G8/G7 and Global Governance

By Tom Barry, October 12, 2005

At the center of the current debate of global governance is the G8/G7, a self-constituted forum of the major free-market democracies, whose deliberations and declarations have come to shape key decisions in the management of global political and economic affairs.

Overcoming the Legacy of the Vietnam War

By Andrew Wells-Dang, October 12, 2005

Twenty-five years after the end of the Vietnam War, the U.S. still treats Vietnam with a double standard; the July 2000 signing of a bilateral trade agreement is one step toward a balanced policy.

Sharing–and Reducing–the Military Burden

By Miriam Pemberton, October 11, 2005

The U.S., alone among its major allies, is planning substantial increases in military spending, despite its overwhelming worldwide military dominance.

The War Between Ethiopia and Eritrea

By Patrick Gilkes, October 11, 2005

Despite claims to the contrary, Ethiopia and Eritrea have been fighting not over a border but over rival hegemonic claims in the Horn of Africa and over "national pride" and "territorial integrity."

U.S. Policy Regarding Burma

By Phil Robertson, October 11, 2005

Ruled by a series of harsh military regimes since 1962, Burma serves as a test case for U.S. policy on several fronts: human rights; a growing worldwide heroin epidemic; the role of U.S. state and local governments in relation to international trade policy and practice; forced labor, international labor standards, and the new prominence of the International Labor Organization (ILO) in the era of globalization; and the role of multinational corporations in supporting dictatorships.

UN Peacekeeping: An Uncertain Future

By Michael Renner, October 11, 2005

United Nations peacekeeping is yet again at a crossroads: it may finally succeed in establishing itself as the preeminent force for conflict prevention and peace, or it could continue operating with a severe mismatch of mandates and resources.

Greening the Bretton Woods Institutions

By Carol Welch and Andrea Durbin, October 11, 2005

The Bretton Woods Institutions (BWIs)—the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF)—have come under increased scrutiny and criticism over the past several years.

Cold War Military Relics: Why Congress Funds Them

By Thomas Cardamone, October 11, 2005

The Pentagon, arms manufacturers, and lobbyists push Congress to fund many outmoded weapons systems that were designed to fight a superpower foe.

IMF: Reform, Downsize, or Abolish

By Sarah Anderson, October 11, 2005

The Meltzer Commission Report, combined with street protests, has intensified the debate sparked by the IMF’s handling of the global financial crisis.

Women in the Middle East

By As’ad AbuKhalil, October 11, 2005

Although there is no gender equality in the Middle East (including in Israel), the phenomena of sexism and misogyny are global—not peculiar to Islam, or to the Middle East.

Reports