| H1 Washington Quarterly Winter Washington Post In Iraq, Signs of Hope and Peril By David Ignatius, The surge seems to be working. But are al Qaeda and Iran just showing us a success we want to see? In Pakistan, U.S. Envoy Courts No. 2 General Gen. Ashfaq Kiyani could soon be anointed Musharraf's successor as head of the army and, as such, would be a vital ally for the Bush administration during a time of crisis New York Times THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN Debating Iraq’s Transition It’s clear that the surge by U.S. troops has dampened violence in Iraq. Don’t we now need a surge in diplomacy to finish the job? Wanted: Participants for Mideast Talks Should Democracy Be Promoted or Demoted? Francis Fukuyama and Michael McFaul The tragic result of the gap between declared objectives and strategies on democracy promotion is that many Americans are starting to view this goal as no longer desirable or attainable. A more effective strategy for promoting democracy and human rights is both needed and available. Strengthening U.S. Strategic Planning Aaron L. Friedberg The former director of policy planning in the Office of the Vice President argues that the U.S. government has lost the capacity to conduct serious, sustained national strategic planning and proposes three ways by which the next president could improve it. The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: Annapolis and After International Crisis Group WINEP Critical Questions for Annapolis and Beyond - Robert Satloff Slate How To Judge the Success of the Annapolis Summit Think of it as a big party. Shmuel Rosner USA Today Why American troops belong in Kurdistan Lionel Beehner Go for a new system of stability
Gulf News - By Amir Taheri, Washington Times The limits of deterrence (By Louis Rene Beres and Isaac Ben-Israel) Financial Times US reports ‘phenomenal’ drop in Iraq violence Military attributes the decline to the ‘surge’. Violence in Iraq has fallen at a rate that has surprised military commanders and even one of the architects of the ‘surge’ that boosted US troop numbers in the country this year, according to figures gathered by the US COMMENT: Who will pick up the thread after the great unwinding?It is plausible that the US will experience a lengthy period of sluggish growth in domestic private demand, partially offset by fiscal expansion and an improvement in net exports. The rest of the world must now become the demand engines of the world economy, writes Martin Wolf Editorial Kosovo crunch Further delay on deciding Kosovo’s status is not an option. Ethnic Albanians will wait no longer for international action. If they act alone, the dangers of violence will be far greater Strategic Studies Institute Regional Threats and Security Strategy: The Troubling Case of Today's Middle East The United States confronts an altered distribution of regional power in the aftermath of its invasion of Iraq. That distribution of power features new internal political dynamics that are shaping the ways that states are responding to the security environment. The United States needs to come to grips with these emerging dynamics if it is to successfully continue in its role of guarantor of regional security and stability. By James A. Russell Read Study Jim Lobe Iraq: National Reconciliation, or a Warlord State? Kevin Drum Bottom's Up National Interest Inside Track: A Tale of Two Client States by Anatol Lieven As the situations become more complicated in Pakistan and Georgia, both American allies, the U.S. is faced with some tough choices. Does Washington have the same stake in Islamabad and Tblisi? Security First Forum: Plan B for Iran by Amitai Etzioni Is now the time to abandon hopes of regime change and negotiate with Tehran on issues like its nuclear program and a possible security guarantee? Amitai Etzioni fires the opening salvo in a new debate on Iran policy. Guardian It's hard to imagine a worse outcome for the Balkans
Simon Jenkins: The prospect of another war and more savage ethnic cleansing shows just what a fine mess we created eight years ago A singular vision Simon Tisdall Vladimir Putin's version of democracy is so much less trouble than the real thing. No wonder it's fast becoming Russia's biggest political export. Russia's elections on December 2 pose big test for "managed democracy"
The Tribal Option | New York Post The U.S. Special Operations Command is considering a forward-leaning plan to aid and train Pakistani tribes for operations against both al Qaeda and the Taliban that have found safe haven along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.
