September 2006

In This Issue

• Nuclear Issues of the 21st Century
• Michael Schiffer: UN Should Act on Burma
• Ask the Expert: Energy Security in Asia
• The US Role in Oil-for-Food
• UN Peacekeeping Force in Lebanon

Features

Nuclear Issues of the 21st Century. To effectively deal with nuclear issues including nuclear weapons, nuclear energy, and nonproliferation, there must be a widely accepted set of multilateral rules and norms that can be effectively implemented, concludes a report on the Stanley Foundation's 41st Conference on the United Nations of the Next Decade.

http://vps.stanleyfoundation.org/articles/2006think09_unnd.php

Michael Schiffer: UN Should Act on Burma. An opinion piece by Michael Schiffer titled "The Crisis That Is Burma" was recently published in The Washington Times. Burma represents a key test of international cooperation, and how the United Nations responds to the challenge is a critical question for the international community," Schiffer writes.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/op-ed/20060829-091621-8212r.htm

Ask the Expert: Energy Security in Asia. For the United States, Japan, and China, growing competition over finite natural resources such as oil, coal, and natural gas add stress to already complex relationships, forcing all three to manage the balance of power in the Pacific Rim all the more carefully, writes Michael Schiffer, answering a reader's question about energy issues in Asia.

http://vps.stanleyfoundation.org/articles/2006think09_questions.php

Beyond the Headlines

The US Role in Oil-for-Food. Though the United Nations has been harshly criticized as a corrupt and useless organization, especially in the wake of the Oil-for-Food scandal, it is important to remember that the global organization is only as effective as its individual member countries allow it to be. It is also worth noting that the United States was not exempt from responsibility in the scandal.

http://vps.stanleyfoundation.org/articles/2006think09_oilforfood.php

UN Peacekeeping Force in Lebanon. Attempts to gather 15,000 members for an expanded UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon are facing difficulties as all sides lay out their demands for its composition. European Union leaders hope their countries will contribute at least half of the forces, yet European states have been reluctant to make firm commitments without clearer guidelines and expectations. Israeli leaders support heavy European involvement to balance offers of troops from Muslim countries, as they have stated they will refuse involvement from countries with whom they do not have diplomatic relations. In Lebanon, President Lahoud wants to reject troops from nations with military ties to Israel and hopes for a balanced force so that no one country takes control of operations.

Blog of the Month

Democracy Arsenal is a blog that features a multitude of views on critical US foreign policy issues. Established by the Center for American Progress and the Century Foundation's Security and Peace Initiative, the blog has recently featured input from Stanley Foundation program officers.

Stay Active

The Stanley Foundation is sponsoring local showings of Control Room, a documentary detailing Al Jazeera's coverage of the Iraq war and its relationship with US officials and other media outlets. If you would like your organization to show the film, find out how by contacting us.

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