0807-2007f - 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 stratfor geopolitical diary Tehran and Washington -- The Negotiations Get Real

The Iraq War and the New Terrorist Threat Facing the Middle East and U.S. Brookings Institution

Poll: Iraqis Oppose Oil Privatization

Washington Post As British Leave, Basra Deteriorates Shiite militias escalate violent battle for supremacy in southern Iraq, deepening concerns that factions could turn on one another once U.S. troops begin to draw down.

Iraqi Crisis Deepens as 5 More Ministers Quit Cabinet Meetings

Guardian The struggle for Iraq's oil flares up

Prospects of Armageddon Abbas Edalat and Mehrnaz Shahabi The logic that defends past nuclear atrocities is now used to support a strike against Iran.

The myth of mistrust

Dilip Hiro The US bemoans the lack of trust between Iraq's Sunnis and Shias, which only serves to heighten the contradictions of their own policy in the region.

Leader A borderless state is no solution Palestine: Without pinning Israel to specifics, a putative state would be a Palestinian nightmare, leaving vital questions unanswered and no timetable for answering them.

The US dollar: Safe haven - Despite rising US current account deficit (PDF; 436 KB) Source: Deutsche Bank Research

Asia Times Ahmadinejad's bureaucratic revolution Ahmadinejad is promising "revolutionary changes" in the country's diplomacy in the next few months, leading to a significant improvement in the country's external affairs. Reforms to another vital bureaucratic rampart, economic management, are in full swing, moving Iran away from the rigid five-year plans that have stifled the economy. - Kaveh L Afrasiabi

Jack Snyder, Robert Shapiro and Yaeli Bloch-Elkon (2006), “Free Hand Abroad: Divide and Rule at Home,” unpublished paper. Available here. Why did America invade Iraq? The glib answer is “because it could.”

CFR Gause: US Trying to Soften Saudi Hard Line toward Maliki Government

Salon A surge of phony spin on Iraq Bush's backers are peddling a sunny view of the president's strategy -- despite Iraq's political chaos and soaring death counts.
By Juan Cole

FPRI Will "Europe" Survive the 21st Century? By Walter A. McDougall

Jacques Attali : “France and the French left will not surrender to any competing social or economic model. France will never become a carbon copy of any other country”... more»

Iran Faces Challenges From Within By: Chris Zambelis | Asia Times An umbrella organization of anti-regime movements based in Iran and the diaspora is cause enough for Tehran to be concerned. In addition, US planners are likely to use the threat of aiding active insurgent groups as an effective lever over Iran.

Intrigues of Iraq By: Amir Taheri | New York Post When President Bush launched the surge in Iraq, he based it on a key assumption: As America improved security in Baghdad and its environs, the Iraqi leadership would take steps of its own.

Can Maliki Save His Coalition in Iraq? - Mark Kukis, Time

Phased Transition: A Responsible Way Forward and Out of Iraq (PDF; 2.89 KB) (repeat)

Independent Robert Fisk: Lebanese strike a blow at US-backed government

Ha’aretz – Editorial Dismantle the refusal front Israel is facing several difficult military fronts - Iran, Syria, Hezbollah, Hamas - over which it has limited control. It must not accept the existence of an internal front as well, within the sole armed force under its authority

The Times Progress that two leaders are talking Afghanistan is a failed state with an elected leader backed by the US; Pakistan could be the same

Bronwen Maddox

Analysis: Little hope for weak leaders The Times's Diplomatic Editor says all leaders in the current peace process are weak and have little chance of success

Analysis: bittersweet victory for opposition Despite its by-election victory, the evidence suggests that Michel Aoun's opposition is losing the support of Christians

EDM RUSSIA’S BLACK SEA FLEET PLANS FORCE BUILD-UP AT NOVOROSSIYSK

- RUSSIA’S BLACK SEA FLEET CLINGING TO SEVASTOPOL WHILE IT CAN

National Security Concept of the Republic of Azerbaijan - 2007 (PDF; 142 KB) Source: Ministry of National Security, Republic of Azerbaijan

PINR "Intelligence Brief: Japan's Foreign Policy After the Elections" Full text of report

Boston Globe The more muscular Japan (By Richard J. Samuels) WHILE MANY nations are breathing a collective sigh of relief after North Korea's official commitment to move forward on disabling its nuclear facilities, one country is still holding its breath: Japan.

Foreign Policy The List: The World’s Most Valuable Disputed Turf

Der Spiegel Arming the Middle East: The Checkered History of American Weapons Deals

H2 UPI Walker's World: The Turkish crisis By MARTIN WALKER UPI Editor Emeritus Turkey faces a political, a military and a foreign policy crisis all at once, which means the U.S. may have to choose between its new Kurdish friends and its traditional Turkish ally.

