, and the U.N. Development Program, found only 50 deaths and minimal evidence of decreased fertility or congenital defects that can be linked to radiation exposure, Flynn considers research conducted by other scholars over the past 20 years that was overlooked by the Forum. Flynn concludes that the U.N. report may not be the industry-friendly "whitewash" its critics claim, but that it appears to raise more questions than it answers.

20.    HIGH ANXIETY: FORGET ABOUT SPACE DOMINANCE: U.S. INTERESTS                    
         SHOULD START FOCUSING ON SPACE COMPETENCE

         Worden, Simon

         Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, vol. 62, no. 2, March/April 2006, pp. 21-23

A U.S. push to develop space-based weapons remains highly unlikely in the near future, but the author identifies a serious shortfall in efforts to secure infrastructure in an increasingly interconnected world dependant upon satellites. The war on terrorism is a "multi-decade war of ideas," which will require secure communications infrastructure to win. Government and industry in the United States must pay closer attention to space security issues and watch other countries' efforts to develop technologies that could be fielded offensively against America's telecommunications infrastructure.

21.    IRAQ AND KOSOVO: A MEDITATION ON AMERICAN POWER

        Albright, Madeleine

        New Perspectives Quarterly, vol. 22, no. 4, Fall 2005, pp. 27-30

Former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright discusses recent American interventions in Kosovo and Iraq. She feels that events in Iraq are currently not going in the direction originally envisioned by the Bush administration. In Kosovo, Albright also acknowledges things did not happen as planned. Americans always want interventions to be completed quickly, but political processes take time and require sustained attention to complete the job. Albright feels, though, that the U.S. should continue to act, when necessary, because no other country can have the same impact.

22.    OF POWER AND PROVIDENCE: THE OLD U.S. AND THE NEW E.U.

         Hendrickson, David C.

         Policy Review, No. 135, February/March 2006, pp. 23-42

A political science professor at Colorado College, the author offers some valid insights in similarities and differences on constitutional issues between late-18th-century America and the current state of play in the European Union. He persuasively argues that U.S. founders faced the same problem as Europe currently does: "how to find a basis for peace and power in a system of states susceptible to war and unilateral action; how to secure autonomy and independence while also establishing a basis for united action." He is less persuasive in characterizing recent and current U.S. foreign policy, giving space to its critics but not making any case in favor.

23.  THE "PROBLEMS OF MOBILIZATION" AND THE ANALYSIS OF ARMED
          GROUPS

          Vinci, Anthony

          Parameters, Spring 2006, pp. 49-62

In today's society, when dealing with non-state, armed groups, there is a set list of categories used for classification. This approach is that of poor classification and may lead to an improper and ineffective response. Some armed groups cannot be clearly defined, because globalization has opened many new doorways for them to obtain weapons and money. In this article, Vinci lays the foundation for a more rationalized system of analysis for armed groups, which takes into account the evolving and adapting nature of contemporary armed groups. His system looks at the problems of mobilization, logistics and command, control and communication and how each armed group finds the solutions to their problems. Through these solutions, he argues that one can classify an armed group more accurately, allowing for the creation of protocol that finitely assesses the group's identity. By using this method, experts will be able to effectively differentiate between tactics, hierarchical structures, strategies and motivations instead of prematurely classifying the armed group as insurgent, guerrilla or any other of the previously set classifications.

24.    A PROFILE IN DEFIANCE

         Takeyh, Ray

         National Interest, No. 83, Spring 2006, pp. 16-21

Last June, the hard-line mayor of Tehran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, was elected president of Iran. Ahmadinejad's inflammatory rhetoric, indifference to global opinion and provocative announcements regarding Iran's nuclear program have caused international outrage. The author attempts to explain Ahmadinejad's mindset, noting that he is at the forefront of a "war generation" that is taking power and is changing the makeup of the government in Tehran. The 1980-1988 war with Iraq is the defining factor of this new group, who saw it as a battle between Islamic faith and secular Baath pan-Arabism; they are deeply suspicious of the West, the U.S. in particular, because of its support of Saddam and its tolerance of Saddam's use of chemical weapons in the war. Ahmadinejad regards Iran's nuclear program as a guarantee of Iran's independence and security. Much of Ahmadinejad's support came from veterans of the war, primarily religiously devout youths from poor rural families, who resented the public indifference upon their return from the front, and that children of Iran's elite avoided military service. Takeyh notes that Ahmadinejad's seeming indifference to American pressure is an indication that he believes that the center of gravity of global influence is shifting away from the West, and moving toward Asia.