Warning Shot for Iran, Via Syria By: Gareth Porter | Asia Times
The September Israeli air attack on a supposed nuclear facility in Syria -- said by US officials to have been developed with assistance from North Korea -- was all along intended as a warning to Iran IHT Bring Syria into the talks By YOSSI ALPHER Assad may resemble a Mafia chief, but, unlike Abbas, he can deliver. How Rice can improve her odds By DANIEL C. KURTZER AND SCOTT B. LASENSKY Secretary Rice's chances of winning her high-risk bet in Annapolis can be enhanced by learning from the past Asia Times US lacks a smart nuclear policy US officials in charge of nuclear arms control continue to behave as if they are in an unreflexive cocoon of unilateralism in which the superpower's actions serve the collective good. As long as the US continues to focus on non-proliferation at the expense of disarmament, it cannot lead the rest of the world on this most important issue. - Kaveh L Afrasiabi Christian Science Monitor Momentum builds for Mideast peace summit But neither Israelis or Palestinians yet have a blueprint for the talks that begin Tuesday Election a tinderbox for Lebanon Failure to choose a presidential candidate this week could result in the formation of rival governments. Also at stake: regional leverage for Syria, Iran, and the US. Global spread of democracy has stalled Putin and Chávez are using oil money to create other models, while others just step back PBS Newshour In Iraq, Violence Falls but Political Gridlock RemainsViolence in Iraq is on the decline but sharp internal political divisions continue to hinder the Iraqi government and its efforts to make substantive legislative progress. Two Middle East experts discuss Iraq's political situation and how the government might break out of its stalemate. NRO VICTOR DAVIS HANSON: Adaptability, self-critique, and persistence will prevail. “Iraq’s Savage Ironies” UPI Analysis: Swiss uranium for Iran? Is the proposal to have Iran enrich uranium in Switzerland a way out of the international crisis sparked by Tehran's nuclear program? Most experts don't think so, but the Swiss may be of other help. Analysis: Teatime war in Afghanistan? While the German army has refuted accusations that its helicopters left Norwegian and Afghan troops alone in a battle in order to make it to home base before dusk, the incident nevertheless underscores how unhappy NATO allies are with the Germans in Afghanistan. Walker's World: Iran's baby bust By MARTIN WALKER Iran's birthrate has dropped to the catastrophic level of 0.66 per woman of childbearing age, less than one-third the level required to maintain a stable population What's the Matter With Georgia? By: Thomas de Waal | The Wall Street Journal (subscription required) The south Caucasus -- the three nations of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia -- have always been the "lands in-between." Between the Black and Caspian Seas, Europe and Asia, Russia and Iran, Christianity and Islam. And, more recently, between Soviet authoritarianism and European democracy. Lowy Institute Relations among nations on a finite planet Daily Star Vladimir Putin: party builder or self-centered autocrat?
By Christopher Granville How Would Obama Handle Foreign Policy? - Walter Shapiro, Salon EurasiaNet Georgia: Analysts Believe Chances for NATO Slim In a sharp reversal from Georgia’s earlier optimism, some Georgian analysts now believe that the November 7 protest crackdown in Tbilisi has marred – if not shattered – the South Caucasus state’s chances for accelerated integration into the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Keeping Faith with Our Values in a Dangerous World: The Dilemma of US Foreign Policy Post-2008 William Arkin In Iraq, Where Does All Our Money Go? Spencer Ackerman / TPMmuckraker:
$20 Billion in Afghanistan, Iraq Contract Cash Goes to Unidentified Companies TRANSCRIPT: Charles Gibson Interviews President George W. Bush … McClellan blames Bush for CIA leak deceit — In praise of ... Alfred Brendel
Alfred Brendel may well be the last of his kind. These days the conventional route to pianistic stardom is through competitions | H2 Washington Quarterly Reexamining the U.S.-Turkish Alliance Joshua W. Walker The emergence of Turkey's Justice and Development Party (AKP) has coincided with an unprecedented estrangement in U.S.-Turkish relations. Yet, far from being the source of anti-Americanism, the AKP represents an ideal partner for the United States in the region USA Today Why American troops belong in Kurdistan Lionel Beehner Guardian Turkey's fickle friends Stephen Kinzer: Arrogant acts by the country's generals, the Bush administration and the EU have doomed prospects for peace with the Kurds FT REPORT - TURKEY 2007 - FRONT PAGE: Two worlds jostle for the upper hand FT REPORT - TURKEY 2007: Policy follows trade abroad Foreign investment: Open economy woos investors Big business: Influential lobby prepares for next phase of history FT REPORT - TURKEY 2007: A tough fight back from the black Economy: Deficit worsens vulnerability to a global shock Istanbul: Ancient city is modern cultural destination Europe is catalyst for a maturing of civil society Black economy: A tough fight back from the black Energy: Supply lags behind rising demand Who's who: Leaders in business, finance and politics Transport bottlenecks targeted FT Turkish generals discuss rebels with US Two of the most senior US generals met their Turkish counterparts in Ankara amid signs of enhanced co-operation between the two countries aimed at preventing a conflict on Turkey’s border with Iraq Q&A: Iraq, Turkey and military force Wednesday: Wesley Clark, retired four-star US Army General and former supreme commander of Nato, answers your questions Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs Turkey: Between the Iranian-Syrian Axis, Israel, and the West by Aydan Kodaloglu
EDM AKP UNDER PRESSURE TO STAGE MILITARY OPERATION INTO IRAQ Turkey's Generals Speak out on Counter-Terrorism Strategies
Global Terrorism Analysis Turkey: From Bloody Birth to Power Broker by Ann Berg Signing energy deal with Iran, Ankara vows to defy US pressure UN Security Council Reform: Veto Right for Turkey and the Muslim World American Chronicle Ankara inks power pact with Tehran over US objections Turkey, Iran Sign Energy Deal Türkiye, İran'da 10 milyar dolarlık elektrik santrali kurmaya hazırlanıyor U.S. Generals Cartwright and Petraeus Visit Ankara (November 20, 2007) | Türkçe Baran 'Türkiye, İran ve Rusya'ya yaklaşmamalı' The United States, Turkey, and Russia.
