1026-2007f - 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 Pandora’s Box: Iraqi Federalism, Separatism,’Hard’ Partitioning, and US Policy
Source: Center for Strategic & International Studies Full Report (PDF; 1.7 MB)

Foreign Policy Seven Questions: A Conversation with Zbigniew Brzezinski Vladimir Putin’s Russia is growing more authoritarian at home and increasingly aggressive abroad. China’s global clout seems to expand by the day. And in the Middle East, a possible conflict with Iran looms on the horizon. For insights on this dangerous new world, FP turned to Zbigniew Brzezinski

Washington Post Strike on Iran Would Roil Oil Markets, Experts Say Price Hits Record Close; U.S. Tightens Sanctions

Editorial A Boost for Diplomacy Tough sanctions against Iran are the alternative to military action.

The Times 'Humanity's very survival' is at risk, says UN

The Economist Armies of the future Brains, not bullets

Western armies are good at destroying things. Can they be made better at building them too?

Plans for Iraq’s Future: Federalism, Separatism, and Partition Source: Council on Foreign Relations

NYT News Analysis: U.S. Plays Its ‘Unilateral’ Card on Iran Sanctions

List: Sanctioned Iranian Groups, People

The Israeli “Nuclear Reactor Strike” and Syrian Weapons of Mass Destruction Source: Center for Strategic & International Studies Full Paper (PDF; 563 KB)

ISIS full report

Guardian A self-defeating hegemony Francis Fukuyama: Four key mistakes made by the Bush administration have made anti-Americanism one of the chief fault lines of global politics

All for one, one for all Simon Tisdall The rare alignment of Europe's big three presents an opportunity for the EU to make a fresh start.

Christian Science Monitor

Al Qaeda reveals signs of weakness The US ambassador to Iraq, Ryan Crocker, said Thursday that Al Qaeda is 'simply gone' from some areas.

Opinion: Osama bin Laden's growing anxiety He's struggling to direct fewer and fewer followers. By Fawaz A. Gerges

Newsweek The Road to War,
Part II by Michael Hirsh With new unilateral U.S. sanctions announced Thursday, America and Iran may now be headed for unavoidable hostilities

Ha’aretz Editorial Sanctions or forceThose who prevent economic pressure on Iran are making the use of military force against it more likely.

Asia Times Oil: The sovereignty showdown in Iraq The political half of the Bush administration's gamble in Iraq has already been lost, but it has proven adamantly unwilling to accept the loss of the economic half, the oil half, without a desperate fight. The showdown now is between muscle-flexing Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, whose fragmenting country wants to reclaim sovereignty over its oil resources, and American military and diplomatic might. - Jack Miles

Energy, Electricity and Nuclear Power for the Period up to 2030 (PDF; 2.58 MB) Source: International Atomic Energy Agency (via UN Pulse)

From Truthdig, an interview with Mearsheimer and Walt, a review and the introduction.

An interview with Mearsheimer and Walt on why they decided to speak out.

From Conversations With History, an interview with Mearsheimer and Walt on domestic politics and international relations.

The Times Bush turns the screw on Iran Harsh sanctions imposed by the US follow its labelling of Iran as a supporter of terrorism and fuel fears of military action

What would a US bomb be aimed at?The US thinks it has the intelligence and capacity to seriously undermine the Iranian threat Gerard Baker

McClatchy New U.S. sanctions likely to weaken international unity on Iran

Financial Times Bush heads for a dreadful miscalculation over Iran The US president is not alone in framing a simple choice between Iran’s acquisition of nuclear weapons and war. It is a false choice. Aside from Tehran’s certain retaliation, the likely consequence of any American attack is war and a nuclear-armed Iran, writes Philip Stephens

Goodbye to going it alone by JOSEPH S. NYE*

Pentagon Chief Calls Planning for Iran Strike 'Routine'

Quotes About New Sanctions Against Iran

Secret EU paper calls for a strategic response to "adversary" Russia

A transcript of remarks by Rice and Paulson and a video link to the briefing are available on the State Department Web site.