25.    THE ROOTS OF DEMOCRACY

         Boix, Carles

         Policy Review, No. 135, February/March 2006, pp. 3-21

A political science professor at the University of Chicago, Boix contends that democracies succeed in countries where income inequality is low, and where elites' wealth is mobile. Where income inequality is high and wealth is tied to mineral resources and/or agriculture, elites have too much lose by elections, and so will rule via authoritarian means. Boix also posits two types of transitions to democracy: the first is the long, slow route of economic development; the second, political violence from outside, as in Germany, Italy and Japan after World War II.

26.    A WAR ON JIHADISM - NOT TERROR

         Rauch, Jonathan

         National Journal, Vol. 38, No. 15, April 15, 2006, pp. 18-19

The author, senior writer for the National Journal, contends that the "War on Terrorism" is a misnomer. A more accurate name would be a "War on Jihadism," which he describes as an ideology associated with Islam -- "but it is by no means synonymous with Islam, which is much larger and contains many competing elements." Rauch points out that if the goal of the West is to defeat the jihadists, it must discredit Jihadism in the Muslim world. He notes that "the tendency of Bush, Blair, and other Western leaders to sweep Jihadism under the rug is counterproductive and fuels public suspicion of those leaders and of Islam itself."

U.S. Society and Values

27.    AMERICANS ABROAD

         Kraus, Lisa

         Dance Magazine, vol. 80, no. 3, March 2006, pp. 64-68

For decades, American performing artists have gone to Europe to pursue their careers. In recent years, many American actors and dancers have moved to Europe to join state-subsidized performing-arts companies, or to work in a cultural climate that supports their endeavors; they cite the difficulty of finding contemporary performing-arts companies in the U.S. willing to take them on. The author interviews several U.S. dancers on the cultural differences they have encountered since leaving the U.S.

28.    FIREFIGHTERS

         Golway, Terry

         American Heritage, vol. 56, no. 6, November/December 2005, pp. 36-49

Golway traces the four-hundred-year-old tradition of firefighting in America, beginning in the seventeenth century when all able-bodied males were obliged to fight fires. In the eighteenth century, growing cities formed volunteer fire departments, which gave way to paid, professional ones a century later. While not overlooking the controversies that have surrounded this overwhelmingly male and largely white profession, Golway focuses on the traditions and heroism that have marked firefighters throughout history. "September 11 was unprecedented, but a 1740s fireman would have recognized the selflessness shown that day," he asserts. Sidebars show some of the milestones in the history of fire-extinction technology and explain why Hollywood always gets it wrong.

29.    OUR BROTHER'S KEEPER

         Littell, Richard

         American Indian, vol. 7, no. 1, Spring 2006, pp. 22-27

The state of Idaho eliminated its last wolf in the 1930s; by that point, wolves had virtually disappeared throughout the continental U.S. Their comeback resulted from the 1973 Endangered Species Act, under which the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service captured wolves in Canada and reintroduced them in Idaho. This met with virulent opposition among anti-wolf groups, who did not want any government agency managing the wolves. The Indian Nez Perce tribe, however, developed a first-rate plan for managing the wolves, which involved radio monitoring, removing rogue animals that attacked livestock, and conducting seminars to allay fears of nervous citizens. Under the Nez Perce tribe's care, the new gray wolves have thrived, growing to a population of over 500 by mid-2005, up from the original 35 reintroduced animals. The author notes the Nez Perce's affinity for the gray wolf, "whose struggle for survival parallels their own ... both were deprived of habitat necessary for their traditional means of support, and both were driven off their land at a great cost of life."

30.    SAN FRANCISCO THEN AND NOW

         Dvorak, John

         American Heritage, vol. 57, no. 2, April/May 2006, pp. 55-60

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the 1906 earthquake in San Francisco. The article describes how the city recovered from one of the greatest natural disasters to strike the U.S., and the potential earthquake threats that lie ahead. The author, who studied earthquakes for 16 years at the U.S. Geological Survey, continues to monitor potential and real-time quakes. San Francisco is his favorite city and he gives a wonderful written "tour" of the architectural survivors.