1110-2007f - FOREIGN PRESS REVIEW (FPR) - ‘Relevant news, views, comments and analyses 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 Los Angeles Times Pakistan: echoes of Iran By Gary Sick As it did with the shah, the U.S. relies heavily on Musharraf — and it's not working.

Asia Times Iraq: Call an air strike There might be less violence in Baghdad, but that's because sectarian clashes have died down as there are virtually no more neighborhoods to be ethnically cleansed. And US engagements are declining, but only because troops are spending more time in the bases. Now, whenever there is a mission in Baghdad, it inevitably means an air strike. - Pepe Escobar

From Conversations With History, an interview with Walter Russell Mead on Britain and America and the making of the modern world

An interview with Die Zeit publisher Josef Joffe on America’s role in the 21st century

McClatchy U.S.: 4 released Iranians had Sunni links in Iraq

Jerusalem Post Report: Israel-Syria summit in 2008 Saudi paper also claims that Abbas convinced Rice of need for Saudi participation in Annapolis.

VDH Dictators and Democrats
National Review

New York Times News Analysis: U.S. Strategy for Pakistan Looks Increasingly Fragile

Asia Times Spooks refuse to toe Cheney's line on Iran A National Intelligence Estimate on Iran, which pulls together the judgments of the US's 16 intelligence agencies, has been held up for more than a year because it contains views at odds with the alarmist conclusions on Iran's nuclear program espoused by Vice President Dick Cheney. The report is expected to be released this month, but without its key findings being made public. - Gareth Porter

Daily Telegraph US seeks Merkel's backing over Iran sanctions German Chancellor Angela Merkal presents united front with US President George W Bush as they discuss Iran's nuclear programme.

Blair could enter EU presidency race Tony Blair has dropped hints that he might become president of the European Union.

Washington Post High Oil Costs Spur Massive Wealth Shift Sustained price hike is pumping billions into petroleum-rich nations while fueling economic woes in U.S. and other oil-importing states

Georgia Looks Toward Election as Calm Returns to Capital

How to Win The War Of Ideas By Robert Satloff, Karen Hughes's resignation provides an opportunity to take on radical Islam.

In the Mideast, America Casts an Imperial Shadow Rashid Khalidi

Iran Says US Must Ask Directly for New Iraq Talks

A former Mossad chief's advice on Iran and Syria Daily Star

RFE/RLGeorgia's Neighbors On Edge After Week Of Unrest

Among post-Soviet republics, Georgia has been seen as a beacon of democratic reform. But after a tumultuous week in Tbilisi that culminated in a state of emergency and a call for early elections, Georgia's neighbors are wondering how the turn of events might affect them

Financial Times Editorial Lubricating oil More expensive oil need not be a catastrophe or even a big problem for the world economy – unless we try to deny that high prices are here to stay

Sarkozy must avoid Blair’s mistakes Iraq and Iran show the importance of a strong relationship between Europe and the US. But the lesson for France’s president is that shaping this is not a task for one man

FT MAGAZINE - BOOK ESSAY: The crescent and the cross

Broken records Get used to the onward march of economic records. Some of them – world population, average income, low infant mortality, carbon dioxide emissions – are real enough, for better or worse

Assad key to Beirut’s options Syria’s influence is far from over, as the crisis over this year’s presidential poll shows

FT REPORT - ENERGY 2007: How will we cope when the oil has run out?

FT REPORT - ENERGY 2007: Ten top powers to be reckoned with

Resource nationalism: State groups give majors a run for their money

Will You Attack Iran? By: Ezra Klein | The American Prospect
Democrats talk a good talk about avoiding double-speak, but all the candidates have sidestepped the defining foreign policy question of the 2008 U.S. presidential race.

Newsweek War and Peacemakers An exclusive conversation with Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal about Israel, Iran and the frustrations of Middle East diplomacy.

Daily Star The fate of Western Europe's lucky little countries
By Ian Buruma

Guardian A post-Bush America is not about to fall at Europe's feet Martin Kettle: The prospect of a more pliable US is largely an illusion. EU states must make some very serious, existential choices.

Leader Standing up to the general The brave lawyers who took to the streets are at the centre of the struggle between military dictatorship and civil society, and yet few politicians - either inside Pakistan or abroad - are championing their cause

UK's new Afghanistan plan: pay farmers to ditch opium Troops may target drugs factories as part of new strategy to combat Taliban

PINR "Israeli Missile Defense and its Role in the Israeli-Palestinian Peace Process" Full text of report

Weekly Standard Our Pakistan Challenge
Something good can come out of the emergency.
by Daniel Twining

The Creativity Conceit: America will always be number one, won’t it?