American Chronicle Google News KurdishMedia Kurdish Kurdish Aspect BBC Monitoring Cemil Bayık: Teslim olmaya zorluyorlar Amerikalı komutan Barzani'yle görüştü PKK, şehirde de kıskaca alındı Yerel Demokrasi
Avrupa Konseyi'nin Sur Belediyesi konusunda raporu Iraqi Kurdish Corruption, Human Rights Media Report 5 to 20 Nov 07 Nov 21 SD# 1771 - Kurdish Women Fighters: The Turks Refuse to Speak to Us Turkish Soldiers Continue to Deploy at Iraqi Border Voice of America The Territorial Status of Kirkuk Iraq issues tender to sell Kirkuk oil via Ceyhan (20/11/07) Baykal "Erdoğan'ın söylemi PKK söylemidir" MHP: "Militanlar Meclis'te siyasete davet edildi" Meclis'te 'siyasi linç' polemiği Erdoğan: "Kimseyi ovaya davet etmem" Olli Rehn: "DTP'yi Meclis'te tercih ederiz" Gül'den demokrasi vurgusu Barış Meclisi, DTP'ye destek için TBMM'de Top US generals in Ankara for talks on Kurdish rebels: report Iraqi, Turkish ministers read chances of N. Iraq invasion differently - International Herald Tribune Türkiye Ortadoğu'da yükselişe geçti HALİL EL ENANİ Peşmergelerin PKK'ya karşı sıkı önlemleri sürüyor Irak ve Afganistan'da en çok kazanan 100 şirketin 12'si Türk Iraqi Kurdish Press Highlights 20 Nov 2007 'Türkiye, Orta Asya ve Kafkaslar'da etkisini yeniden artırmaya çalışıyor' Yaşar Kemal'den Kürt konferansına çağrı DTP'yi, kapanmaktan sivil anayasa kurtaracak Şırnaklı gençler askere uğurlandı PKK'nın kaçırdığı 7 kişiden haber yok ABD'li komutanlarla PKK mesaisi Kürtler 'PKK'ya karşı çalışıyoruz' mesajı verdi Devlet Bahçeli: Ülkeye kastedeni, yargı önüne çıkarmanın neresi linç? Zuhko Military Academy in Zuhko, Kurdistan, northern Iraq Berl Dedeoğlu DTP's banishment İnsansız uçaklar 'acil' alımla geldi Iraqi Kurdistan Government Preventing Media Access to PKK Areas Iraqi Kurdish Security Shut PKK-Linked Party Offices, Arrest Members - Paper Turkish Column Views Ruling Party's Reluctance to Close Pro-Kurdish Party İşte Dağlıca Taburu Bangladeş'in imdat çığlığına Türkiye'den yardım eli ABD resmen duyurdu, Annapolis Zirvesi'ne Türkiye de davetli Israel denies claims in Turkish report it is undermining Temple Mount Brokering Mideast peace By Tulin Daloglu Washington Times - By Tulin Daloglu Kurdish regional government criticised for banning reporters from ...
Reporters without borders Iraqi Kurdistan govt. says oil minister's threats "illegal" Erdoğan, İran'lı Bakan'ı kabul etti Google News Greece Cyprus Turkish Cypriot Press ABHaber Babacan: 'DTP'nin Kapatılması Anlamlı Değil' Turkish Minister Notes "Differences of Opinion" With EU on Northern Iraq Esas nedeni İslam'mış AİHM yüzde 10'luk seçim barajını görüşecek AB, Türkiye'ye evet dedi, ama hayırı kastetti Mensur Akgün Bezmeden direnmek üstüne AB Karma Parlamento Komisyonu toplanıyor Westerners on the Armenian Strategy and Rebellion « The Van Der Galiën Gazette JTW News - Turkey-EU Troika Meeting: Terror is the Agenda Cohn-Bendit: DTP’yi kapatma büyük hata olur Hadi Uluengin Türkler ve Helenler Ege Cansen Bu ne İstanbul vizesi bu ne köprü projesi Tamer Korkmaz Zaman'dan niçin koptu? Turks love their doctors more than any other nation in world - Turkish Daily News Nov 20, 2007 NYT IN THE TRENCHES | THE PATIENT TRANSPORTER; Fighting Gridlock Where Minutes Can Mean Life or Death Nükleer yasalaştı, ihale süreci başladı İşte TRT'nin yeni Genel Müdürü Aselsan tam 12'den vurdu Eyes on OYAK after AXA pays out in Armenian dispute Oyak'ın Fransız ortağı Ermenilere 'soykırım' bağışı yaptı Sauna Çetesi davasında Kalaşnikof tartışması Medyada çok sıkıldık, Sabah