0713-2007f - FOREIGN PRESS REVIEW (FPR) - ‘Relevant news, views, comments and analyses from all around the world for informed debate’ Compiled by Şanlı Bahadır Koç U.S. / Britain / Turkey / Magazines / Think-tanks / Blogs / Misc /Books / Quickread / Numbers / Reports - FPR Table - Subscribe to FPR

H1 Initial Benchmark Assessment Report PDF (25 pages, 147kb)

New York Times News Analysis: Fending Off a Deadline: Bush Seeks Time on Iraq

Washington Post As the War Debate Heats Up, Stagnant Air Is in the Forecast

President Unbowed as Benchmarks Are Unmet House Votes to Begin Iraq Pullout This Year

Iraqi Military's Readiness Slips Report Says That Since January, Fewer Units Can Operate Independently

Deserting Petraeus By Charles Krauthammer

Iraq: Let’s Pray For Number Seven (1.) Three New Countries (2.) Regional Shiite-Sunni War (3.) Turkey Expands (4.) Shiite Dictatorship (5.) Chaos (6.) “Gang Up” (7.) The Center Holds

Germans Weigh Civil Rights Against Public Safety Germany, fearful of being the next major target for Islamic terrorists, is edging away from its deep aversion to intrusive and harsh enforcement tactics.

Wall Street Journal Measuring Progress in Iraq Metrics have their drawbacks, but we need to keep politicians honest in this debate. By MICHAEL O'HANLON AND JASON CAMPBELL

Financial Times COMMENT: A political awakening that recasts the global landscape The 21st century is one in which states have been fast losing their monopoly of power, says Philip Stephens

Slate The Outrageous White House Report On Iraq. Fred Kaplan

Guardian Leader A president in denial Iraq: Rarely can George Bush have had so little ammunition with which to defend his policy of deploying 30,000 additional troops to stabilise the government in Iraq. Rarely can he have appeared less convincing when pressed by the White House press corps.

Brown message to US: it's time to build, not destroy Minister signals foreign policy shift ahead of PM's Washington trip.

BBC UK hints at foreign policy shift A minister in Prime Minister Gordon Brown's cabinet signals a change in direction in UK foreign policy.

The Economist The International Monetary Fund Fait accompli The IMF can ill afford another term of hypocrisy

America and Iraq Plan, don't panic Politicians in Washington have lost faith in the war. But there are good and bad ways of getting out

Ha’aretz – PM: Assad wants talks, but only with Bush Olmert says doesn't believe there is a threat of war soon, still waiting for Syria to respond to diplomatic gestures

What a difference a year makes - or not

Seven Questions: Can You Live Without China?, Foreign Policy, July 2007

Financial Times COMMENT: Blair's Mideast mission is more than just vanity There is a chance that the former UK prime minister could actually do some good in his new role, says Michael Fullilove.

COMMENT: A fresh free trade agenda for Doha A year ago this month, WTO negotiators drove into a cul-de-sac. Grant Aldonas asks how they can get moving again.

BBc Hariri panel 'has found suspects'
The panel investigating the murder of Lebanese ex-PM Rafik Hariri has identified suspects, investigators say

Geopolitical Diary: The Reality of Al Qaeda's Resurgence
Stratfor –

CFR Biddle: Stick With ‘Surge’ or Pull Out of Iraq Now

World Prepares for Post-Bush Era - Michael Hirsh, Newsweek

Musharraf's Enemies Close In - Peter Bergen, The New Republic

Upside-Down Politics in Mideast - Victor Davis Hanson, RealClearPolitics

Yedioth Ahronoth Next war inevitable Nasrallah's control over southern Lebanon complete despite UN troops, Majdi Halabi says

Making better decisions/ Dagan

Jerusalem Post Analysis: Hamas won the battle, and maybe the war

Unleash the Iranian opposition
By DANIEL PIPES The rogue oil state regime it opposes terrifies one half the West and tempts the other.

Israel's disadvantage in face of asymmetrical warfare [ RUTHIE BLUM,

Newsweek Could Benchmarks Make Things Worse?

Washington Note Soft or Hard Landing for American Decline?

Djerejian Two Views of the Basra Precedent

Iraq's pressure-point, Paul Rogers

PostGlobal End Occupation or Kill the Occupier?

The US should focus on Iran and not Iraq. Total war not limited war .

H2 FT Turkish military marches into unknown In initiating a constitutional crisis that prompted the forthcoming general election, the generals may have overestimated their ability to engineer a desirable outcome

FT: CHP, askerin siyasi kanadı gibi görünüyor

Heritage Foundation Secularism, Islamism, Democracy: The Future of U.S. - Turkish Relations View Event | Streaming MP3 | Save MP3

Seçimler ve İkili İlişkiler

EurasiaNet Turkey: PKK Leader Talks Tough in the Face of Turkish Military Action

Morgan Stanley Turkey
Gains and Pains by Serhan Çevik Turkey’s unprecedented progress in the last five years may not be enough to ensure stability. Turkish voters have occasionally exhibited symptoms of ‘irrationality’ in voting behavior. Not every government would maintain institutional and economic progress.

