Contents

SPECIAL REPORT
Anatomy of a Civil War
Iraq’s descent into chaos    Nir Rosen

ESSAYS
Rules of Engagement
Why military honor matters    Elaine Scarry

The 33-Day War
Hizbullah's victory, Israel's choice    Helena Cobban

The Lesser Evil
Using American force wisely    Anatol Lieven

STATE OF THE NATION
Was the 2000 presidential election decided fairly?

NEW FICTION FORUM
In Rut  FICTION
Madeline Kotowicz

A Moral Fiction
On John Champlin Gardner    Charles Johnson

ON POETRY
Marc Gaba
Winner of the ninth annual Boston Review poetry contest   

Revealed
Mei-Mei Berssenbrugge’s I Love Artists    Susan Barba

Sweet New Style
Lisa Robertson’s The Men    Tom Thompson

Microreviews

ON FILM
Enduring Love
André Téchiné’s Changing Times    Alan A. Stone

POEMS   
Visitation    Stephanie Pippin
Flag    Noah Eli Gordon
Missionary    Nick Admussen
Border Crossings    Landis Everson
from The Us    Joan Houlihan
Helpmate    Nick Admussen
I was astonished at the mysterious slow-motion quality    Martha Ronk
Poet’s Sampler: David Blair     introduced by David Rivard