VOL. XLV

No 5

4 February 2002

The Political Scene

Thenext stage of the Americans war on terror is to focus on what President GeorgeBush described as an axis of evil grouping North Korea, Iraq and Iran.Uncritical and seemingly open-ended US support for Israel in its currentconfrontation with the Palestinians is encouraging Israeli maximalists andembarrassing Washingtons Arab allies. Iraq is seeking to mend its fences withits neighbors and consolidate international opposition to any American...