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Is Iraq Helping or Hurting the War on Terror? Sep 27, 2006

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Republicans and Democrats find different messages in the National Intelligence Estimate partly declassified by President Bush. What does it say about the war in Iraq and the war on terror? What are the implications for the November elections? Does the Estimate provide any guidance for what to do next in Iraq? Also, the bullish stock market, and the cancellation of a work by Mozart by Berlin’s German Opera company. Is fear of Islamic extremism curtailing free speech?

Are America's Elections Free and Fair? Sep 26, 2006

Show notes

Six years after the presidential debacle in Florida, there still is no national system to oversee federal elections. Will electronic voting machines provide accurate vote counts? What about technical snafus, ill-trained poll workers and partisan manipulation? Plus, President Bush declassifies an intelligence report on terrorism and, after months of dire predictions that it would never happen, the price of gasoline is declining. Is it politics, the market or both?

Israel, the Palestinians and Anti-Americanism in the Muslim World Sep 25, 2006

Show notes

Despite last week’s promise by President Mahmoud Abbas at the UN, there appears to be no “unity government” yet in the Palestinian territories. We update the internal disputes there and in Israel after the bombing of Lebanon. Can the US still be an “honest broker?” Would progress reduce anti-Americanism around the world? Plus, the Pope appeals to Muslims to work with Christians and Jews toward peace, and the New Orleans Superdome is back in business.

The US and Pakistan in the War on Terror Sep 22, 2006

Show notes

The US and Pakistan, a shaky alliance in the war on terrorism. What can be expected from a leader caught between the push for modernization and Islamic extremism? Plus, President Bush and GOP Senators strike a deal on detainee interrogations, and recruiting Christian children for God's Army.

Are America's Vegetables as Safe as They Should Be? Sep 21, 2006

Show notes

In the latest E.coli outbreak, a bag of contaminated spinach has been traced to California’s Salinas Valley. It’s the ninth such incident in the past 11 years. Why do such outbreaks occur? Who’s in charge of protecting consumers? Would changes in farming and distribution make for greater food safety? Plus, political fireworks in the General Assembly and the future of the UN.

Prisoner Interrogations in the War on Terror Sep 20, 2006

Show notes

Republican Senators are still resisting President Bush's demand to "clarify" the Geneva Conventions so the CIA can be tough on prisoners in the war on terror. What does he mean by "alternative interrogation techniques?" How are they different from torture?

The Politics of Fear in an Election Year Sep 18, 2006

Show notes

National security has been a Republican issue, but this year the Democrats are using it too. They're focusing on the war in Iraq, while the Republicans are talking "terror" and "Islamo-fascism." We look at the different language used by each party to generate anger and fear.

Can Billionaire Philanthropists Change the World? Sep 15, 2006

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A growing number of America's richest private foundations are challenging hunger, poverty and global warming. Is it a "golden age of philanthropy" or a "tournament of billionaires?" Can they avoid the mistakes of the previous Green Revolution? Can philanthropy make a profit?

Can NATO Hold Off the Taliban in Afghanistan? Sep 14, 2006

Show notes

In Afghanistan, the resurgent Taliban have learned new tactics from Iraqi insurgents. One thousand new troops from Poland won’t increase NATO forces until next year.

Tuesday's Primaries and a Look toward November Sep 13, 2006

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Are American voters ready for a shift of political power?

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