Michael Rubin Will Turkey Have an Islamist President? (pdf)

OxAn TURKEY: AKP and military manage pre-election tensions

Iraqi Kurdish Leader Views Kirkuk Issue, Ties With Neighbouring Countries

The Economist Turkey's election In search of the female voter

US reluctant on referendum in Kirkuk

Independent Turkish groups snub Merkel's bid to improve integration

Uyum planı

Almanya'nın göçmen uyum planını Faruk Şen'le tartıştık

The Turkish Elections: What's at Stake?
The Moderate Voice

Michael Rubin Türkiye'de askeri darbe olmayacak

FT REPORT - GREECE: Focused on regional expansion

IHT Merkel defends immigrant regulations
The German chancellor rebuked Turkish groups that boycotted a high-profile meeting to bolster the integration of German immigrants on Thursday, accusing them of spreading false information about new immigration rules.

Turkey's Mid-summer General Elections

Retreat to Kurdistan

Google News KurdishMedia Kurdish Kurdish Aspect BBC Monitoring

Former Member: PKK Evacuated Camps Over Invasion Fears

'K. Irak'taki PKK kampları boşaldı'

TÜRKSAT, PKK'ya uydudan müdahale edecek

Kurdistan Region Government Slams Iraqi Deputy PM Over Comments on Rights

Iraqi Kurdish Article Comments on Deadline Pending Over Article 140

Iraqi Kurdish Press Highlights 12 Jul 07

Iraqi Kurdish Reaction to Human Rights Watch Prison Report

Erzincan'da mayın patladı: 1 er şehit

Barzani: Hiç çekinmeden kendimizi savunuruz

Kirkuk and its dependencies: Historically part of Kurdistan - I

▪ Kirkuk and its dependencies: Historically part of Kurdistan - II

▪ Kirkuk and its dependencies: Historically part of Kurdistan - III

Mayını hallederiz Teröristler GSM baz istasyonlarını kullanıyor. Uydudan çalışanları da biz biliyoruz. Hangi frekanslarda bu işlerin yapıldığı belli. O bölgelerde bu frekansları bozacak frekans göndermek çok rahat. Nerelerde iletişim engellenir, bölge iyi tespit edilip bunlar çok rahat yapılabilir.

Etyen Mahçupyan Imaginary foreign policy and northern Iraq

Russian Consulate opens in Iraq Kurdistan

DTP AKP bize kapıyı aralık tutuyor

Political parties' Iraq policies challenge each other

Turkish Troop Build-Up Worries Iraq

Iranian Forces, Kurdish Guerrillas Clash

Interview: Talabani on oil law development

Turkey vs. Iraq?

Save Kurdistan By Andrew Sullivan

Barzani: "Diyaloğu tehdide üstün görüyoruz"

Mardin Bağımsız milletvekili adayı Dr. Kamiran Yıldırım ile röportaj

Turkey: Kirkuk referendum risky

Kirkuk's Arabs oppose oil law

PKK yanlısı Kürt derneğe mektup

Erzincan ve Bingöl'de 2 şehit

Danıştay’dan Baydemir’e soruşturmaya vize

Kurdish Media Report: Iran's dirty tactics to spread problems to Kurdistan

The Asayish’s reaction to Dr. Barham Salih’s comments

Iranian forces, Kurdish guerrillas clash on Iraq-Iran border: Kurdish official

Who is responsible for implementing democracy in Kurdistan?

Erzincan'da hain tuzak: 1 şehit

Özcan YENİÇERİ "Şemdin Sakık Anlatıyor"

"Irak Devleti ve Koalisyon Güçleri Türkmenleri Koruyamıyor, Silah Güç İstemek En Doğal Hakkımız"

ABD askerleri: Vurduğumuz sivillerin yanına 'çatışma süsü' için silah koyduk

Slouching toward a Palestinian holocaust (1) by RICHARD FALK*

Google News Greece Cyprus Turkish Cypriot Press ABHaber

Seyfettin Gürsel Sarkozy'den ilk geri adım

Zeynel Lüle Avrupa Birliği'nin vicdanı rahatsız

Turkish boycott clouds ‘integration summit'

Sezer'den Köhler'e Göç Yasası mektubu

‘Cancellation of match a Pyrrhic victory for Greek Cyprus’

Dünyanın en garip maçı

Servet Yıldırım Sarkozy bir taşla iki kuş vurdu

FT REPORT - GREECE: Focused on regional expansion

FT REPORT - GREECE: A country in need of a unifying and compelling vision

FT REPORT - GREECE: Rising prosperity brings feel-good factor

FT REPORT - GREECE: System struggles to recover from bond buying scandal

FT REPORT - GREECE: Younger, bigger, more patriotic

FT REPORT - GREECE: The race heats up to find renewable sources of power

FT REPORT - GREECE: Small steps to build a global brand

FT REPORT - GREECE: Albanian migrant's 'extreme experience'

