Article Alert

September/October 2005

ALERT brings to your attention current articles selected by the Information Resource Center at the American Center for Educational Exchange. Single copies of individual articles are available to you upon request. To request articles, please contact the Information Resource Center by telephone , fax, e-mail ircacee@state.gov, or by mail. To request by mail, please circle the articles you wish to receive, include your name, address, and telephone number and return this list to us.  DISCLAIMER: articles and links to non-U.S. government Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views contained therein.

The Rule of Law

 1.  ARE THE JUSTICES SERVING TOO LONG? AN ASSESSMENT OF TENURE ON THE U.S. SUPREME COURT
      Mcguire, Kevin T.
     Judicature, vol. 89, No. 1, July-August 2005, pp. 8-15

With an aging Supreme Court, the question of life tenures for Supreme Court justices has been raised. McGuire explores the question of life tenure by looking at the history of the Court as it relates to age. He notes that the ages of appointment and retirement for Supreme Court justices from the nineteenth century to the present has remained relatively unchanged -- in contrast to the growing perception that justices are serving longer terms now than in past decades. McGuire concludes that there is no need to create legislation to force justices out of the Court at a certain age. 

2.  BALANCING CIVIL LIBERTIES AND HOMELAND SECURITY: DOES THE USA  PATRIOT ACT AVOID  JUSTICE ROBERT H.  JACKSON'S "SUICIDE PACT"?
     Thornburgh, Dick
     Albany Law Review, vol. 68, no. 4, Fall 2005, pp. 801-813 

Thornburgh, former US Attorney General under Presidents Reagan and George H.W. Bush, describes the balance between the public's rights of assembly and free speech and government order. Thornburgh discusses Justice Jackson's interpretation of the Terminiello case in which a crowd was incited to violence. Jackson wrote "The choice is note between order and liberty. It is between liberty with order and anarchy without either." Thornburgh sees a connection between the Terminiello case and the USA Patriot Act. He outlines the major programs covered by the act and argues for Justice Jackson's common-sense perspective when faced with the threat of terror. 

3.  BLENDING DEMOCRACY
     Zakheim, Dov
     National Interest, No. 81, Fall 2005, pp. 40-48 

The author writes that creating a true democracy in the Middle East is a long-term process and the result will mimic the American idea of what a democracy is. Zakheim provides examples of countries moving towards democracy but this movement will be a lengthy process. Cultural differences between the U.S. and the Middle East countries guarantee that any form of Middle Eastern democracy may not appear as a democracy at all to Westerners. The author contends that the Middle East needs a version of democracy that does not resemble that of Western countries but will offer people the same basic rights. 

4.  HIGH ANXIETY
    Cohen, Richard; Barnes, James; Baumann, David; Victor, Kirk
    National Journal, vol. 37, no. 41, October 8, 2005, pp. 3085-3089

The authors write that the current political climate in the United States is "curious and unpredictable" as both the Republican and Democratic parties prepare for the 2006 mid-term election campaigns. Citing mounting political problems for the Republicans including discontent over the war in Iraq and gas prices, and the Democrat's lack of coherent and unified counter-message, the authors contend that it is impossible to use past congressional election results as a guide to predicting the results of the 2006 election. Both parties are feeling "self-doubt," according to the authors, and "significant factions on both sides are discouraged about their own party's current actions." Either way, say the authors, the 2006 mid-term election will be an important and interesting one.

5.  IS IT A HONEYMOON? AN EMPIRICAL INVESTIGATION OF THE PRESIDENT'S FIRST HUNDRED DAYS
      Dominguez, Casey Byrne Knudsen
     Congress and the Presidency, vol. 32, no. 1, Spring 2005, pp. 63-78

The author, a researcher at the University of California at Berkeley, notes that conventional wisdom is that a newly-elected President enjoys a "honeymoon" period of several months in which the American public gives its new leader the benefit of the doubt. However, Dominguez notes that little study has been done to see if a new President enjoys a similarly productive initial period with Congress. In this paper, the author analyses a selected pool of legislation on which presidents took official positions, and finds that they did indeed enjoy higher success rates with Congress during the first hundred days of their inaugural year, than in subsequent periods. However, not all presidents enjoyed equal deference during the "honeymoon" period; presidents presiding over a divided government, such as the current President Bush, had a greater advantage.

6.  THE LAST ONE HUNDRED DAYS
      Howell, William G.; Mayer, Kenneth R.
     Presidential Studies Quarterly, vol. 35, no. 3, September 2005, pp. 533-553

In this article about U.S. presidential transition, the authors explore whether an outgoing president, during his last one hundred days in office, has the ability to implement public policies that could affect society and the incoming administration. The authors discuss the origins of presidential power and use case studies to show that outgoing presidents' unilateral, last-minute policies often force incoming presidents to accept the new directives, or pay a heavy political price trying to dismantle them. 