DefenseNews.com - Turkish-Iranian Rapprochement Worries U.S.

The Daily Star - Despite the hype, Turkish secularism is not on the wane By Sezin Morkaya Slaats

VOA News - Turkish Ruling Party Makes Inroads in Secular Region

WhirledView: US Turkish relations: Radiant Future or Dark Days Ahead?

Prospect Who will free Turkey's women? Gerald Knaus The secular feminists have it wrong. There can be real progress for women in a Muslim Turkey

LA Times Türkiye'de siyaset yenilendi

Tom Barnett Further evidence that Turkey positions itself for the Kirkuk vote

Kurdistan: Bird in the hand or three in the bush?

IHT Cityscape: Istanbul A modern business woman in an ancient city.

Turkish leader asked to form new government

RFERL Turkey: Islamist-Secular Tensions Loom As PM To Name Cabinet

Erdogan: Turkey’s Bani Sadr in a Sinister ‘Second Republic’? American Chronicle

İslamcı Arapların modern çağa ayak uydurma vakti geldi ALİ ETTARRAH

[Yorum - Richard Falk] Türk seçimlerinin gerçek anlamı (2)

Ordunun AKP'ye karşı fazla seçeneği yok
Sophie ShIhab

Middle East Online Turkey: a maturing democracy

Charleston, SC Latest Editorial News: Democratic, secular Turkey in best interest of U.S. and West

Google News KurdishMedia Kurdish Kurdish Aspect BBC Monitoring

Time The Kurdish Question

DTP ve Kürt oyları Hasan Celal Güzel

The Naqshi Kurdish opposition hit the DTP where it hurts

Ruşen Çakır Maliki, PKK’yı temizleyebilir mi?

Taha AKYOL DTP nereye?

Hüsnü Mahalli Talabani olmadan asla!

Aksiyon Kafa kesme operasyonu PKK’ya sızdı mı?

Ahmet Taşgetiren MHP – DTP gerilimi, uzlaşması ne anlatıyor?

[Yorum - Ümit Fırat] Seçimler, Kürtler ve gelecek

Mümtazer Türköne DTP'nin ve MHP'nin 'tabula rasa'sı

Kerkük ısrarı Kürtlere pahalıya patlar James Martin

Reuters Turkey to pressure Iraqi PM over Kurdish rebels

Yakalar, iade ederiz

Iraq Studying Anti-terrorism Draft Accord With Turkey

Maliki bugün geliyor

Son kez uyarılacak

Özçelik: 'Operasyona Karşıyız' DTP Siirt Milletvekili Osman Özçelik, seçim sonuçlarını, Cumhurbaşkanı seçimini ve Kuzey Irak’a operasyon konularını değerlendirdi

Mesajı, Maliki'den önce geldi: PKK terör örgütüdür

Maliki'den Ankara'ya sıcak mesaj

Mahir Kaynak 60 bin askere gerilla eğitimi

A joint operation?
Orhan KİLERCİOĞLU

Be realistic: Let Iraq divide as Yugoslavia did Enquirer.com - By Barry S. Riehle

Turkish Commandos Inside Iraq?

Iranian Kurds Say Uprising is Possible

Öteki Irak
Kumru Başer'in hazırladığı araştırma dizisini dinlemek için tıklayın

DTP'li Aysel Tuğluk: Muhafazakâr tabana uymuyoruz

Bir fotoğraftan yayılan iyimserlik

Demonstration in Iraqi Kurdish City Over Lack of Water - Website

Iraqi Kurdish Christians Call for Safe Haven in Ninewa

Iraqi Kurds approve regional oil law

Ashti Hawrami: Kurdistan Region Oil and Gas Law By KRG.org

Kürt yönetimi kendi petrol yasasını onayladı

Turkmen town in Iraq hit by suicide bomb again

Iraqi Kurdish Press Highlights 6 August 07

The slave mentality among Kurds

9 people abducted by Kurdish rebels released in eastern Turkey

Turkish elections: History in the making

The Oath of Office in the Turkish Parliament: No Room for Kurdish View Article

Kurdish Gang's Rise into Violence Stuns Community ; Immigrants Living in Tenn. Look for Ways to Stop the Activity

Mayınlar temizlendi karakoldan petrol fışkırdı

PKK's Iranian arm seeking US military support

MHP’liler çok saygılıydı

Meclis’te 8 Leyla Zana var

AKİF EMRE Demokrasi olmadı silah satalım

Ali Bulaç Alexiev’s doctrine

Google News Greece Cyprus Turkish Cypriot Press ABHaber

Lale Sarıibrahimoğlu Papadopoulos serves Turkish interests

Avrupa ve “yeni” Türkiye

Crisis on US ambassador to Armenia may metastasize

`Commotion` on the doorsteps of Greek history Ariana FERENTINOU

KKTC welcomes Turkey’s oil dig, Greek Cyprus up in arms

EU-funded organizations fined for accounting fraud

Karadeniz'de komuta Türkiye'ye geçti

İlter Türkmen Asya dengeleri

'Güneş enerjisi kullanmak mecburi olsun'