ve atv'yi hemen satmak istiyoruz 'İksir' baskınında ele geçirilen silahlarda DHKP-C bağlantısı Hızlı tren Edirne'den yurda girdi AKP öğrenci affına mesafeli Zaman zirvedeki yerini pekiştirdi; 1 milyona koşuyor Türkiye, 9 yılda 4 milyar ton verimli toprağını İBDA-C’nin suikast timi yakalandı İBDA-C ünlüler için ölüm listesi hazırlamış 21 Kasım 2007 Basın Özeti | H3 Baykal:''(Bizim İçin Önemli Olan Silahların Bırakılmasıdır) Söylemi, PKK Söylemidir'' Şamil Tayyar İşte hükümetin terörle mücadele projesi Bu defa ciddi gibi Murat Yetkin Fikret BİLA İsrail Büyükelçisi Levy: Kürtler için Türkiye'yi feda etmeyiz Yeni mekanizma ilk toplantısını yaptı: İstihbarat paylaşımı masaya yatırıldı
Kandil Dağı bizim değil vurabilirsiniz Sadi Somuncuoğlu Vaşington-Erbil-Kandil-Ankara hattı PKK'yı bitirme planı devrede Cengiz Çandar PKK ve DTP konusunda 'siyasi akıl' M. Ali BİRAND Başbuğ bize birşeyler anlatmaya çalışıyor... PKK’dan ‘imdat’ çığlığı Bayık: Türkiye’nin hiçbir zaman Güney’e girme, KDP-YNK’yi hedefleme gibi bir politikası olmamıştır İsmail Küçükkaya Ankara’daki diplomasi oyunu... Serdar Akinan Gündem soğutmak... Enseyi karartmamak? Silahlar nasıl bıraktırılacak?
Aydınlık dergisi bir iddia daha... Örgütte Abdullah Öcalan'dan çok onun sözü geçiyordu. APO'nun eşi Kesire Öcalan MİT Ajanı mı? Bülent Keneş Turkey should be prepared for the post-PKK era Kendilerini kapattırmak istiyorlar İşte Erdoğan'ın konuşma metni İşte Bahçeli'nin konuşma metni Kimseyi ovaya davet etmedik Gül K.Irak'ta aklı selim ön plana çıkıyor Ya silahı seç ya barışı DTP miting hazırlığında Mullen:Stratejik Öncelikler Unutulmamalı Çevik: 'PKK 2 askeri daha kaçırdı' 'Sıfır noktası'ndan savaş izlenimleri
Haluk Şahin Kural: Enformasyon talebi yüksek, arzı düşük ise farkı güvenilmez kaynaklar kapatır Mustafa Karalioğlu Aynı yola bir daha girmemek için Nasuhi Güngör Terör örgütüyle anlaşmak! AB Troykası teröre karşı destek verdi Türkiye-İran Elektrik Anlaşması İmzalandı Martin Luther King Jr.
İsmet Berkan Yavuz Baydar The sooner, the better İki tıkaç vakası Avni Özgürel US Generals Hold Talks in Ankara Over Intelligence-Sharing on PKK Ankara'da gündem terör Başbakanlık'ta Erdoğan Org. Büyükanıt zirvesi
Zebari: Operasyon ihtimali zayıfladı
İlk ’üçlü görüşme’den ’Ortak düşman’ mesajı Yerel Demokrasi Avrupa Konseyi'nin Sur Belediyesi konusunda raporu Babacan ’Türkiye’de neler oluyor’ denecek
Siyasete de Dağlıca modeli! ALİ BAYRAMOĞLU Kürt sorununda çözüm ışığı… İBRAHİM KARAGÜL PKK liderleri paketlenip Türkiye'ye mi verilecek? Sami KOHEN Kosova örnek mi? [YORUM - BEKİM SEJDIU] Seçim sonrası Kosova -En iyi çözüm bağımsızlık Ahmet Taşgetiren İnsani hamle için en uygun zaman - Nuray Başaran Büyükanıt, Başbuğ, emekli paşalar ve TSK İstihbarat zirvesi Cevdet Aşkın Kamplara harekatın eli kulağında Askeri ders kitabı M.Ali Kışlalı Can Ataklı Hiçbir şey yapmayarak puan kazanıyor Gül'den kritik sınır ötesi mesajı
Arslan Bulut PKK ile masaya oturma sürecinde Türk Milliyetçileri ve Seval Türkeş! Güneri CIVAOĞLU Genelkurmay'ın ışıkları MUHARREM SARIKAYA "Açılım dağa değil şehre" ERDAL ŞAFAK Sapla samanı ayırmak Ertuğrul Özkök Yazılmamak kaydıylaydı ama... Taha AKYOL Liberal bir yargıç Serdar Turgut
Toplum kalesinin düşüşü Tufan Türenç Kararsızlık Kürt sorununu derinleştirir Hakan Aygün Eski” komutanların “yeni” açıklamaları doğru mu? Gülay Göktürk DTP’nin elindeki rehine: Demokrasi – Nuh Gönültaş Pamukoğlu Paşa’nın suçu ne? - Pamukoğlu: Ben korkutuyorum Malatya dosyasında 'derin' ilişkiler! Hasan CEMAL Katliam ve karanlık olan!
