The Legacy of the Crusades

When George W. Bush used the term "crusade against terrorism," it was not well recieved in the Muslim world. While most Americans interpreted "crusade" to mean "campaign" or "struggle," to Arabs the word conjured images of a holy war.

The Crusades were a series of eight wars waged by Catholics against Muslims during the Middle Ages. Osama bin Laden is calling the west "crusaders" in an effort to rile up his Muslim allies. Thomas Madden, author of "A Concise History of the Crusades" says the term "crusade" was not always a rallying point for Arabs. It has only been in the past 100 years that Muslim fundamentalists have revived the idea of the crusade in their criticism of the West.

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Strange Bedfellows: Forging an International Alliance

Pakistan. Iran. Russia. China. These are not exactly the countries that come to mind when you think of America's allies. But they are among the nations that have pledged support for the American battle against terrorism.

Can the United States work with its former enemies in fighting terrorism? Is the coalition being forged bound to collapse under the weight of past differences? Former NATO Ambassador Robert Hunter says the coalition should not be viewed as a permanent alliance. But he says that President Bush may be giving all nations of the world a clean slate in their relationship with the U.S.

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