Boru hattı için Botaş'a toprak veren köylüler borçlu çıktı

ELİF ŞAFAK - İnşallah kelimesi

Engin Ardıç Kuvvacı nikâhı

Bir enkazın ardından Nuray Mert

7 Ağustos 2007 Basın Özeti

H3 Enis Berberoğlu Çankaya’ya noter olmasın

Gül çekiliyor mu?

Çankaya için derin senaryo

Kabinede köklü revizyon sinyali

Erdoğan'dan kabine revizyonu mesajı

Ertuğrul Özkök Çöpe atılması gereken sorular

Cengiz Çandar Ankara-Bağdat “beyhude PKK turları”...

DTP ve Kürt oyları Hasan Celal Güzel

Ruşen Çakır Maliki, PKK’yı temizleyebilir mi?

Ruşen Çakır| Çok sert bir dönem bizi bekliyor

Ahmet Taşgetiren Seçimler, Din, AK Parti, CHP

Taha AKYOL DTP nereye?

Ahmet Taşgetiren MHP – DTP gerilimi, uzlaşması ne anlatıyor?

[Yorum - Ümit Fırat] Seçimler, Kürtler ve gelecek

Mümtazer Türköne DTP'nin ve MHP'nin 'tabula rasa'sı

Erdoğan, Sezer’e göre tavır alacak

Yeni kabine, Köşk adayına bağlı

Erdoğan görevi aldı kabine için acele etmeyecek

AKP’de Köşk için ’yeni isim’ eğilimi

Başkanlık için Toptan ve Şahin

Seyfettin Gürsel Anayasal çapa

M Ali Birand Bu manzara bazılarını korkuttu...

Cüneyt Ülsever Başbakan’ın çıkmazları

Meclis Başkanı yarın belli oluyor
Murat Yetkin

Ekrem Dumanlı Hani iki Türkiye vardı?

Bilal Çetin Her şey Gül’e bağlı...

2040 yılında Türkiye çöle dönecek

Dışişleri heyeti ay sonunda Washington'a gidiyor

Hasan CEMAL Asker abiler kızar sonra!

Aksiyon AK Parti yeni yol ayrımında: Köşk mü, muktedir iktidar mı? –

Psikolojik harbin son hamlesi El Kaide mi? -

Ali Bayramoğlu Demokrasi ittifakı ne ifade eder?

1.5 yıl aradan sonra FBI'yla sürpriz temas

Referandum, Meclis'in seçtiği cumhurbaşkanını etkilemez

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 Rodos seferi

Fehmi Koru Askerler Meclis'te neden yoktu?

KÜRŞAT BUMİN 'Tabii ki' ve eski bir hikâye

HAKAN ALBAYRAK Bu iş ne zaman Gül'ün şahsî meselesi oldu?

'Düşman' kim? İsmet Berkan

Serdar Turgut Gül çekilir mi?

Anavatan lideri Mumcu: Hiçbir şey gizli kalmaz - Cemal A. Kalyoncu

Can Ataklı Tayyip Erdoğan’ı tahrik ederek demokrasicilik oynamak yanlış

Mehmet Barlas Yeni dönemden beklentiler ile bazı gerçekler karşı karşıya…

MUHARREM SARIKAYA

ERDAL ŞAFAK Özbudun'un önerisi

EMRE AKÖZ Onlarla uzlaşılmaz

HASAN BÜLENT KAHRAMAN 4. Kemalizm ve Anayasa

NAZLI ILICAK Bir anketin düşündürdükleri

Derya SAZAK Eski siyaset

Suat Kınıklıoğlu How sweet it is

Andrew Finkel Too good to be true

Nuray Başaran Yeni Meclis ve siyasetin yeni trendleri

Şakir Süter Ağar istifa etti mi?!

‘Korsan belge’de ikisinin de imzası var

Tamer Korkmaz Gerçeğin ta kendisi!

1954-60/2002-07 Murat Belge

Yavuz Baydar The new left: Within or without the CHP?

Oktay Ekşi CHP kazanmak istiyorsa

YAVUZ DONAT Solda yeni partiye doğru

Cengiz Aktar Cumhurbaşkanlığı neden 7 yıl?

Başbakan Erdoğan'ın 7 kriteri

Hakan Aygün Amerikalılar artık Karadeniz’de!

Hadi Uluengin CHP: Ole Meksiko!

Bekir Coşkun Ne hakla?..