Suat Kınıklıoğlu The rise of a regional hegemon Ebu Gıreyb'den 'büyük firar' İstanbul'da 15 - 20 Kasım 2003'te El Kaide'nin düzenlediği bombalı saldırıların firari sanıkları arasında yer alan ve Irak'ta yakalanan Burhan Kuş ile Sadettin Akdaş'ın, tutuklu bulundukları Ebu Gıreyb Cezaevi'nden kaçtıkları ortaya çıktı» Doğu Ergil Confessions and confusion Dini baskı yüzünden okul değiştirdiler Taha Kıvanç Köksal Toptan'la, kahvaltıda buluştuk Fehmi Koru İki şıklı soru Ahmet Hakan İslamcı yazar ’Kralcı’ oldu M Ali Birand Cüneyt Ülsever Türkiye ne yapmalı? Enis Berberoğlu Oktay Ekşi Ağızdaki bakla Bekir Coşkun Yazık vatan... MEHMET KAMIŞ - Figüran olmak
ABDÜLHAMİT BİLİCİ - 'Öcalan, Küba'ya gitsin'
Yıldızlı koordinasyon ilk toplantısını yaptı Sebahattin Önkibar ABD’li komutanlar neden geldi? Mehmet Acet Başbakan'nın planı ne olabilir? Serdar Turgut Rusya çok önemli ERGUN BABAHAN EMRE AKÖZ Haluk Bilginer ve Atatürk Umur Talu Biz mikrop muyuz! HASAN BÜLENT KAHRAMAN Bu CHP... NAZLI ILICAK Emekli askere "akreditasyon" MAHMUT ÖVÜR Mehmet BARLAS
Parti kurmak turşu kurmaya parti kapatmak da musluk kapatmaya benzemez CHP’ye İslamcı-Kürt siyasetçiden görüş Eser Karakaş YÖK değişimi ne kadar algıladı? Mustafa Akyol Halk için, Jakobenlere rağmen Özdemir İnce Lejyoner avukatlar ABDURRAHMAN YILDIRIM ABD'nin riski doruktayken faizi neden dipte? Volkan Akı IMF'nin Türkiye tespitleri İ.Hüseyin Yıldız
Faiz politikaları ve büyüme olasılıkları Deniz Gökçe İlginç bir "yeni" dünya! Ercan Kumcu Erdal Sağlam Metin MÜNİR Dördüncü dönem Merkez Bankası'nın bağımsızlığı
Mustafa Aysan Seyrediyoruz! Uğur Gürses Mehmet Altan Bütçeden sonra reform sürprizi... Hurşit GÜNEŞ Tasarruf etmeden kurtuluş yok Turkish government to cut social security premiums IMF: Current account deficit is Turkey's Achilles' heel Turkey's giants eye energy sector - Turkish Daily News Nov 20, 2007 Turkey's banking history in focus - Turkish Daily News Nov 20, 2007 Hükümet özel sektör dış borçlarında iyimser |
| | H5 Washington Post In Iraq, Signs of Hope and Peril By David Ignatius, The surge seems to be working. But are al Qaeda and Iran just showing us a success we want to see? In Pakistan, U.S. Envoy Courts No. 2 General Gen. Ashfaq Kiyani could soon be anointed Musharraf's successor as head of the army and, as such, would be a vital ally for the Bush administration during a time of crisis Nearly 50 Parties Invited to Mideast Peace Talks Tuesday in Annapolis Editorial Where We Went Wrong In Pakistan By Michael Gerson We need to learn from our mistakes with Pakistan when undertaking future dealings with oppressive nations. Bush More Emphatic In Backing Musharraf He Says Leader 'Believes in Democracy' Afghan Slayings Stir Grief, Fury And Suspicion Nov. 6 Incident Drawing Scrutiny to Security Forces Pentagon Warns of Civilian Layoffs If Congress Delays War Funding Democrats Are Firm on Link to Troop Withdrawals From Iraq 'Crunch' Time For the GOP By Robert J. Samuelson The 'credit crunch' is so far mostly hype. But it could still happen, and it could affect the election more than actual campaigning Advance May End Stem Cell Debate Labs Create a Stand-In Without Eggs, Embryos A Scientific Advance, a Political Question Mark | H6 Guardian It's hard to imagine a worse outcome for the Balkans
Simon Jenkins: The prospect of another war and more savage ethnic cleansing shows just what a fine mess we created eight years ago A singular vision Simon Tisdall Vladimir Putin's version of democracy is so much less trouble than the real thing. No wonder it's fast becoming Russia's biggest political export. Russia's elections on December 2 pose big test for "managed democracy" Our man in the labyrinth Diplomatic editor Julian Borger joins David Miliband on his whistle-stop tour of the Middle East, and finds the foreign secretary's hopes undimmed for a rekindling of the peace process No surrender, says Sarkozy as strike action widens Nicolas Sarkozy vows "no surrender" in the face of the widest ranging strikes of his leadership Decay and death David Smith, embed diary: The filthy state of a once-wealthy Baghdad neighbourhood Pakistan says 3,400 political detainees are freed Pakistan's military ruler President Pervez Musharraf slightly eases his opposition crackdown How to save Pakistan Imran Khan Before we achieve our goal of building a free democratic society, the foremost challenge is to force General Musharraf to resign Death and denial Somalia: The UN estimates that 173,000 people have fled Mogadishu, the war-torn capital of Somalia, in the last three weeks alone |
