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Global Newsstand: Essays, Arguments, and Opinions from around the World
Author(s): Stacy Meichtry, Janet Steele and Jason Vest
Source: Foreign Policy, No. 152 (Jan. - Feb., 2006), pp. 86-91
Published by: Washingtonpost.Newsweek Interactive, LLC
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 'IA
[ ESSAYS, ARG U M ENTS,
The Pope's
By Stacy Meichtry
* L'espresso, Issue 34,
September 1, Rome
issent is by no means
anathema to Catholic
thinking. But influential
prelates, unlike politicians, are shy
when itcomes to criticizing the pow
ers that be. Because politics inside
theVatican isnot practicedout in the
open, the job of discerning (or guess
ing)what's on themind of Catholic
officialdom has become a highly spe
cialized field, limited to a selectgroup
of veteran reporters, academics, and
analystsknown as vaticanisti. These
highly skilled navigators of the
Roman Curia-one of theworld's
most nebulous bureaucracies-do
not merely know which department
does what. They also boast an
understanding of theVatican's inner
life,keeping tabs on themajor play
ers and analyzing the intricacies of
their relationswith the same atten
tion a die-hard baseball fanmight
show to batting statistics.
Among the most reliable and
revered vaticanisti is Sandro Mag
ister,who covers the Vatican for
L'espresso, an influential Italian
newsweekly magazine with more
Stacy Meichtry, a frequent contributor to
National Catholic Reporter, is the Vatican
correspondent for Religion News Service.
86 FOREIGN POLICY
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All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
O AI
B
AN D OP I N IO NS FROM ARO U N D TH E WORLD ]
Prognosticator
than 600,000 readers.Magister is ability to discernwho, alongside the
well regarded for both his acuity pope, ismaking his influence felt
and his prolificacy. In addition to his inside the Vatican. A professor of
print coverage, he writes a daily contemporary church history at the
blog and a biweekly column for his University ofUrbino,Magister brings
Web site,wwwchiesa.espressonline.it. the dedication and expertise of a
Although L'espresso is generally scholar to his beat, combing theVat
regardedas an organ of Italy'schurch ican for information the same way
wary left (its rival is Panorama, a academics search for obscure texts.
newsweekly owned by PrimeMinis As with many Italian journalists,
terSilvioBerlusconi'smedia empire), Magister generally leaves his sourc
Magister stands out because he typ ing to the reader's imagination. But
ically leansmore to the right in his his scoops are both hard-hitting
editorialmusings. His columns con and accurate-a rare combination
sistentlyadvocate amuscular papacy in a field that lends itself to rampant
PopeBenedict Vaticaninsider,
was oncetheconsummate
wieldinghis influenceinanopaquemanner.Now,any
will havemoredirectramifications.
shiftinhisopinions
thatpractices realpolitik abroad.He speculation. Such insight proved
defends Catholicism's identity indispensable in the final years of
from precisely the same cultural John Paul ii's papacy,when doubts
and political influences that define flourishedas towho exactlywas guid
L'espresso: support for abortion ing theRoman Catholic ship of state.
c/)
rights, stem-cell research, religious Three years before John Paul xui
D
pluralism, and a strict separation died, Magister became one of the U-i
cc
L;z
--j
between church and state. first to train his sights on the pope's zL'i
(D
What also setsMagister apart trusted theological advisor,Cardinal z
0
from the rest of the field is his Joseph Ratzinger. At the time,
Ratzinger's name had not yet sur protecting abortion rights, were challenged them to reject any inter
facedon any listsof thepapabili-or unfit to receive communion. pretation of Islam that inspires ter
pope-hopeful. But Magister noted (Ratzingerexpressed this decision in rorism. "Before this occasion in
that Ratzinger was alreadymaking a confidential 2004 memo to the Cologne," Magister wrote in the
his voice heard on a number of issues U.S. bishops' conference thatMag September 1 issue of L'espresso,
that were beyond the scope of his istermade public, delivering a blow "no pope had ever been so explicit
office. If John Paul's illness had cre to Democratic Sen. John Kerry's and hard-hitting in facing the ques
ated a power vacuum, his German presidential prospects.) And, of tion of terrorismon a personal level
aide was stepping forward to fill it. course, Magister proved his pre with representatives of the Islamic
Among othermoves, Ratzinger pro science last springwhen John Paul community."
duced a sociological treatise on the passed away and Ratzinger became So far, the pope has not identi
roleofwomen; he calledTurkey unfit Pope Benedict XVI. fied any specific Islamic groups or
for membership in the European The Vatican usually goes to organizations who pose a threat to
Union; he determined that Catholic great lengths to reassure Catholics Christian Europe. Where Benedict
politicians who support and the world at large that what stops short,Magister intervenes to
laws contrary to seems like a shift in policy from finish the sentence. "His prudence
church doc one pope to the next is, in fact, a is understandable,"Magister wrote
trine, such sign of deeper continuity. Chal online on August 18. "Cologne and
as those lenging this premise is pretty much Munich-where Joseph Ratzinger
the bread and butter of any quali was archbishop from 1977 to
fied vaticanista, and in this regard, 1981-are the cities inwhich the
Magister is no exception. In the Muslim Brotherhood, which has
first fewmonths of Benedict's reign, for decades been themain ideolog
Magister predicted the pope would ical and organizational source of
take a skeptical approach to Islam, radical Islam in the world, has
highlighting his decision to decline gained control of most of the
an invitation from representatives mosques and of active Islam inGer
of Germany's Muslim community many and in Europe." Benedict
to visit a local mosque. Magister's might be shackled. by the limita
instincts were confirmed at last tions of diplomacy, butMagister is
summer's World Youth Day free to name names.
summit,when Benedictmet Reading themind of a pope is
with Muslim leaders risky business. As Magister himself
on more neutral has demonstrated, even papal poli
ground and cy isn't absolute. Benedict was once
bluntly the consummate Vatican insider,
wielding his influence in an opaque
manner. Now that he has become
the public face of Catholicism's 1.2
billion faithful, any shift in his
opinions will havemore direct
ramifications. Given his
track record, Magis
ter will be among
1K thef irst to con
W NE!_E
nect those