Emin Çölaşan Hikmet Özdemir’in kitabı

Mehmet Y Yılmaz Allah kullandırtmasın!

Özdemir İnce DSP ve başına konan devlet kuşu

Ruhat MengiABD’ye karşı olmakta yerden göğe haklıyız!

Mehmet Tezkan Bu Meclis Cumhurbaşkanı seçimine takılmazsa Türkiye’nin önünü açar..

Kabineye yeni isimler

TBMM Başkanlığı için 5 aday

Leyla İpekçi Militarizme yaslanan sözümona muhalif kadınlar

AK Parti’de referandum atışması

Referandum AKP’yi 3’e böldü

Kanunlar açık, bu referandum yapılır

Referandum için AKP'den farklı sesler geliyor

Başkanlık yarısı

CHP, Çiçek veya Toptan'ı istiyor

Kabine için Köşk'ü bekleme sinyali verdi

MAHMUT ÖVÜR Taşıma suyla 'İstanbul' dönmez!

Ağar ve Mumcu arasında yapılan pazarlığın belgesini gösterdi

Aygün: Liste vermedim, tamamı yalan, yanlış ve yanlı iddialardır

Merkez sağ için arka kapı formülleri Perihan Mağden

Prof. Dr. AYDIN AYAYDIN
Siyaset yoğun ülke gündemi tansiyon yükseltir mi?

Merkez Bankası faiz indirmeli
Mahfi Eğilmez

Hasan Ersel Fakirlikle mücadeleyi devlete bırakmak çözüm değil, mikro finansa destek şart

ABDURRAHMAN YILDIRIM Yatırım hamlesi içeride yazılmış yeni hikayeyi mi bekliyor?

Güngör URAS Enflasyon 37 yıl önceye indi, ama son 3 yılın üstüne çıktı

Hurşit GÜNEŞ İki haftadır süren sarsıntı

Ercan Kumcu

Erdal Sağlam Uluslararası piyasaların etkisi değişecek

Unakıtan, ’ekonomiye koordinatör’ iddiası

Piyasalarda sıkıntı sürer mi?
Korkmaz İlkorur

MELİKŞAH UTKU

Yabancı sermaye girişlerinde Türkiye nerede?

Seçim sonrası konut satışları ALİ SERİM

Merkez Bankası'nın raporlarını 116 kişilik genç ekip hazırlıyor

KÖYDES ile BELDES AKP'ye kazandırdı

Yiğit Bulut 2001 krizinde “hükümetin yapamadığı”

H4 New York Times 5 Ministers Threaten to Leave Iraq’s Cabinet

Bush Differs With Karzai on Iran

News Analysis: Bush Still Wields the Threat of Terrorism

China Praises Its Progress Toward Olympics

Olmert and Abbas Meet in West Bank for First Time

Tougher Rules Change Game for Lobbyists

H5 Washington Post As British Leave, Basra Deteriorates Shiite militias escalate violent battle for supremacy in southern Iraq, deepening concerns that factions could turn on one another once U.S. troops begin to draw down.

In Basra, Shiites at War

Iraqi Crisis Deepens as 5 More Ministers Quit Cabinet Meetings

In the Middle of a Civil War By Gian P. Gentile,

For me, Samarra came to define the nature of the violence in Iraq: civil war.

Mapping Israel's 456-Mile Barrier Israel says move is meant to protect citizens; Palestinians contend that land is being seized.

Clinton's Foreign Policy Balancing Act

In Her Stances, Senator Has One Eye on Primary, One on General Election

Olmert, Abbas Hold 'Promising' Talks Ahead of Proposed Summit

Bush Urges Karzai to Be More Wary Of Iran

Same Agencies to Run, Oversee Surveillance Program

Ahead of Olympics, a Warning and a Test

International human rights groups accuse the Chinese government of reneging on promises of press, other freedoms it made to win the International Olympic Committee's approval to host 2008 Games.

H6 Guardian The struggle for Iraq's oil flares up

Prospects of Armageddon Abbas Edalat and Mehrnaz Shahabi The logic that defends past nuclear atrocities is now used to support a strike against Iran.

The myth of mistrust

Dilip Hiro The US bemoans the lack of trust between Iraq's Sunnis and Shias, which only serves to heighten the contradictions of their own policy in the region.

Leader A borderless state is no solution Palestine: Without pinning Israel to specifics, a putative state would be a Palestinian nightmare, leaving vital questions unanswered and no timetable for answering them.

The US arsenal lost in Iraq The US has lost track of about 190,000 weapons in Iraq, some of which will have ended up in the hands of insurgents, according to an official report.

Catching the sub-prime bug
Housing market: Sub-prime borrowers, that is those with poor credit histories, in many cases had mortgages thrust upon them by financiers out for market share. This was sustainable while house prices were rising and interest rates were low, but now the opposite is true.