| H7 PBS Newshour In Iraq, Violence Falls but Political Gridlock RemainsViolence in Iraq is on the decline but sharp internal political divisions continue to hinder the Iraqi government and its efforts to make substantive legislative progress. Two Middle East experts discuss Iraq's political situation and how the government might break out of its stalemate. NRO VICTOR DAVIS HANSON: Adaptability, self-critique, and persistence will prevail. “Iraq’s Savage Ironies” UPI Analysis: Swiss uranium for Iran? Is the proposal to have Iran enrich uranium in Switzerland a way out of the international crisis sparked by Tehran's nuclear program? Most experts don't think so, but the Swiss may be of other help. Analysis: Teatime war in Afghanistan? While the German army has refuted accusations that its helicopters left Norwegian and Afghan troops alone in a battle in order to make it to home base before dusk, the incident nevertheless underscores how unhappy NATO allies are with the Germans in Afghanistan. Walker's World: Iran's baby bust By MARTIN WALKER Iran's birthrate has dropped to the catastrophic level of 0.66 per woman of childbearing age, less than one-third the level required to maintain a stable population. The Tribal Option By: The Tribal Option | New York Post
The U.S. Special Operations Command is considering a forward-leaning plan to aid and train Pakistani tribes for operations against both al Qaeda and the Taliban that have found safe haven along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. Warning Shot for Iran, Via Syria By: Gareth Porter | Asia Times The September Israeli air attack on a supposed nuclear facility in Syria - said by US officials to have been developed with assistance from North Korea - was all along intended as a warning to Iran. The message to Tehran, according to evidence now emerging, is that the US and Israel are capable of identifying its nuclear targets and penetrating air defenses to destroy them U.S. agrees to hold talks with Tehran The United States has accepted an Iraqi proposal to hold new talks with Iran about the security situation in Iraq, the State Department said yesterday US Military Finds New Allies, but at What Cost? Al Hayat Annapolis: A New Phase Or Just Another Station? Abdullah Iskandar - The Bush administration wished to host this conference to show its interest in settling an increasingly sophisticated conflict, imposing heavy burdens upon Arabs. Washington also wishes to win over Arab support for its approach in handling other issues on the basis that it is working on resolving their central cause Securing Afghanistan's Future Dr. Kim Howells - The Afghan, Nato and international efforts are trying to ensure Afghanistan does not fall under the control of terrorists again. It will not be easy: the murderers will strike to prevent the afghan people enjoying the stability and security they deserve. EurasiaNet Afghanistan: A Law-Enforcement Success Story in Kabul
BY FARIBA NAWA
Ask just about any police officer in Kabul what their biggest fear is and they are apt to answer: suicide bombers. They’re hard to spot and nearly impossible to stop. But in one of the busiest precincts in the capital, police have experienced recent success not only in foiling a terror attack, but in battling crime in general. Asia Times Fallujah under a different siege
Three years after the US attack on Fallujah that destroyed 70% of the city, the once bustling commercial center is an isolated, barricaded poverty-stricken dead zone. Electricity and water supplies are lacking, prices are high, many neighborhoods are still in ruins and the citizens are frustrated with the extensive media coverage that has brought them no relief, and, in many cases, only resulted in retribution from US-backed Iraqi police and military. - Ali al-Fadhily Al Awsat After the Jordanian-Syrian Summit : Tariq Alhomayed Renouncing empire (Bruce Fein) PINR "Intelligence Brief: Faint Signs of Cooperation Appear Among Pakistan's Opposition Parties"
November 20 2007
Full text of report Pentagon: Double Funds for Pakistani Force Musharraf to Quit Army Within Days Justin Raimondo 11/21/2007
Invade Pakistan? Weekly Standard The Pakistan Problem And the wrong solution.