\ 11N)1

JANUARY IFEBRUARY 2006 87

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 Global Newsstand ]
=A
The Triumph
By Janet Steele
* Tempo, Vol. 34, No. 29,
September 12-18, Jakarta
W then
A the Indonesian Ule
mas' Council, the
nation's highest Islamic
authority, issued a nonbinding
fatwa against liberalism, plural
ism, and secularism last summer,
most observers agreed that one of
the principal targetswas Jaringan
Islam Liberal (JIL), the Liberal
Islam Network. Since then, there
have been numerous demonstra
tions and death threats against
members of JIL, a loose network
of scholars and activists devoted
to amore tolerant form of Islam.
Therearestillgravechallengestopressfreedom
fromcriminal
sometimes from
elements,sometimes
groups,andsometimes
right-wing lawsuits.
fromfrivolous
Although the fatwa and attacks
on JILhave received considerable
attention in the foreign press, cov
erage inside Indonesia has been
spotty at best.
Why have Indonesian media
been so skittish about reporting on
the threats against an organization
Janet Steele is associate professor at the
George Wasbington University School of
Media and Public Affairs and author of
Wars Within: The Story of Tempo,
Independent Magazine in Soeharto's
Indonesia (Jakarta: Equinox Publishing
and the Institute for Southeast Asian
Studies, 2005).
88 FOREIGN POLICY
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of Moderation
committed to open religious inquiry local official and residentswho sug
and the continued separation of gested that they might have been
mosque and state? According to stirred up by outside provocateurs.
Nong Darol Mahmada, one of The issue also included a strongly
JIL'S founders, it's because of fear written column by Goenawan
that conservative Islamic groups Mohamad, Tempo's founding edi
might stir up violent protests. " [The tor. His essay offered sharp criti
media] are afraid of mass action," cism of those roused by "religious
Nong recently said. This thought egoism" who seem to "feel that
was echoed by several other young they represent the voice of God and
Muslim intellectuals sipping sweet the voice of Islam, although it is
bottled tea in theTempo Cafe near not clear fromwhere they received
JIL'Soffices. They recalled a num theirmandate."
ber of demonstrations against Of course, such outspokenness
Indonesian publications accused of was not always possible under
insulting Islam.Not only are these President Suharto's authoritarian
newspapers afraid of retribution regime. So, for more than 20
from right-wing groups, they said; years, Goenawan and his editors
developed a set of strategies
designed to protect themagazine.
Writers employed a variety of
semantic devices-rhetorical ques
tions, use of the passive voice to
obscure the subject of a sentence,
and a deliberate invocation of the
journalistic imperative to "cover
both sides"-to present inde
pendent points of view, often at
they are also afraid of losingmoney. considerable risk. When report
One exception to this news ing on sensitive events, Tempo
blackout has been Tempo, Indone would frequently resort to state
sia's leadingweekly newsmagazine. ments such as, "which version is
The September 12-18 edition, for true, only God knows," to give
example, included a story called itself an extra layer of protection.
"Yang Liberal, Yang Dibeslah" But sometimes these strategies
("Liberals and Eviction"), which were not enough. In 1994, Tempo
reported on an angrymob's efforts was banned, ostensibly because of a
to evict JIL from Jakarta's Utan cover story on the purchase of 39
Kayu neighborhood. The protesters used East German warships.
claimed that JIL had "disgraced Although the real reason theywere
an Islam," and they carried a banner forced to close remains unknown
calling for the blood of Ulil Abshar (the official document stated only
Abdalla, a leading JIL intellectual. that the story had "disturbednation
Although the group claimed to speak al security"), most analysts agree
for the community, Tempo quoted a that the cover story embarrassed the
All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
 Top sellers: Jakartavendors hawkcopies of Tempo in1998, the first issue to be published after a four-yearban.