From NPQ, Brent Scowcroft on the US as the dispensable nation.

What do Ptolemy and Copernicus tell us about America's changing global role?

From The American Conservative, superpower trip: Plagued by narcissism and impatience, US foreign policy betrays all of the symptoms of criminal thinking.

From Commentary, a symposium on Norman Podhoretz’s World War IV: What kind of war are we fighting, and can we win it? (and more).

A review of Less Safe, Less Free: Why America Is Losing the War on Terror by David Cole and Jules Lobel.

A review of Winning the Right War: The Path to Security for America and the World by Philip H. Gordon.

A review of Condoleezza Rice: Naked Ambition by Marcus Mabry.

A review of The Confidante: Condoleezza Rice and the Creation of the Bush Legacy by Glenn Kessler (and more and more).

Why her dreams crashed: Condi Rice's worldview flipped, and her policies flopped (and more).

An interview with John Bolton, author of Surrender Is Not an Option: Defending America at the United Nations and Abroad (and more and more and more and more).

Mad Mullahs Puzzled Putin By: Amir Taheri | New York Post
Vladimir Putin's visit to Iran seems to have persuaded him and his closest advisers that the Tehran leadership is culturally and temperamentally incapable of playing the classical Cold War-style power games that the Russians are interested in.

H2 The Times For her the war is over: the PKK fighter who wants to end killing -e

Daily Star Editorial Will Saudi King Abdullah opt to add to a long list of 'firsts'?

Al Awsat Turkey: From Ataturk to Erdogan

Book - Amazon.com: Ataturk: Books: Andrew Mango

Independent Robert Fisk: Holocaust denial in the White House The Turks say the Armenians died in a 'civil war', and Bush goes along with their lies

Kurd Rebels Say They Are Open to Talks

VOA News - Turkey's President Says US Must Fight Terrorists in Northern Iraq

US plans military base in Kurdistan

Turkey, Armenians and Kurds
Armenian Weekly

VOA - TGRT Haber Ortak Yayını Soner Çağaptay

Turkey into the Vortex of the Iraq Quagmire: Another Breach in US ...
Monthly Review

Iran eyes Turkey alliance, axis with Russia

As Turkish invasion looms, Kurds in northern Iraq ink foreign oil ...
World Tribune –

Google News KurdishMedia Kurdish Kurdish Aspect BBC Monitoring

Kurdish Guerrillas 'Open' To Dialogue With Turkey

Kurd Rebels Say They Are Open to Talks

First Rule for PKK Rebels: Make War, Not Love

Erbil'in 'güç maskesi' düştü
BASIM EL TUVEYSİ

Rumbling of War Still Haunts Southeast Turkey

Opinion: Turkey will suffer most in its conflict with Iraqi Kurdistan
Regnum

The Kurdish Dilemma: Separating Facts from Fiction Kurdish Aspect -

'Greater Kurdistan' myth or reality?
Kurdish Aspect

Kürtçe izinli kanalda teröristleri öven şiir

Barzani çok fena arada kaldı -

Saudi King in Turkey - Forbes.com

Turkish prosecutor launches probe into pro-Kurdish party after calls for autonomy - International Herald Tribune

Kurdistan: a state of calm in Iraq
Toronto Star

Turks' Effective Weapon (Genocide) Will be Upon Iraqi Kurds
American Chronicle

Kirkuk's Arabs paid to pack up
Aljazeera.net –

Rus basını: Barzani PKK'ya karşı sıkı önlem almaz

DTP replaces moderate leadership with hawks

'Bush anlıyor da buradakiler niye anlamıyor'

PKK destekçisi zehir şebekesine 'Nakavt'

DTP deputy says ‘husband situation’ a result of Kurdish question

Google News Greece Cyprus Turkish Cypriot Press ABHaber

KKTC'ye 'fonlar 2008'de' sözü

Ignoring Turkey has a cost
Turkish Daily News

Zeynep Göğüş Türkiye algısı nasıl düzeliyor?

