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NONE OF THE NIGHTMARE SCENARIOS predicted to follow the invasion of Iraq came to pass. Instead of an Iraqi use of chemical weapons against either concentrated troop formations or Israel, [...]

In an otherwise barren tourist period, the Dan Panorama Hotel in Israeli West Jerusalem was bustling with American and Russian high-school and college students. A group of wealthy benefactors had [...]

Discusses why the U.S. military had no plans for post-war Iraq. Details of the Iraqi war in 2003; Damage caused by the war in Iraq; Lack of realistic preparation for post-war governance in Iraq.

Within its Handbook on Voluntary Repatriation, UNHCR recognizes its potential role in an UN-sponsored political settlement. However, it emphasizes repatriation following the conclusion of a settlement process, and not — as in the case of the Western Sahara — repatriation as a stage necessary for the completion of a peace process. Whereas the last decade has seen UNHCR play a role in ‘collapsed states’, the situation in the Moroccan-controlled Western Sahara reflects the opposite: an excessive rather than absent authority, whether legitimate or not. The strength of the Moroccan security presence coupled with the failure of the government to grant MINURSO or UNHCR freedom of access and movement continuously impedes program planning and questions the viability of any future monitoring presence. MINURSO has been mandated with the creation of conditions conducive for return and for the holding of a ‘free and fair’ referendum. Under the current circumstances, the ability of the operation to dictate such an environment is slim. The further contradictions in UNHCR's policies outlined below only further heighten these dangers. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]