Iran Becoming New Iraq on Campaign Trail

Asia Times Attack Iran and you attack Russia
On the international front, Iran and Russia appear to have agreed on a plan to nullify the George W Bush administration's relentless drive towards launching a preemptive strike against Iran. On the home front, though, differences between President Mahmud Ahmadinejad and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei widen. There can only be one winner. - Pepe Escobar

Secularism confronts Islam, Olivier Roy The vigorous debate about Muslims in Europe and their relationship to the west's understanding of itself needs to be informed by an understanding of history's duality and the present's fluidity

Iraq: a far horizon, Paul Rogers

CFR Sestanovich: Putin Promotes Guessing Game on Russia’s Leadership

The Foundation for International Understanding: Encouraging Innovation in Public Diplomacy (Audio)

US soldiers shy from battle
They call them "search and avoid" missions in Iraq, where morale among US troops is falling and some soldiers are doing their best to avoid contact with the enemy. Instead of patrolling for insurgents, some servicemen say they've stayed alive by parking their vehicles in safe areas and radioing in routine reports of no contact. - Dahr Jamail

H2 Erdoğan: Turkey, not US, to decide on move against PKK

NYT U.S. and Turkey Thwart Armenian Genocide Bill

U.S. Envoy Presses Iraq to Act Against Guerrillas Iraq Offers Turkey a Nonmilitary Plan

BBC 'Fighting for us' Kurds in south-eastern Turkey show support for PKK rebels

Newsweek Interview Zebari: 'The situation is tense'

Toward The Point Of No Return | By Morton Abramowitz | NEWSWEEK

Courrier International L'étincelle kurde

Washington Times The PKK's Dream? (Austin Bay)

Independent PKK tactics may drive Turkey into a reluctant invasion

Guardian Iraq meeting 'final chance' for diplomacy, says Turkey Iraqi delegation travels to Turkey amid reports of further clashes between Kurdish fighters and Turkish troops.

Michael Howard: With the Kurdish rebels in northern Iraq

Kurdish rebel leaders buoyant and defiant

The Economist Turkey and the Kurds When patience snaps

Kurds Struggle to Generate Own Supplies Institute for War and Peace Reporting

Farideh Farhi The Kurdish Front against Iran

William Arkin Turkey: Another Front in the War on Terror?

[NEWS ANALYSIS] Military will contend with winter conditions as well as PKK in Iraq incursion

PKK Rebels Prepare to 'Fight to the End'
Spiegel Online

AP Turks Say US Pressure Won't Stop Attack

PostGlobal Turkey and Iraq: Turkish Planes Bomb Kurdish Rebels Along Iraqi Border... Soli Ozel and Amar Bakshi

Asia Times Kurds change tactics to force talks
Kurdish militants significantly changed their tactics; previously they avoided direct confrontation with the Turkish military. The aim evidently is to bring Ankara into peace negotiations.

Turks have might, but it will be a fight On paper, the few thousand Kurdish militants based in northern Iraq are no match for Turkey, possessor of NATO's second biggest military force. But the insurgents have spread their arms dumps, intelligence, communications and main fighting units in dozens of well-hidden sites, and they could receive assistance from the Iraqi Kurds. - Richard M Bennett

LA Times Right time, wrong genocide resolution By Garin K. Hovannisian The grandstanding in Congress cheapens the Armenian genocide, but the resolution exposes enmity with Turkey that the president cannot ignore.

The United States and the Kurds: A Brief History
Foreign Policy In Focus

Editorial: Urgent need to avoidTurkish attack Newsday

Time Bordering on War

Washington Post Turkish Premier Faults Allies on Kurdish Issue Talks on Border Crisis Set for Today

Memo to Baghdad: Turks serious now - MSNBC TV - MSNBC.com By Lt. Col. Rick Francona Military analyst

On Turkey-Iraq border, rumblings of war, trucks Chicago Tribune

Lawmakers delay push for House vote on Armenian genocide measure
Los Angeles Times

National Review – New Republic Debate VIDEO: JONAH GOLDBERG VS. PETER BEINART: What was wrong with the Armenian genocide bill?

PKK Deny Breaking Cease-Fire With Turkey

PKK Say Turkish Soldiers Are in Good Health

Washington Working to Free Hostage Turkish Soldiers: US Official

Iraq Threatens to Cut Oil Supplies to Turkey

Syria to Mediate Between Iraq, Turkey

Iraqi Kurdish Press Roundup on Turkey-PKK Crisis 25 Oct 07

Observations on: Turkey New Statesman

Turkish Kurds stuck in the middle (LA Times)

Turkish government policies towards Kurdistan
Kurdish Aspect

Report - Public International Law & Policy Group KIRKUK (pdf)

ComingAnarchy.com Turkish Options

Comment: Turkey and Iraq scramble for diplomatic solution over ... Times Online

Kurds intend to obtain confederation member status in Turkey, Iraq, Iran and Syria

" General " Erdogan Dar Al-Hayat

KURD KABOOM
New York Post

Regional Press Assesses State of PKK Crisis

IHT Iraq wants Turkey to accept Baghdad's offer to deal with Kurd rebels

Iraqi Kurdish Editorial Says Turkey-PKK Crisis Will Soon Be Over

Why Turkey is wary of Kurdish rebel trap | csmonitor.com

RIA Novosti - Opinion & analysis - Kurdistan war: the lesser of two evils?