As in the days of Noah: Turkish-Kurd tensions spill into Europe's streets

FT MAGAZINE - BOOK REVIEW: Sailing to Byzantium

FT REPORT - WEEKEND MONEY: Think small when surveying the big wide world

AB, Aleviler için izlemede

AB'den 'Güney Kürdistan' gafı

The European Union's use for Turkey (Today's Zaman)

Turkey Approves Building Nuclear Plants

Andrew Mango'ya hizmet ödülü

H3 Emir bekliyorum

Operasyon iş olsun diye yapılmaz

Kritik dönemde kritik atama James Jeffrey ABD'nin Ankara'ya büyükelçisi oluyor

Ahmet Taşgetiren Kürtlerin temsili -

Cengiz Çandar Kuzey Irak’ta “ezber bozma” vakti...

[Yorum - Faruk Loğoğlu] Türkiye-ABD yol ayrımındaki ilişkiler

Yeni Kürt açılımı Kuzey Irak'a yönelik

Baykal'ın 'Kuzey Irak' açılımı destek buldu

Ertuğrul Özkök Var mısınız, hodri meydan

SSM committee to decide on key TSK projects

Bıçakla içilen çorba M.Ali Kışlalı

Mehmet Yılmaz Baykal’ı alkışlıyorum!

Çeteler, PKK'ya istihbarat sağlamış

M Ali Birand Barzani’yi artık ciddiye almalı mıyız?

Enis Berberoğlu Reuters vermedi bizimkiler verdi

'Baykal sürprizi' tartışma yarattı

Gül: İsrail, Suriye operasyonu konusunda bizi kapsamlı silgilendirdi

DTP Kongresine İki koldan inceleme

MHP'den Baykal'a: 'Düz ovacılar'ı hatırla

CHP, iki aydır Kürt kökenli aydınları dinliyormuş

Savaş Süzal Erdoğan Beyaz Saray'da İran tavizi verdi

Sadi Somuncuoğlu Terörle olmadı, siyasetle yapalım mı?

Hakan Aygün Aman PKK’ya karşı “kış uykusu”na yatmayalım! –

Mehmet Altan Kongre

Mehmet Metiner Kuzey Irak ve milliyetçilik

Can Ataklı “Atatürk olmasaydı” diye düşünün

Semih İDİZ Kürt sorununda yeni bir "idrak" dönemine girdik

Bush, Wilson'dan sonra Ankara için Jeffrey'yi düşünüyor

ALİ BAYRAMOĞLU Yanılgı ve bedeller: Özkök, Hürriyet, generaller, vs…

Kuzey Irak’la kucaklaşıp PKK’yı tecrit etme planı

Taha AKYOL Elleri kanlı bunların

Şahin Alpay DTP ve PKK

Ali Bulaç 5 Kasım'da ne oldu?

Büyükanıt: Hiçbir şey için geç kalınmış değil

Fikret BİLA Dağlıca'da soruşturma açıldı, köstebek yok

Güneri CIVAOĞLU DTP'den kendine çelme

Sami KOHEN "Demir yumruk"la olmuyor...

Ecevit'in Kuzey Irak öngörüsü

'Kürdistan' adı için ilk adım mı?

DTP 'şahinler'in kanatları altında

PKK adresleri veriliyor

Kral Abdullah'a çifte karşılama

Yeni anayasa türbanı da çözecek!..

30 bin kişi hapse girdi ben de 12 yıl yattım

Suud-Türk ilişkilerinde madalyalı dönem

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 Bayılırım sırlara

Fehmi Koru CHP'nin yeni açılımı

Turkey, EU, US must take clear stance to avoid regret, say observers
Today's Zaman

Oktay Ekşi DTP ne istiyor?

Emeklilik konuşmaları Murat Belge

Passing from terror to politics by MÜMTAZ’ER TÜRKÖNE

Bekir Coşkun Soru...

Yalçın Doğan 35 AKP’li Erdoğan’a sahip çıkmadı

ÖZLEM ALBAYRAK

Kürtler, itiraflar ve itirafı rüyasında görecekler

HAKAN ALBAYRAKTürkiye-İran ekseni

MUHARREM SARIKAYA

ERDAL ŞAFAK

ERGUN BABAHAN

EMRE AKÖZ

Umur Talu

HASAN BÜLENT KAHRAMAN

NAZLI ILICAK

MAHMUT ÖVÜR

YAVUZ DONAT

ABDURRAHMAN YILDIRIM

Ercan Kumcu

Erdal Sağlam

Ege Cansen Kaya yağı fiyatları

Uluslararası kıskaç
Taner Berksoy

H4 New York Times News Analysis: U.S. Strategy for Pakistan Looks Increasingly Fragile

U.S. Releases 9 Iranians in Iraq

H5 Washington Post High Oil Costs Spur Massive Wealth Shift Sustained price hike is pumping billions into petroleum-rich nations while fueling economic woes in U.S. and other oil-importing states

Georgia Looks Toward Election as Calm Returns to Capital

How to Win The War Of Ideas By Robert Satloff,

Karen Hughes's resignation provides an opportunity to take on radical Islam.