7.  SAVING A GREAT CITY
      Stoner, James R.
     Weekly Standard, vol. 11, no. 2, September 26, 2005, pp. 22-26

After Hurricane Katrina, many politicians and commentators have suggested the city of New Orleans is not worth rebuilding. James Stoner makes the case for the reconstruction of New Orleans by discussing the city's importance to the U.S. and presents possible options for improving the city's water system. New Orleans plays a critical role in the U.S. economy as a key port city, says Stoner, and not rebuilding it would have a devastating impact on the U.S. economy. The author not only argues for the rebuilding of New Orleans and its levees, but provides successful examples of water systems in "low countries" that have a similar geographical makeup to New Orleans. He cites the Zuider Zee system in the Netherlands as a "gold standard" for water regulation and its implementation that could solve many of the structural problems plaguing New Orleans.

8.  UNILATERAL POWERS: A BRIEF OVERVIEW
     Howell, William G.
     Presidential Studies Quarterly, vol. 35, no. 3, September, 2005, pp. 417-439

While much has been written about how presidents guide their policy agenda through Congress, Howell, a Harvard professor of government, argues that more needs to be learned about policies pursued by executive orders, proclamations, memoranda, and other unilateral directives. No study of presidential power is complete without an understanding of trade-offs associated with administrative and legislative strategies. Generally, there are more presidential directives when there is congressional gridlock, but presidents are careful to issue presidential orders that legislators and judges will not choose to challenge. This article describes the literature on unilateral powers and poses new questions about unilateral powers of the president. 

9.  WHO ARE WE? AN ANCIENT, MANY-FACED QUESTION, NOW WITH ACUTE RELEVANCE
     Frum, David
     National Review, vol. 57, no. 16, September 12, 2005, p. 39

Frum, a political columnist and former speechwriter for President George W. Bush, examines how the eternal human question of who we are relates to national security. He addresses the need for a coherent national identity in the face of attack from extremists. Frum writes that knowing where to draw the boundary between "us" and "those who threaten us" is crucial to countering the extremist threat. Statements from national leaders that focus on appreciation of diversity are insufficient, states Frum. Rather, "national survival depends on the willingness and ability of the targets of terrorism to assert and defend a national identity," he concludes.

Economics and Trade 

10.  AID AND GROWTH
       Radelet, Steven; Clemens, Michael; Bhavnani, Rikhil
      Finance & Development, Vol. 42, No. 3, September 2005

The authors, all with the Center for Global Development, review the prevailing views on aid effectiveness and argue that these views all suffer from inaccuracies perpetrated by treating all aid as if it is the same. They divide aid into three categories -- humanitarian aid, aid that might indirectly affect growth in the long-term, and aid designed to provide a more immediate and direct affect on growth -- and analyze each category separately to arrive at a more nuanced view on aid effectiveness.

 11.  BEEFED UP BOARDS
         Jusko, Jill
       Industry Week, Vol. 254, No. 8, August 2005, pp. 53-56

The author says the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and other corporate reforms are making today's boards of directors more diligent and accountable -- and they are scrutinizing executive compensation like never before. The reforms have fundamentally created a shift in governance from the executive suite to the boards by placing greater responsibilities on boards, Jusko writes. Most companies already practiced good governance -- the corporate reforms have generally been codified based on many of the "best practices" that were already in place -- but formal reforms should protect against the bad actors who launched to corporate scandals of the late 1990s and early 2000s, says Jusko. It's too early to tell how these new boards will impact executive pay trends, she notes, but it is very difficult to reduce compensation, particularly if the CEO and executive team are doing well. Notably, reforms have definitely been a damper on the old CEO-as-king model, she states, since credible boards are no longer willing to just sign off on whatever the CEO provides.

 12.  EIGHT QUESTIONS ABOUT CORRUPTION
         Svensson, Jakob
       Journal of Economic Perspectives, vol. 19, no. 3, Summer 2005, pp. 19-42

According to the author, the most devastating forms of corruption include the diversion and outright theft of funds for public programs and the damage caused by firms and by individuals that pay bribes to avoid health and safety regulations intended to benefit the public. Corruption is also widespread in public procurement and service delivery programs. The author discusses what he considers to be the most frequently asked questions about public corruption. What is it and what countries are the most corrupt? What are the common characteristics of such countries and what is the magnitude of the corruption? Will higher wages for bureaucrats reduce corruption or will this come about through competition? Finally, why have there been so few successful attempts recently to fight corruption? The answers are often not clear-cut and there are still many issues about corruption that we know little about. Also, most anticorruption programs rely on legal and financial institutions (judiciary, police, auditors) to enforce and strengthen accountability in the public sector but in many poor countries, the legal and financial institutions are often corrupt themselves.