FT REPORT - GREECE: Forest fires point up challenges

FT REPORT - GREECE: Modernisation is on the university syllabus

FT REPORT - GREECE: Twice as long to restore as it took to build

After 33 years, Turkish Cypriots lay their missing to rest

Greek harassment over Aegean provokes Turkey

Profesyonel ordu için 2.00 kişilik yeni Bordo Bereli

Merkel'e rest çeken Türkler 'uyum zirvesi'ni protesto etti

Düşen savaş uçağında pilotlar kurtuldu

Arslan BULUT
Büyükanıt'ı bile hedef alan güç, Petkim'i satın alan küresel sermayedir

'Gizli güçleri' sordu, Anavatan'dan istifa etti

İzmir'deki bomba, Hudson senaryolarını hatırlattı

ALİ BAYRAMOĞLU Haki renkli çeteler

[Abdülkadir Aksu] Kimsenin dokunmaya cesaret edemediği çetelerin üzerine gittik

SMS links journalist Özkan to Tekin one day before he was arrested

US Embassy official questions ADD over rally funds

İŞTE O BELGE.. “AKP Çalık Grubu için İsrail’de iş takibi yaptı” iddiasının belgesi Gazeteci İlhan Taşçı’nın Maskesiz Soygun kitabında yayınlandı

Bir kukla gibiyim

Gül ve babasına billboard tepkisi

Gül'ün kardeşi: İhaleyle hiç ilgimiz yok

Abdullah Gül ile ilgili iddiaların arkası kesilmiyor

Sedat Peker'le gözaltına alındı şimdi İngiltere'de vekil adayı

'Kürt Fevzi'yi 1 milyon dolara vurmuşlar

H3 Hibe silahlar PKK'ya Murat Yetkin Ankara, Barzani-PKK ilişkisinden rahatsız: PKK, Barzani'nin Kürdistan projesinin parçası oldu

Şamil Tayyar Sezer istifa mı edecek?

YÖN-ARA'nın anketi çok farklı çıktı!

Taha AKYOL Cumhurbaşkanı ve hukuk

Fikret BİLA Şener: Ben hesapla değil, gönlümce yürürüm

SMS links journalist Özkan to Tekin one day before he was arrested

Cengiz Çandar CHP’den İlhan Selçuk’a Türk “Baasçıları”nı tahlile devam...

ASLI AYDINTAŞBAŞ

Güneri CIVAOĞLU Yasa 'kadük', sopa 'kırık'

Erdoğan: Sayın Baykal’ın yaşı 70 olmuş ama

MHP, ana muhalefet olabilir mi?
İsmet Berkan

YÖN-ARA'nın anketi çok farklı çıktı!

Güven Sak Seçmenin giderek merkezde yer almaya başlaması neye alamettir?

Ertuğrul Özkök Son hizmetim darbe olacak

Ahmet Hakan Tarikatlar hakkında ezber bozucu bilgiler

M Ali Birand Politikacıyı bu kadar kolay harcamayın

Nakşibendilerin oyları AKP'ye

Bahçeli: İdamı geri getiririm

İş dünyası tek parti istiyor

Türkiye'ye büyük tehdit M.Ali Kışlalı

Hurşit GÜNEŞ Kamuoyu yoklamaları ve seçim sonuçları

The sum of all secular fears
Mustafa Akyol

AKP'nin ağır topları Erdoğan'ı zorluyor

Sami KOHEN "Uygun zaman", ne zaman?

Derya SAZAK Hikmet Abi formülü

İki yanı keskin bıçak Haluk Şahin AKP'nin seçim stratejisinde temel tema 'istikrar'. Yani her şeyin üç aşağı beş yukarı bugün olduğu gibi devam etmesi.

Çankaya'ya kim çıksın

AK Party after double ballot boxes again

1. Ankete göre yeni meclis 3 partili

[Muharrem Beşir] Aleviler artık MHP'ye oy verecek

İç Basında Türk Dış Politikası

Dış Basında Türkiye-AB İlişkileri - Dış Basında Güncel Türkiye Bülteni

Dış Basında Irak BBC Turkish 0700

VOA TSİ 06:30 Dış Basında Türkiye Turkish Press Review Google News Turkey Turquie Türkei TurcoPundit

Taha Kıvanç

Fehmi Koru Önümüzdeki 15 gün…

ALİ BAYRAMOĞLU Haki renkli çeteler

NAZLI ILICAK Ömer Dinçer, Konfüçyüs'ün izinde

Oktay Ekşi Bu da ’ırkçılık’ değilse

Tufan Türenç Amerika önce PKK’ya giden silahların hesabını versin

Emin Çölaşan Patrik istemiş

Özdemir İnce AKP’nin Müslüman Kardeşler demokrasisi

Yalçın Bayer Politikacı bir cumhurbaşkanına mecbur muyuz

Bu seçim, bağımsızların seçimidir
H. Gökhan Özgün

[Yorum - Dr.Hüseyin Yayman] AK Parti oyları neden yükseliyor? (II)

Serdar Turgut Milliyetçilik rüzgarı

KORAY DÜZGÖREN Baykal kullanıldığını anlayabilecek mi?

Bülent Korucu Strategic mistakes in the elections

Tamer Korkmaz Militan mı dediniz?

