To the Point

Iraq's Neighbors

Iraq-s Arab and Muslim neighbors may not like Saddam Hussein, but they-re not publicly warming up to -regime change- by military invasion. Spreading regional violence and chaos are major fears, as are democracy and the Arab -modernization- predicted by Bush-administration optimists. Now, as the world-s only superpower has made clear its intent, serious closed-door diplomacy, that will also address refugees, Islamic extremists and Iraqi oil, is underway. We hear about the conflicting interests of Iraq-s Arab neighbors as well as those of Turkey, Israel and Iran, from former Ambassador Edward Walker, the director of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Middle East specialist Fouad Ajami, and the New Republic-s Yossi Klein Halevi. Newsmaker: Blue Ribbon Panel to Issue Recommendations on Soaring Executive Compensation Jack Welch of GE is the latest business leader whose glossy reputation has been tarnished by revelations about his retirement package. Today, The Conference Board has announced new reforms in executive compensation, designed to prevent corporate officers from enriching themselves at shareholders' expense. Andrew Hill, US business editor for the Financial Times, has details. Reporter's Notebook: How Latino Immigrants View US Foreign Policy The New York Times calls the novelist Victor Villase-or -a cherished figure among Mexican-Americans-whose dog-eared books are read by several generations of a family at the same time.- His Rain of Gold was a best seller. His award-winning Thirteen Senses is just out in paper. Villase-or talks about immigrant assimilation, Independence Day and how Latino immigrants View US foreign policy.