The Christian Science Monitor back issues from March 2009:
Obama can't leave Iraq in the lurch.(Barack Obama)(EDITORIAL)(Editorial)
Mar 02, 2009 ... Byline: the Monitor's Editorial Board To hasten reconciliation between Iraqis as well as between Americans, President Obama plans to speed up a US pullout from Iraq before the 2011 exit date agreed to by President Bush. If this helps heal the scars of a divisive war, Mr. Obama ...
Should stock-fund managers shift to cash?(Money & Values)
Mar 02, 2009; ... Byline: Thomas Watterson Correspondent of The Christian Science Monitor If you own a stock mutual fund, how much of the fund's money should be in cash? As little as possible is the traditional answer. But that was before the great stock market crash of 2008. ...
Obama faces larger problems than Social Security shortfalls.(Barack Obama)(Money & Values)
Mar 02, 2009; ... Byline: David R. Francis Toward the end of his address to Congress last Tuesday, President Obama spoke of beginning a conversation on how to reform the Social Security program. Such a suggestion makes Henry Aaron, a veteran analyst at the centrist Brookings ...
Instant tax 'refunds' come under fire.(Money & Values)
Mar 02, 2009; ... Byline: Brendan Conway Contributor to The Christian Science Monitor NEW YORK -- If you want your tax refund right away this year, be prepared to pay. For years, consumer advocacy groups have warned against so-called "instant" or "same-day" refunds. The reason: these refunds are ...
Financial Q&A: Credit cards used to build a house lead to big financial trouble.(Money & Values)
Mar 02, 2009 ... Q: I took my credit cards and created myself a summer job - when I am not teaching - by building a house. I am almost finished building the house with my credit cards and about to go bankrupt. The banks tell me they will not make me a loan even when I finish the house, as my credit-card ...
And now, Twitter philanthropy.(Innovation)
Mar 02, 2009; ... Byline: Matthew Shaer Staff Writer for The Christian Science Monitor They gathered at beach resorts in Dubai, pubs in London, and a noisy cafe in Beijing. Here in New York, they flocked to a popular West Side bar. By the time the sun set on the first annual Twestival, some ...
Is US response to financial crisis strong enough?(national)
Mar 02, 2009; ... Byline: Mark Trumbull Staff writer In the history of financial crises, one lesson stands out: It's important to match the scale of the remedy to the scale of the problem - and to do so quickly. That doesn't mean every corporate bailout is a good idea. But what's ...
Volunteer vacations devoted to animals.(THE HOME FORUM)
Mar 02, 2009; ... Byline: Maryann Mott Contributor to The Christian Science Monitor Kaitlyn Stone was searching for a way to help animals when she spotted an online ad for World Vets. The organization, which provides free veterinary services around the globe, needed volunteers to ...
Art: a basic necessity of life.(THE HOME FORUM)
Mar 02, 2009; ... Byline: Barbara Cook Spencer I can't remember a time when I wasn't an artist, and so I can't remember ever thinking that art and beauty weren't completely necessary to life, as important as daily bread. But I never thought too much about the place of art in others' lives or how ...
Life, not death, is final.(THE HOME FORUM)
Mar 02, 2009 ... A most difficult challenge to face in life is the death of a loved one. When we lose property and possessions, we can take hope from the fact that these can be restored or replaced, but the death of a loved one can seem so final. An Air Force chaplain learned this as he sat with ...
A longing to be heard and understood.(THE HOME FORUM)
Mar 02, 2009; ... Byline: Jane Shapiro In the summer of 1996, I ran into an acquaintance who is a plaintiffs' attorney. Standing in a parking lot, he launched into a description of a class-action suit he was preparing on behalf of Holocaust victims against Swiss banks for their behavior during ...
Many in Afghanistan oppose Obama's troop buildup plans.(Barack Obama)(WORLD)
Mar 02, 2009; ... Byline: Anand Gopal Correspondent of The Christian Science Monitor Kabul, Afghanistan -- Parliamentarian Shukria Barakzai says she has an innovative amendment to Washington's planned injection of up to 30,000 new troops here. "Send us 30,000 scholars instead. Or ...
Israeli limits stymie Gaza rebuilding.(WORLD)
Mar 02, 2009; ... Byline: Ilene R. Prusher Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor EAST JABALIYA, GAZA STRIP -- Maamon Khozendar, chairman of Khozendar and Sons Company Ltd., is one of Gaza's most successful industrialists. He's a petroleum importer, and executes major construction ...
