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</tr> <tr> <td height="10" align="middle" valign="top"><img height="10" src="/web/20030402055416im_/http://www.atimes.com/images/f_images/1pix.gif" width="1"></td> </tr> <tr> <td align="middle" valign="top"> <div align="center"><a href="/web/20030402055416/http://www.atimes.com/atimes/whatsnew.html"></a></div> </td> </tr> </table> <img height="10" src="/web/20030402055416im_/http://www.atimes.com/images/f_images/1pix.gif" width="1"><br> <table width="118" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="WIDTH: 118px; HEIGHT: 324px"> <tr> <td> <div align="center"><font color="white"><font style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #003366"><strong>ATol Specials<br> </strong><img height="10" src="/web/20030402055416im_/http://www.atimes.com/images/f_images/1pix.gif" width="1"><br> </font><a href="/web/20030402055416/http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/DH17Ak03.html"><font style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #003366" color="white"> Iraq: In all but name the war's on</font></a><font style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #003366"> </font><font style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #003366"><font color="#999999" size="1">(Aug 17)<br> </font><img height="10" src="/web/20030402055416im_/http://www.atimes.com/images/f_images/1pix.gif" width="1"><img height="10" src="/web/20030402055416im_/http://www.atimes.com/images/f_images/1pix.gif" width="1"><br> <table class="" id="table1" style="WIDTH: 112px; HEIGHT: 160px" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="3" width="112" border="2"> <tr> <td class="" valign="top" bordercolor="midnightblue" align="left" bgcolor="gainsboro" height="0"><font color="#000080" size="2"><strong><font color="black">THE AMERICAN EMPIRE</font><br> </strong></font><font size="1">By Francesco Sisci<br> (Oct '02)</font><font size="1"><font color="#999999"><br> <img hspace="0" src="/web/20030402055416im_/http://www.atimes.com/atimes//images/arrow.gif" border="0"></font></font><a href="/web/20030402055416/http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/DJ16Ak01.html"><font size="1">Part 1: Reluctant hegemon</font></a><br> <img hspace="0" src="/web/20030402055416im_/http://www.atimes.com/atimes//images/arrow.gif" border="0"><a href="/web/20030402055416/http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/DJ17Ak04.html"><font size="1">Part 2: Righteous king</font></a><br> <img hspace="0" src="/web/20030402055416im_/http://www.atimes.com/atimes//images/arrow.gif" border="0"><a href="/web/20030402055416/http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/DJ18Ak02.html"><font size="1">Part 3: The fear within</font></a></td> </tr> </table> <img height="10" src="/web/20030402055416im_/http://www.atimes.com/images/f_images/1pix.gif" width="1"><br> </font></font> </div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <div align="center"><a href="/web/20030402055416/http://www.atimes.com/atimes/others/Getting_Saddam.html"><img hspace="0" src="/web/20030402055416im_/http://www.atimes.com/atimes//images/Saddam-small-2.gif" border="0"><strong></strong></a></div> </td> </tr> </table>  <img height="10" src="/web/20030402055416im_/http://www.atimes.com/images/f_images/1pix.gif" width="1"> <div align="center"><strong></strong><a href="/web/20030402055416/http://www.atimes.com/atimes/others/Osama.html"><img hspace="0" src="/web/20030402055416im_/http://www.atimes.com/atimes//images/Osama-logo-small-4.gif" border="0"></a><br> <img height="10" src="/web/20030402055416im_/http://www.atimes.com/images/f_images/1pix.gif" width="1"><br> <a href="/web/20030402055416/http://www.atimes.com/atimes/others/Mekong.html"><img hspace="0" src="/web/20030402055416im_/http://www.atimes.com/atimes//images/Mekong-small.gif" border="0"></a></div> <p align="center"> </p> </td> <td valign="top"> <table width="100%" height="31" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td align="middle" valign="top" background="/web/20030402055416im_/http://www.atimes.com/images/f_images/top_bg.gif"> <table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr align="middle" valign="top"> <td width="25%"> <div 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width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td width="10"> </td> <td align="left" valign="top" width="510"> <table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <img height="5" src="/web/20030402055416im_/http://www.atimes.com/images/f_images/1pix.gif" width="1"> <tr> <td width="368" valign="top"> <p><font class="subhead"><strong class="head"> <table id="Table11" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="505" border="0" height="67"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="311"> <p><font class="subhead"><strong class="head">Front Page</strong></font></p> </td> <td width="36%"> <table id="Table12" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" border="0"> <tr> <td valign="center" align="middle" height="51"> <div