 13.  HOW OIL SHOCKS EFFECT MARKETS
         Kubarych, Roger
       International Economy, Vol. 19, No. 3, Summer 2005, pp. 32-36

Kubarych, senior economic adviser with HVB America, Inc., reviews recent history of financial market responses to oil shocks and predicts an irregular uptrend in energy prices over the next decade. History suggests that after a tripling in price, market pressures tend to subside and prices slip back, he notes. However, he explains, several features in the current energy situation argue against this usual market correction: oil producers are operating at full capacity; Saudi Arabia has little incentive to relieve a tight supply; and huge leaps in energy demand from China and other Asian countries are altering the demand side of the equation. These factors, and fact that all the possible solutions have lengthy lead times, mean oil prices will likely rise to new peaks -- with inflationary consequences on financial markets, says Kubarych.

 14.  MEET AMERICA'S TRADE CZAR
         Barnes, Fred
       International Economy, Vol. 19, No. 3, Summer 2005, p. 6-7, 37

Although Rob Portman is the Bush administration's chief trade negotiator (vice Zoellick), there is another player on trade in Washington who is a least as important, says Barnes. Chairman Bill Thomas of the House Ways and Means Committee has become a self-made trade czar. Since World War II, Congress has essentially held firm to a free-trade consensus that is currently edging toward collapse, he notes, so a strong proponent like Thomas may be free trade's best hope. Thomas knows more about trade than anyone else in the federal government, writes Barnes, and he plays a huge and growing role in trade negotiations, such as writing the implementing language and side agreements. Thomas was a key figure in getting the Central America Free Trade Agreement through Congress, and he is currently focused on the Middle East Free Trade Area and Andean Free Trade Agreement, reports Barnes. Thomas's biggest test -- and a test he will win, according to Barnes -- will come if there is an economic downturn, which will increase the drive for protectionism from both parties in Congress.

15.  MUST WE OVERLOOK ALL IMPAIRMENT OF OUR INTERESTS? DEBATING THE FOREIGN AID ROLE OF THE EXPORT-IMPORT BANK, 1934-41
        Adamson, Michael R.
       Diplomatic History, Vol. 29, No. 4, September 2005, pp. 589-623

Adamson argues that the Export-Import Bank (Exim), established by President Roosevelt in 1934, tried to define the role that foreign aid would play in accomplishing the goals of U.S. foreign policy. Proposals for a large-scale U.S. foreign aid program and efforts for its implementation predated World War II and the Cold War, he says, but such aid was opposed by the State Department as too expansive. An interagency debate in the Roosevelt administration ensued over the role of Exim and the appropriate scale of economic development projects and new programs. Eventually, The State Department did use Exim to advance short-term national interests and as leverage to restore a long-run liberal international political economy, Adamson explains. However, Exim limited its function as a development bank, since liberalizing private capital flows was one of its objectives. The struggle over the use of public vs. private avenues for foreign aid continued until the Marshall Plan and other post-1945 efforts, he says, when Exim's function as a development bank temporarily expanded as policymakers justified foreign aid as a national security response to counter the perceived threat of communism.

 16.  TEN MYTHS ABOUT GOVERNANCE AND CORRUPTION
         Kaufmann, Daniel
       Finance & Development, Vol. 42, No. 3, September 2005

Kaufmann, director of Global Programs at the World Bank Institute, says governance -- which is being given a higher priority in development circles -- is a much misunderstood topic. There are still unresolved questions and debates in the development community, not only about the importance of governance, but also about the ability of international financial institutions to help countries improve on it, he explains. Kaufmann explores 10 myths about governance and concludes by recommending a bolder approach to development in which the rich world must not only deliver on its aid and trade liberalization promises -- but also lead by example.

17.  TIME TO STOP FOOLING OURSELVES ABOUT FOREIGN AID: A  PRACTITIONER'S VIEW
        Dichter, Thomas
       Foreign Policy, Briefing, No. 86, September 12, 2005

Dichter, an international development professional, says rich nations should reject calls for increasing aid because the ineffectiveness of aid has little to do with a lack of resources and much to do with the self-perpetuating cycles of corruption in developing countries and growth of the aid industry. Foreign aid's dismal record for curing poverty does not negate its humanitarian value, he emphasizes, nor does it mean that world poverty is doomed to continue. He notes that poverty reduction has occurred in some places, irrespective of the amount of aid it received. Lasting poverty reduction takes time and is a function of economic growth, not aid -- and sustained economic growth is linked to the rule of law, good governance, and leadership that is relatively un-self-interested, Dichter writes.