Mustafa Ünal Kim kazanacak?

Hüseyin Gülerce Al sana uzlaşma!

Ali Bulaç Islam and politics

Bülent Keneş A president like Sezer!

AKP'li Kuzu: Kadük demek deli saçması

MAHMUT ÖVÜR İstanbul'u kazanan iktidar olur!

Campaign should not become a fight Ilnur Cevik

Mehmet Tezkan

Ya AKP’lisin ya da darbeci..

Hakan Aygün Ağar’a Erdoğan yüklenmezken niye Bahçeli yükleniyor?

Berat Özipek Uzlaşmanın anlamı

Atatürk ve Matürîdîlik Hakkı Devrim

'Hiçbir şekilde askeri müdahale istemiyorum'

İBRAHİM KARAGÜL Türk Baasçılığı, liberal enternasyonalistler!

'Türkiye'de çatışma çıkar' sözüne savcılar sessiz kaldı

Neyin seçimi? Murat Belge

Uzlaşma mı, dayatma mı?
Hasan Celal Güzel

Arınç Seçim sonuçları provoke edilebilir

Okay Gönensin Son araştırmalar

Nasuhi Güngör Krizin adı CHP

Mehmet Barlas Yüzer-gezer oylar demokrasinin teminatıdır

Şener Cumhurbaşkanı Meclis dışından da olabilir

’Aday olmam’ demedi

Cem Uzan: Halk seçmeli

Seçimlerde hile mümkün!

Ermeni oyları AKP ve Oran’a

Mahkeme: Muhtıra değil basın açıklaması

'Tazminat istiyorsan Genelkurmay'a git'

[Yorum - Prof.Dr. Zühtü Arslan] Toplumsal barış için sivil anayasa

MUHARREM SARIKAYA Orta Anadolu'nun seçimi

YASİN DOĞAN Susmak bazen konuşmaktan iyidir

ERDAL ŞAFAK Dostlara dert anlatmak

ERGUN BABAHAN Bağımsızların duruşu

EMRE AKÖZ Baykal'ın kâbusları

Özelleştirmede güvenlik krizi!

Baykal'dan Erdoğan'a ''70 yaş'' yanıtı: Yaşımla ilgili kompleksim yok

Mehmet Metiner TMSF ve “derin mekanizma”

Belediyeden seçim kuponu

YSK Başkanı: Siyasi eşantiyon vermek suç

Güngör URAS Güçlü euro ihracat rakamını şişiriyor

ABDURRAHMAN YILDIRIM

Ercan Kumcu Para politikası üzerine baskılar

Erdal Sağlam

Şu döviz kuru meselesi... Uğur Gürses

Eser Karakaş Dış ticaret açığı, ekonomi ve siyaset

Süleyman Yaşar Abdullah Gül IMF başkanı olabilir

Türkiye'nin beş aylık faiz gideri 4.4 milyar dolar

Merkez Bankası, faiz indirimine son çeyrekte başlayacak

Turkish tobacco exports could go up in smugglers’ smoke Chinese are getting results on their ‘grand tobacco scheme’, which involves producing tobacco in Uzbekistan and Kyrgystan using seeds smuggled out of Turkey. They are expected to sell Oriental tobacco to international companies for $1 per kilo – a fraction of the price commanded by the true Turkish commodity

Koç 12 yıllık rüyayı 3 yılın sonunda gerçek yaptı

DAVID BROOKS The Endgame Deadlock Everybody argues bitterly over how to get out of Iraq, but amid the discord nobody can do anything about it.

Musharraf Defends Raid that Ended Red Mosque Siege

Editorial

H5 Washington Post As the War Debate Heats Up, Stagnant Air Is in the Forecast

President Unbowed as Benchmarks Are Unmet

House Votes to Begin Iraq Pullout This Year

Iraqi Military's Readiness Slips Report Says That Since January, Fewer Units Can Operate Independently

Deserting Petraeus By Charles Krauthammer

Mosque Siege Exposes Rift In 'Mullah-Military' Alliance Pakistan's Extremists Increasingly Turn Against Old Ally

Editorial Rating the Nations A World Bank study gives Iraq a zero for political stability, but the United States isn't where you might expect.

Chertoff's Upset Stomach By Eugene Robinson

What Atheists Can't Answer By Michael Gerson,

H6 Guardian Leader A president in denial Iraq: Rarely can George Bush have had so little ammunition with which to defend his policy of deploying 30,000 additional troops to stabilise the government in Iraq. Rarely can he have appeared less convincing when pressed by the White House press corps.

Brown message to US: it's time to build, not destroy Minister signals foreign policy shift ahead of PM's Washington trip.

Iraq war policy failing A White House report said the Iraqi government had failed to stem violence and bring reconciliation.

Al-Qaida as strong as before 9/11, Bush warned

In the new, anxious world, leaders must learn to think beyond borders Ulrich Beck: The threats of climate change, terrorism and economic globalisation demand a transnational mindset: a cosmopolitics.

It is time for Ban Ki-moon to speak up and speak out Jonathan Steele: After six months in the job, the UN secretary general should be taking the lead, but his record so far is underwhelming.