Bangladesh: mutiny dealt serious blow to country's security.(WORLD)
Mar 02, 2009; ... Byline: David Montero Correspondent of The Christian Science Monitor DHAKA, Bangladesh -- They were found lying in ditches by the dozens. Many were bound at the hands and feet. On their uniforms they bore the marks of their crime: the badges and stripes of colonels, majors, and ...
Iran pushes Iraq to close MKO camp.(Mujahideen-e Khalq)(WORLD)
Mar 02, 2009; ... Byline: Scott Peterson Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor TEHRAN, Iran; and ISTANBUL, Turkey -- Pressure is growing on Iran's main opposition group to leave Iraqi territory after living under US military protection in a camp north of Baghdad since 2003. Some 3,400 ...
Karzai draws criticism for early election call.(Hamid Karzai)(WORLD)
Mar 02, 2009; ... Byline: Anand Gopal Correspondent of The Christian Science Monitor Kabul, Afghanistan -- President Hamid Karzai's declaration Saturday that Afghan presidential elections should be moved up to April or May has aggravated already tense political divisions in this increasingly ...
Clashes in Nicaragua show Sandinistas control the streets.(WORLD)
Mar 02, 2009; ... Byline: Tim Rogers Correspondent of The Christian Science Monitor MANAGUA, Nicaragua -- The increasing intolerance and polarization that has defined Nicaraguan society for the past two years under President Daniel Ortega's Government of Reconciliation and National Unity was ...
Who has the power in Afghanistan?(OPINION)
Mar 02, 2009; ... Byline: John Dempsey and J Alexander Thier KABUL, Afghanistan -- Afghanistan is facing yet another rocky year ahead. Increased international troop levels here will probably mean more fighting - and more civilian and military casualties. A very mild Afghan winter portends a poor ...
Green shopping: Don't say 'eww,' to thrift stores.(OPINION)
Mar 02, 2009; ... Byline: Amy Hardin Turosak Denver -- The global energy crisis is overwhelming, but Americans are looking for ways to make small changes that add up. We install solar panels, buy hybrid cars, and turn down the thermostat. Yet when it comes to everyday shopping, we are conditioned ...
To stem terror in Pakistan, US looks beyond military.(USA)
Mar 02, 2009; ... Byline: Howard LaFranchi Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor Washington -- In an admission that its dependence on the Pakistani military has yielded few results against the Taliban, the United States is now seeking to change its relationship with Pakistan - the ...
California moves to hold onto Hollywood.(USA)
Mar 02, 2009; ... Byline: Daniel B. Wood Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor Los Angeles -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger made his name in Hollywood as "The Terminator." Now, California's governor is playing another kind of terminator: one trying to stop film and television production ...
Thawing out 'Cold War II'.(EDITORIAL)(Editorial)
Mar 03, 2009 ... Byline: the Monitor's Editorial Board Trust, but verify, was Ronald Reagan's approach to the Soviets as they worked on arms control during the cold war. The phrase showed his hopes for the relationship, but also acknowledged the limitations. Four presidents later, his mantra ...
Letters to the Editor.(EDITORIAL)(Editorial)
Mar 03, 2009 ... We should be more open to the religious views of others Regarding the Feb. 26 article, "Some British Christians feel oppressed in the public square": Near the end of this article, author Mark Rice-Oxley writes, "Christians should also be mindful of how they would feel if roles ...
Homeless people act out realities of life on stage.(LIVING)
Mar 03, 2009; ... Byline: Jocelyn Wiener Correspondent OAKLAND, CALIF. One hour before curtain call, Dennis Forester realizes his acting troupe has a problem. a*We forgot the crack!a* he hisses. The other members of the Seldom Seen Actors look up, surprised. A few giggle ....
Dog on It.(Books)
Mar 03, 2009; ... Byline: Yvonne Zipp There are so many pets out there solving crimes that it's time for animal shelters to start handing out fedoras and trench coats with every adoption. Literature's newest four-pawed sleuth, Chet, hews strictly to the hard-boiled American tradition in his ...
Undaunted by the economy, Obama presses ahead on healthcare reform.(Barack Obama)(national)
Mar 03, 2009; ... Byline: Linda Feldmann Staff writer President Barack Obama is pressing forward this week with plans to recast American healthcare despite the nation's worsening economic condition, ignoring criticism that he is taking on too much. On Monday, President Obama introduced ...
