Other Magazines

Force First!

What we should have done in Darfur.

New Republic, May 15 In an issue devoted to Darfur, an editorial decries the genocide—and the attempts not being made to stop it—and advocates the use of force as a first-resort response. “This elementary characteristic of genocide—the requirement that the only acceptable response is an immediate and uncompromising response or else we, too, will be complicit in the crime—should have been obvious after the inhumane ditherings, the wrenchingly slow awakenings to conscience, of the ‘90s.” Samantha Power * finds that, because we are so mired in the Iraq conflict, the U.S. could not send troops to Darfur even if it were willing to. The key to ending the conflict, she writes, is for the administration to coax a reluctant band of peacekeepers together to replace the African Union forces with U.N. ones. An article writes that if the janjaweed are successful, they will have eradicated the highly developed agricultural lifestyle specific to Darfur, rendering the survivors of the conflict unable to rebuild their communities. “And yet, the fact that there are no good outcomes for Darfur does not absolve the West of the obligation to seek better outcomes,” the author writes.— S.S.  

Sports Illustrated, May 8 An article reports on the cataclysmic possibility of a “Hallway Series” in the NBA playoffs between the Los Angeles Lakers and Clippers, who share the Staples Center venue. “[O]ne franchise has given its fans Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and titles in groups of three while the other has served up Benoit Benjamin and a play-off history that takes up a half page in the media guide,” the writer explains, so the Clippers might get a prime opportunity to earn the city’s respect and maybe bring on some fans who aren’t just Laker-haters. A piece chronicles Reggie Bush’s road from Southern California golden boy to superman charged with “rebuilding a franchise” in New Orleans. With the city’s ability to sustain the Saints still in question, Bush is giving fans a reason to flock to the recently repaired Superdome, the author writes. And Rick Reilly’s column provides an easy fill-in-the-blank apology template for scandal-prone athletes.—M.M.

Economist, May 6 A special report explores why Iran, with its nuclear aspirations, is the fuse that could ignite regional chaos in the Middle East. “Iran has ably exploited the Muslim world’s suspicions of America. As a result, many Middle Easterners see the current stand-off not as the upholders of international law and order challenging a rogue state, but as the great powers ganging up to crush an upstart rival,” says the article. It quotes Jordan’s King Abdullah: “A strike against Iran would cause the whole region to explode.” An article quotes a recently released study claiming that the British are healthier than Americans. The piece points out that, though Americans pay about $2,000 per year more than the Brits for health care, Yanks still lead shorter, sicklier lives. The study doesn’t draw pat conclusions, but the author suggests that America’s long history of high obesity rates may contribute to the disparity. “America’s medical system may not be such a poor bargain after all … if Americans are sicker, then more should be spent on treating them.” —M.M.

New York, May 8 An article checks in with divisive ex-New York Times Editor Howell Raines nearly three years after his highly publicized ouster. It finds the Southern gentleman as bitter as a mint julep sans sugar. In his upcoming book, The One That Got Away, he claims the Times lacked “a pulse,” refers to Blair as a “dwarf,” and complains that he was done in by the “the work of mediocre talents.” However, says one critic, “The newsroom disliked Howell before Jayson Blair. … He was a jerk, and he ran the institution for himself.” An article details the unraveling of the wealthy Kissel family, whose tale has all the elements of a Greek tragedy: “[G]ood” brother Robert was murdered by his wife; “bad” brother Andrew, whose wife fantasized about “pummeling him to death,” was found murdered in his home. Left behind is Bill, the patriarch, contemplating the legacy left to his grandchildren.—Z.K.

New York Times Magazine, May 7 The cover article highlights the push to do away with physical contraception. Lobbying groups such as the National Pro-Life Action Center are calling for the rejection of contraception as harmful to relationships, even among married couples. The argument is not falling on deaf ears. “It may be news to many people that contraception as a matter of right and public health is no longer a given, but politicians and those in the public health profession know it well,” the author writes. Even President Bush has been accused of being anti-contraception—a charge he has not denied, according to the article. A short piece distills the new Cambridge Handbook of Expertise and Expert Performance— which explores the role talent plays in an individual’s success—down to a simple conclusion: “[T]alent is highly overrated.” Researchers found that diligent work and the pursuit of a beloved goal are most important for success at work or play.— M.M.