align="right"><font class="time"><strong> <script language="javascript"> function showDate(){ var monthArray=["Jan", "Feb", "Mar", "Apr", "May", "Jun", "Jul", "Aug", "Sep", "Oct", "Nov", "Dec"] var days=["Sunday", "Monday", "Tuesday", "Wednesday", "Thursday", "Friday", "Saturday"] var d=new Date(); var month=d.getMonth() var day=d.getDate() var year=d.getYear() document.write(monthArray[month]) document.write(" ") document.write(day) document.write(", ") if(d.getYear()<2000){document.write(year+1900)} if(d.getYear()>2000){document.write(year)} } </script> <script language="javascript">showDate()</script> </strong></font> </div> </td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> <table id="Table2" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td> <table id="Table3" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="509" align="left" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td class="body" valign="top" width="300"> <table id="Table4" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="287" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td width="286"><font color="#000000"> <p align="left"><font color="#000000"> <font color="#000000"><font size="2"><img style="WIDTH: 286px; HEIGHT: 24px" height="24" hspace="0" src="/web/20030402055416im_/http://www.atimes.com/atimes/images/iraq-header-3.gif" width="287" border="0"><br></font><font color="#000000"><br><a href="/web/20030402055416/http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/ED02Ak03.html"><strong><font size="2">Rummy's flawed war plan</font></strong></a><br><font size="2">As US soldiers suffer casualties in Iraq, critics are asking whether these could have been minimized if the military brass had been able to persuade Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld to send more troops in the initial stages of the invasion. But not only did "Rummy" not listen to the generals, he did not take steps to avoid risks he himself had identified. <b>- Jason Leopold</b></font> <br> <font color="#000000"><font color="#000000"><font color="#ff0000"><font size="2"><font color="#000000"> <font color="#ff0000"><br> <font color="#000000"><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"><strong><font color="#ff0000">THE ROVING EYE</font><br></strong><a href="/web/20030402055416/http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/ED02Ak06.html "><strong>From liberation war to jihad</strong></a><br>Ever since last week's suicide bombing in Iraq, the ultra-secular Ba'ath Party of Saddam Hussein has remodeled its national liberation war into a pan-Islamic jihad against the Anglo-American invaders. And jihadis "seeking to find paradise in Iraq" are answering the call in growing numbers. - <b>Pepe Escobar</b> <br></font> </font><br><a href="/web/20030402055416/http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Central_Asia/ED02Ag01.html"><strong>Russia warns of Iraqi fallout <br></strong></a><font color="#000000">Moscow has sounded a clear warning that North Korea and Iran could - given the events unfolding in their fellow "axis of evil" member Iraq - be pushed further down the path towards using weapons of mass destruction. And if anyone should know, it's Russia. - </font> <b><font color="#000000">Sergei Blagov </font> <br> </b><br><font color="#000000"><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"><font color="#ff0000"><strong>COMMENTARY</strong></font> <br><a href="/web/20030402055416/http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/ED02Ak05.html"><strong>Iraq vs Vietnam: Similarities and differences</strong></a><br>The longer the war lasts in Iraq, the more the specter of a Vietnam-style quagmire is raised. But while elements of the current campaign resemble those in Vietnam, there is a marked difference in that the American people will unlikely tolerate an engagement lasting too many months, let alone years. - <b>Ehsan Ahrari</b> </font></font><br><br><a href="/web/20030402055416/http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/ED02Ak01.html "><strong>Turkey's opposition to war solidifies<br></strong></a><font color="#000000">Until recently, some politicians and analysts in Turkey were criticizing the government in Ankara for damaging relations with the US by not granting Washington the use of its territory for the war on Iraq. Today, however, the country appears united in its opposition to the war.