U.S. War Planners Split - Visionaries, Internationalists and Pragmatists

Pacific News Service, Commentary, Franz Schurmann, Mar 14, 2003

As America lies on the brink of war, within the Bush administration three competing factions battle over how to govern Iraq after military victory.

Fear and Doomsday Visions Fuel Anti-War Demonstrations

Pacific News Service, Commentary, Franz Schurmann, Feb 21, 2003

Visions of a final conflict, and of redemption of a decadent West, have haunted Mesopotamia before, and swirl around questions of war with Iraq today. But history also shows that when faced with doomsday, leaders can pull back from the brink.

Behind a Game of Make-Believe, U.S. Oil Plan Looks to Sudan, Libya, Chad

Pacific News Service, Commentary, Franz Schurmann, Jan 24, 2003

With peace moves one day and war noises the next, the Bush administration seems to have turned foreign affairs into a game of make-believe.

Turkey - A New Best Friend for Arab States?

Pacific News Service, Commentary, Franz Schurmann, Jan 21, 2003

The new, moderate Islamic party in power in Turkey may give Arabs a choice other than President Bush's "you're with us or against us" and Osama bin Laden's war against the West. But a bloody, prolonged war in Iraq could change that.

U.S. Forced North Korea's Hand

Pacific News Service, Commentary, Gavan McCormack, Jan 13, 2003

It was the United States which first voided a Geneva agreement to keep nuclear weapons capability out of North Korean hands. Now North Korea is speaking the only language Washington seems to recognize -- that of military might.

Bush May Win in Iraq No Matter What

Pacific News Service, Commentary, Franz Schurmann, Jan 10, 2003

Arab states that initially opposed a regime change in Iraq now say "wait and see," and the difference likely involves expectation of U.S. steps to break the violent stalemate between Israelis and Palestinians.

Emergency Powers - The New Paradigm in Democratic America

Pacific News Service, Franz Schurmann, Dec 23, 2002

France's leading newspaper Le Monde has just published a major article warning of the growing use of emergency powers in democratic countries.

Are Other Empires Resisting America or Our Emperor George?

New California Media, Franz Schurmann, Dec 12, 2002

Recently the Russian daily Pravda posed a question: "Russia-China-India! Is the idea of an ‘anti-hegemonic triangle’ viable?" A further translation read: "Can or should Russia, China and India seek to contain solo-superpower America?"

“A Blade of Grass” - On the 10th Chinese Diaspora Conference

New California Media, Franz Schurmann, Dec 05, 2002

Two professors of Asian-American Studies at U.C. Berkeley organized a recent conference on the literature of Chinese Overseas.