In the Mideast, America Casts an Imperial Shadow Rashid Khalidi,

U.S. Frees 9 Iranians From Custody in Iraq

Rice's Management at Issue Secretary of State under fire for handling of Blackwater, Baghdad embassy and passports.

Lessons From 'Ghanzi Province' By Sarah Holewinski, In the Mojave desert, U.S. troops learn how to make more friends than enemies.

Pakistani Activist Defiant, Upbeat House arrest has not quelled noted human rights lawyer's efforts to spur reforms in her homeland.

Bashir Goth: Muslims: U.S. Out of Pakistan

Power Barometer: U.S.-France Love Fest

On Faith: Muslim-Haters for President

North Korea Rebuts U.S. Claims Pyongyang aims to prove that it was not trying to produce enriched uranium for nuclear weapons

H6 Guardian A post-Bush America is not about to fall at Europe's feet
Martin Kettle: The prospect of a more pliable US is largely an illusion. EU states must make some very serious, existential choices.

Leader Standing up to the general
The brave lawyers who took to the streets are at the centre of the struggle between military dictatorship and civil society, and yet few politicians - either inside Pakistan or abroad - are championing their cause

UK's new Afghanistan plan: pay farmers to ditch opium

Troops may target drugs factories as part of new strategy to combat Taliban

Osirak revisited

Jonathan Spyer November 9, 2007 1:00 PM

Israel is increasingly concerned about Iran's nuclear capabilities, and has destroyed a nuclear reactor before - in Iraq.

Cry wolf, but gently
Leo Hickman: Hyperbole has weakened the argument on climate change. But Aesop has a salutary lobbyist's tale

Tempests, truckers and tribesmen - another week in the oil market

Even veteran traders have been taken aback by the surge towards $100 barrels

H7 Will You Attack Iran? By: Ezra Klein | The American Prospect
Democrats talk a good talk about avoiding double-speak, but all the candidates have sidestepped the defining foreign policy question of the 2008 U.S. presidential race.

Newsweek War and Peacemakers An exclusive conversation with Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal about Israel, Iran and the frustrations of Middle East diplomacy.

International Statebuilding SWP
A 40-page German research paper examining the challenges posed by statebuilding

Dictators and Democrats By: Victor Davis Hanson | National Review
In the labyrinth of the Middle East, the United States must insist on some degree of consistency in declaring that constitutional law and open elections are critical in Afghanistan and Iraq, but also in Pakistan.

Pakistan on the Brink By: Diana West | The Washington Times
We all have questions about Pakistan. Will civil war convulse the country? Will jihadists, rulers of Taliban-friendly provinces, conquer all of Pakistan? Will President Pervez Musharraf himself be deposed in a military coup? Precisely what variety of "opposition" do the opposition groups actually represent?

A New Approach to Pakistan - Sen. Joe Biden, St. Anselm College

Why Europe Won't Sanction Iran - Robert Maginnis, Human Events

Outside View: Pakistan army rule or chaos?
By PYOTR GONCHAROV President Gen. Pervez Musharraf declared a state of emergency in Pakistan on Saturday in an attempt to stop his opponents, who actually made him face a choice between dictatorship or a weak, mock democracy fraught with chaos

Danger Lurks in Use of Term 'Islamofascism'
Boston Globe

Al HaYAT Everybody Wants War Hassan Haydar - Hizbullah seeks war to restore its popularity among the Arab masses which has been waning due to its perceived ties to Iran’s regional agenda, and because it does not want to be seen as a mere Syrian ‘tool’ in Lebanon.

. A Failure for Musharraf… a Failure for the United States Raghida Dergham - Musharraf is a part of the country’s future and is not yet obsolete. It’s up to him to find a way to carry out the promises of the past, now. Musharraf is part of the treatment, if he wants there to be a treatment of the situation

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

Iran Says US Must Ask Directly for New Iraq Talks

New Law May Spell End to Iraq Contractors

BBC Sunni chiefs killed in Iraq blast A suicide bomber in Iraq's Diyala province kills five Sunni tribal leaders opposed to al-Qaeda, police say.