Will Turks invade Iraq? :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: World

Turkey's next battle Al-Ahram Weekly

Ready and waiting Al-Ahram Weekly

Another invasion? Al-Ahram Weekly

Turkey's Iraq Dilemma Poses Hard Questions
Moscow News

Turkey says U.S. can't stop it from crossing into Iraq

UPDATE 1-Iraq oil flows to Turkey despite threats, attacks

Erdoğan hükümetinin tehdit-diplomasi dengesi akıllıca HUSAM EDDAVİ –

'Terör' çifte standarda tabi
Dİlİp Hİro

US Congress to Eventually Recognize Armenian Genocide - Minister

Armenian Genocide bill may not pass in the House

From the Bosporus to the Himalayas: What a Mess::By Tony Blankley

Congress Iffy on Genocide Vote

US Papers Fri: Turkey: 'Ball is In Our Court'

CLASHES WITH PKK CONTINUE AS TURKEY PREPARES ECONOMIC SANCTIONS AGAINST IRAQI KURDS - Eurasia Daily Monitor

TURKEY: THREAT OF CONFLICT WITH KURDISH MILITANTS PLACES STRESS ON ... DEMOCRATIC SYSTEM
EurasiaNet

Invasion Blues Outlook

US rejects Iraqi claim that Kurdish rebels out of reach

:Secretary Rice's Travel to Turkey and the Middle East

Google News KurdishMedia Kurdish Kurdish Aspect BBC Monitoring

Iraq Kurdish Paper Stresses Arms Alone Cannot Resolve PKK Issue

Official Criticises Turkey's Proposed Sanctions on Iraq Kurds

Iraqi Kurdish Editorial Defends Nawshirwan Article on Kirkuk

Iraqi Kurdistan President Urges PKK to Stop Using Iraqi Territory

Iraqi Kurdistan Region Parliament Discusses Turkey-PKK Crisis

Russian TV Commentator Attacks USA Over Turkey-Iraq Tensions

Turkish Foreign Minister to Visit Iran 27 October

Analysis: Turkish Court Overturns Ban on "Negative" Radio and TV Coverage

Turkish Column Views PKK Goals, Role of Iraq, USA

DTP to elect new leader from outside Parliament

Giving Their Lives for Kurdistan: PKK Rebels Prepare to 'Fight to the End'

"PKK'nın Kuzey Irak'ta büroları yok"

BBC Turks 'losing patience' with PKK

Fight Between Turks and Kurds Already Resembles U.S. Invasion » The Moderate Voice

Kurds: U.S. To Bomb Kurdistan In Order To Save It (Wonkette)

Syrian Authorities Reportedly Release Two Kurds

The threat of war in Northern Iraq
Courrier International

Allies caught between Iraq and a hard place
The Age

Google News Greece Cyprus Turkish Cypriot Press ABHaber

AB'ye göre 2007'de yerimizde saydık

Washington Times Greek Cypriots threaten British base closures The Greek Cypriot government, angered by London's latest protocol with Turkey, threatened to close British bases on Cyprus that form a vital link for the U.S. forces in Iraq

Ingiliz-Türk anlaşması Rumları öfkelendirdi

Bakoyanni Eşimi de teröristler öldürdü

İngiltere'ye Rumlardan KKTC tepkisi

Derviş'ten AB'ye din uyarısı

Pelosi'ye 'tasarıyı ertele' mektubu

Bu da afiş kışkırtması

Belgium: Turks Riot, Kurds Attacked, 100 Arrested

Temsilciler Meclisi'ne '29 Ekim tasarısı'

İngilizler'e parmak ısırttılar

Nihat Özdemir maçtan gelip polise gitti

Turkish Flag Vendors Enjoy Brisk Business Amid Protests Against PKK

BAĞDAT'TAN ANAYASA MAHKEMESİ'NE

Londra'da Gülen toplantısı

Bağdat uçağı havadan döndürüldü iddiası

'Torunlarıma leke bulaşmasın'
ATAA Başkanı Evinch: Türk damadı olan Kongre üyesi Foxx, torunlarına leke bulaşmasın diye soykırım tasarısına karşı Türkiye'yi destekledi. ABD'de Türkiye için lobi yapan, Kongre üyeleriyle görüşüp, Türkiye'nin tezlerini anlatan Türk Amerikan Dernekleri Birliği (ATAA) yeni Başkanı Günay Evinch, ...