A radical passion David Cameron: Communities, rather than the state, are best equipped to effectively tackle social deprivation.

Sudan is genuine in its efforts for peace in Darfur Response: The Sudanese government is not criminal, it is working towards a settlement, says Khalid al-Mubarak.

US would kill Bin Laden in Pakistan, says Bush

Alas, Alastair, if only you'd heeded your own advice Geoffrey Wheatcroft: The irony of the former spin doctor chiding others for bending to Rupert Murdoch's will is truly astounding.

Wily Clinton exposes Obama's innocence

Lisa Nuss: If Barack Obama wants to be taken seriously on foreign policy, he needs to learn some new tricks, and a few old ones too.

Going through the motions

Conal Urquhart Don't be fooled by the 'very constructive' talks today. Olmert is not about to grant anything Abbas can use as leverage with Hamas in Gaza.

H7 Iran Faces Challenges From Within By: Chris Zambelis | Asia Times An umbrella organization of anti-regime movements based in Iran and the diaspora is cause enough for Tehran to be concerned. In addition, US planners are likely to use the threat of aiding active insurgent groups as an effective lever over Iran.

Intrigues of Iraq By: Amir Taheri | New York Post When President Bush launched the surge in Iraq, he based it on a key assumption: As America improved security in Baghdad and its environs, the Iraqi leadership would take steps of its own.

Can Maliki Save His Coalition in Iraq? - Mark Kukis, Time

Prospect Balochistan's rebels Willem Marx Is the US providing covert support to Baloch rebels in Iran? If so, what does this say about its support for Musharraf in Pakistan?

U.S. Threatens Pakistan By: John C. K. Daly | ISN Security Watch
Washington hints at possible unilateral offensives in Pakistan's tribal region, while a weakened Musharraf considers concessions with his main political rival to hold on to power.

Al Hayat Bush, Napoleon and Us Hazem Saghieh - How could we explain that every attempt at modernization – from Ataturk to Bourguiba – involved violence and generated hatred among its own people? Or that conservative or moderate Arabs close to the West continue to craft policy in ways contrary to essential Western principles.

Cato Talk to Iran; It's Working With North Korea by Ted Galen Carpenter

An interview with General Anthony Zinni, author of The Battle for Peace: A Frontline Vision of America's Power and Purpose

From New Statesman, a fatwa for every occasion: The Muslim world has gone fatwa-mad

of mass consequence: The huge United States military deal with Arab states and Israel will benefit domestic friends and overseas adversaries.

The Iran Attack That Wasn't: A look at how reporters trumped up a story about Iranians killing Americans in Iraq.

The Guardian's Sean Smith spent two months embedded with US troops in Baghdad and Anbar province. His documentary exposes the exhaustion and disillusionment of the soldiers.

Al Awsat Washington, Damascus and Haifa Wehbe : Abdul Rahman Al-Rashed

The child of social Darwinism: A review of The Geopolitics Reader.

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

Iraqi Political Crisis Grows

Poll: Iraqis Oppose Oil Privatization

Gates Assesses Stability in Iraq

U.S., Iran discuss security for Iraq (By Kim Gamel)

Iraq Press Roundup

US Papers Tue: Basra Burns as Brits Bug Out

Iraqi Papers Tue: 'Allawi Follows Suit

Cabinet setback as Iraqi MPs quit Five Iraqi MPs announce a cabinet meeting boycott, leaving the unity government without Sunni members.

U.S.: Most Iraqi insurgents join for cash

Iraq's south looking at regionhood

AP: Military Shows Gains in Iraq...

Iranian, U.S. Diplomats Discuss Security In Iraq

Russian Navy to operate from Syria

Russia weighs relocation of Black Sea Fleet to Syria

Blast rocks northern Iraqi town

Christian divisions
Lebanese voters send mixed messages in by-election

Hezbollah's Christian Soldiers?

SyriaComment What Does the Gemayel Loss in the Metn Mean?

BBC Pentagon red faces
Embarrassment for US over missing weapons meant for Iraq

Leaders vow 'an end to Taleban' The US and Afghan presidents say they will put an end to the Taleban, ruling out talks on South Korean hostages.

Fearful of Restive Foreign Labor, Dubai Eyes Reforms

H9 Ha’aretz – Editorial Dismantle the refusal front Israel is facing several difficult military fronts - Iran, Syria, Hezbollah, Hamas - over which it has limited control. It must not accept the existence of an internal front as well, within the sole armed force under its authority

Olmert and Peres: Palestinian state on 100% of West Bank area, with swaps

Oren A secret guard for nuclear ambiguity The essential question is over nuclear policy. So long as Israel sticks to its policy of ambiguity, it requires a guard to protect it. It is necessary for this guard to be closely supervised, so it will not run amok and persecute, and it is desirable for a more frequent change of the figure at its top

The Israel Factor, survey number 10

Eldar: Israeli double-speak makes talk of peace ridiculous

Many Jews support leaving the West Bank, but the majority doubt it would end in peace.