Mehdi Army had 'reign of terror'

Iraq's New Crisis: Moms, Dads Abandoning Kids

Beijing Inches Towards Tougher Stance on Iran By: Harvey Morris, Daniel Dombey, and Mure Dickie | Financial Times
China on Thursday called on Iran to “respond positively” to international concerns about its nuclear programme, a day after Tehran declared it had no need to account for itself to “bad tempered” foreign countries.

Gulf investors give Damascus vital cash boost Syria’s foreign policy has put it at odds with most of its Arab neighbours but Gulf petrodollars are still finding their way to Damascus and giving the isolated economy a much-needed boost

Terrorist Attacks in Iraq Eroding Local Support for al-Qaeda

Pakistan emergency 'to be lifted' Pakistan's state of emergency could be lifted within a month, the country's attorney general says.

Is row all it seems?

Analysis: Egypt sees another war on terror

Americans are uncomfortable as thugs
By Rami G. Khouri

H9 Ha’aretz – 18%, 28%, 46%, 52%: how many really support military action in Iran? (WTR)

A Journey to La-La Land By: Yoel Marcus | Haaretz The Annapolis summit, let us not forget, will be taking place under the shadow of Israel's tarnished reputation.

Top Hamas official: We'll seize West Bank if Israel withdraws

Jessica Balaban: Why should world Jewry aid Israeli Arabs?

PINR "Israeli Missile Defense and its Role in the Israeli-Palestinian Peace Process" Full text of report

Jerusalem Post Report: Israel-Syria summit in 2008 Saudi paper also claims that Abbas convinced Rice of need for Saudi participation in Annapolis.

Security and Defense: Another round?

[ YAAKOV KATZ

The German bottleneck

Merkel must have the courage to say to her public: Tighter sanctions are the only way to avert war.

Confound the Skeptics at Annapolis By: Ziad Asali | The Daily Star The skeptics have unassailable arguments: History and a consistent record of failure are on their side. Weak Israeli and Palestinian governments, an American president in the last stretch of his second term, dysfunctional Israeli and Palestinian body politics, and cynical media coverage all dampen.

Hamas says it will seize West Bank if Israel withdraws

US to purchase Israeli arms

Congress approves acquisition of technological systems from defense industries for $700m

Iran still far from bomb Ronen Bergman

Annapolis game of his life/ Roni Sofer

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

Why Go to Annapolis By: Uri Dromi | Miami Herald
Israel is soon going to sit with the Palestinians in Annapolis, under the watchful eyes of the American hosts, to talk again about peace. Because there is no vacuum in our troublesome region, and if the energy is not funneled into peaceful venues, it will eventually erupt in violent ways.

Churchill and the Jews
Arthur Herman, WSJ.

Irregular Warfare and Non-State Combatants: Israel and Hezbollah
FRIDE

Olmert and Barak resove differences on meetings with intelligence ...
Jerusalem Post

H10 Christian Science Monitor

Boston Globe Editorial Pakistani make-believe THOUGH THE international stakes in Pakistan's stability are high, that country's domestic power struggles remain intensely intramural. It is all too easy for foreigners, and even gullible sectors of the Pakistani public, to be fooled by appearances.

ASIA

Kremlin Looks to Bolster India Defense Ties By: Anna Smolchenko | The Moscow Times
Next week's visit to Moscow by Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is an opportunity for Russia to take a fresh look at the country and smooth over problems in its defense relations with New Delhi, analysts said Thursday. Singh is expected in Moscow for an annual summit with President Vladimir Putin on Monday. The talks are likely to focus on boosting political and economic relations and building on agreements reached during Putin's visit to New Delhi in January. Just a handful of deals will likely be signed this time around, a Russian Foreign Ministry official said.

BBC Delhi's dilemma
India has much at stake as events unfold in Pakistan

America's Strategic Opportunity with India CFR

US-China military ties warm with hotline
The report card shows some high scores for US Defense Secretary Robert Gates' first meeting with his Chinese counterparts this week. Give them an "A" for agreeing to install their first military hotline. Gates reaffirmed Beijing's sacrosanct "One-China" policy over Taiwan, and China showed some mettle when it came to Iran's nuclear issue. But lingering suspicions remain. - Jing-dong Yuan

What's Chinese
for 'Ponzi'?
Four of the world's top 10 stocks by market capitalization are now Chinese, but the measure is a flawed representation of actual value. Unless the authorities take urgent action, including the freeing up of capital controls and letting the currency float, the outcome will be horrible for both investors and the government.