by Bill Roggio | H8 IraqSlogger Google News Iraq Iran Syria Mideastwire.com - NPR Iraq stratfor BBC US confirms Mid-East peace talks The US confirms plans for a Middle East peace conference next week and that invitations have been sent. Will Annapolis fail like the others? History of failed talks Jordan holds parliamentary vote
Jordanians vote amid tight security in parliamentary elections seen as key to a transition to democracy Islamic votes Jordanian elections highlight strength of the politics of religion Jordan's Political Malaise By: Dominic Moran | ISN Security Watch
As Jordan prepares for parliamentary elections, a dangerous pattern is emerging of small party collapse and the progressive loss of political system authority Lebanon Still in Political Deadlock By: Borzou Daragahi | Los Angeles Times
Lebanon this week faces its worst political crisis since its 15-year civil war, with leaders unable to come up with a compromise selection for president after the current one's term expires Saturday Daily Star Editorial The hidden message of Lebanon's latest political crisis Lebanon's current crisis may or may not be the one that causes the country to disintegrate. Either way, it has clearly demonstrated the necessity of drastic change in the way the country is governed - and in the process of selecting those who would govern it. Mushroom soup on the road to Annapolis
By Rami G. Khouri U.S. and Iran set new Iraq talks Long-awaited peace conference set for Nov. 27 Suicidal Iran: a reply from Norman Podhoretz and Amir Taheri US Military Chief: Iraq, Afghanistan Too 'Here and Now'; Focus on Iran Iraq's Shi'ite Leader Blames Sunni VP for Stalemate DEBKAfile Exclusive: Iran and Syria veto all six candidates for Lebanese president to provoke escalation in Beirut and scuttle Washington’s Middle East conference US Papers Wed: Petraeus attempts balancing act Mubarak says he will visit Israel only after the Palestinian problem is resolved Saudi Columnists Call on Gulf States to Form Anti-Iran Front Jordan's Shift to Democracy Slows Amid Worries Over Islamist Power - Mark MacKinnon (Globe and Mail-Canada) High-Level Saudi Presence Seen Unlikely at Annapolis U.S. Saudi Arms Package Faces Fight in Congress Lawmakers Caution White House on Proposed JDAM Sale to Saudi Arabia - William Matthews (Defense News) Iran and Annapolis - Jerusalem Post
U.S.-Iran Collision Course Calls for Diplomatic Brakes - USA Today
Mistaking Unity for Democracy in Lebanon By: Rayyan al-Shawaf | The Daily Star With Lebanon supposed to face a historic presidential election in the coming days, it isn't surprising what most Lebanese are talking about. If the profound obstacles to the election are overcome, the country may yet have a new head of state soon who enjoys domestic and international legitimacy. Rising Player With a Vision for Shiite Iraq By: Sam Dagher | The Christian Science Monitor
While opponents say that such a federation among central and southern provinces would only hasten the breakup of Iraq and create a ministate where Iran would hold great sway, Hakim and his party are making great gains. Iranian Press in Decline - University Lecturer Iraq reporter faces terror charge
The US military says it will press charges against an Iraqi photographer it accuses of working with insurgents. | H9 Ha’aretz – Burston: Dying of occupation - a case of cancer and the right U.S. announces Annapolis summit to be held Nov. 27 Bar’el Being there Editorial Barak -suspected saboteur Barak's actions are highly suspect: Is he willing to leave no stone unturned for peace only when he is prime minister? Is he unwilling to assist the drive toward a peace agreement - and possibly even hamper it - simply because he is not at the helm? Eldar Peace is not child's play If Olmert does not believe that he has the political strength to implement a fateful move of Ben-Gurionesque proportions, as he himself has termed it, then he must be prepared to promptly go to the people and ask them to decide what kind of country they wish to live in Rosner The victory of the road map Annapolis was born of the frustration that is an integral part of the road map: In the absence of implementation, the peace process will remain stuck in the first stage Arab sources: Syrian, Saudis will attend Annapolis summit Rosner: Fewer Americans think Israel ready to make peace More Americans ready to abandon Israel if support means more terror France is falling in love with Israel The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: Annapolis and After International Crisis Group Slate How To Judge the Success of the Annapolis Summit Think of it as a big party. Shmuel Rosner Washington Times The limits of deterrence (By Louis Rene Beres and Isaac Ben-Israel) Forward - The Jewish Lobby Israel Needs by Akiva Eldar List of Invitees to Mideast Peace Talks Unpopular Child - Hillel Halkin (New York Sun) The Annapolis conference represents the kind of mistaken thinking that has characterized every American or international attempt to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict since the 1991 Madrid Conference: Namely, the belief that there is something in the world of diplomacy called "process" that has an intrinsically positive momentum of its own capable of overcoming deep disagreements on substance between two sides to a dispute. Jerusalem Post Analysis: Back-patting in Sharm By HERB KEINON