18.  THE UTOPIAN NIGHTMARE
        Easterly, William
       Foreign Policy, No. 150, September/October 2005, pp. 58-64

Easterly, an economics professor at New York University, says that utopian goals to cure world poverty are not the best way to help the world's poor. He asks why, after 43 years and $568 billion (2003 dollars) in foreign aid, Africa remains trapped in economic stagnation. The dream of solving poverty with a "big push" in aid or a realignment of conditionalities may make rich countries feel good, but it is not a realistic cure-all, says Easterly. The problems of the poor nations have deep institutional roots where markets don't work and pervasively corrupt politicians and civil servants are not accountable to their citizens. This is not to say that all foreign aid is futile, he explains, but instead of focusing on utopian goals such as ending world poverty, global leaders should simply concentrate on finding interventions that work. To best accomplish this, he adds, aid organizations will need to do a better job of evaluating the impacts of their programs.

Global Issues

19.  APOCALYPSE IN NEW ORLEANS
        Thevenot, Brian
       American Journalism Review, vol. 27, no. 5, October/November 2005, pp. 1-12

Reporters not only covered the story, but became the story in this first-hand account by reporter Brian Thevenot, of Hurricane Katrina, one of the greatest natural disasters in U.S. history. The author describes the struggles and horrors of a team of New Orleans Times-Picayune writers and photographers, who lived through the carnage and suffering in the days following the hurricane, in the heart of their hometown. The team was determined to continue reporting from anywhere and by any means necessary. Living in abandoned houses and cars, scrounging for food and communications to get the story to Baton Rouge for print, these reporters influenced and demanded action by all levels of government. Thevenot writes that "in a repeat of the experience all of us had across the city, Russell [a reporter] never felt threatened. By contrast, people cheered the sight of him -- the hometown Picayune reporter -- and grilled him about where they might get a paper." In a time of unprecedented crisis, these reporters became the voice of the people.

20.  DETECTING ILLICIT NUCLEAR MATERIALS
       Kouzes, Richard T.
       American Scientist, vol. 93, no. 5, September-October 2005, pp. 422-427

According to the author -- who works on disarmament, nonproliferation and homeland security at the Department of Energy Pacific Northwest National Laboratory -- installing radiological monitoring equipment in the United States and overseas is helping thwart nuclear terrorism. Since the fall of the Soviet Union, fear has grown that the wrong people might acquire dangerous nuclear materials. The possibility became more frightening after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. U.S. and European authorities have worked to keep terrorists from acquiring materials they could use to build a nuclear weapon or a dirty bomb -- one that disperses radioactive debris over a wide area. A major part of the effort involves outfitting U.S. and overseas shipping ports and other border crossings with equipment that can detect nuclear materials' telltale radiation. The author outlines the many-layered program the U.S. in now undertaking and describes some technical challenges.

21.  KILLER MAPS
        Roush, Wade
      Technology Review, vol. 108, no. 10, October 2005, pp. 54-60

This article describes the growing access consumers have to advanced geographical visualization tools -- formerly known as maps -- through companies like Google (Google Earth), Microsoft (MSN Virtual Earth) and Yahoo (SmartView). Google Earth is a free download application; MSN Virtual Earth and SmartView run inside a browser. These new digital maps combine detailed aerial and satellite maps, high-powered graphics and animation, and comprehensive local search functions. With Google Earth, for example, a user can find a location, get turn-by-turn directions, practice the drive using an aerial camera that flies along the route, see photographs of the area, book a hotel room, find a restaurant, build a sightseeing agenda, and even check the area's crime rate. What's really moving the technology forward is something called application programming interfaces (AIPs). These are instructions that companies like Google and Microsoft release to allow programmers to build online services that tap into the company's own map programs. Such "mash-ups" are easy to make and only require that locations have been geotagged -- or encoded with latitude and longitude information. A Google official describes Google Earth as "a browser for the Earth."

22.  LOSING CONFIDENCE
       Strupp, Joe
       Editor & Publisher, vol. 138, no. 7, July 2005, pp. 32-39

The case of Judith Miller, a New York Times reporter who was jailed for refusing to reveal a confidential source, has put the issues of confidentiality and the use of anonymous sources in the limelight. But how can this happen in a country where the First Amendment to the Constitution is designed to prevent government interference with a free press? The author delves into the use of confidential sources. Strupp notes that some newsrooms now have policies against the use of confidential sources, and believes that these policies could limit a newspaper's ability to investigate instances of wrongdoing. In other newsrooms, these policies could open up opportunities for better and more in-depth reporting; the author cites Eric Nalder, an investigative reporter for Seattle Post-Intelligencer, who believes that "there is a difference between using anonymous sources as the meat of the story, and tracking down the meat of the story." The Judith Miller case has yet to be resolved, but Judith Miller argues that "if journalists cannot be trusted to guarantee confidentiality, then journalists cannot function and there cannot be a free press."

