May/June 2008

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Japan Opens the Way for Military Use of Outer Space

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The Different Roles of Arab Women in Conflicts

Iraqi women face a bleak future. A recent survey by the BBC shows that the status of women in Iraq has deteriorated significantly since the March 2003 U.S.-led invasion. It reports more violence against women and fewer feelings of security and optimism. Similarly, Newsweek reports that the return of local religious leadership has translated into fear and violence against women, by those claiming to protect them. Human Rights Watch also reports sharp increases in the amount of sexual violence against women.

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Renewed Rebel Offensive in Chad: An Analysis

Only four months after Chadian rebels attacked and briefly occupied the capital city of N’Djamena, hostilities renewed in the east of Chad on June 11th. Over a one-week period the National Alliance (NA) rebellion, a conglomeration of three rebel groups, quickly captured towns of strategic importance along the route to the capital. The rapid progress of the rebel armies led to a tense environment in N’Djamena, where U.N. and Western forces were contemplating evacuation.