26 Ekim 2007 Basın Özeti

H3 Ya bizimle ol ya da karışma

'Günah bizden gitti'

Bu adımı atacağız

Şanlı Bahadır Koç “İçeride Liberal, Dışarıda Şahin”: K. Irak’a Harekat Üzerine Notlar

Şanlı Bahadır Koç K.Irak'a Ekonomik Müeyyideler Üzerine Sorular

Şamil Tayyar O gece bir apache

PKK’ya karşı ortak istihbarat merkezi

Cengiz Çandar Geri dönüşü olmayan nokta ya da 'Rubikon'u aşmak

Gel de ABD'ye güven

Taha AKYOL Amerika nasıl dost?

Fikret BİLA ABD ile çıkarlar çatışıyor

Irak sınırında sinir harbi Murat Yetkin

Türk-Amerikan ilişkilerinde yeni açılımlar
Hasan Celal Güzel

İBRAHİM KARAGÜL

Murat Belge PKK ne istiyor?

Ali H Aslan In-actionable unintelligence

Bilal Çetin Ambargo nasıl uygulanacak?

Is closing Habur enough to persuade Iraqis?

'Sınırlı' yeşil ışık

Kare kare Türkiye-Irak sınırı

Gülay Göktürk PKK muhibliği (2)

HINCAL ULUÇ Sivil generaller kim peki?..

Zebari "PKK'ya sızmalar olabilir"

Ruşen Çakır Lordlar Kamarası ‘Gülen’i tartışıyor

ALİ BAYRAMOĞLU

Nuh Yılmaz Türkiye Irak’ın neresinde?

Nasuhi Güngör 8 asker ne olacak?

Turkey mulls economic measures against Iraq

Crocker: dağdan inen ya da oraya giden PKK’lileri tutuklayın

’Heyette Barzani’nin adamları var’ krizi

Le Monde PKK kampında

BBP lideri saldırıyı kimden öğrendi?

Köprülere bomba ihbarı alarmı

Genelkurmay: "30 terörist öldürüldü"

'PKK liderleri kolay bulunuyor'

Gül: Türkiye'nin sabrı tükenmiştir

Türkiye Kuzey Irak hassasiyetini NATO’ya anlattı

Araştırma: "Türkiye'de orta sınıf yükselişte"

Orta sınıf darbeye karşı

PKK'lilar ellerini kollarini sallayarak dolasiyor

"Türkiye'ye petrol akisini keseriz"

Ben Elizer Savunma hakkınız

Bu dünya yıkılır mı? M.Ali Kışlalı

Nuh Gönültaş Türkiye-Irak sınırı yeniden çizilmeli -

Irak heyetinde Barzani'nin sağ kolu

Barzani Türkiye vatandaşı!

Ölüm dili her yeri kapladı
İsmet Berkan

Serdar Turgut Devlet politikası

Haberler

Git-gel Kandil sadece 2.5 saat

KORAY DÜZGÖREN

Serdar Akinan
“Mahalle baskısı” bitti..! Sırada “Barzani baskısı!”

İç Basında Türk Dış Politikası

Dış Basında Türkiye-AB İlişkileri -

Dış Basında Irak BBC Turkish 0700

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

Taha Kıvanç Başbakan Erdoğan'ın izinde

Fehmi Koru 'Yeni Türkiye' yolunda...

Irak heyetine 'soğuk' karşılama

Mehmet Tezkan ABD’nin tavrı 1 Mart’ın intikamı mı?

Serdar Akinan Unuttunuz beyler

Güler Kömürcü ‘Derin akıl’ nerede?

Gülay Göktürk PKK muhibliği (2) -

Serdar Turgut TSK farkı

Mehmetçik boş köylere yerleşti

PKK'lılar ellerini kollarını sallayarak dolaşıyor

Stern: ABD ikili oynuyor

Hakan Aygün K. Irak rotamız doğru! -

Rice önce Ankara sonra İstanbul'a geçecek...

Genelkurmay’dan ‘şükran’ mesajı

ABD: 8 askeri bulmak için çalışıyoruz

Ertuğrul Özkök Vicdan hakkımızı istiyoruz

Mehmet Yılmaz Öfkeyle değil, akılla hareket etmek gerek

Ferai Tınç Aklımı kurcalayan soru

Yalçın Doğan Sudan bile sınır dışı etti

Ahmet Hakan ’Sansür’ olayının yazılmayan tarafı

Mehmet Barlas Terörle savaşta iç ve dış cepheler

ABD, 'soykırım' tasarısı ve PKK HALUK ÖZDEMİR

MÜMTAZ'ER TÜRKÖNE - Terörü reddetmek

BÜLENT KORUCU - Türkiye'nin tarihî tercihi

MUSTAFA ÜNAL - Terörün tuzağına düşmek

Have ‘the state and the nation’ really been reconciled with each other?

Nagehan Alçı
Yoksa siz hâlâ Cumhuriyetçi lobileri mi kullanıyorsunuz?

Güler Kömürcü Azadiya....