regime by reporting on infighting ago, Tomy Winata, a millionaire also become a landmark in the his
between government officials over businessman with close ties to tory of Indonesian press freedom.
the purchase price. Indonesia's political and military Under the Suharto regime, the
With Suharto's fall in 1998, elite, accused three Tempo jour greatest threat to thepress came from
Tempo returned to publication nalists of libel, defamation of the government. That is no longer
with greater journalistic zeal than character, and publishing an arti the case, as journalists now feel
ever. Stories now openly report cle that could provoke disorder. remarkably free to criticize public
conflict between political elites The magazine's editor, Bambang officials. Ironically, the greatest chal
and no longer use the elliptical Harymurti, was sentenced in Sep lenges to the press in Indonesia today
language of the past. Today, party tember 2004 to one year in prison. come from the public,whether from
leaders and democratically elected He is currently appealing that deep-pocketed individuals, such as
public officials are routinely decision and is continuing to edit Tomy, or right-wing groups that
shown to be engaged in political themagazine while awaiting a rul threaten the media in the name of
struggle. ing from the Supreme Court. religion. All too often, these threats
However, there are still grave Paradoxically, media coverage can have a chilling effect, making
challenges to press freedom of the Tempo trial has proven to be the press reluctant to take on con
sometimes coming from criminal an important means of underscor troversial topics such as attacks on
elements, sometimes from con ing the vital role of a free press in JIL. It is a credit to Tempo's jour
xV)
L'i
F servative Islamist groups, and a democracy. It is the hope of nalists that themagazine refuses to
DLLJ
xL
zLLJ sometimes from frivolous lawsuits many of the magazine's journal be intimidated. As Goenawan
M
cl: that can have serious conse ists that the criminal defamation Mohamad frequently said during the
D
z
z
quences in a legal system that is case will not only be overturned on Suharto years, "We can be afraid,
zui
notoriously corrupt. Two years appeal but that the decision will but never surrender." [H
JANUARY IFEBRUARY 2006 89

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 Global Newsstand ]