What self-hating Jews can teach Muslims

Analysis / Olmert's last stand

Marcus Ehud and Ehud to the summit If Olmert survives the Winograd report and the criminal inquiries against him without elections, he and Barak can work things out and attend the international summit together. Better to have Ehud and Ehud at the conference table than Benjamin Netanyahu and Moshe Feiglin.

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

Jerusalem Post Our World: History's unsettling verdicts [ CAROLINE GLICK,

Israel Warns Against Travel in Mideast...

Jewish works found in Hitler's personal record collection

Jews in Argentina Wary of Nation’s Ties to Chávez

Commentary: US evangelicals back Palestinian state

H10 Christian Science Monitor

THE MONITOR'S VIEW

Guilt relief in global warming

Is military justice in Iraq changing for the better? High-profile cases reveal both new emphasis on laws of war and the shortfalls of military justice

Warrantless wiretaps expanded

A surveillance law pushed through Congress and signed by Bush on Sunday will allow the government to monitor phone calls and e-mails without a warrant.

Concerns rise as arms flow to Lebanon The United Nations expressed 'grave concern' last week about weapons being smuggled across the border from Syria.

ASIA

PINR "Intelligence Brief: Japan's Foreign Policy After the Elections" Full text of report

Boston Globe The more muscular Japan (By Richard J. Samuels) WHILE MANY nations are breathing a collective sigh of relief after North Korea's official commitment to move forward on disabling its nuclear facilities, one country is still holding its breath: Japan.

Asia Times SPENGLER
Christianity finds
a fulcrum in Asia
China is poised to become a driving force on yet another front, one that would have seemed impossible just a brief while ago: the global spread of Christianity. By the middle of this century, Chinese may comprise the world's largest concentration of Christians, and the largest missionary force in history. If democracy is ever to flourish in China, it will be at the behest of its fearless grassroots evangelists.

At 80 years young, PLA is still going strong
The People's Liberation Army is continuing to transform itself into a modern fighting force. Gone are the days when the Chinese military was guided by Mao Zedong's romantic "People's War" dogma. The doctrine today is active defense with the ability to fight and win local warfare under high-tech conditions. - Jing-dong Yuan

U.S.-Indian Nuclear Agreement: A Bad Deal Gets Worse
ACA

Webcast: Starbucks, P&G and China’s Emerging Middle Class

A Musical Bridge for India and Pakistan By: Swait Gauri Sharma | The Boston Globe
Songs about broken hearts and lovers lost are moving across the borders of India and Pakistan and taking the edge off the two nations' bitter history of three wars and a continuing nuclear standoff.

China pulls out stops for '08 Olympics With fireworks and huge fanfare, Beijing launches a one-year countdown to the 2008 Olympic Games this week, an event that this country's leaders believe will mark China's arrival as a global power. The road ahead is rocky, however.

WSJ Insuring China's Future
The Party's got one heck of a retirement problem on its hands.
By ROBERT C. POZEN

Japan chooses upper house leader

A opposition party lawmaker becomes president of Japan's upper house of parliament for the first time ever.

H11 IHT A surer way to feed the poor It would be nice if, for once, America's farm bloc could think of interests other than its own.

American disconnection
By JAMES CARROLL / The Boston Globe
Private brooding desperately seeks a mode of public action

Biofuels will help fight hunger
By ANTONIO JOSÉ FERREIRA SIMÕES
Developing countries can use biofuel-oriented crops to generate jobs and income for the poor.

EUROPE European press review

FPRI Will "Europe" Survive the 21st Century? By Walter A. McDougall

Jacques Attali : “France and the French left will not surrender to any competing social or economic model. France will never become a carbon copy of any other country”... more»

CFR One Europe, Many Counterterrorism Policies

Tour de force
Can Super Sarko keep up the dazzling pace of his first 100 days?

WSJ Nicolas of Arabia
An old French specialty: nukes for tyrants.
By DANIEL SCHWAMMENTHAL

H12 RFE/RL

EDM RUSSIA’S BLACK SEA FLEET PLANS FORCE BUILD-UP AT NOVOROSSIYSK

- RUSSIA’S BLACK SEA FLEET CLINGING TO SEVASTOPOL WHILE IT CAN

Google News Azerbaijan

National Security Concept of the Republic of Azerbaijan - 2007 (PDF; 142 KB) Source: Ministry of National Security, Republic of Azerbaijan

Russia's Presidential Succession Method is Bad for Democracy By: Georgy Satarov | The Daily Star
Recently, a small event caused a major stir in Russian politics. An aide to President Vladimir Putin, Igor Shuvalov, said that it was realistic to expect the appearance of a new person whom Putin would consider his potential successor.