23.  MORE PROFIT WITH LESS CARBON
       Lovins, Amory
       Scientific American, Vol. 293, No. 3, September 2005, pp. 74-83

The author, co-founder of the Rocky Mountain Institute, notes that the energy sector of the global economy is woefully inefficient. Power plants, buildings, motor vehicles and consumer appliances waste huge amounts of energy, costing the businesses and consumers hundreds of billions of dollars. Lovins notes that if nothing is done, consumption of oil, gas and coal will continue to rise, adding to pollution and climate problems. He believes that improving end-use efficiency would be the best way to save energy, as energy-efficient products cost no more than conventional ones. Improvements in efficiency and use of renewable-energy sources would enable the U.S. to phase out oil use by the middle of the century, saving immense amounts of money.

24.  PUBLIC HEALTH IN TRANSITION
        Bloom, Barry R.
      Scientific American, Vol. 293, No. 3, September 2005, pp. 92-99

Bloom, dean of the Harvard University School of Public Health, explores the epidemiological transition of countries with rapidly expanding economies where chronic diseases are becoming the greatest challenge to health systems. In these countries people are living longer and developing diseases such as obesity, diabetes and heart disease, which occur more typically in developed nations like the United States. Bloom illustrates the economic benefits of using measures to prevent or reduce both infectious and chronic diseases. He notes that although health threats often cross national boundaries, there is no global organization in place to develop and coordinate an integrated response to such threats. A sidebar lists eight recommendations that, if implemented, would have significant impact on health around the world.

25.  SUSTAINING THE VARIETY OF LIFE
        Pimm, Stuart; Jenkins, Clinton
      Scientific American, vol. 293, no. 3, September 2005, pp. 66-73

The authors, conservation ecologists at Duke University, write that the extinction rates of plants and animals today are now about 1000 times higher than the normal geological rate. They have identified 25 "hot spots" around the world -- areas that have lost large numbers of native plants and 70 percent of their vegetative cover -- that should be immediately protected, to preserve the largest number of species at the least cost, as well as the world's three remaining tropical forests.

Regional Security

26.  AFGHANISTAN FOUR YEARS ON: AN ASSESSMENT
        Maloney, Sean M.
       Parameters, vol. 35, no. 3, Autumn 2005, pp. 21-32

The author examines the history and future of American involvement in Afghanistan, noting that the success of the U.S. efforts in Afghanistan hinges upon four elements: the development of the Afghan National Army; institution-building; the European-led International Security Assistance Force; and the American-led Operation Enduring Freedom. These interdependent parts are now working well together and the situation in Afghanistan has progressed to the point where guarded optimism is possible.

27.  A CLASH OF SYSTEMS: AN ANALYTICAL FRAMEWORK TO DEMYSTIFY THE RADICAL ISLAMIST THREAT
       Harvey, Andrew; Sullivan, Ian; Groves, Ralph
      Parameters, Vol. 35, No. 3, Autumn 2005, pp. 72-86

In this article, the authors, all intelligence analysts in various branches of the U.S. armed forces, aim to provide an alternative framework to portray the struggle against Islamist extremism as "a clash of systems, not civilizations." They argue that Samuel Huntington's "clash of civilizations" theory is "the chosen model of radical Islamists, who in turn use it to mobilize support" and that "it is imperative that the wider global war on terror focus on the systemic implications of the struggle, which provides a credible methodology to address and mitigate the root causes that fuel the ideology of extremist Islamism." They believe that if the U.S. is to prevail in the global war on terrorism, it must not allow the situation to devolve into Huntington's "simplistic, apocalyptic version of a clash of civilizations"; instead, we must understand the implications of our global leadership, and "how to use this position to demonstrate to moderates in the Islamic world why they should join us rather than attempt to beat us."

