JANUARY 2001

• Wednesday, 31st January,2001

  INTERVIEW: RICHARD HOLBROOKE

  Jana Wendt spoke to Richard Holbrooke
  on the eve of his departure from his
  job as US Ambassador to the United
  Nations.

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• Wednesday, 31st January,2001

  PROFILE: RICHARD HOLBROOKE, FORMER US AMBASSADOR TO THE UN

  For many years, Richard Holbrooke was
  one of the world`s most powerful
  emissaries. The American’s robust
  diplomacy put him head to head with
  the bad man of central Europe,
  Yugoslav President and Serb
  nationalist Slobodan Milosevic. As
  President Clinton’s special envoy,
  Holbrooke was sent to the Balkans to
  stop the bleeding, and he succeeded.
  

  
  He achieved what previous mediators
  had failed to achieve - an end to
  Bosnia’s protracted war right in the
  heart of Europe. He failed, however,
  to avert NATO’s attack on Serbia four
  years later - an assault which
  followed months of intense shuttle
  diplomacy over the issue of Kosovo.

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• Wednesday, 31st January,2001

  FIJI`S CONTINUING ETHNIC CRISIS

  In Fiji, the coup is over, the world`s
  media have departed, but the
  persecution of ethnic Indians
  continues. The lucky ones - the
  wealthy and the educated - are leaving
  Fiji in droves.

  
  But for Indian farmers, the situation
  is becoming critical. The campaign to
  push them off the land threatens their
  very existence.

  
  It is an exodus which has gone largely
  unreported, but it could seal the fate
  of Fiji’s Indians once and for all.
  

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• Wednesday, 24th January,2001

  THE HIDDEN COST OF DEPLETED URANIUM WEAPONS

  Secretary of State Colin Powell was
  sworn in almost 10 years to the day
  after he ordered the opening salvoes
  in the Gulf War against Iraq. Under to
  the administration of President George
  Bush Senior, with Colin Powell as the
  Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff,
  that offensive saw the first use of
  depleted uranium weapons. Iraq now
  claims those weapons have caused a
  postwar environmental and health
  disaster.

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• Wednesday, 24th January,2001

  INTERVIEW: ELEANOR CLIFT, POLITICAL ANALYST

  George W. Bush may reside in the White
  House, but the fact is that most
  Americans didn’t vote for him, so he’s
  talked a great deal about “reaching
  out” to the other side of politics.
  But some of his early moves have cast
  doubt on his idea of consensus.

  
  Jana Wendt speaks to Newsweek’s
  Eleanor Clift about the President’s
  first steps.
  

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• Wednesday, 24th January,2001

  INTERVIEW: NORMAN MAILER, AMERICAN WRITER

  Every culture has its critics -
  insiders who lay bear idiosyncrasies
  and its flaws at will and with a sharp
  tongue. For decades, writer Norman
  Mailer has provided his countrymen and
  the world with a tough-minded critique
  of the American way.
  Uncharacteristically, he remained
  silent throughout the extraordinary
  election of George W. Bush, until now.

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• Wednesday, 24th January,2001

  GEORGE W. BUSH’S FOREIGN POLICY CHALLENGES

  Foreign policy has a nasty habit of
  sneaking up on US presidents. Kennedy
  had Cuba, Nixon - Vietnam, Carter -
  Iran, George Bush Senior – Iraq, and
  Clinton - the Balkans. If history
  teaches us anything, it tells us that
  at some stage during his presidency,
  George W. Bush will face a major
  international crisis.

  
  So far, his foreign policy has three
  major planks - strengthening alliances
  with countries like Australia, a push
  for free trade and a controversial
  commitment to ‘Star Wars 2’, the
  National Missile Defence. New
  Secretary of State Colin Powell has
  made it clear military action will
  only be considered when overwhelming
  use of force can be applied with clear
  objectives and exit strategies.

  
  But will the new President be able to
  synthesise these principles into a
  cohesive foreign policy, or will he be
  overtaken by events like so many of
  his predecessors?
  

  Read more...
• Wednesday, 24th January,2001

  DATELINE RETURNS

  Dateline begins its new season with a
  special report hosted from Washington
  DC.
  

  
  The program will examine the foreign
  policy of President Bush - looking at
  how the world’s political landscape is
  likely to change under his
  administration.
  
  

  
  From the US capital, presenter Jana
  Wendt will also conduct interviews
  with social and political
  commentators, exploring the psyche of
  the `new America`. We also join author
  Norman
  Mailer for his unique take on the new
  regime.
  
  

  
  That`s Dateline, tonight (January 24,
  2001)
  at 8.30pm.

  Read more...