Artificial Intelligence
By Jason Vest

U International Journal of
Intelligenceand Counterintelligence,
Vol. 18, No. 2, Summer 2005

eople have long been fasci

nated with the shadowy
milieu of espionage, what
former British intelligence officer
and novelist John Le Carre chris
tened the "secretworld." Although
its name may not suggest a com
pelling page turner, the Interna
tional Journal of Intelligence and
CounterIntelligence is as gripping
for the serious student of intelli
gence as the spy novels tourists buy
in airport bookstores.
If the journal has a strong grasp
of the challenges facing the intelli
gence community, it is probably
because many of the authors are
drawn from its ranks. Headed by
Richard R. Valcourt of theAmeri
canMilitary University, the editorial
board and roster of contributors
boast active and retired intelligence
professionals, ivory tower academ System failure:A rescueworker breaks down after the 2004 terroristbombings inMadrid.
ics, and a handful of spooks turned
scholar. (Forexample, frequent con Winston Churchill's use of spies. of the Institute of Security Policy in
tributorWilliam J.Daugherty, now But the issue's most compelling London, credits the effectiveness of
a professor of government, was not pieces examine the need for a glob this cooperation with ultimately
only a career CIA officer but a al postmortem on intelligence connecting the central suspect to
hostage inTehran.) analysis, reminding us that theUnit Islamicmilitants. Of course, many
The Summer 2005 issue shows ed States is not the only country of these intelligence services coop
the editors take the "internation that needs to sharpen its skills. erated with each other even before
al" in the journal's name seriously, Indeed, two pieces focus on the theMadrid bombings, which leaves
with features on the arms embargo particular challenges that Europe open the question why they were C/)
L'i
CD
against Bosnian Muslims, the role faces. After theMadrid commuter unable to thwart the attack in the 2

of religion in global intelligence, train bombings inMarch 2004, first place. Here, Segell provides a L'i
(D
L1,
and former British PrimeMinister intelligence agencies from Britain, useful critique of how various agen
D
0
France, Germany, Italy, and Spain cies' failure to integrate different W
2
Jason Vest is national security corre coordinated their responses, fol approaches to intelligence analysis L'i
CL
a
spondent for Government Executive and lowing leads that pointed them leftMadrid-and any other poten -j
Z:
C?
author of a forthcoming book on U.S. across Europe andNorth Africa. In tial targets, such as London-vul w
LLJ
wLLJ
military and intelligence reform. his article, Glen M. Segell, director nerable to attack. CL

90 FOREIGN POLICY

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 John M. Nomikos of the
Athens-based Research Institute for
European and American Studies
has developed a solution for such
deficiencies: a single, integrated
European spy agency. In his essay,
Nomikos makes the case for a new
European Union (EU)agency mod
eled on what the CIAwas original
ly supposed to be-an organization
focused not on covert operations,
but analysis. Nomikos imagines an
independent EU intelligence outfit
that would initially focus on pro
viding the European Commission
and European Council with strategic
insights based on open sources and
information voluntarily contributed
by member intelligence services. To
be sure, spy chiefs are usually leery
of sharing or leaving their organiza
tions open to penetration. But cast
ing such a service as primarily ana
lytic and focused on terrorism, as
Nomikos does, is hard to disagree
with on practical grounds.
For intelligence professionals
and laypeople alike, theMossad,
Israel's intelligence service, is vest
ed with near-mythical qualities of
effectiveness and precision, par
ticularly in on-the-ground opera
tions. It is that reputation that
makes reading Ephraim Kahana's
look at the faults and foibles of
Israel's famed intelligence service
so interesting. Besides providing a
historical inventory of Israeli oper
ations gone awry, Kahana, a pro
fessor at the College of Western
Galilee, examines scores of ana
lytical failures by the Mossad.
These are not small errors. By his
estimation, the "number of signif
icant and costly failures" by Israel's
intelligence service, rooted in both
underestimation and overestima
tion of threats, has cost the coun
try both on the battlefield and at
the negotiating table.
In the wake of recent intelli
gence failures, including July's
bombings in London, many critics
have charged thatWestern intelli
gence services have lost their nerve,
that they are no longer willing to
risk dealing with the dirty under
world of espionage.Whether it is a
fair point or not, these essays
demonstrate that running agents
and collecting intel from unsavory
characters is never sufficient. The
underlying message is clear:
Although field agents may argue
that procuring information ispara
mount, intelligence is useless if you
can't break it down into meaning
ful parts, if the tools of analysis are
weaker than the tools of collection.
Which is another way of saying
that, to succeed, spies need more
than a cloak and dagger. II

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