Why US keeps backstopping a flattened AIG.(American International Group)(national)
Mar 03, 2009; ... Byline: Ron Scherer Staff writer After Lehman Brothers failed in September, the financial markets froze up, causing interest rates to jump despite vigorous efforts by central bankers worldwide to keep credit flowing. Would the same thing happen - or perhaps something worse - if ...
Ireland's boom ends - with a vengeance.(national)
Mar 03, 2009; ... Byline: Jason Walsh Contributor For nearly a decade, Ireland enjoyed a steady rise to one of the world's hottest economies. In just a few short months, though, the nation has cooled to a near freezing-point. And with each passing day, the situation grows more dire. ...
For kids: On the road with Atka, the wolf.(THE HOME FORUM)
Mar 03, 2009; ... Byline: Kathryn Perry Contributor to The Christian Science Monitor South Salem, N.Y. -- I'm sitting in the back seat of a van next to a large, black, wire cage, the kind you might use to take a dog to the vet. The animal inside the cage isn't a dog, though. He's a 90-pound ...
Lost in translation.(THE HOME FORUM)
Mar 03, 2009; ... Byline: Kristi James It's funny how languages work. I've been in Italy for some months now, studying diligently, and just when I think I have things figured out, I'm wrong. I check the dictionary to find what appears to be the right word, but time and again I'm told that I'm ...
Put a stop to hatred.(THE HOME FORUM)
Mar 03, 2009 ... When the Southern Poverty Law Center released its annual "hate group report" last week, it noted that the number of these groups in the United States had risen by 54 percent since 2000, and there was a 4 percent increase between 2007 and 2008. Hate groups are defined as "groups with ...
When is it time to give up a sport?(THE HOME FORUM)
Mar 03, 2009; ... Byline: Denise Watson Somehow, we'd become so focused on helping my daughter keep up with her after-school sport that we hadn't noticed it was no longer fun. Back when we were new to town, I skimmed the local paper for activities for my 6-year-old daughter ....
Iran turns up pressure on rights activists.(WORLD)
Mar 03, 2009; ... Byline: Scott Peterson Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor Tehran, Iran; and Istanbul, Turkey -- The black and red graffiti painted outside the apartment and offices of Nobel Peace Prize-winner Shirin Ebadi on Jan. 1 has yet to be removed. She has left it ...
Americans' lasting mark on Iraq: colorful, complex tattoos.(WORLD)
Mar 03, 2009; ... Byline: Tom A. Peter Correspondent of The Christian Science Monitor Baghdad -- Before US troops rolled into Iraq, Robert Eagle, an Iraqi, had seen his fair share of tattoos. There were lots of traditional Bedouin designs - simple patterns of lines and dots - and prisoners who ...
Darfuris flee on eve of Bashir case.(Omar al-Bashir)(WORLD)
Mar 03, 2009; ... Byline: Rob Crilly Correspondent of The Christian Science Monitor Otash Camp, Sudan -- Six years after the start of Darfur's messy conflict and days before Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir is expected to be charged with war crimes, the steady stream of people arriving at the ...
Guinea-Bissau assassinations: Is Colombia's drug trade behind them?(WORLD)
Mar 03, 2009; ... Byline: Scott Baldauf Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor Johannesburg, South Africa -- The assassinations were committed gangland style - a bomb in a stairwell, and a rapid fire shootout - which is perhaps not so surprising in a country that has swiftly become a major ...
At Gaza donor conference, Clinton vows to pursue Middle East peace.(Hillary Clinton)(WORLD)
Mar 03, 2009; ... Byline: Liam Stack Correspondent of The Christian Science Monitor CAIRO -- Secretary of State Hillary Clinton offered $900 million for Gazans and made a commitment to move toward a Palestinian state at a meeting of donor nations Monday in Egypt. "By providing ...
The curious case of chastity fraud.(OPINION)
Mar 03, 2009; ... Byline: Ronald Sokol Aix-en-Provence, France -- Like a used car, must a groom take his bride "as is" - with no warranty implied as to the woman's chastity? That was the question at the heart of a legal case that recently worked its way through the French courts. ...
What made the cellphone revolution possible.(OPINION)
Mar 03, 2009; ... Byline: David A. Gross Washington -- Numbers will paint the big picture this year. They will signal whether the global financial crisis is shrinking or broadening. They will tell us if the US stimulus package is working, and they will quantify the magnitude of ...
