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Archive for the 'Culture' Category

Iraq: The right idea after all

Thursday, March 11th, 2010

WASHINGTON — “Bush was right” is not a view frequently expressed in the New York Times.  But, there it was, in Thomas Friedman’s March 10 column:  “Former President George W. Bush’s gut instinct that this region craved and needed democracy was always right.”

Friedman was referring to … Continue Reading…

How Much Force? Building Consensus on the Conduct of War

Thursday, February 4th, 2010

WASHINGTON — Israel last week submitted its response to the UN’s Goldstone Report.  That report investigated the conduct of Israel and Hamas during the Gaza war in January 2009, accusing both sides of war crimes.  It recommended resorting to the International Criminal Court if the sides failed to investigate the … Continue Reading…

French government versus the burqa: Arguments for secularism wearing thin

Wednesday, January 27th, 2010

WASHINGTON — In the early 2000s, the issue of Muslim schoolgirls, teachers, and civil servants wearing headscarves in public institutions and schools was a heated national debate in France and a source of discussion and controversy around the world. In 2009, President Nicholas Sarkozy rekindled the flames of that debate … Continue Reading…

Swiss minarets, as seen from Turkey

Friday, December 11th, 2009

ANKARA — In Turkey, the Swiss referendum banning the building of new minarets is perceived as just another example of Islamophobia and discrimination against Muslims.  Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said: “This decision is primitive, outdated, and manifestation of a Western understanding.” Warning that this decision rings alarm bells, Foreign … Continue Reading…

Minaret ban reflects Europeans’ confusion about their secular identity

Friday, December 11th, 2009

WASHINGTON — Recent news story:  a religious minority seeks to construct a building to conform with its faith and architectural traditions.  The majority, of a different faith, denies permission.  Sounds like Switzerland?  In fact, this story comes from the other side of the Atlantic.  Amish residents of Morristown, New York, … Continue Reading…

World Focus hosts Thomas Kleine-Brockhoff to hear his first hand account of the fall of the Berlin Wall

Tuesday, November 10th, 2009

For decades, the Berlin Wall stood as the symbol of the Cold War. Built in 1961, it was the line in the sand where western democracy ended and communist rule began. … Continue Reading…

November 9

Thursday, November 5th, 2009

Here at GMF we are celebrating November 9 with a weekly multimedia series called My ‘89. (Be sure to check out the first installment with Thomas Kleine-Brockhoff telling the fascinating story of an escape from Hungary.) In that “My ‘89″ spirit, our friends over at the World … Continue Reading…

World Focus interviews GMF’s Delancy Gustin on prejudice towards Muslims in Europe

Wednesday, October 28th, 2009

In light of the highly-publicized murder of a pregnant Egyptian woman in Germany, GMF Program Associate Delancy Gustin discusses Muslim integration in France, Germany and the United Kingdom with Daljit Dhaliwal.

Pittsburgh and the G-20

Monday, September 21st, 2009

U.S. President Barack Obama and leaders of the rest of the G-20 won’t arrive in Pittsburgh for the summit until Thursday, but there’s plenty of excitement in the air already. A flurry of last-minute road resurfacing projects wrapped up over the weekend. The first protest marches on Sunday went off … Continue Reading…

MSNBC’s Morning Joe hosts Karen Donfried to discuss Transatlantic Trends survey results

Wednesday, September 9th, 2009

GMF Vice President Karen Donfried appeared on MSNBC’s Morning Joe to discuss the recently released Transatlantic Trends survey and what it could indicate about the future of the European-American relationship.

Visit msnbc.com … Continue Reading…