Table of Contents

10 QUESTIONS: Dr. Phil on obesity and tussling with Letterman 8

LETTERS 10

NOTEBOOK

The FBI enlists a Pentagon aide in probing U.S. allies; our poll shows Bush on top 19

MILESTONES: A former Atlanta mayor is indicted; a rocket scientist is dead 27

IN THE ARENA: Joe Klein on the sleazy, effective G.O.P. Convention 29

NATION

BUSH'S BIG NIGHT Behind the scenes at the Republican Convention 30

HUGH SIDEY: Hanging out with the other President Bush in New York 34

THE ECONOMY, STUPID TIME evaluates the candidates' plans on jobs, taxes, health care and other fiscal issues. We find short-term fixes, not long-term solutions 36

WORLD

RUSSIAN SIEGE The attack on a school ends in heartbreaking carnage 42

COVER

THE BATTLE WITHIN ISLAM Three years after 9/11, moderate Muslims say U.S. foreign policy is making it harder to counter the fiery appeal of radical Islam. How a faith debates its future 46

THE KORAN: Does the holy book authorize beheadings and other hostage killings? 62

VIEWPOINT: Building a Muslim community for the 21st century 66

HEALTH

BILL CLINTON He banished Big Macs, but too late 71

LAW

KOBE BRYANT Why the prosecution's case fizzled 72

ARTS

JUST ADD ACTORS The lush, retro Sky Captain was made using only computer-created sets 74

STAR WARS: The most anticipated DVD ever draws groans from some Jedi purists 80

JOEY: The Friends spinoff seems one-sixth as good as the original 82

PAULA POUNDSTONE: Why she prefers humor to contrition 88

YOUR TIME

HEALTH: The danger of whole-body scans; cholesterol drugs 105

MONEY: Paying down debt 106

TECH: Quite possibly the coolest personal computer ever 108

PEOPLE: Serena's odd duds; Ivana's boy toys; rookie Adam Sandler 111

ESSAY: Jamie Malanowski imagines the Jeopardy! champ's future 112

COVER: An Iraqi religious student. Photograph by Farah Nosh--Getty Images