Russia Rolls Out a New Air Defense System

Guardian Georgia up in arms over Olympic cash Anger at Russian deal with breakaway republic in preparation for 2014 Winter Olympics.

Country Analysis Brief: Ukraine
Source: Energy Information Administration

Russia to export S-400 air defense system from 2009 - producer-1

H13 The Times Progress that two leaders are talking Afghanistan is a failed state with an elected leader backed by the US; Pakistan could be the same

Bronwen Maddox

Analysis: Little hope for weak leaders The Times's Diplomatic Editor says all leaders in the current peace process are weak and have little chance of success

Analysis: bittersweet victory for opposition Despite its by-election victory, the evidence suggests that Michel Aoun's opposition is losing the support of Christians

Leader Do the Right Thing

Britain must not abandon its bravest allies in Iraq

Train drivers threaten to derail the Merkel miracle Train drivers demand a 31 per cent wage rise in the run-up to the privatisation of the German rail service Deutsche Bahn

Amnesty brings hope to West Bank fighters Palestinian fighters are hoping for success at the tentative Jericho peace talks after sampling a brief taste of normal life

Why you must have a vote on Europe Gordon Brown proposes to deny the people their say over who governs Britain

William Hague

The lessons of history? A lot of bunk Everyone with more than two GCSEs has an opinion on the teaching of, and learning from, history

David Aaronovitch

Abandoned: the 91 Iraqis who risked everything

Government ignores pleas from senior Army officers to grant asylum to Iraqi interpreters who face death for their work

Wall Street Journal

Propaganda Redux
Take it from this old KGB hand: The left is abetting America's enemies with its intemperate attacks on President Bush.
By ION MIHAI PACEPA

The Myth of Deindustrialization
Tech and financial services may be glamorous. But the old economy is alive and well, thank you. By JOEL KOTKIN

Asia Times Unconventional wisdom
on exchange rates
If conventional economic wisdom were valid, the US trade deficit would be shrinking, not exploding, since the dollar has depreciated steadily. Exchange rates do not much influence competitive positions or redress trade imbalances. The West must cultivate other advantages, such as technology, design and after-sales service, to maintain competitiveness with low-cost Asia. - Joergen Oerstroem Moeller

H14 Financial Times

The effectiveness of the IMF has declined at a time of global change, write Mohamed El-Erian and Michael Spence

COMMENT: Phoney populist fears have gripped America

COMMENT: Cockroach strategy for hedge funds Financial markets are too complex for their own good. That creates the risk of a financial disaster.

Europe holds out against reform of IMF

COMMENT: Pay China to cut greenhouse gas emissions

COMMENT: Eastern Europe's untapped mass market Developing cheaper products, such as Renault’s Logan model, could help ease the yawning gap between rich and poor in the ex-Communist states, writes Stefan Wagstyl

Leader The only policy of the warlords and opportunists who make up so much of the political class seems to be national suicide

Darfurian children’s drawings of massacres they have witnessed must prompt more than promises, writes John Lloyd

NATIONAL NEWS: Palestinians struggle with Gaza's 'three-state solution'

US stocks rebound on credit hopes

US stocks rebounded as financial shares gained ground on hopes that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac – the giant government-sponsored mortgage companies – would help stabilise credit markets

H15 Los Angeles Times South of Baghdad, a Cautionary Tale By: Tina Susman After heavy losses, U.S. troops in the 'triangle of death' say they're making progress, though slowly and subtly.

H16 American Politics

Latest poll shows growing support for Iraq war policy

Obama, Clinton Battle for Endorsements Clinton and Obama waged a pitched battle over endorsements from Jewish members of Congress.

WP Our Chance to Capture the Center

By Martin O'Malley and Harold Ford Jr

With President Bush and the Republican Party on the rocks, many Democrats think the 2008 election will be, to borrow a favorite GOP phrase, a cakewalk

Neocons aiding '08 Republicans

Republican Debate Transcript, Iowa (August 5, 2007)

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

Early Bird GovExec Swamp Gas The Swamp

Giuliani: Only I can beat Hillary now Rudy Giuliani predicts the Democrat ticket

Glenn Greenwald / Salon:

Attention Democrats: GOP fear-mongering does not work

H17 Daily Telegraph US accuses Iran as Baghdad talks open

America and Iran exchanged diplomatic blows in the first substantial talks between the two counties on Iraq's security situation.