OKAN MÜDERRİSOĞLU
'Günah bizden gitti'

Rice: Kürdistan'dan PKK'yı çıkarmak çok zor

Eser Karakaş İki ülke, iki yol, tercih bizim, sizin

Mehmet Altan Bozgun mu, pusu mu?

The delayed Turkish response to the shift of power
Hakan ÖZCAN

Yılmaz Özdil Take my breath away...

YUSUF KAPLAN

M Ali Birand Rüzgar Türkiye’den yana esiyor

Cüneyt Ülsever

Enis Berberoğlu

Oktay Ekşi Dengeyi değiştirmek

MUHARREM SARIKAYA Psikolojik harekât...

ERDAL ŞAFAK Kuzey Irak'ı cezalandırmak

ERGUN BABAHAN Genelkurmay'a açık mektup

EMRE AKÖZ Kışkırtıcılar yine sahnede

Umur Talu a), b)... d)

Mustafa Karaalioğlu Daha soğukkanlı, daha kararlı...

HASAN BÜLENT KAHRAMAN

NAZLI ILICAK Londra'da Gülen konferansı

MAHMUT ÖVÜR AK Parti'de "itiraz"a ihraç

Erhan Çelik Bu istihbaratla değil sınırdan dereden bile geçilmez!

YAVUZ DONAT

Kim Türk? Namık Kemal Zeybek

Irak heyetine 'soğuk' karşılama

Hedef PKK mı Iran mı

Murat Çelik Ya PKK DTP’ye ‘tamam’ derse?

Cevdet Aşkın Kuzey Irak top çeviriyor, Ankara basıncı artırıyor

Ahmet Kekeç Yeter artık Ertuğrul, tadını kaçırdın!

[Yorum - Mehmet Uğur Ekinci] 1897'den 2007'ye: Tarihin tekerrürü (mü?)

ABDURRAHMAN YILDIRIM Ekonomik ambargo stratejik ürünle etkili olur

Ercan Kumcu Küresel ekonomik dengelerden satırbaşları

Erdal Sağlam

Hurşit GÜNEŞ
2008 bütçesiyle ters politika bileşimi sürüyor

Three-phase plan devised for electricity price hike

Araştırma: "Türkiye'de orta sınıf yükselişte"

Metin MÜNİR Türkiye'yi satma, tut

Volkan Akı
2008 nasıl bir yıl olacak?

BOOKS OF THE TIMES; Of the Words of War and the War of Ideas

H5 Washington Post Editorial A Boost for Diplomacy Tough sanctions against Iran are the alternative to military action.

Strike on Iran Would Roil Oil Markets, Experts Say Price Hits Record Close; U.S. Tightens Sanctions

Iran Sanctions Are Meant to Prevent War, Bush Aides Say

Suspected Location of Syria's Reactor Cleared Building Allegedly Bombed by Israel Gone

A Fine Field of 41/2 By Charles Krauthammer, Major grumbling among conservatives about the Republican field. So many candidates, so many flaws. Rudy Giuliani, abortion apostate. Mitt Romney, flip-flopper. John McCain, Mr. Amnesty. Fred Thompson, lazy boy. Where is the paragon? Where is Ronald Reagan?

Taking Exception Why Iran's Democrats Shun Aid By Akbar Ganji,

On Hill, Rice Talks About Blackwater

Secretary Notes Regret but Defends Efforts

Kremlin-Backed Opposition Party Foundering as Elections Loom

Fair Russia 'Demoralized' by Putin Move

Book Check Why not examine the curriculum of a local Saudi-backed school before condemning it?

Harry Potter's Secret Hint: It Has Nothing to Do With Gay Headmasters By Michael Gerson

Giuliani's Policy Professor

At 'Simon University,' Conservative Thinkers Help School the Candidate

H6 Guardian A self-defeating hegemony Francis Fukuyama: Four key mistakes made by the Bush administration have made anti-Americanism one of the chief fault lines of global politics

All for one, one for all Simon Tisdall The rare alignment of Europe's big three presents an opportunity for the EU to make a fresh start.

US imposes sweeping Iran sanctions

Washington imposes toughest embargo on Tehran since Islamist revolution of 1979

PM urges more Nato troops for Afghanistan Gordon Brown has amplified Nato calls for more combat troops in Afghanistan to spread a burden currently being borne by UK, US and Canadian forces.

Red stars on the moon Alok Jha By sending a probe to the moon, China has sent a clear message of technological intent to the rest of the world.

Turning the other cheek Angelia Wilson Democrats can't win the 'values' debate on abortion and homosexuality. They need to move on, to focusing on poverty and social exclusion.

Intellectual terrorism Ghada Karmi: For the sake of free speech, British organisations should confront pro-Israel bullies, not appease them.