Should judges step aside when campaign cash is involved?(USA)
Mar 03, 2009; ... Byline: Warren Richey Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor Washington -- Judges are expected to avoid not only direct financial conflicts of interest in cases before them but also the appearance of a conflict. The safeguard is designed to enhance public confidence in ...
US Muslims: young, diverse, striving.(USA)
Mar 03, 2009; ... Byline: Jane Lampman Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor A "national portrait" of Muslim Americans, released Monday by Gallup, depicts the youngest and most racially diverse religious community in the country as striving for a secure place in American society and an ...
U2 rattled by claims of tax dodging.(WORLD)
Mar 03, 2009; ... Byline: Michael Seaver Correspondent of The Christian Science Monitor Dublin, Ireland -- The band that loves to rail against global corporate malfeasance is being criticized at home over allegations of tax dodging. U2, whose new album, "No Line on the Horizon," is ...
Catch F-22 for Obama.(Barack Obama)(F-22 Raptor fighter plane)(Editorial)
Mar 04, 2009 ... Byline: the Monitor's Editorial Board The most advanced warplane in history, the F-22 Raptor, is on Barack Obama's chopping block. Yet the president faces a no-win situation. If somehow he gets Congress to stop paying for more of the stealthy jets - whose full cost is $354 ...
Letters to the Editor.(Letter to the editor)
Mar 04, 2009 ... A mileage tax on drivers? Not so fast. Regarding the Feb. 27 editorial, "A road map to better US roads": The editorial is correct in that the United States is not funding its road infrastructure enough and governments are not transparent about it. These are both simple problems ...
Soldier's Afghan dog story comes back to bite.(LIVING)(Dan Barker and Jack)
Mar 04, 2009; ... Byline: Lawrence Lerner Contributor US Army Staff Sgt. Dan Barker remembers when he first met Jack. The Special Forces medic and his team were securing an abandoned village in southern Afghanistan last June when they entered a compound. The desert sun was beating down upon them, ...
1948: A Soldier's Tale.(Books)(Book review)
Mar 04, 2009; ... Byline: Dan Fritz World War II had been over for less than three years when the 1948 Arab-Israeli War broke into a pyre of conflict that would blaze for decades. As a young infantryman in the Israeli Army, Uri Avnery was eyewitness to all of it. He came away from ...
Pending US home sales fall to record low.(national)
Mar 04, 2009; ... Byline: Laurent Belsie Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor Pending home sales fell to a record low in January, reversing a one-month rebound in December. The new reading of 80.4 represented a 7.7 percent drop from December's level and suggested that the ...
As job market shrinks, so do college grads' grand plans.(national)(college graduates)
Mar 04, 2009; ... Byline: Stacy Teicher Khadaroo Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor Call it a*A Tale of Two Seniors.a* For Alesandra LaPointe, who has prepared for life after college by doing two internships and frequenting the career center as though it were Starbucks, it ...
Pesky earmarks still in eye of budget storm.(national)(member projects)
Mar 04, 2009; ... Byline: Gail Russell Chaddock Staff writer Member projects - aka earmarks or a*porka* - account for less than 2 percent of spending in the $410 billion omnibus bill on the floor of the Senate this week, but they're drawing most of the opposition fire. The bill, which ...
Fed launches plan to revive consumer lending.(national)(Federal Reserve)
Mar 04, 2009; ... Byline: Mark Trumbull Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor The Federal Reserve and Treasury's move Tuesday to pour billions of dollars into lending markets is an attempt to address the fundamental cause of the current economic crisis. Though concerns about ...
Eat local - even in winter.(THE HOME FORUM)(Rhode Island Wintertime Farmers' Market)
Mar 04, 2009; ... Byline: Amy Farnsworth Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor Pawtucket, R.I. -- Inside a long corridor of a renovated mill on a cold January morning, a young brown-haired woman slices handmade ricotta and feta cheeses and lays them out on wooden cheese boards. Around ...
Nothing to worry about.(THE HOME FORUM)(worry-free state of mind)
Mar 04, 2009 ... What if that phrase were true - anxiety completely eradicated? Not only in isolated situations, but for good? A worry-free state of mind isn't an impossibility. But it takes more than longing or willpower to permanently erase anxious feelings. What's needed is a willingness to ...