UK 'should give up UN seat'

Britain should lose its independent voice at the UN and hand over its seat on the Security Council to the EU, believes new Foreign Office Minister, Lord Malloch-Brown

Eta terrorists demand protection money

How much longer can the Army fight? The British Army is at full stretch, so Allan Mallinson asks if they can really make the long haul in Afghanistan?

Foot and mouth: new outbreak feared

H18 Independent Robert Fisk: Lebanese strike a blow at US-backed government

Robin Menard: China's abuse of the Olympic spirit

Pentagon admits 190,000 weapons missing in Iraq

H19Military Intelligence Terrorism

Suicide terrorism is used by Al Qaeda to appeal to a new, global audience. But why is that audience impressed? What does it want?... more»

The Cost of a Military Person-Year: A Method for Computing Savings from Force Reductions
Source: RAND Corporation

Authorities: Men Had Pipe Bombs in Their Car

USATODAYGALLUP: Poll finds Clinton widens lead...

Spencer Ackerman / TPMmuckraker:

FISA: What Isn't Electronic Surveillance?

Washington Times FISA and Bush Derangement Syndrome The sorry spectacle that took place on Capitol Hill in recent days was an outbreak of Bush Derangement Syndrome (Charles Krauthammer's term) that has threatened to cripple our ability to intercept international terrorist telephone calls

'Surveillance society' warning on data sharing; Public 'unaware' of threat to rights...

"Department of Defense Chemical and Biological Defense Program," Annual Report to Congress, April 2007.

"Report on Activities and Programs for Countering Proliferation and NBC Terrorism," Counterproliferation Program Review Committee, Volume I, Executive Summary, May 2007.

H20 Slate The Birth of a Torture Program Jane Mayer reveals how government torture programs come to be.
Dahlia Lithwick

Why Do They Hate Us?

Strange answers lie in al-Qaida's writings.
Reza Aslan

George Bush, Hegelian

The president's quest for a sense of "history."
David Greenberg

American prisons employ more people than Ford, G.M., and Wal-Mart combined. With 5% of the world population, the U.S. has 25% of its prisoners... more»

World Prison Population List, Seventh Edition (PDF; 80 KB)
Source: International Centre for Prison Studies, Kings College (UK)

McClatchy Analysis: Who should control how we get political news?

Food That Travels Well By: James E. McWilliams | The New York TImes
A group of scientists recently found that it is four times more energy-efficient for Londoners to buy lamb imported from the other side of the world than to buy it from a producer in their backyard. Similar figures were found for dairy products and fruit.

Beyond Food and Evil
Source: Duke Law Journal (via SSRN)

From Vanity Fair, Murdoch's Private Game: Behind the howls of outrage that greeted Rupert Murdoch's bid for the Wall Street Journal were two assumptions: Murdoch is evil. Murdoch is unstoppable. Yet the man who terrorized a generation of journalists may be the last mogul standing who truly loves print.

REPORT: NEW REPUBLIC'S 'Baghdad Diarist' admits exaggerations and falsehoods...

H21 Prospect The sacred and the human Roger Scruton Today's atheist polemics ignore the main insight of the anthropology of religion—that religion is primarily about the human need for the sacred

Globalization is a new word for an old process. It goes back to the first people to walk out of Africa 60,000 years ago... more»

Hitler was a secret fan of Jewish musicians Newly discovered record collection reveals Hitler listened to 'sub-human' Russian composers and Jewish musicians.

Love 'really hurts' : Fact or fiction? Being in love can really make you sick, scientists believe.

Does the rise of "new media" signal the death of the "old"? No, what we see in the media landscape is not the survival of the fittest but instead a more and more differentiated media structure, where different types of media find their niche or their own special way to function. Wikipedia embodies a democratic medievalism that does not respect claims to personal expertise in the absence of verifiable sources. To fully realise this ideal, participation in Wikipedia might be made compulsory for advanced undergraduates and Master’s degree candidates worldwide.

The free fall of love’s first rush happens at any age. But with older people, it is affected by memories of joy, rejection, or disappointment.... more»

In the arms race between doping and detection, the winner is he who takes the most drugs and gets away with it: the luckiest cheater... more»

Prospect Record companies are aghast at the demise of what was of late their golden goose: the pop CD. But they killed it themselves... more»

Off the record Robert Sandall In recent years, the economics of pop music have been upended. The market for CDs has collapsed, and not even the rise of legal downloading can offset the damage to record companies. Meanwhile, demand for live performances has rocketed

The Diana moment: a change for the better? Andrew Marr Joan Smith Did Diana's death make Britain a more emotionally healthy country? Or was it just the first example of the trend to turn private grief into public spectacle?

DAVID BROOKS Goodbye, George and John

A thing as seemingly superficial as a name can influence, even if slightly, the course of a whole life.

From TNR, a review of Jesus in the Talmud by Peter Schafer.

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