Wider Global Role Urged for Japan By: Julian E. Barnes | Los Angeles Times U.S. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates on Friday urged the Japanese to take a wider role in world affairs, a position that is controversial here and in other East Asian nations. In an address at Sophia University, a Jesuit institution, Gates said he hoped that Japan would take on more "global security responsibilities" in the year ahead

FT China: has something shifted? Gideon Rachman’s blog: The rise of companies like PetroChina into the ranks of the world’s biggest companies might be more significant than first thought

Retail Wars Come to India as Supermarkets Threaten Mom-and-Pops By: Anuj Chopra | World Politics Review
In recent years, the advent of Western-style supermarkets have drawn vehement protests throughout India from the country's small, unregulated push-cart vegetable vendors, hawkers, and the 12 million neighborhood mom-and-pop shops called kirana stores -- all part of India's poorly run but active retail ecosystem. Over 200 million Indians depend for their livelihood on the highly fragmented retail industry.

India Has to be Wary of Chinese Intrusions
IDSA
An Indian commentary on recent Chinese land claims in the border area

FT COMMENT & ANALYSIS: Mockery is small beer for China's wealthy

H11 IHT French twist

The France of Sarkozy may be a reliable ally, but it should not be mistaken for an envious friend.

Running out of space to park, and places to walk
With an estimated two million vehicles in the city, Athens has the EU's highest per capita car ownership. Pedestrians are demanding their rights be recognized

U.K.-Saudi arms deal gets renewed scrutiny

European politicians wrestle with high gasoline prices High European gasoline taxes contribute to an inflationary spiral, but governments depend on the revenue.

EU nations agree on rights for citizens involved in police probes

EUROPE European press review

FT MAGAZINE - BOOK ESSAY: The crescent and the cross

The fate of Western Europe's lucky little countries
By Ian Buruma

God is not dead Soumaya Ghannoushi November 9, 2007 9:00 AM

Religion is on the ascendancy in Europe. The challenge is how Europe can foster an open, tolerant religion.

EU far-right bloc faces collapse

The European parliament's far-right bloc faces collapse as Romanian MEPs deplore "xenophobic" remarks.

Divided They Stand By: Anna Bawden | The Guardian
How does the generation of Germans who grew up without the Berlin wall see the future of relations between east and west?

Charming, Not Disarming By: David Cronin | The Guardian
Have Nicolas Sarkozy and other western leaders forgotten that they are in fact obligated to get rid of nuclear weapons?

Squaring Off for the Wrong Fight By: Humphrey Hawksley | International Herald Tribune
It's almost nine years since NATO air strikes freed Kosovar Albanians from Serbian control, yet the official status of the province is still undecided. A deadline of Dec. 10 has been set for the diplomatic process to deliver.

The Saturday Profile: Denmark’s Unabashed Lightning Rod on Immigration

Italy's Immigration Agita By: Gerald Robbins | The Weekly Standard
Approximately one million Muslims reside within Italy, comprising a diverse assemblage of North African, Sub-Saharan, and Balkan migrants. The largest communities are located throughout Italy's industrial north, particularly in the cities of Turin and Milan. Cursorily glanced, it appears that Italy's population of 58 million can easily manage absorbing this immigration. Demographic projections indicate otherwise.

An Exasperated Italy Targets Foreigners By: Tracy Wilkinson | Los Angeles Times
The Italian government Nov. 2 enacted an emergency decree that allows local authorities to swiftly expel foreign nationals from EU countries if they are deemed a threat to public health or security. So far, about 30 people have been rounded up and ordered deported, all of them thought to be Romanians and many of Roma, or Gypsy, background.

The Green Paper on the EU Asylum System: Necessary but not Sufficient SWP

OSCE Democracy Promotion: Grinding to a Halt? FRIDE

New Project Paper on the German forces in Afghanistan
15 pages; PDF.

Sarkozy's Mossad ties exposed

H12 RFE/RLGeorgia's Neighbors On Edge After Week Of Unrest

Among post-Soviet republics, Georgia has been seen as a beacon of democratic reform. But after a tumultuous week in Tbilisi that culminated in a state of emergency and a call for early elections, Georgia's neighbors are wondering how the turn of events might affect them

The Soft-Power Foundations Of Putin's Russia

Google News Azerbaijan

BBC Georgia opposition ends protests Georgia's opposition leaders say they are ending protests against the president after he called early elections.