First responders Sasha Abramsky The snide, dismissive reactions to the California wildfires illustrate how anti-Americanism has become cool among Europeans.

One of the gravest threats to Darfur is Sudan's other war Jonathan Steele: Failures to keep a peace in the scarcely reported north-south conflict send a terrible signal as talks begin in Libya.

Blair signs book deal for memoirs

Frank but not disloyal account predicted as former prime minister swaps No 10 for Random House

H7 The Political Economy of Reform in Egypt: Understanding the Role of Institutions
Source: Carnegie Endowment for International Peace Full Paper (PDF; 202 KB)

A Steep Hill: Congress and U.S. Efforts to Strengthen Fragile States
Source: Center for Strategic & International Studies Full Paper (PDF; 3.2 MB)

Gary Sick writes at Newsweek of "Deja Vu: Musharraf and the Shah."

NRO VICTOR DAVIS HANSON: Ahmadinejad — love him or hate him. “Who’s Afraid of an Iranian Bomb?”

BBC Nato stretch spurs force rethink Nato ministers under multiple pressures to provide troops order a rapid reaction force to be scaled down.

From NYRB, How to Understand Islam: A review of Arguing the Just War in Islam by John Kelsay; Islam: Past, Present and Future by Hans Kung; Jihad in Islamic History: Doctrines and Practice by Michael Bonner; Infidel by Ayaan Hirsi Ali; and Secularism Confronts Islam by Olivier Roy.

The conservatism of radicals: A review of Why the French Don't Like Headscarves: Islam, the State and Public Space by John R. Bowen.

The introduction to The Politics of the Veil by Joan Wallach Scott.

The sanctification of the burka: Frequently overlooked amid heated debate, the Muslim garment's intricate past goes a long way toward illuminating an often controversial present

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

BBC US imposes new sanctions on Iran The US steps up its sanctions on Iran for "supporting terrorists" and pursuing nuclear activities.

Syria 'air strike site removed'

Satellite images show Syria removed a large building from the presumed site of an Israeli air raid, a US institute says

The Economist Iran Who's the boss?

Iraq They say the Mahdi is coming back

Dialogue Undermined by White House's Iran Sanctions

Syrian President, Iraqi Speaker Discuss Refugees, Partition Proposal

Rice Won't Discuss Maliki Corruption Probe

Time Postcard: Jordan (Postcard: Jordan.) King Abdullah II has opened an ambitious new academy modeled on the New England boarding school he attended. Can Arab preppies save the Middle East?

Energy Links: Bridging a Troubled Mideast

H9 Ha’aretz - Shmuel Rosner: Going to Jerusalem by way of Baghdad

Editorial Sanctions or forceThose who prevent economic pressure on Iran are making the use of military force against it more likely.

Hitting Iran in the pocket Some of Iran?s problems can be solved if European and American energy companies invest there, but that is exactly what the U.S. is trying to prevent

ANALYSIS: Israel's real intention behind sanctions on Gaza Strip By cutting power and fuel, Israel prompts 'escalation' that would legitimize a military operation

Analysts: Syria cleared site hit by IAF, apparently to hide evidence Team of American experts say satellite images show speedy clean-up, raising suspicions about nature of site

The Times Israel rations power to deter Gaza rocket attacks

Israel has moved to limit supplies of electricity and fuel to the Gaza Strip, to squeeze the territory’s Islamist rulers

BBC Israel approves Gaza power cuts Israel's defence minister backs a plan to cut electricity and fuel supplies to Gaza to try to halt rocket attacks.

Report: Israel could get US-made F-35 jets by 2012

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

Syria and Hamas to Hold Alternative Conference

Boston Globe Realizing God's dream for the Holy Land (By Desmond Tutu) WHENEVER I am asked if I am optimistic about an end to the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, I say that I am not. Optimism requires clear signs that things are changing - meaningful words and unambiguous actions that point to real progress. I do not yet hear enough meaningful words, nor do I yet see enough unambiguous deeds to justify optimism

Tony Karon Jewish Glasnost Update: Zionist Panic!

H10 Christian Science Monitor

Al Qaeda reveals signs of weakness The US ambassador to Iraq, Ryan Crocker, said Thursday that Al Qaeda is 'simply gone' from some areas.