Sorry, Pope, but this 'proper church' declaration is surreal nonsense
Simon Jenkins: I'm an atheist but still I resent this joker in Rome slighting my community. A residual theological chauvinism is aroused.

Impeach Cheney? James Ridgeway: Attempts to impeach the vice president are an embarrassment to the Democratic party leadership because so many of them voted for the invasion of Iraq.

A dog's life Seth Freedman: One way out of the impasse between Israel and Palestine could be for Israelis to treat their Arab workers better.

Lebanon war was a success, says Olmert

Muslims: how to win hearts and minds

Ajmal Masroor Sacrifices will have to be made by British Muslims in order to engender trust. Here is an eight-point plan, a statement of intent.

Islamic revolution will come in Pakistan, warns cleric Musharraf appeals for unity to beat extremists as many question official death toll of Mosque siege.

Iran's Jews reject offer of Israel move

Expats offer families £30,000 to emigrate.

Money and the military Since 2005 annual military spending worldwide has topped $1 trillion ($1.204 trillion last year), climbing to the level reached at the worst of the East-West standoff and the heyday of arms control.

H7 BBC UK hints at foreign policy shift A minister in Prime Minister Gordon Brown's cabinet signals a change in direction in UK foreign policy.

The Economist The International Monetary Fund Fait accompli The IMF can ill afford another term of hypocrisy

America and Iraq Plan, don't panic Politicians in Washington have lost faith in the war. But there are good and bad ways of getting out

Al Awsat Calls for Ending the War Can Prolong It : Amir Taheri

Blogging Heads Reza Aslan & Eli Lake: Middle Eastern Edition

MEMRI Jul 12 IA# 370 - The Crisis in Iranian-Russian Relations over Iran's Nuclear Project(2)

McClatchy New U.S. intelligence assessment casts doubts on Bush's Iraq policy

Intelligence report: Al Qaida at renewed strength in Pakistan

Myths of the
War on Terrorism by Steve Chapman

Lobe Bush-Musharraf Alliance Under Growing Attack

Washington Times Musharraf's hand Gen. Pervez Musharraf, Pakistan's beleaguered president, should be credited for the way his government handled the extremist siege at Islamabad's Lal Masjid, or Red Mosque.

'They' still have no plan Those now calling for a U.S. withdrawal from Iraq have moral responsibilities. They must have a plan.

Enabling a War-Ravaged State to Recover By: Edmund S. Phelps and Graciana del Castillo | The Japan Times Unless war-ravaged countries like Iraq create jobs and promote social inclusion, national reconciliation will likely prove impossible.

Daily Star It's back to more brutal priorities in the Arab states
By Moataz El-Fegiery

A July Surprise but Bush Still Won't Budge on Iraq - Joe Klein, Time

The Prince of Darkness - Patrick Buchanan, Creators

H8 IraqSlogger Google News Iraq Iran Syria Mideastwire.com - NPR Iraq stratfor

US Report Paints Bleak Picture of Iraq

Assessing Iraq Benchmarks

US Papers Friday: President a Defiant Decider

BBC US House votes for troop pullout

The US House of Representatives passes a bill to withdraw most combat troops from Iraq by April 2008.

Bush fights for time, new strategy

Iraqi politicians ponder US move

Update on Iraq benchmarks

Latest Poll Shows High Point in Opposition to Iraq War

Iraq: Al-Maliki Faces His Sternest Test Yet

Bush Press Conference: Transcript

Hariri panel 'has found suspects'
The panel investigating the murder of Lebanese ex-PM Rafik Hariri has identified suspects, investigators say

Syria Willing to Rethink Iran Ties, UN Says

2 militants tied to Iran captured in Baghdad raid

The Economist Iraq The bloody stalemate persists

Peacekeeping with Hizbullah's Help - Nicholas Blanford (TIME)

Slow recovery
Southern Lebanon is still rebuilding a year after the war

Two Journalists Killed in Iraq, Witnesses Cite US Fire

Review of the Arab press

Lebanon: Lessons Not Learned

Scott Sullivan: Hillary Turkey
Petroleumworld.com

The Barzani-IRGC Connection Since 2002
The Conservative Voice

H9 Ha’aretz – PM: Assad wants talks, but only with Bush Olmert says doesn't believe there is a threat of war soon, still waiting for Syria to respond to diplomatic gestures

What a difference a year makes - or not

PM: Decision to go to war with Hezbollah was right one

Marcus Oh, what a war The first anniversary of the Second Lebanon War, marked yesterday, is not a good excuse for a party. Because, of all the wars Israel has fought, it is the only one remembered as a failure.

Palestinian statehood within a year

Bar’el Kowtowing to Hezbollah

Analysis: French Lebanon talks are kowtowing to Hezbollah Nasrallah had said group would not go after Sarkozy called it 'terrorist'; Iran, Saudia Arabia also to take part

Olmert: War With Hezbollah Was Necessary to 'Create a New Reality'

Analysis: Hamas in Two-Pronged Approach to Fayyad's Palestinian Cabinet

Yedioth Ahronoth Next war inevitable Nasrallah's control over southern Lebanon complete despite UN troops, Majdi Halabi says

Making better decisions/ Dagan

Jerusalem Post Analysis: Hamas won the battle, and maybe the war

Unleash the Iranian opposition
By DANIEL PIPES The rogue oil state regime it opposes terrifies one half the West and tempts the other.

