Politics

The Case of "Serkan A."

Law and Order Populism

An attack in the Munich subway, says Robert Misik, has led to a discussion which shows how the issue of youth criminality in Germany is turning into a debate about ethnicity
Pakistan after the Assassination of Benazir Bhutto

Musharraf Is Abusing the "War on Terror"

Since September 11, Pakistan's President Musharraf has been considered one of the USA's most important allies in the war on international terrorism. According to Thomas Bärthlein, the reality is very different: Musharraf is in fact bringing the struggle into disrepute
Islam in Germany

Alevi Muslims Enraged by Incest Link in German TV Show

Around 20,000 Alevi Muslims rallied Sunday, Dec 30 in the western city of Cologne against a public television detective show whose storyline featured a plot involving incest within an Alevi family. Ole Tange reports
America's War on Terror

What Went Wrong?

The failure of the United States's global policy since 9/11 can be measured in the chasm between the dreams of 2001 and the reality of 2007. A stock of six years of "war on terror"
By Paul Rogers
9/11 Anniversary

The Wrong Strategy against Terror

Four years after 9/11 and the declaration of the "War on Terror" militant Islamism is not on the retreat, and the US have since fulfilled the cliché of the merciless superpower, fuelling further anti-Western sentiment. Peter Philipp comments
Assassination of Benazir Bhutto

Democracy in Pakistan Needs Western Support

The tragic assassination of opposition leader Benazir Bhutto highlights the central crisis of Pakistani society: Democratic change in the country still needs the support of the West, says Thomas Bärthlein
EU Accession Talks

Membership Process under Pressure

This week two new chapters in Turkey's EU membership negotiations were opened, but with the French taking over presidency of the EU for the second half of the year resistance to Turkey's entry looks set to increase in 2008. Daniela Schröder has the details
Europe and Human Rights

Sarkozy's Devalued "Diplomacy of Values"

During last year's presidential campaign, Nicolas Sarkozy made a lot of noise about the new course he intended to steer; a course based on a "diplomacy of values". Since his election, however, the credibility of his concept has been eroded by a series of events. A commentary by Michaela Wiegel
The Saudi Arabian Legal System

Firm Alliance between Rulers and Scholars

When a woman who had been raped was sentenced to imprisonment and strokes of the lash in Saudi Arabia in November, the Saudi leadership found itself confronted with a wave of criticism. But how realistic are demands for reform? The Islam scholar Guido Steinberg examines the Saudi legal system
Political Repression in Tunisia

Twenty Years of Suffering

Tunisia's President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali came to power on the back of a coup d'état twenty years ago. While the people of Tunisia are relatively well off in economic terms, they have absolutely no political rights.
By Mohammed Abbou
Afghanistan

The Resurgence of the Neo-Taliban

A potent mix of ideology, ethnicity, strategy and social discontent fuels intensifying insurgency in Afghanistan.
By Antonio Giustozzi
Israeli Magazine on Palestinian Trauma

The Nakba in Hebrew

The first magazine published by Jewish Israelis to focus solely on the Palestinian Nakba has recently come out in Israel. Granted an enthusiastic reaction from left-wing liberals, it has so far been ignored by the right wing. Joseph Croitoru reports