Cheryl Benard.
RAND. 2003, Web-posted March 18, 2004.
The United States, the modern industrialized
world, and indeed the international community as a whole would
prefer an Islamic world that is compatible with the rest of
the system: democratic, economically viable, politically stable,
socially progressive, and follows the rules and norms of international
conduct. They also want to prevent a "clash of civilizations"
in all of its possible variants-from increased domestic unrest
caused by conflicts between Muslim minorities and "native" populations
in the West to increased militancy across the Muslim world and
its consequences, instability and terrorism.
In the face of Islam's own internal struggles,
it is not easy for Western observers to see who they should
support and how. This report provides detailed descriptions
of subgroups, their stands on various issues, and what those
stands may mean for the West. Since the outcomes can matter
greatly to international community, that community might wish
to influence them by providing support to appropriate actors.
The author recommends a mixed approach of providing specific
types of support to those who can influence the outcomes in
desirable ways.
Cheryl
Benard. RAND. 2003, Web-posted March 18, 2004.
Attacks on the Press in 2003 documents
instances of media repression in 95 countries, including assassination,
assault, imprisonment, censorship, and legal harassment. In
documenting these attacks, CPJ notes the following facts:
* The 2003 toll of 36 killed journalists
is a sharp increase from 2002, when 19 journalists were killed
because of their work. The war in Iraq was the primary reason
for the increase, with 13 journalists, more than one-third of
this year's casualties, killed in hostile actions there;
* For the second year in a row, 136 journalists
were imprisoned worldwide for their work. China was the world's
leading jailer of journalists for the fifth year in a row, with
a total of 39 journalists behind bars, followed by Cuba, where
a massive crackdown on the independent press led to the arrest
and imprisonment of 29 journalists.
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