Israel's disadvantage in face of asymmetrical warfare [ RUTHIE BLUM,

Egypt's Gaza role Four views.

Panel plans to safeguard Jewish future
JPPPI sets up task-force after delegates warn they don't want their time wasted

UN envoy Michael Williams reports his “impression” that peace deal progress with Israel would change Damascus’ relations with Iran, Hizballah and Hamas

Daily Alert.org – Middle East Progress - EJC Israeli Press Review – Google News Israel - Palestine

Israeli Experts: Checkpoints Key to Airport Security –

No Progress in Mideast as Tactics Trump Strategy

One Year After the Lebanon War –

Shi'ites in the Lebanese Army Are Helping Hizbullah

The Second Lebanon War - One Year Later (Israel Foreign Ministry)

BBC War wariness
One year on, Israelis in the north fear fresh conflict with Hezbollah

H10 Christian Science Monitor Tamed US deficit - can it last?

At $205 billion, the 2007 deficit is expected to be half its '04 peak, as corporate tax revenues surge.

Bush report sharpens debate The White House says progress in Iraq on eight of 18 'benchmarks' is reason for optimism.

Al Qaeda stronger, but is it the major factor in Iraq? Although Al Qaeda has regrouped to pre-9/11 strength, it will probably not affect the fight in Iraq.

Petraeus warns of hasty US pullout

In a Monitor interview, top US general sees pockets of progress in Iraq.

Under fire from US, Iran reacts by cracking down at home

The government has put restrictions on the media, targeted academics, and detained 150,000 - including four Iranian-Americans.

One year later, two families look back at war

The war between Hizbullah and Israel, which began last year, killed thousands.

Opinion: Cost of unleashing China's currency

Can Darfur's disparate rebels unite?

Fighting between rebels could complicate fresh peace talks, which begin Sunday in Libya.

At Stake in the Iraq War: Survival of a Way of Life By: Andrew Roberts | The Christian Science Monitor
Unless the English-speaking peoples step up, they'll lose the great struggle against radical, totalitarian Islam.

ASIA Pakistan Heading for a Crackdown By: M.K. Bhadrakumar | Asia Times
Never before has Pakistan been so important to the United States, mainly to counter increasingly coordinated international moves by Russia and China. Washington therefore needs a power structure in Islamabad that it can manipulate, and President General Pervez Musharraf fits the bill, provided he can overcome the threat of a popular uprising.

From Outlook India, a review of The Clash Within: Democracy, Religious Violence and India's Future by Martha C. Nussbaum. Abdul cannot get inside boiled egg: A review of Holy Warriors: a Journey into the Heart of Indian Fundamentalism by Edna Fernandes (and more). Stars of India: What lies behind Indian managers’ success? And can it be more widely replicated? Peter Bergen on what the Red Mosque siege says about the future of Pakistani democracy. A review of Military Inc.: Inside Pakistan's Military Economy by Ayesha Siddiqa Agha

The Economist Pakistan Showdown at the mosque

NATO in Afghanistan No rush for the exit, yet

Indonesia The end of the rainbow

Come Back Koizumi -- All Is Forgiven After Abe By: William Pesek | Bloomberg News
Here's something many of us Japan observers never thought we would be saying: Bring back Koizumi.

'Made in China' By: Emily Parker | The Wall Street Journal (subscription required)
China's integration into the world economy means its chemicals can claim the lives of dozens of Panamanians, and its toxic pet food can kill American dogs. China's trade partners have every right to be alarmed.

China's 'Patriotic' Church By: Frank Ching | The Japan Times
In a letter, Pope Benedict XVI has called for reconciliation between China's "patriotic" Catholics and the official, underground church.

H11 IHT EU seeks aid from Sarkozy on Kosovo The French president's energy and his warm relations with President Vladimir Putin of Russia could give fresh momentum to attempts to untangle an issue that has pitted Western nations that favor independence for the Serbian province against Moscow, which supports Serbia in its opposition to that plan, European officials say.

The Red Mosque falls By ANATOL LIEVEN The greatest immediate threat from the storming of the Red Mosque is a considerable increase in terrorism within Pakistan.

The terrorists' court
By JACK L. GOLDSMITH AND NEAL KATYAL
Nearly six years after 9/11, the government's system for detaining terrorists without charge or trial has harmed the reputation of the United States.

A heavenly half century
By GIOVANNI F. BIGNAMI In the half century since Sputnik, discoveries in space science have radically changed our view of the universe we live in

EUROPE European press review

The Economist European economies Can Europe's recovery last? Only if its governments take advantage of sunnier times to make deeper reforms

Kosovo's future A new battlefield

Bosnia's Muslims Balkan extremists

Turkey's election In search of the female voter

Malta, Cyprus and the euro Into the club

Charlemagne The lessons of history Nicolas Sarkozy revives some old arguments about the governance of the euro

UPI Outside View: Europe, U.S. toy with Kosovo

CER The EU should talk to Hamas

US and EU Revise Kosovo Resolution By: Ekrem Krasniqi | EU Observer
Europe and the US have revised a draft UN resolution on the status of Kosovo. The new text calls for another four months of intensive negotiations between Kosovo's ethnic Albanians and Serbs.

