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Back to To the Point

To the Point

Is East Africa Newest Front in the War on Terror?

In the four years since terrorists bombed US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, the region of East Africa has become increasingly distressed. Poverty and corruption have produced a lawless environment for criminals who cross porous borders with impunity. Even before last week-s attacks in Mombassa, President Bush was scheduled to meet with the leaders of Kenya and Ethiopia. Still, those strikes at Israeli interests in Kenya have dramatized the importance of East Africa to the war on terror. We assess the risks to Western interests in that region and the prospects for increased security with a news correspondent in Nairobi, a National Security officer from the Clinton White House, a former director of East African affairs for the State Department and the head of the Centre for the Study of Terrorism and Political Violence at St. Andrews University. Newsmaker: Saudi Arabia's Anti-Terror Campaign Despite Saudi Arabia-s declaration that it is trying to stop the flow of money to Islamic terrorists through charitable organizations, Newsweek magazine reports that money from Princess Haifa may have reached people who helped the September 11 skyjackers. Reporter Michael Isikoff, who co-wrote that story, investigated the conduit that allegedly involves the royal family, government agents and al Qaeda terrorists. Reporter-s Notebook: Early Reviews Not Good for Presidential Hopeful Kerry This week on Meet the Press, Senator John Kerry announced that he-s thinking about announcing his candidacy for President. The Massachusetts Democratic says that, -on almost every issue-there-s a better choice for the nation- than President Bush. After hearing Kerry-s preliminary announcement on the NBC roundtable, Washington Post media critic Howard Kurtz concludes that in presidential politics, issues may count for less than personality.

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By Warren Olney • Dec 3, 2002 • 1 min read

In the four years since terrorists bombed US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, the region of East Africa has become increasingly distressed. Poverty and corruption have produced a lawless environment for criminals who cross porous borders with impunity. Even before last week-s attacks in Mombassa, President Bush was scheduled to meet with the leaders of Kenya and Ethiopia. Still, those strikes at Israeli interests in Kenya have dramatized the importance of East Africa to the war on terror. We assess the risks to Western interests in that region and the prospects for increased security with a news correspondent in Nairobi, a National Security officer from the Clinton White House, a former director of East African affairs for the State Department and the head of the Centre for the Study of Terrorism and Political Violence at St. Andrews University.

  • Newsmaker:

    Saudi Arabia's Anti-Terror Campaign

    Despite Saudi Arabia-s declaration that it is trying to stop the flow of money to Islamic terrorists through charitable organizations, Newsweek magazine reports that money from Princess Haifa may have reached people who helped the September 11 skyjackers. Reporter Michael Isikoff, who co-wrote that story, investigated the conduit that allegedly involves the royal family, government agents and al Qaeda terrorists.

  • Reporter-s Notebook:

    Early Reviews Not Good for Presidential Hopeful Kerry

    This week on

    Meet the Press, Senator John Kerry announced that he-s thinking about announcing his candidacy for President. The Massachusetts Democratic says that, -on almost every issue-there-s a better choice for the nation- than President Bush. After hearing Kerry-s preliminary announcement on the NBC roundtable, Washington Post media critic Howard Kurtz concludes that in presidential politics, issues may count for less than personality.

National Geographic map of Africa

Senator John Kerry

Sen. Kerry on Meet the Press

  • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

    Warren Olney

    former KCRW broadcaster

    NewsNationalPolitics
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