The New Yorker, May 8 An article follows Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi and the modern face of his dynasty, son Seif, as the country inches its way toward democratic reformation. Some believe Qaddafi is content to have Libya stay mired between socialism and capitalism, as long as he’s in control. “In some areas—notably with respect to civil liberties and economic restructuring—the rate of change is glacial,” the author writes. During the American Revolution, black slaves fought alongside the British for their freedom and then set off for new lives in places such as Canada, Britain, and Sierra Leone. An article trawls several books on the subject for a look at these scattered lives. A profile of German installation artist Gerhard Trimpin explains how he uses scrap parts to create pieces that combine physics, music, and outsized visuals.—M.M.

Weekly Standard, May 8 Stephen Hayes uses the case of Mary McCarthy, the recently sacked CIA employee accused of leaking classified information, as an opportunity to point out “mainstream” media’s hypocrisy for underreporting that she and her husband donated around $10,000 to the Kerry campaign and Democrats in 2004. As the media rap the White House for politicizing intelligence, Hayes wonders, “[H]ow can it be that journalists find these contributions irrelevant?” Gary Bauer eulogizes Robert B. Carleson, the architect of Ronald Regan’s welfare reform, and sets the record straight about his own thoughts on the poor: “[H]e cared so much about the poor that he devoted the majority of his adult life to trying to reform the failed programs that were creating generational poverty and cycles of dependency.” William Kristol harps on Condoleezza Rice for implying on her European trip that the United States will go soft on “terror-sponsoring” dictatorships with her proclamation that “Iran is not Iraq.”— Z.K.

Newsweek, May 8 Fareed Zakaria writes that the latest Osama Bin Laden tape reveals an al-Qaida whose popularity and options are shrinking. “Bin Laden’s most recent appeal is a mishmash of argument and detail, and seems slightly crazed,” he writes. He claims that last week’s bombings in Egypt and other recent attacks are the work of “smaller, local groups, often inspired by Al Qaeda but not directed by it,” while the large-scale attacks al-Qaida favors have been stifled since Sept. 11. Bin Laden, Zakaria argues, is reduced to asking for foreign aid for al-Qaida supporters in Waziristan who have been displaced by Pakistani forces—hardly the actions of a terrorist in control. The 100 best high schools issue includes features on why advanced placement courses are relevant, which schools score so high on standardized tests that they were left off the list, and how the schools that made it were judged for greatness.—M.M.

  Time, May 8
There aren’t many surprises on Time’s list of the 100 most influential people. In short essays, Condoleezza Rice expounds on fellow selection Oprah Winfrey’s “bountiful heart” and Oprah herself writes about Elie Wiesel’s “loving spirit.” Familiar names like Bush (both George W. and George H.W.) and Clinton (both Bill and Hillary) are joined by comedian Dane Cook, cleric Moqtada Sadr, and the “Skype guys”—Niklas Zennstrom and Janus Friis. … In response to allegations that CIA officer Mary McCarthy leaked classified information to the media about American terror detention practices, former CIA officials comment on whether agents should go public with their concerns. “You cannot have CIA employees deciding what should be classified and what shouldn’t,” argues a former spy. “That’s the beginning of the end.” … A photo essay visits “The Front Lines of Genocide” in the Darfur region of Sudan. The accompanying blurb mentions the Sudanese government’s vow to stop U.N. peacekeeping efforts. Meanwhile, citizens who have been forced from their homes are also at risk for malnutrition, according to an aid worker.—M.M. 

Correction, May 9: The article orginally misspelled Samantha Power’s last name as Powers. (Return to the corrected sentence.)