28.  CORRUPTION, GROWTH, AND REFORM: THE CHINESE ENIGMA
        Sun, Yan
       Current History, vol. 104, no. 683, September 2005, pp. 257-263

The author notes that corruption affects most post-socialist societies, including China; however, China has maintained annual growth rates of 8 to 9 percent over the past two decades, by avoiding the most destructive kinds of corruption, kleptocracy and bilateral monopoly. In a kleptocracy, the ruler uses power for material gain; in a bilateral monopoly, the ruler and a few private interests share in the spoils. In post-Mao China, the top leadership has been relatively corruption-free -- but China exemplifies the competitive model of corruption, in which the spoils are shared among multiple officials and private interests. The wide range of offenders and the lack of concentrated "dirty wealth" among the elites demonstrate this. Institutional continuity is the main reason why China has not experienced the levels of corruption of other post-socialist countries; their example has taught the Chinese leadership to be cautious about rapid democratization. In conclusion, Sun writes that the U.S. government could play a positive role in anticorruption reform in China because of its high credibility after prosecuting the Chinese subsidiary of Lucent Technologies for commercial bribery. According to Sun, China also needs to learn from successful Asian examples such as Singapore and Hong Kong.

29.  AN EYE TOWARD TAIWAN
        Kitfield, James
       National Journal, Vol. 37, No. 32, August 6, 2005, pp. 2518-20

Kitfield, defense and foreign affairs correspondent for National Journal, points out that "China's sheer size, superheated economy, and sometimes pushy attempts to carve a place for itself among the great powers would be reason enough for U.S. military planners to cast a wary glance toward the Asian dragon." The author describes several aspects of China's ongoing military modernization, including increased defense spending (estimated at $90 billion, compared to the U.S.'s $417 billion) and the introduction of advanced technologies. He quotes Bates Gill, holder of the Freeman chair in China studies at CSIS, that "China's primary goal is not military domination, but rather domestic development and modernization." He also presents the conclusion of the lead author of a recent Rand report that "to the overriding question of whether China's current military modernization is alarming, we concluded with a cautious 'no.'" Kitfield concludes, however, that the modernization program "appears altogether more alarming when viewed through the narrower prism of a possible war over Taiwan."

30.  THE FALLOUT OF A NUCLEAR NORTH KOREA
        Scobell, Andrew; Chambers, Michael
       Current History, vol. 104, no. 683, September 2005, pp. 289-294

The authors outline Pyongyang's efforts to become a nuclear power. They begin by showing North Korea's history of developing WMDs; North Korea has possessed chemical and biological weapons for at least several decades and they have pursued a nuclear program for almost 50 years. The authors argue that Pyongyang is not doing this to extract economic concessions, but in accord with their ideology of extreme self-reliance; they see nuclear weapons as the way to control their own destiny. The author displays two possible routes that North Korea could take to become a nuclear power. In the first, described as the "striptease" approach, Pyongyang continues to gradually reveal pieces of its nuclear program. This approach is effective because it creates divisions among the countries involved in the multilateral talks -- the U.S. would seek sanctions before the entire program had been revealed, but China and South Korea would resist that request. The other approach would be to simply test a nuclear bomb and end the debate immediately -- but this tactic would not be effective it would immediately unite all the members of the multilateral talks against Pyongyand. The authors conclude that North Korea will probably continue to use their "striptease" approach.

31.  NORTH KOREA: THE WAR GAME
        Stossel, Scott
       Atlantic Monthly, vol. 296, no. 1, July/August 2005, pp. 97-107

Atlantic Monthly magazine convened a North Korea war game that assembled a group of participants with a variety of political viewpoints. There were several major lessons learned during this exercise that should be incorporated into U.S. policy on North Korea. The first lesson is that the North Korean situation will not get better with time, and that the U.S. must act on this urgent situation now. The second lesson of the North Korea war game is that the U.S. should make a concerted effort to negotiate with the North Koreans before any military action is taken. The third lesson is that the transfer of nuclear material to terrorists from the North Koreans is now the biggest danger that we face in this situation.

32.  POST-NUCLEAR STRATEGY
        Blechman, Barry M.
       National Interest, No. 80, Summer 2005, pp. 86-92

Co-founder and chairman of the Henry L. Stimson Center in Washington, DC, Blechman recognizes that although "nuclear weapons are overrated" and represent "no magic talisman" to guarantee survival of a regime, they are nonetheless a "great equalizer in international affairs." He acknowledges the continued threat of Russian and Chinese nuclear arsenals, as well as the present and future threat posed by nations like North Korea and Iran and by extremists. These threats require that the U.S. redouble supply-side restraints such as the Comprehensive Threat Reduction program, strengthen IAEA safeguards, and promote multilateral cooperation. His strongest argument is to reverse the Senate's opposition to the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty and wield it against China, North Korea and others who seek to advance their nuclear weapon designs and capabilities.