</font><br><br><a href="/web/20030402055416/http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/ED02Df01.html"><strong>Kashmir problem muddies India's Iraq stand</strong></a><br><font color="#000000">New Delhi, ever mindful that it needs Western support in its dispute with Pakistan over Kashmir, refuses to come out too strongly against the US-led war in Iraq, even though this stance is at odds with the views of the majority of India's people. </font><br><br> <font color="#000000"><font color="#ff0000"> <font color="#000000"><font color="#ff0000"><font color="#000000"><a href="/web/20030402055416/http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/ED02Ak02.html "><strong>Sun Tzu: The real father of shock and awe</strong></a><br>As the phrase "shock and awe" becomes part of the media's lexicon, the roots of the military strategy are found in a book by 5th century BC Chinese military philosopher Sun Tzu. Sun's work on war has punctuated the debate under way since it emerged that Washington's initial battle plans have not produced the desired results. <br><br></font></font> </font></font></font><font color="#000000"></p> <hr color="coral"> <p align="left"><font color="#000000"><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"><font size="2"><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><font size="2"><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><font color="#ff0000"><font color="#000000"><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"><font color="#ff0000"><font color="#000000"><font color="#ff0000"><font color="#000000"><font color="#ff0000"><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"><font color="#ff0000"><font color="#000000"><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><font color="#ff0000"><font color="#000000"><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><font color="#ff0000"><font color="#000000"><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><font color="#ff0000"><font color="#000000"><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"><font color="#ff0000"><font color="#000000"><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"><font color="#000000" size="2"><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"><font color="#ff0000"><font color="#000000"><font color="#000000"><font color="#ff0000"><font color="#000000"><font color="#000000"><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"><font color="#ff0000"><font color="#000000"><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><font color="#ff0000"><font color="#000000"><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"><font color="#000000"><font color="#ff0000"><font color="#000000" face="Arial"><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"><font color="#ff0000"><font color="#000000"><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="/web/20030402055416/http://www.atimes.com/atimes/China/ED02Ad01.html "><strong>Tough road for China's new foreign minister</strong></a><br><img align="left" border="0" hspace="3" src="/web/20030402055416im_/http://www.atimes.com/atimes//China/images/lizzy.gif" vspace="3"> Li Zhaoxing, a veteran "America hand" who is China's new foreign minister, has his work cut out. His primary job will be to maintain the positive momentum in Sino-US relations that has developed since September 11, 2001. But disagreements over issues such as Iraq and North Korea are likely to test Li's resolve. </font><br></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font><br></font> <font color="#ff0000"> <font color="#000000"> <font color="#000000"> <font color="#ff0000"><img hspace="0" src="/web/20030402055416im_/http://www.atimes.com/atimes//images/bestofbe4[2].gif" border="0"><br><br><a href="/web/20030402055416/http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/ED01Ak01.html "><strong>The new Iraq-bin Laden connection<br></strong></a><font color="#000000">Al-Jazeera's broadcast last month of a speech made by Osama bin Laden was immediately used by the Bush administration in its attempt to link Iraq and al-Qaeda. Now, Iraqis are using the very same speech as motivation for resisting US-led forces in their country. - </font><font color="#000000"><strong>B Raman <font color="#999999" size="1">(Apr 1, '03)</font> <br></strong> </font><font color="#ff0000"><strong><br></strong><a href="/web/20030402055416/http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/ED01Ak02.html"><strong>Next up: 'Non-lethal' chemicals that kill<br></strong></a><font color="#000000">As the likelihood of street fighting in Baghdad grows, reports have emerged that the US is considering the use of "non-lethal chemical weapons", similar to those used in civilian riot control, and similar to those used in last year's Russian hostage drama, where the weapons proved anything but non-lethal. - </font><font color="#000000"><strong>David Isenberg <font color="#999999" size="1">(Apr 1, '03)</font> <br></strong></font><br><a href="/web/20030402055416/http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/ED01Ak04.html "><strong>Iran feels the squeeze</strong></a><br><font color="#000000">Rumblings that Iran will not receive reparations that it is due under a United Nations Security Council resolution are a further indication that the country, as a member of the "axis of evil", is due for some special "treatment" from the United States - an action that would severely test Tehran's neutrality on the war in Iraq. - </font><strong><font color="#000000">Hooman Peimani <font color="#999999" size="1">(Apr 1, '03)</font> <br></font></strong><br><strong>ANALYSIS</strong></font></font> <br> <a href="/web/20030402055416/http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/EC29Ak01.html"><strong>Could Saddam still win?