VOL. XLIV

No 49

3 December 2001

The Political Scene

Mediaspeculation and statements by hawkish US officials concerning possible militaryaction against Iraq have elicited a negative reaction from Arabs and Europeansalike. More significantly, developments on the sanctions front at the UNsuggest that, unless fresh and convincing evidence of Iraqi involvement in the11 September attacks emerges, the question of what to do about Iraq may beshelved for the next six months. Elsewhere, Amnesty...