Crisis defused
But economic woes may refuel Georgia's political unrest

A Victory for Russia's Secret War As Georgian Leader Calls Election By: Anne Penketh | The Independent
Russia has scored a tactical victory in its long-term strategic battle with Western-leaning Georgia after a clumsy and brutal crackdown on the opposition by the leader of the "rose revolution" in the former Soviet republic, President Mikheil Saakashvili.

Independent The savagery of war: A soldier looks back at Chechnya

Analysis: Georgia in turmoil By STEFAN NICOLA Georgia's political crisis took a surprising turn when its pro-Western leader Mikheil Saakashvili Thursday announced early presidential elections.

H13 The Times Pakistani Poker

Musharraf and Bhutto control the destiny of their troubled country

Rose Revolution leader fears coup conspiracy Georgia's richest man has been accused of plotting a coup after urging opposition to unite against President Saakashvili

Wall Street Journal The Bush-Biden Doctrine
"Realists" discover the virtues of democracy in Pakistan.

Finishing the Job in Afghanistan
Our European partners are dropping the ball.
By HANS BINNENDIJK

Things Are Tough All Over
Things are tough all over, but Sen. Clinton is no Margaret Thatcher, says Peggy Noonan.
By PEGGY NOONAN

Washington Times Tightrope walking A period of economic sluggishness may soon arrive, with plenty of import for the 2008 election.

Ernst & Young The Top 10 Risks for Business in 2008
28 pages; PDF.

H14 Financial Times Editorial Lubricating oil More expensive oil need not be a catastrophe or even a big problem for the world economy – unless we try to deny that high prices are here to stay

Sarkozy must avoid Blair’s mistakes Iraq and Iran show the importance of a strong relationship between Europe and the US. But the lesson for France’s president is that shaping this is not a task for one man

FT MAGAZINE - BOOK ESSAY: The crescent and the cross

Broken records Get used to the onward march of economic records. Some of them – world population, average income, low infant mortality, carbon dioxide emissions – are real enough, for better or worse

Assad key to Beirut’s options Syria’s influence is far from over, as the crisis over this year’s presidential poll shows

FT REPORT - ENERGY 2007: How will we cope when the oil has run out?

FT REPORT - ENERGY 2007: Ten top powers to be reckoned with

Resource nationalism: State groups give majors a run for their money

LONG VIEW - JOHN AUTHERS: Oil price starts to leave bad taste in the mouth

US and Europe aim to resolve trade disputes Diplomats from the US and European Union are laying the groundwork for an unprecedented round of bilateral bargaining in which all of the main transatlantic trade disputes would be put on the table and negotiated in one go

COMMENT & ANALYSIS: The world's currency could become America's problem There are circumstances in which the Federal Reserve might not be able to rescue the economy and America’s financial markets, writes Krishna Guha

Undercover Economist: Your vote doesn't count

Georgia to lift clampdown ‘within days’ President Mikheil Saakashvili’s officials pledged to lift the state of emergency after opposition protests and criticism from the administration’s international backers headed by the US

Bulgaria booms despite credit crisis The residential property market is showing unexpected resilience to the impact of the credit crunch thanks to investment by east Europeans and local buyers

Grozny’s scars heal over deeper damage The transformation of Chechnya is not so much a victory for Russia but for its policy of co-opting a one-time rebel warlord to impose iron rule and round up remaining separatists

The perils of plutocracies Economists’ Forum: Stephen Cecchetti, Pranab Bardhan and Jagdish Bhagwati reply to Martin Wolf on the dangers of wealth concentration

MARKETS NEWS & COMMENT: Carry trade falls out of favour

FT REPORT - ENERGY 2007: State groups give majors a run for their money

FT REPORT - ENERGY 2007: Demand for new reserves is stronger

House price correction threatens EU growth Continuing financial market turmoil means the risks to growth are ‘clearly tilted to the downside’, warns the European Commission

COMMENT & ANALYSIS: Citigroup's enigmatic sage Man in the news: Robert Rubin

The former US Treasury secretary struggles to convince outsiders that he’s not in charge, writes John Gapper

COMMENT: There is too much social mobility in Britain

H15 Los Angeles Times Pakistan: echoes of Iran By Gary Sick

As it did with the shah, the U.S. relies heavily on Musharraf — and it's not working.

Editorial Blackwater's impunity

Neither Iraqi nor U.S. laws apply to its contractors, so a controversial shooting may go unpunished.

Chavez's criminal paradise By Moises Naim The anti-globalization Venezuelan president allows his country to become a haven for global crime.