From Vox, borders, language, and the future of European integration: Insights from the 19th century Habsburg Empire. A review of The Primacy of Politics: Social democracy and the making of Europe’s twentieth century by Sheri Berman. Who are the citizens of Europe? Current citizenship laws in the European Union vary dramatically. The tension between freedom of movement and national self-determination of citizenship within the EU has the potential to create serious conflicts in the future, writes Rainer Bauböck. From Ovi, an essay on Europa as the Return of the Gods (and part 2). Internal market vs. Scandinavian welfare: The building of a new school in Sweden opens up the debate on the social and economical structure of the EU

H12 RFE/RL EU Still Cool On Entry Perspective For Kyiv

Caucasus: Region Sees Opportunity In Sochi

Google News Azerbaijan

Is the War in Chechnya "Over" Again? By: Ruslan Isayev | Prague Watchdog
One year ago, just a few days after Shamil Basayev was killed by a truck blast on the outskirts of the Ingushetian village of Ekazhevo, Sergei Ivanov, the Russian defence minister of the day, flew into Grozny and with an expression of thinly disguised delight said: "This is our bin Laden. I would like to remind you that all the leaders of so-called Ichkeria are now dead. Dudayev, Yandarbiyev, Maskhadov, Basayev. All of them. The war is over and the city needs to be restored... ".

Britain Ponders Next Step in Standoff By: David Nowak | The Moscow Times
Russia and Britain appeared to be on a diplomatic collision course Wednesday after they traded accusations over the extradition case of former security services officer Andrei Lugovoi.

National Security Council: Armenia struggles against terror ...

H13 The Times How paranoid Napoleons took over Vital US interests are being determined by immediate, panicky political considerations Gerard Baker

Al-Qaeda terror threat ‘at its highest since 9/11’ Details of US document entitled, 'Al-Qaeda better positioned to strike the West', were leaked amid fresh fears of attacks

Brown tiptoes away from US foreign policies

More babies in Europe, please Against all the odds, the population control lobby is back and trying to make the breeders feel guilty Melanie McDonagh

Horror of the Red Mosque revealed

Of 75 defenders killed during the assault, 39 were confirmed as under 18 while 19 were mutilated beyond recognition

Wall Street Journal Measuring Progress in Iraq Metrics have their drawbacks, but we need to keep politicians honest in this debate.
By MICHAEL O'HANLON AND JASON CAMPBELL

We're Number One, Alas
The U.S. is on the wrong side of the Laffer Curve.

The Surge Is Working
While neither Sadr nor al Qaeda have been finished off, both are now forced to fight their former supporters.
By OMAR FADHIL

The Blogosphere for Killers By: Daniel Henninger | The Wall Street Journal
Tech-savvy terrorists use the Web for propaganda and incitement.

Treasury Sec. boasts: 'This is far and away the strongest global economy I've seen in my business lifetime'...

H14 Financial Times COMMENT: A political awakening that recasts the global landscape The 21st century is one in which states have been fast losing their monopoly of power, says Philip Stephens

COMMENT: Blair's Mideast mission is more than just vanity There is a chance that the former UK prime minister could actually do some good in his new role, says Michael Fullilove.

COMMENT: A fresh free trade agenda for Doha A year ago this month, WTO negotiators drove into a cul-de-sac. Grant Aldonas asks how they can get moving again.

Bush concedes US ‘tired of war’ George W. Bush acknowledged that America was ‘tired of war’ but showed no sign of shifting policy on Iraq in spite of the release of a report by his own administration that presented a mostly negative assessment of the situation there

WORLD NEWS: Baghdad 'failing to follow through on its promises'

WORLD NEWS: US urged to 'reach out' by UK minister

Israeli soldier killed in Gaza An Israeli soldier was killed in clashes with Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip, the first Israeli combat death since November

German call to curb foreign buyers Politicians warn of risk to economy Pressure mounted on Thursday on Angela Merkel to enact legislation allowing the government to block investments by foreign state-controlled investors as senior...

COMMENT: Pity the plight of the 80s babies Demographics, public policy and economic events have conspired to disadvantage this generation like no other, writes Chris Giles.

Russia rejects plan for Kosovo

Sarkozy takes Gaullist stance Nicolas Sarkozy floated the idea of imposing a two-term limit on the French presidency in an address to the country before France’s July 14 celebrations

EU’s competition authorities must be fair but not feeble Decisions by the European Court of Justice have showed up failures in procedure that need to be put right

COMMENT: Be honest about Europe's anti-crime measures The British government’s attitude towards EU anti-terror measures is deeply confused, writes Nick Clegg.