Opinion: Osama bin Laden's growing anxiety He's struggling to direct fewer and fewer followers. By Fawaz A. Gerges

ASIA

Time China's Me Generation (The Well / World)
The new middle class is young, rich and happy. Just don't mention politics

The Economist Pakistan's political turmoil After the blasts

Afghanistan's Taliban War without end

India's nuclear co-operation agreement On the blink

Pakistan's nut that won't crackMany of Pakistan's problems can be sourced to the semi-independent badlands of North-West Frontier Province and the neighboring Federally Administered Tribal Areas, the home bases of al-Qaeda and the Taliban. Islamabad can't afford to countenance the sensitive region, yet it can't afford to do anything about it. - Mark LeVine

FT New best friends News that Industrial and Commercial Bank of China is acquiring 20 per cent of Standard Bank Group of South Africa may for once live up to the hype that surrounds such deals

H11 IHT Letter from Europe: The European Commission is back in business The commission has junked Euro-idealism, gotten back to basics and concentrated on practical and consumer-friendly measures, and in so doing has achieved more than Euroskeptics imagined.

EUROPE European press review

The Economist The European Treaty

Give Europe a say Sneaking a constitution through on the sly is a bad idea for all Europeans

Europe's “blue card” plan Not the ace in the pack

The EU treaty What Lisbon contains

Charlemagne Congratulations! It's triplets! The new EU treaty creates three competing posts for the title of “Mr Europe”

Turkey and the Kurds When patience snaps

Gates Doubts Europeans' War Commitment

LA Times Democracy's kaleidoscope

By Timothy Garton Ash

The jumble of political parties in Poland and other nations just fosters volatility.

H12 RFE/RL

Putin Calls for Restraint Over Iran and Kosovo

The Times Kremlin orders a pre-poll freeze on food prices

Food retailers in Russia agree to hold prices on milk, bread and eggs over fears of a public backlash before elections

MICHAEL LEDEEN: Vladimir Putin is worried. “Red Army Dreams”

Google News Azerbaijan

H13 The Times Bush turns the screw on Iran Harsh sanctions imposed by the US follow its labelling of Iran as a supporter of terrorism and fuel fears of military action

What would a US bomb be aimed at?

The US thinks it has the intelligence and capacity to seriously undermine the Iranian threat Gerard Baker

Earth is reaching point of no return, says UN The speed mankind has used resources has put 'humanity’s very survival' at risk, a study by 1,400 scientists concluded

Good Housekeeping The future of the planet is still in our hands

Bombers near Nato talks

Two Russian bombers flew close to the Netherlands where Nato defence ministers were meeting, the Norwegian military said

Wall Street Journal Terror vs. Democracy in Pakistan
Pakistan needs to fight terrorism for the sake of its own people.
By HUSAIN HAQQANI

Revisiting Predictions Made a Year Ago: Who is on Earth, on the Moon and Who was a “Lunatic”

H14 Financial Times Bush heads for a dreadful miscalculation over Iran The US president is not alone in framing a simple choice between Iran’s acquisition of nuclear weapons and war. It is a false choice. Aside from Tehran’s certain retaliation, the likely consequence of any American attack is war and a nuclear-armed Iran, writes Philip Stephens

US hits Iran with financial sanctions Washington announced a raft of new unilateral sanctions against Iran, targeting the elite international Quds Force unit of the Revolutionary Guards and Tehran’s largest bank

Clinton hails US move on Iran

Warning on trade between EU and Russia Business leaders say ‘stagnation’ in political relations could harm bilateral trade and investment. They also warn of protectionists in both Russia and Europe

Quest for Kosovo compromise Wolfgang Ischinger, the German ambassador to London and part of a ‘troika’ of diplomats tasked with resolving the stand-off over Kosovo, says the ‘endgame’ is approaching

Energy: Gas dependency is a cause of some concern

Credit squeeze – the disaster movie Market players collectively need to do more to increase the transparency, consistency and credibility of their asset-backed security valuations

Fed will cut again, says ex-official The Federal Reserve is likely to cut interest rates by another quarter point to 4.5 per cent at its policy meeting next week, the Fed's former top staff official has told the Financial Times

How to put money in the bank Samuel Brittan calls for a more open approach

California dreams The pall of smoke over southern California is a reminder of the natural calamities that can befall even very rich societies when when they get careless

Comment: All is not lost for German economic reform It may take a sobering economic downturn to drive home to voters the need for further change, writes Holger Schmieding

Straitjacket Bush

Rosa Brooks: The president's warmongering remarks on the Iranian threat suggest he is psychotic. Really.

Keeping Blackwater actions quiet State Dept. e-mails show officials tried to deflect a Times inquiry into a 2005 incident

Editorial

H16 American Politics

Time Hold Your Conventional Wisdom! By WILLIAM KRISTOLThree reasons Republicans could recapture the White House in 2008

FT Democrats unveil sweeping tax reforms Democrats unveiled proposals for the most sweeping reform of the US tax system in two decades, promising relief for middle-class families and a reduction in corporate rates

Paulson ‘handcuffed’ by White House Hank Paulson, the US Treasury secretary, has been ‘handcuffed’ by George W. Bush in his handling of the subprime mortgage ­crisis, according to a powerful Democratic senator

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

Early Bird GovExec Swamp Gas The Swamp

Rupert Cornwell: Obama is discovering the perils of refusing to wear your patriotic heart on your sleeve

BBC Light and shade
Is the noose unravelling racial harmony in the US?