</strong></a><br> Saddam Hussein's strategy, as is now evident after more than a week of fighting, is to sacrifice open spaces but hold urban areas and conduct guerrilla-style harassment operations in coalition rearguard areas. This promises a long and bloody war. But defeat under such circumstances could turn out to be Saddam's ultimate victory. - <b>Marc Erikson <font color="#999999" size="1">(Mar 28, '03)</font></b></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></p> </td> </tr> </table> </td> <td valign="top" width="210"> <table id="Table5" style="WIDTH: 212px; HEIGHT: 600px" height="600" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="212" border="0"> <tr> <td><font color="#000000" size="2"></font> <table id="Table6" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" border="0"> <tr> <td> <table id="Table7" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" border="0"> <tr> </tr> <tr> <td> <table class="" id="table1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="3" width="212" border="3" style="WIDTH: 212px; HEIGHT: 208px"> <tr> <td class="" valign="top" bordercolor="orangered" align="left" bgcolor="gainsboro" height="0"><strong><font color="#ff0000" size="2"><img align="right" border="0" hspace="0" src="/web/20030402055416im_/http://www.atimes.com/atimes/images/Iraq-ref.gif">REFERENCE<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20030402055416/http://www.atimes.com/atimes/front_page/Ec21Aa01.html"></a><br> DESK</font></strong><font color="#ff00ff"><strong><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20030402055416/http://www.atimes.com/atimes/front_page/Ec21Aa01.html"></a>  <font size="2"></font> <br> </strong></font><font color="#000000"><font size="2"><img hspace="0" src="/web/20030402055416im_/http://www.atimes.com/atimes//images/arrow.gif" border="0"></font><u><font color="#003399"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20030402055416/http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/EC22Ak02.html"><font size="2">All the war action</font></a><br> <font size="2"><img hspace="0" src="/web/20030402055416im_/http://www.atimes.com/atimes//images/arrow.gif" border="0"></font><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20030402055416/http://www.atimes.com/atimes/front_page/Ec21Aa01.html"><font size="2">Maps</font></a></font></u> <br> <br> <font size="2"><font color="#ff0000"><strong><font color="red">ALL THE WAR ACTION <br> </font></strong></font><font color="#000000"><a href="/web/20030402055416/http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/EC22Ak02.html " target="_blank"> <font color="#ff0000"><strong><img align="left" border="0" hspace="3" src="/web/20030402055416im_/http://www.atimes.com/atimes//images/target-thumb.gif" vspace="3"></strong></font></a>ATol keeps abreast of events in Iraq in graphic detail.<br> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20030402055416/http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/EC22Ak02.html">Click here</a> for our interactive map.</font></font> </font> </td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> <tr> <td height="4"><font color="#000000" size="2"><img height="5" src="/web/20030402055416im_/http://www.atimes.com/images/f_images/1pix.gif" width="5"></font></td> </tr> <tr> <td><a href="/web/20030402055416/http://www.atimes.com/atimes/others/newsletter.htm"><img src="/web/20030402055416im_/http://www.atimes.com/atimes//images/email-version-2.gif" border="0"></a></td> </tr> <tr> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td><font color="#000000" size="2"> <table class="" id="table1" cellspacing="2" cellpadding="2" width="100%" border="2"> <tr> <td class="" valign="top" bordercolor="darkorange" align="left" height="0"><font color="#ff0000" size="2"><strong>SARS CRISIS</strong></font><br><a href="/web/20030402055416/http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Asian_Economy/ED02Dk01.html"><strong><font size="2">Economic havoc, too</font></strong></a><font color="#000000"><font size="2"> <br>Of the two current events damaging Asian economies - war in Iraq and the spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome - the latter appears to be the more dangerous threat. Stock markets are already reeling, and millions of jobs are on the line as a mixture of fear, ignorance and government self-denial frustrates efforts to keep the SARS infection threat in its proper context. <b>- Alan Boyd</b></font></font></td></tr></table></font></td> </tr> </table> <img height="5" src="/web/20030402055416im_/http://www.atimes.com/images/f_images/1pix.gif" width="5"><br> <table id="Table9" style="WIDTH: 211px; HEIGHT: 820px" bordercolor="#ff9900" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="211" border="1"> <tr> <td valign="top" align="middle" width="206" bgcolor="#fdf0c6"> <div align="center"><font size="2"></font></div> <table id="Table10" style="WIDTH: 201px; HEIGHT: 285px" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="201" align="center" border="0"> <tr> <td