To the Point
Democratic Elections with Anti-Western Results
With 11 million Iraqis eligible to vote in today-s election, Iraqi officials claim the results will demonstrate unified support for the regime of Saddam Hussein. Though President Bush has praised Iraq-s potential to become a model Democracy for the rest of the Arab world, it-s unlikely the results will be those that America wants. In Pakistan, newly elected parties want the US to go home so they can create an Islamic state. In the Balkans, Serb, Croat and Muslim voters have rejected pluralism in favor of ethnic disengagement. We consider whether America-s hope of spreading Democracy is a -grand vision- or a -dangerous fantasy, and look at election results in Pakistan and the Balkans, with members of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, the Council on Foreign Relations, former ambassador Peter Galbraith, a key player in forging the agreements that brought an end to hostilities in the former Yugoslavia. Newsmaker: Illinois Clemency Hearings for Death Row Inmates In what could be the most extensive review of capital punishment in American history, clemency hearings are underway for at least 140 of Illinois- 160 death row inmates. Steve Mills, who is covering the hearings for the Chicago Tribune, traces the history of the state-s application of the death penalty, the reasons for the current review, and the possibility of a blanket clemency. Reporter-s Notebook: Australia Mourns Victims of Bali Terrorist Bombing Its relations with Indonesia have often been troubled, especially after Australia supported independence for East Timor. Yet, even after last October-s travel advisory, the one Indonesian destination Aussies always considered safe was the Hindu island of Bali. Tom Allard, of the Sydney Morning Herald, reports that there is shock, anger and dismay over the terrorist bombing in Bali, the worst peace-time disaster in Australian history.
By Warren Olney • • 1 min readWith 11 million Iraqis eligible to vote in today-s election, Iraqi officials claim the results will demonstrate unified support for the regime of Saddam Hussein. Though President Bush has praised Iraq-s potential to become a model Democracy for the rest of the Arab world, it-s unlikely the results will be those that America wants. In Pakistan, newly elected parties want the US to go home so they can create an Islamic state. In the Balkans, Serb, Croat and Muslim voters have rejected pluralism in favor of ethnic disengagement. We consider whether America-s hope of spreading Democracy is a -grand vision- or a -dangerous fantasy, and look at election results in Pakistan and the Balkans, with members of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, the Council on Foreign Relations, former ambassador Peter Galbraith, a key player in forging the agreements that brought an end to hostilities in the former Yugoslavia.
Illinois Clemency Hearings for Death Row Inmates
In what could be the most extensive review of capital punishment in American history, clemency hearings are underway for at least 140 of Illinois- 160 death row inmates. Steve Mills, who is covering the hearings for the Chicago Tribune, traces the history of the state-s application of the death penalty, the reasons for the current review, and the possibility of a blanket clemency.
Australia Mourns Victims of Bali Terrorist Bombing
Its relations with Indonesia have often been troubled, especially after Australia supported independence for East Timor. Yet, even after last October-s travel advisory, the one Indonesian destination Aussies always considered safe was the Hindu island of Bali. Tom Allard, of the Sydney Morning Herald, reports that there is shock, anger and dismay over the terrorist bombing in Bali, the worst peace-time disaster in Australian history.