Caspian Energy at the Crossroads The Caspian basin holds enormous oil and gas deposits that could play a critical role in the world's economic future. But getting them out of the ground and onto the market requires overcoming formidable political and geographic problems. For its own sake as well as the region's, Washington should do whatever is necessary to ensure the emergence of secure and independent routes for Caspian energy to reach the outside world

Life and Death in the Congo in her new book Michela Wrong expertly describes the bloodthirsty reign of Zaire's Mobutu condemns his collaborators in the West. The author may mis apportion some of the blame for Congo's destruction but there is plenty of guilt to go around