valign="top" align="middle"><font color="#000000"><img height="5" src="/web/20030402055416im_/http://www.atimes.com/images/f_images/1pix.gif" width="1"><img height="1" src="/web/20030402055416im_/http://www.atimes.com/atimes/images/1pix.gif" width="1"><br> <img alt="" src="/web/20030402055416im_/http://www.atimes.com/images/f_images/asia_businessN.gif"></font> <p></p> <p align="left"><font color="#000000"><a href="/web/20030402055416/http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Southeast_Asia/ED02Ae01.html"><strong><font size="2">Sounds of silence in Bali</font></strong></a><br><font size="2">On Nyepi, the day of silence marking the new year that begins this week, Balinese must consider the sacrifices they have made to the fickle god of tourism. Six months after the blasts that destroyed two tourist venues in Kuta, the bombs of October 12 are still shaping the face of Bali. <b>- Gary LaMoshi</b></font><br><br><a href="/web/20030402055416/http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Central_Asia/ED02Ag02.html"><strong><font size="2">Russia eyes new oil markets in Asia-Pacific</font> </strong></a><br><font size="2">In a bid to develop new markets for its crude oil and become an alternative to the volatile Middle East, Moscow has proposed two major pipelines to serve, in particular, China and Japan. Torn between difficult choices, though, it has been forced to compromise. - <strong>Sergei Blagov</strong></font><br><br><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"><a href="/web/20030402055416/http://www.atimes.com/atimes/China/ED02Ad02.html "><strong>Japan strives to adapt to a strong China</strong></a><br> Now that China has edged out the US as Japan's top trading partner, Japan is trying to adjust to playing second fiddle to a country with which it has a long history of conflict. The challenge facing Tokyo and Beijing now is to nurture a relationship that extends beyond trade and promotes regional stability. <br><br></font> <a href="javascript:openWindow('https://web.archive.org/web/20030402055416/http://www.atimes.com/atimes/request.asp','list','resizable=no,width=495,height=585');"> <strong><font size="2">Market Indices</font>  </strong></a><font size="2">        </font><font size="2"><strong> </strong>  </font><font color="darkorange"> <font color="#000000"><font color="#000000"><a href="/web/20030402055416/http://www.atimes.com/atimes/others/stock_market_report.html"> <strong><font size="2"> <br> Stock Market Report</font> </strong></a> <br> <br> </font><a href="/web/20030402055416/http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Business_in_Brief.html"><strong><font size="2">Business in Brief</font></strong></a><br> <table class="" id="Table13" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" border="0"> <tr> <td class="" valign="top" align="left" height="0"><img height="14" src="/web/20030402055416im_/http://www.atimes.com/images/f_images/arrow.gif" width="14"></td> <td class="" valign="top" align="left" height="0"><a href="/web/20030402055416/http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Business_in_Brief.html#H1"><font size="2">Economics</font></a></td> <td class="" valign="top" align="left" height="0"><img height="14" src="/web/20030402055416im_/http://www.atimes.com/images/f_images/arrow.gif" width="14"></td> <td class="" valign="top" align="left" height="0"><a href="/web/20030402055416/http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Business_in_Brief.html#H5"><font size="2">Infrastructure</font></a></td> </tr> <tr> <td class="" valign="top" align="left" height="0"><img height="14" src="/web/20030402055416im_/http://www.atimes.com/images/f_images/arrow.gif" width="14"></td> <td class="" valign="top" align="left" height="0"><a href="/web/20030402055416/http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Business_in_Brief.html#H2"><font size="2">Banking</font></a></td> <td class="" valign="top" align="left" height="0"><img height="14" src="/web/20030402055416im_/http://www.atimes.com/images/f_images/arrow.gif" width="14"></td> <td class="" valign="top" align="left" height="0"><a href="/web/20030402055416/http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Business_in_Brief.html#H6"><font size="2">Energy</font></a></td> </tr> <tr> <td class="" valign="top" align="left" height="0"><img height="14" src="/web/20030402055416im_/http://www.atimes.com/images/f_images/arrow.gif" width="14"></td> <td class="" valign="top" align="left" height="0"><a href="/web/20030402055416/http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Business_in_Brief.html#H3"><font size="2">IT</font> </a> </td> <td class="" valign="top" align="left" height="0"><img height="14" src="/web/20030402055416im_/http://www.atimes.com/images/f_images/arrow.gif" width="14"></td> <td class="" valign="top" align="left" height="0"><a href="/web/20030402055416/http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Business_in_Brief.html#H7"><font size="2">Autos</font></a></td> </tr> <tr> <td class="" valign="top" align="left" height="0"><img