A tasty reminder of home.(THE HOME FORUM)(Viewpoint essay)
Mar 04, 2009; ... Byline: Stephanie Cook Broadhurst AS A YOUNG 20-SOMETHING, I always wanted to cook dinner from scratch but rarely had the time. In fact, one night while in graduate school, my roommate and I went to heat up a frozen pizza only to realize the stove wasn't connected - and we had ...
A small treasure in tough times.(THE HOME FORUM)(free lending library)(Viewpoint essay)
Mar 04, 2009; ... Byline: Carolyn Magner Mason It used to embarrass my daughters that the public library employees knew me by name. "Don't tell people that," said my oldest daughter with a shudder. That was before her cool factor gave way to her inherited predisposition toward a love ...
Paving the way: A Kosovo hero's path from rebel to road-builder.(WORLD)(Fatmir Limaj)
Mar 04, 2009; ... Byline: Robert Marquand Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor PRISTINA, KOSOVO -- There aren't many places in Europe where a minister of transport is a national hero whose name is sung in folk songs. But Kosovo is not an ordinary place. The country, a year ...
Clinton travels to a hardened Israel.(WORLD)(Hillary Clinton)
Mar 04, 2009; ... Byline: Ilene R. Prusher Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor JERUSALEM -- Embarking on her first trip to the region as secretary of State, Hillary Clinton pledged that the Obama administration will unshakably support Israel's security and vigorously pursue the ...
Raź¬ astro puts his own stamp on Cuba's leadership.(WORLD)(Raul Castro)
Mar 04, 2009; ... Byline: Sara Miller Llana Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor In replacing key figures associated with Fidel Castro's near 50-year reign of Cuba, President Raul Castro has taken his boldest move yet toward putting his own stamp on the government of the socialist ...
Iraq's urban sprawl, not looting, threatens Ninevah antiquities.(WORLD)(Ninevah Province)
Mar 04, 2009; ... Byline: Jane Arraf Correspondent of The Christian Science Monitor Mosul, Iraq -- Nine-year-old Younis struggles to open the large iron padlock to the gates of Ninevah. Younis, letting in visitors late one afternoon to the ancient site, is named after the prophet ...
Pakistani vigilantes take on Taliban.(WORLD)
Mar 04, 2009; ... Byline: Ayesha Nasir Contributor to The Christian Science Monitor Peshawar, Pakistan -- In the town of Budaber, six miles from Peshawar's city center, Daud Khan makes sure his Kalashnikov is loaded before stepping into the dark street. As he walks out, seven young men join him, ...
Militant attack on cricket team in Pakistan could backfire.(WORLD)
Mar 04, 2009; ... Byline: Ben Arnoldy and Issam Ahmed Staff Writer | Correspondent New Delhi; and lahore, pakistan -- Pakistan's embattled government was dealt a fresh blow with the brazen attack Tuesday on Sri Lanka's visiting cricket team. But the targeting of cricket - sometimes called the ...
The market's harsh verdict on Obamanomics.(OPINION)(Barack Obama)(Viewpoint essay)
Mar 04, 2009; ... Byline: Mark Skousen New York -- Officially, President Obama's $3.6 trillion budget is titled "A New Era of Responsibility." That's false on two counts. It's an era - not of responsibility, but of big-government taxation, spending, and regulation. And it's not new ....
Build on Bush's Middle East progress.(OPINION)(George W. Bush)
Mar 04, 2009; ... Byline: Robert Zelnick Boston -- George W. Bush made his greatest Middle East mistake before becoming president. Had he embraced rather than disowned Bill Clinton's desperate efforts to secure an agreement, Israeli and Palestinian leaders might have gone the extra mile to ...
High court orders a new look at one man's quest for US asylum.(USA)(Daniel Negusie)(Supreme Court)
Mar 04, 2009; ... Byline: Warren Richey Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor Washington -- An Eritrean man who was forced to serve as a guard in a military prison where inmates were tortured and killed has won another chance to obtain asylum in the United States. In an 8-to-1 ...
A drawdown of contractors in Iraq.(USA)
Mar 04, 2009; ... Byline: Gordon Lubold Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor Washington -- American troops have a silent partner in Iraq: Tens of thousands of contractors who support their mission in unsung but critical ways, serving food, providing security, and cleaning bathrooms. But ...
Obama's call for more higher ed.(Editorial)
Mar 05, 2009 ... Byline: the Monitor's Editorial Board Job seekers with only a high school degree not only face tough prospects but may put a drag on the US economy's ability to compete in the world. President Obama calls it "not just quitting on yourself, it's quitting on your country." ...