33.  THERE ARE NO ALTERNATIVES TO THE "WESTERN" MODEL OF DEMOCRACY
         Alexander, Gerard
        Brown Journal of World Affairs, Vol. 12, no. 1, Summer/Fall 2005, pp. 155-163

The author argues that there are no truly democratic alternatives to the "Western" model of democracy. Several core features of western democracies are the mechanisms that make officeholders accountable to citizens. There is a tradition of thinking that only elections are necessary to achieve accountability. However, elections labeled "democratic" have included ones dominated by a hegemonic ruling party such as the PRI in Mexico. Many governments that hold elections but do not practice other mechanisms for accomplishing accountability are often called "alternatives to Western democracy." However, these governments often end up being authoritarian. In order for elections to actually be free and fair, there must be basic rights such as the freedom of expression and the freedom to access alternative forms of information. These criteria make up the core features of Western democracies. They imply the necessary presence of free political parties, civil liberties, and an independent media. In order to deliver accountability, a large number of core features are indispensable and they are all currently found in "Western" democracies. The mechanisms that support democracies in the West are the same as the mechanisms that ensure governments will represent popular opinion in any country.

34.  TOWARD A REVIVAL OF RELIGION AND RELIGIOUS CLASHES?
        Ellingsen, Tanja
       Terrorism & Political Violence, Vol. 17, No. 3, Spring/Summer 2005, pp. 305-319

The author examines the growth of religious fervor around the world and its influence on military conflicts. Some social scientists believe that, as modernization and globalization progress, there will be a decrease in religiosity around the world and a decrease in conflict; others argue that societies need to see globalization's benefits or they will turn against it because it contributes to the breakdown of local traditions. The author notes that religion is becoming less important in the West than in other parts of the world, notably Africa and the Middle East; however, over fifty percent of the people within the advanced Western democracies still consider or religious issues important to them. Instead of a radical resurgence of religion around the world, the author believes that religion simply continues to play the important role that it always has. The author notes that, although identity conflicts flared up after the Cold War, particularly in Asia and Africa, they have decreased in recent years. Cultural clashes or poverty very likely play an equal part in fueling such conflicts.

35.  TRANSATLANTIC TENSION AND THREAT PERCEPTIO
        Sarotte, Mary
       Naval War College Review, Vol. 58, No. 4, Autumn 2005, pp. 25-37

Sarotte, professor of political science at the University of Cambridge, discusses why Americans and Europeans often "talk past each other" in discussions about security issues. Americans tend to see the primary role of the federal government as defending the nation's territorial integrity (homeland security), whereas Europeans expect much more from their national leaders, such as free (or low-cost) health care and university-level education, national news broadcasting and public transportation. When the U.S. describes the threats that it perceives -- terrorism and the spread of weapons of mass destruction -- it faces a great deal of skepticism due to the failings by U.S. intelligence prior to the Iraq war. For many European political leaders, terrorism is an "old problem," and they feel more threatened by Russia than by WMD in Iraq, Iran, and North Korea. If both sides better understand these perceptual differences, Sarotte notes, they will be better able to deal with each other in the future.

36.  UNDERSTANDING SADDAM
        Eisenstadt, Michael
       National Interest, No. 81, Fall 2005, pp. 117-121

A senior fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy and a former U.S. Army officer involved in planning Operation Iraqi Freedom, Eisenstadt argues that interpreting and understanding Saddam Hussein's intent and motivations are critical to preventing future conflict with Iran, North Korea, or other proliferators. Deception (creating stockpiles of chemical protective gear while lacking the actual chemical warheads) and overconfidence (overestimating his military capabilities in his 1980 invasion of Iran and his 1991 seizure of Kuwait) were definitely part of Saddam's pre-war thinking. The conundrum for policymakers remains "how to convince an insular, isolated leader, captive to entrenched attitudes, and deeply ingrained habits of thought, of the credibility of U.S. threats."

U.S. Society and Values

37.  CONJURER OF WORLDS
        Gener, Randy
       American Theatre, October 2005, pp. 22-24, 144-145

In her plays, as in her life, Lynn Nottage is an intrepid traveler. With a keenly perceptive eye and an unerring ear for dialogue - as well as a healthy appreciation for the unusual, the absurd and the hilariously ironic, she will go anywhere and try just about anything to make the theatrical experience full and rewarding. From Brooklyn to Mozambique, from the French court of Louis XIV to the lonely existence of a lovelorn spinster seamstress, this African-American playwright is a rare talent - a writer who dares to aspire to a panoramic view of the world and manages it engagingly. Intimate Apparel, the play about the seamstress in the early years of the 20th century that has garnered enthusiastic reviews in its early stagings in New York City and elswehere, will be American theater's most produced work during the 2005-1006 national drama season. Crafted with the lyricism, well-made structure and knowing touches of an extraordinarily fine work of period fiction, Intimate Apparel informs and transports audiences in a way that would be second only to the experience itself.