height="14" src="/web/20030402055416im_/http://www.atimes.com/images/f_images/arrow.gif" width="14"></td> <td class="" valign="top" align="left" height="0"><a href="/web/20030402055416/http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Business_in_Brief.html#H4"><font size="2">Telecoms</font></a></td> <td class="" valign="top" align="left" height="0"><img height="14" src="/web/20030402055416im_/http://www.atimes.com/images/f_images/arrow.gif" width="14"></td> <td class="" valign="top" align="left" height="0"><a href="/web/20030402055416/http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Business_in_Brief.html#H8"><font size="2">Aviation</font></a></td> </tr> </table> </p> <p align="left"></font></font><font face="Times New Roman" color="darkorange"><font face="Arial" color="#000000" size="2"><a href="/web/20030402055416/http://www.atimes.com/atimes/others/Company_in_brief.html"><strong>Company Briefs</strong></a> </font></font> </p></font></td> </tr> </table> <br> </td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> <font color="#000000" size="2"><strong> <hr> </strong>(Advertorial)<br> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20030402055416/http://www.atimes.com/atimes/front_page/EB21Aa01.html"><strong><font color="#cc0099"> <strong>WSI Internet抯 Asian franchise expansion soars</strong> </font></strong> </a> <br> <font color="#000000"><font color="#000000"> <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.5pt">WSI Internet continues its rapid Asian franchise expansion - amidst record levels of Internet use in Asia-Pacific.</span></font></font> <br> <hr> </font><font face="Arial" color="#000000" size="2"> <img height="5" src="/web/20030402055416im_/http://www.atimes.com/images/f_images/1pix.gif" width="5"><br> </font> <table class="" id="table1" style="WIDTH: 212px; HEIGHT: 135px" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="3" width="212" border="3"> <tr> <td class="" valign="top" bordercolor="darkorange" align="left" bgcolor="gainsboro" height="0"> <p align="left"><font color="darkorange" size="3"><strong><font color="red" size="2">FROM OUR MAILBOX<br> </font></strong></font><font color="#000000"><font color="#000000"><font color="#000000"> <font color="#000000"><font color="#000000"><font color="#000000"><font color="#000000"><font color="#000000"> <font color="#000000"><font color="#000000"><font color="#000000"><font color="#000000"><font color="#000000"> <font color="#000000"><font color="#000000"><font color="#000000"><font color="#000000"><font color="#000000"> <font color="#000000"><font color="#000000"><font color="#000000"><font color="#000000"><font color="#000000"> <font color="#000000"><br>And now in Iraq, psychologically the United States has already lost. Of course, they can occupy the whole country and they can destroy it. Saddam [Hussein] may be killed, or more likely he will disappear, like [Osama] bin Laden. If you lose the psychological battle, you have lost. BBB politics - [President George W] Bush Bombs enemies and Buys friends - will not do.<br><b>Dr Walter Molt</b> <br><br> </font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font> </font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font> </font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font> <font color="#999999" size="1"><font color="#000000"><font color="#000000" size="2"><strong>For more letters, go to</strong> </font> <br> <a href="/web/20030402055416/http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Letters.html"><font size="2">Letters to the Editor</font></a></font></font></p> </td> </tr> </table> <img height="5" src="/web/20030402055416im_/http://www.atimes.com/images/f_images/1pix.gif" width="5"><br> <table class="" id="Table16" style="WIDTH: 212px; HEIGHT: 126px" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="3" width="212" border="3"> <tr> <td class="" valign="top" bordercolor="fuchsia" align="left" height="0"><font size="2"></font><font size="2"><strong><font color="#ff00ff"><a href="javascript:openWindow('/atimes/others/cartoon.html','list','resizable=yes,scrollbars,width=720,height=560');"><img align="left" border="0" hspace="3" src="/web/20030402055416im_/http://www.atimes.com/atimes//images/coates-28-3-2003-thumb.gif" vspace="3"></a>WEEKEND  CARTOON</font></strong></font><strong><font color="#ff00ff"> <font size="2"></font> <br> </font></strong><font size="2">by<br> </font><font size="2"><strong><font color="magenta">Gavin Coates</font> <br> </strong></font> <br> <a href="javascript:openWindow('/atimes/others/cartoon.html','list','resizable=yes,scrollbars,width=720,height=560');"> <font size="2">Please click to enlarge.</font> </a> <br> <font size="2">Visit </font><a href="/web/20030402055416/http://www.atimes.com/atimes/others/cartoons.html"><font size="2">Gavin's page</font></a><font size="2"> for more. </font> </td> </tr> </table> <br> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20030402055416/http://www.heartland.limesonline.com/" 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