COMPANIES INTERNATIONAL: Group questions viability of Iran deal

Bush's 'Kitchen Cabinet' of one

By James MacGregor Burns and Susan Dunn

The vice president's unprecedented power and extremism have immobilized the White House.

Editorial

H16 American Politics

realclearpolitics – ABC’s The Note – US News Political Bulletin

Early Bird GovExec Swamp Gas The Swamp

The Economist Lexington Dead man walking Alberto Gonzales's Justice Department is falling apart

BBC Curse of Iraq
Why the White House hopes of John McCain look distinctly shaky

H17 Daily Telegraph Bush says US can still win 'ugly' Iraq war

President George W Bush has insisted that there is "cause for optimism" in Iraq despite a White House report stating there had been "unsatisfactory progress" in many key areas.

US urged to use 'soft powers' to fight terror

With allies like this, who needs enemies?

Britain's allies in the Islamic world are just as much under threat from the forces of radical Islam as is the West, says Con Coughlin.

Leader Give the surge time

By making the White House submit an initial assessment shortly after the 28,500-strong reinforcement had been completed, the Democratic-dominated body is currying favour with a war-weary electorate.

Suicide bombers strike as Musharraf declares war

Thousands gather for funeral of the radical preacher who died in Red Mosque siege and al-Qa'eda urges an uprising against the president.

Gordon Brown listens, but he never learns

The Prime Minister has toured the country, talking to people, noting their frustrations, fears, hopes and dreams. Remarkable, exclaims Jeff Randall. It was like a Gordon Setter with a barking disorder suddenly becoming the champion Hearing Dog.

H18 Independent The school day of the future

The new national curriculum will revolutionise the way British children are taught

The Big Question: Should secondary schools replace traditional subjects with 'topics'?

Leading article: Mr Bush pays the price for this fatally ill-judged war

Bush's optimism is impossible to square with the situation in Iraq

The 'arms smuggler', the murdered judge, and a scandal threatening to engulf Chirac

John Lichfield: Europe gets its first taste of 'Tsarkozy'

H19Military Intelligence Terrorism

Chertoff: Al-Qaeda Not at Pre-9/11 Strength

Bush Distorts Iraq-Qaeda Links, Critics Assert

How MI5 Left Ringleader Free to Acquire Recruits and Explosives

The Economist Internet jihad A world wide web of terror Al-Qaeda's most famous web propagandist is jailed, but the internet remains its best friend

Bin Laden search frustrates officials...

H20 Slate

Bush's Latest, Lame Libby Excuse:

The president and Karl Rove find a scapegoat.

John Dickerson

Noam Chomsky: NOAM CHOMSKY ON RELIGION AND POLITICS

Marlon Brando didn’t believe in acting, except in real life, and he took every opportunity, in interviews and his autobiography, to trash the profession. It’s tempting to say this is why he was a great movie actor, but the story is more complicated.

From TLS, Orientalist art and photography: A review of Odalisques and Arabesques: Orientalist photography 1839–1925 by Robert Irwin and Ken Jacobson; Images of the Ottoman Empire by Charles Newton; and The Art of Omar Khayyam by William H. Martin and Sandra Mason; a review of Henry James Goes to Paris by Peter Brooks; and a review of A Tranquil Star: Unpublished stories by Primo Levi

H21 The Economist Polls, wealth and happiness Where money seems to talk

Religion and happiness The fruits, and sorrows, of faith

The rise and fall of The Simpsons

Will Google 'do no evil'?

By Andrew Keen The Internet search/advertising/video giant wants to know you better than you. Is Google's Data Grinder Dangerous? Having successfully become our personal librarian, Google now wants to be our personal oracle. It wants to learn all about us, know us better than we know ourselves, to transform itself from a search engine into a psychoanalyst's couch or a priest's confessional.

More reading than in 1970s: People in the UK seem to have been reading more over the past quarter of a century, a study suggests

101 Online Self Improvement Resources

Google News / Slate Today's Papers / Editorialist / The Ag memeorandum / antiwar.com - political theory / Media Roundup / University Channel / DocuTicker / Arts & Letters Daily/ PolicyPointers / cursor / realclearpolitics / Drudge Report| raw story OpinionSource truthout / Dayan Current Contents / Blogometer - Wikipedia technorati / Slate's Today's Blogs Stratfor ABC’s The Note / eurointelligence

IraqSlogger Global Power Barometer Juan Cole - Kevin Drum - Belgravia Dispatch - washington realist - Tom Barnett - democracy arsenal - - Josh Marshall - Daniel Drezner - Laura Rozen - the washington note - David Corn - SyriaComment - William Arkin - Phil Carter - Helena Cobban - MatthewYglesias - Oxblog - Brad DeLong - coming anarchy / Wonkette William Arkin Tom Hayden -

PostGlobal - AmericaAbroad -The Corner - Passport - huffingtonpost / Pajamas Media / Open University / nytcolumns CounterterrorismBlog Today in Iraq / OutSide the Beltway - InstaPundit - winds of change Kausfiles - Becker Posner-andrewsullivan.com - Registan - armscontrolwonk - IsraPundit Regime Change Iran – Martin Kramer - Dani Rodrik