H17 Daily Telegraph Leader Friends like these at EU-Russia summit

Europe - including Britain - will become more dependent on gas and oil from Russia. So the EU has decided that the best thing to do with the Russian bear is to appease him

Tusk could leave Europe defenceless

The new Polish government is likely to withdraw its permission for Washington to site its missile defence shield on the country's soil, explains Con Coughlin.

EU must act against Russia

Marina Litvinenko will be at the EU-Russia summit in Lisbon with a message for Vladimir Putin: her husband's murder will not go away as long as she lives.

H18 Independent The Big Question: Is the Kyoto treaty an outdated failure based on the wrong premises?

US hits Iran with toughest penalties since 1979 siege

The world of private 'security': Unleashed: the fat cats of war

Not an environment scare story A landmark assessment by the UN of the state of the world's environment paints the bleakest picture yet of our planet's well-being

Brown's talk of civil rights marks move to regain trust A shake-up of Britain's secrecy laws and those powers enabling police to enter the home has been ordered by the PM as part of sweeping changes to the constitution

H19Military Intelligence Terrorism

Col. David Hunt / Fox News:

America Could Have Killed Usama bin Laden — But Didn't

Testimony on Estimated Costs of U.S. Operations in Iraq and Afghanistan and of Other Activities Related to the War on Terrorism, October 24, 2007

Weekly Standard Torture Logic
Where to draw the line.
by Gabriel Schoenfeld

Naval Strategy for the 21st Century Addressing a perceived lack of relevance.by Stuart Koehl

Intelligence Issues for Congress (PDF; 158 KB) Source: Congressional Research Service (via Federation of American Scientists)

Report of the Secretary of State’s Panel on Personal Protective Services in Iraq (PDF; 538 KB)
Source: U.S. Department of State
From Implementation of Recommendations from the Secretary of State’s Report on Personal Protective Service Details:

Al-Qaida anger at Jazeera on Laden tape — CAIRO, Egypt - Al-Qaida sympathizers have unleashed a torrent of anger against Al-Jazeera television, accusing it of misrepresenting Osama bin Laden's latest audiotape by airing excerpts in which he criticizes mistakes by insurgents in Iraq

Syrian Intelligence Linked to Al-Qaeda-Affiliated Fatah al-Islam Terrorist Group - Benny Avni (New York Sun)

"Watercoolered: Underneath the CIA's Glass Ceiling," Mother Jones, November/December 2007.

McClatchy U.S. ignores angry reaction to secret poppy spraying test

H20 Slate

Energy, Electricity and Nuclear Power for the Period up to 2030 (PDF; 2.58 MB)
Source: International Atomic Energy Agency (via UN Pulse)

The Geography of the European Creative Class: A Rank-Size Analysis (PDF; 317 KB) Source: Danish Research Unit for Industrial Dynamics

The Domestic Influence of International Criminal Tribunals: The International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia and the Creation of the State Court of Bosnia & Herzegovina
Source: Scholarship at Penn Law

Ralph Waldo Emerson and the Sufis: From Puritanism to Transcendentalism

H21 The brain is the final pathway of all action. You can’t do much without a brain, which is why decapitation tends to lower IQ... more»

Zogby/463 Internet Attitudes Poll: One In Four Americans Say the Internet Can Serve as a Substitute For a Significant Other Demographic info (PDF; 219 KB)
+ Additional details (PDF; 36 KB)

Third of primates 'under threat' Almost a third of all primates face extinction because of damage to their habitats, a report warns.

How is it possible that the kind of squalor and dissolute behavior that would be intolerable in our own lives and the lives of our friends is often fascinating, even enjoyable, in a movie?…

He played Bach at a subway door and failed. She played Bach on a subway platform with success. What does this say about Bach? Subways? Classical music?... more»

Social, Technical and Economic Consequences of the Internet Evolution

YouTube U. Now you can sleep through lectures in the comfort of your own home.
by Andy Kessler

Rewarding the Work of Individuals: A Counterintuitive Approach to Reducing Poverty and Strengthening Families
Source: The Future of Children (via MRDC) Full Report (PDF; 156 KB)

Reality check
The UN's Geo-4 report reveals the true state of the planet

Conservationists name 25 primates about to disappear Biofuel plantations, logging and hunting are stealing habitats from our closest relatives, says report

Top dollar? 15 reasons why social network Facebook may be worth $15bn

Google Using LC Subject Headings

20 Best Places to get Free books

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