H16 American Politics

Two New Hampshire Polls Will Show Shrinking Clinton Lead

Edwards: I'm closer to Obama than Clinton

Obama and the Dream of a Color-Blind U.S. Obama's campaign is both revealing and tapping into a changed racial landscape. After decades of polarization, many whites say they are drawn to Obama precisely because they think his mixed-race background projects a more optimistic vision of America's racial future. Campaign 2008

Bernanke: U.S. Economy Faces 'Sluggish' Growth Outlook

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

Early Bird GovExec Swamp Gas The Swamp

Justin Webb's blog
Will an ex-NY police chief's indictment hurt Giuliani's chances?

Say It's So, Joe
Vice President Lieberman?
by William Kristol

H17 Daily Telegraph US seeks Merkel's backing over Iran sanctions German Chancellor Angela Merkal presents united front with US President George W Bush as they discuss Iran's nuclear programme.

Blair could enter EU presidency race Tony Blair has dropped hints that he might become president of the European Union.

Tony Blair to become Catholic 'within weeks'

H18 Independent Lest we forget

In Afghan fields, the poppies blow... and another British soldier dies in a war without end

Leading article: These poignant symbols of the endless agonies of war

Musharraf places Bhutto under house arrest President Pervez Musharraf has subjected the Pakistan opposition leader Benazir Bhutto to what is in effect house arrest to stop her from addressing a protest rally.

US military frees nine Iranians held after Iraq raids

Robert Fisk: Holocaust denial in the White House

H19Military Intelligence Terrorism

Irregular Warfare and Non-State Combatants: Israel and Hezbollah FRIDE

Weekly Standard How They Did It
Executing the winning strategy in Iraq.
by Kimberly Kagan

McClatchy Recruiters struggle to find an Army By Frank Greve | McClatchy Newspapers

The Army is struggling to find volunteers for an unpopular war, despite recruiting bonuses of up to $20,000 and pay increases for enlistees that have beaten inflation by 21 percent since 2000. And many recruiting problems preceded the Iraq war

New Project Paper on the German forces in Afghanistan
15 pages; PDF.

The most important strategic foreign policy issue facing the next President and Congress will be how to prevent the further spread of nuclear weapons. Why is the Bush Administration keen on deploying a technology that doesn't work against a threat that doesn't exist?

Does the concept of democracy matter at all when it comes to the issue of missile defense?

Al Qaeda's Generational Split By: Gregory D. Johnsen | The Boston Globe
Over the past several months, a generational schism has emerged within Al Qaeda's ranks in Yemen, pitting younger, more radicalized members against the more experienced old guard

Street veteran
An ex-US soldier tells how he ended up in an army of the homeless

U.S. Says War on Narcotics Is Working By: Chris Kraul | Log Angeles Times
Interruptions of the flow of cocaine to the United States are causing street prices to rise, a sign that the "war on drugs" is working, the White House anti-drug chief said here Thursday

Statement of Glenn A. Fine, Inspector General, U.S. Department of Justice before the Committee on Homeland Security, U.S. House of Representatives concerning “The Terrorist Screening System and the Watchlist Process”, November 8, 2007

FBI Says Possible al-Qaeda Threat Against Malls 'Not Credible'

Inspector General: Terror Watchlist Neither Complete nor Accurate

'A necessary evil'
Merchant of Death by Douglas Farah and Stephen Braun
Though Russian Viktor Bout is wanted in Belgium and has been called the "Bill Gates or Donald Trump of arms trafficking", he is secure in Moscow, overseeing an enormous shadowy airfleet. The authors' investigative book exposes the mysterious world in which he operates, aiding Islamic militants in Afghanistan as as well as ferrying weapons and supplies for the US military. - Bertil Lintner

Edwards and Hillary spar over withdrawal plans. But is there a difference?

Another U.S. ally declares a state of emergency.
Daria Vaisman

Ford Notebooks Recount Gaffes, Pardon, `Sons' Rumsfeld, Cheney
Bloomberg

H21 From NBER, a look at the changing nature of marriage and divorce.

Marriage has changed more in the last 30 years than in the previous 3,000, with major economic and social consequences for how families work.

The fame generation needs to learn the value of privacy Marina Hyde: With Britain home to four million blogs, the inner monologue is in peril. But when everything is made public, something is lost.

An economist goes to a bar, and solves the mysteries of dating

The American Idea, as if you asked: We strive to be truer or freer or smarter or richer or perhaps just happier than our own parents were. The American Idea is about generations in reaction and reinvention

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