Will Iraq's Diverse Borders Sustain a Democracy?

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Established at the end of World War I, the secular Muslim nation of Iraq is composed of Shiites, Sunnis, Kurds and assorted minorities. It has been ruled, in violent succession, by the British, a monarchy, the Socialist Baath Party, and Saddam Hussein. Though President Bush has stated that, whatever happens at the UN, the US has no intention of determining the nature of Iraq-s new government, the Pentagon and State Department have very different ideas. Many Iraqis do, too. Presuming there will be war and regime change, how does the Bush administration plan on keeping Iraq together? We engage journalists from the US and Turkey, a former minister of the Kurdish government in northern Iraq, and Middle East specialist Fouad Ajami in a discussion about the possible future of a diverse country with no democratic tradition. Making News: President Bush Unveils New Medicare Plan Reform of Medicare was a major goal of last month-s State of the Union speech. Today, President Bush outlined what he has in mind, but has left the details up to the Congress. Vicki Kemper, who reports from Washington for the Los Angeles Times, is following the President-s plan for modernizing Medicare, increasing prescription drug coverage and moving seniors into private managed care plans. Reporter's Notebook: Israel Offers Protection to Migrant Workers After the military re-occupation of the West Bank and Gaza, human rights groups argued that Israel is responsible for the Palestinians who live there. During the Gulf War, Israel issued gas masks to the territory-s 3 million Palestinians. Now, it-s making gas masks available to its guest workers from Asia, Eastern Europe and West Africa. The Miami Herald-s Carol Rosenberg reports on the policy change decided by Israel-s high court.
Established at the end of World War I, the secular Muslim nation of Iraq is composed of Shiites, Sunnis, Kurds and assorted minorities. It has been ruled, in violent succession, by the British, a monarchy, the Socialist Baath Party, and Saddam Hussein. Though President Bush has stated that, whatever happens at the UN, the US has no intention of determining the nature of Iraq-s new government, the Pentagon and State Department have very different ideas. Many Iraqis do, too. Presuming there will be war and regime change, how does the Bush administration plan on keeping Iraq together? We engage journalists from the US and Turkey, a former minister of the Kurdish government in northern Iraq, and Middle East specialist Fouad Ajami in a discussion about the possible future of a diverse country with no democratic tradition.
  • Making News: President Bush Unveils New Medicare Plan
    Reform of Medicare was a major goal of last month-s State of the Union speech. Today, President Bush outlined what he has in mind, but has left the details up to the Congress. Vicki Kemper, who reports from Washington for the Los Angeles Times, is following the President-s plan for modernizing Medicare, increasing prescription drug coverage and moving seniors into private managed care plans.
  • Reporter's Notebook: Israel Offers Protection to Migrant Workers
    After the military re-occupation of the West Bank and Gaza, human rights groups argued that Israel is responsible for the Palestinians who live there. During the Gulf War, Israel issued gas masks to the territory-s 3 million Palestinians. Now, it-s making gas masks available to its guest workers from Asia, Eastern Europe and West Africa. The Miami Herald-s Carol Rosenberg reports on the policy change decided by Israel-s high court.

Medicare

State of the Union Address

President Bush-s Framework to Modernize and Improve Medicare

Credits

Host:

Warren Olney