But bigger worries predate the glitch, not least the ham-fisted handling of quarrels over existing domains.

ECONOMIST: Internet domain names

They are based on personalities and quarrels over who did what in the war.

ECONOMIST: Independence is not quite in the bag

If anything, the quarrels over the exact nature of the Libyan plant at Rabta augur ill for even reaching consensus positions on the facts concerning such facilities.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Center for Security Policy | Submitted Testimony Of Frank J. Gaffney, Jr. Before A Joint Hearing Of The Senate Governmental Affairs Committee And The Permanent Subcommittee On Investigations

But it should be beyond doubt that more, and more detailed, comparisons of this sort are the way to advance the debate on education beyond tiresome quarrels over how much governments should be spending.

ECONOMIST: Education and the wealth of nations

Despite a telephone call from Madeleine Albright, America's secretary of state, to offer her services, no progress was made on the nagging issue of how to handle the Greek-Turkish quarrels over ownership of uninhabited islands close to the Turkish coast and oil rights under the Aegean.

ECONOMIST: Greece and Turkey

It is no use professing to want zero problems with the neighbours without making a much broader effort to resolve such ancient quarrels as those with Armenia or over Cyprus.

ECONOMIST: Turkish foreign policy