38.  IS THERE LIFE AFTER RANKINGS?
        Diver, Colin
       Atlantic Monthly, vol. 296, no. 4, November 2005, pp. 136-139

Diver, president of Reed College, discusses his experience after opting out of the U.S. News & World Report ranking surveys. Believing that the ranking system undermines the diversity that characterizes institutions of higher education, Reed joined the five percent of colleges and universities that no longer participate in the U.S. News questionnaire. In Reed's opinion, the rankings reinforce the view that education is instrumental only in achieving extrinsic goals such as prestige or wealth, rather than intrinsic rewards, and creates strong incentives to inflate scores by manipulating data or distorting institutional behavior. Not only has the college survived, but it has thrived since shunning the rankings system, while having the freedom "to pursue its own educational philosophy, not that of some newsmagazine," Diver states. "Trying to rank institutions of higher education is a little like trying to rank religions or philosophies. The entire enterprise is flawed, not only in detail, but in conception." Still, there are many guides published each year, such as the six that are compared in an accompanying chart. This article is one of a series of five in this issue of Atlantic Monthly on college admissions.

39.  LEAVING DESIRE: A LETTER FROM NEW ORLEANS
       Anderson, Jon Lee
       New Yorker, September 19, 2005, pp 42-47

The author describes the evacuation from New Orleans of Lionel Petrie, an African-American whose wife, son and daughter had left for Baton Rouge the day before the arrival of Hurricane Katrina. Petrie was alone with his dog on the second story porch of his home surrounded by floodwaters, when he was spotted by the author and a rescuer from California on board a boat, and reluctantly agreed to leave. The author describes New Orleans as Mr. Petrie once knew it; he titled the article "Leaving Desire" because Petrie lived in New Orleans' Ninth Ward, close to the street of that name, reminiscent of the Tennessee Williams play "A Streetcar Named Desire" where Desire was the stop at the end of the line.

40.  LINCOLN'S GREAT DEPRESSION
      Shenk, Joshua Wolf
      Atlantic Monthly, vol. 296, no. 3, October 2005, pp. 52-68

Abraham Lincoln's melancholy demeanor was familiar to everyone who knew him; he suffered throughout his life from what would now be called clinical depression, experiencing several major depressive attacks in his twenties and thirties, and frequently talking about suicide. Much new insight has been gained in recent years on Lincoln's life by researchers studying previously-ignored reminiscences of people who knew him. Despite his foreboding outlook on life, he was becoming an increasingly successful lawyer and politician. The author notes that if Lincoln were alive today, he would be considered as having a "character flaw", but in the nineteenth century, gloom was associated with genius -- a "fearful gift" with the capacity for depth and wisdom. Shenk notes that Lincoln's lifelong struggle to come to grips with his depression provided him with vital skills in confronting adversity, and with insight and conviction that made him a spellbinding public speaker. The greatness that Lincoln achieved in abolishing slavery and guiding the country through the chaos of the Civil War was not by overcoming his depression. Shenk writes that Lincoln's story is "not of transformation but integration ... his melancholy was all the more fuel for the fire of his great work."

41.  A NEW DAY IN IRAN?
        Molavi, Afshin
       Smithsonian, vol. 35, no. 12, March 2005, pp. 54-63

Despite the anti-American sentiment emanating from official circles in Tehran, the author notes that there is widespread admiration of America among young Iranians. In this travelogue through Iran, Molavi notes that while there is a strong sentiment of national pride, ordinary Iranians are becoming fed up with the involvement of Muslim clerics in government. Iranian young people -- those under the age of 30 constitute two-thirds of the population -- are growing increasingly restive with the strictures of the Islamic regime.

42.  PRESENCE OF MIND: PEOPLE'S CHOICE
        Brands, H.W.
       Smithsonian, vol. 36, no. 7, October 2005, pp. 106-115 

Adapted from Brands' new biography ANDREW JACKSON: HIS LIFE AND TIMES, this article contrasts the views of Jackson and John Quincy Adams, who "bracketed American opinion regarding the most important political development of their era, the emergence of democracy." Throughout his political career, Adams worked to keep power out of the hands of the "unlettered and incompetent" whom he felt were not fit to govern themselves, while Jackson had fought for the people's right to direct their own affairs. Immediately before Jackson was to leave for Washington to assume the Presidency in 1829, his wife Rachel died, succumbing to the strain caused by a vitriolic Presidential campaign. Jackson blamed the partisans of Adams for her death. As he set off to take the oath of office "with the memory of Rachel in his heart and the cause of the people in his mind," Jackson was the embodiment of the strengths and weaknesses of the American people who had for the first time elected one of their own.

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