Olmert's pilgrimage to Mubarak illustrates some key aspects of today's Israeli-Egyptian relationship. Iran, Syria said to be stepping up support of terrorists Yedioth How IDF was ruined Comptroller slams defense establishment for taking insane risks, Alex Fishman says US invites Syria to summit White House issues formal invitations to some 40 nations, organizations ahead of Annapolis Daily Alert.org – Middle East Progress - EJC Israeli Press Review – Google News Israel - Palestine Hamas-Controlled Gaza Muddles Through Amid Apathy By: Taghreed El-Khodary | The Daily Star
Since Hamas seized control of the Gaza Strip on June 15, governance has barely functioned. Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyya in a November 4 speech expressed his dissatisfaction with the paralysis afflicting the executive, judicial and legislative institutions, accusing the Ramallah government of responsibility. More Palestinian-Israeli 'normalization' is needed By Walid Salem |
| H10 Christian Science Monitor Momentum builds for Mideast peace summit But neither Israelis or Palestinians yet have a blueprint for the talks that begin Tuesday Election a tinderbox for Lebanon Failure to choose a presidential candidate this week could result in the formation of rival governments. Also at stake: regional leverage for Syria, Iran, and the US. Global spread of democracy has stalled Putin and Chávez are using oil money to create other models, while others just step back THE MONITOR'S VIEW The German question over Iran As a major supplier of industrial goods to Iran, Germany sits at the center of the nuclear debate. Opinion: Free Kosovo - without a fight The US must persuade others to back Kosovo's independence. Opinion: Don't punish the private sector for helping defend national security. ASIA An Asia-Europe Partnership By: Frank Walter Steinmeier | The Japan Times
Asia's rise as an economic and political player exemplifies what globalization is all about. By the decade's end, China's economy will be larger than Germany's. By 2040 three of the world's five largest economies -- China, India and Japan -- will be in Asia. Asia Times Schizoid ASEAN's rhetoric and reality The Association of Southeast Asian Nations is marking its 40th anniversary with more than its usual schizophrenia. Muslim, Buddhist and Christian, monk-crushing, communist and military-ruled, rich and very poor; leaders of this odd assortment of 10 nations are trying to move ASEAN beyond its image as a toothless talk shop and prove that life really does begin at 40. - Stanley A Weiss Pakistan Will Hold Ballot on Jan. 8, Amid Protests By: Khalid Qayum and Farhan Sharif | Bloomberg News
Pakistan will hold national elections on Jan. 8, as opposition parties said they may boycott the ballot which the U.S. says won't be fair under emergency rule. FT US commission strikes down China duties The US International Trade Commission invalidated proposed duties on glossy paper imports in a landmark case that had prompted the US Commerce Department to change a decades-old policy Concerns persist over Chinese anti-satellite test: US military... | H11 IHT The failed marriage broker By H. D. S. GREENWAY Rice's somewhat feckless diplomacy has created a new verb in Hebrew: "lecondel." Bring Syria into the talks By YOSSI ALPHER Assad may resemble a Mafia chief, but, unlike Abbas, he can deliver. How Rice can improve her odds By DANIEL C. KURTZER AND SCOTT B. LASENSKY Secretary Rice's chances of winning her high-risk bet in Annapolis can be enhanced by learning from the past. Sarkozy urges end to French transit strike "We will not surrender and we will not retreat," the president said, adopting a defiant tone in the government's efforts to reform special privileges that allow public sector employees to retire early. Putin reacts to NATO 'muscle-flexing' President Vladimir Putin warned Tuesday that Russian nuclear forces would be ready with an adequate response to any aggressor Greenhouse gases at near-record levels in 2005 The volume of greenhouse gases emitted by industrialized nations rose to near-record levels in 2005. Among the nations responsible for the rising trend was the United States and a number of former Soviet bloc countries. EUROPE European press review NRO WALTER RUSSELL MEAD: Sarkozy takes on a history of riots and resistance. “Street Savvy” Strike fever Agnes Poirier France's strikes are like going for a jog: refreshing and energising in equal measure. Look out, President Sarkozy CSIS The EU and the US in the 21st Century | H12 RFE/RL A Watershed In EU Human Rights Policy? Central Asia has become a testing ground for a more hard-nosed EU foreign policy, which -- if successful -- could be here to stay for the long term, says our Brussels correpondent. Google News Azerbaijan What's the Matter With Georgia? By: Thomas de Waal | The Wall Street Journal (subscription required)
The south Caucasus -- the three nations of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia -- have always been the "lands in-between." Between the Black and Caspian Seas, Europe and Asia, Russia and Iran, Christianity and Islam. And, more recently, between Soviet authoritarianism and European democracy. Russia’s seeds of change, Anna Sevortian Daily Star Vladimir Putin: party builder or self-centered autocrat?
By Christopher Granville EurasiaNet Georgia: Analysts Believe Chances for NATO Slim In a sharp reversal from Georgia’s earlier optimism, some Georgian analysts now believe that the November 7 protest crackdown in Tbilisi has marred – if not shattered – the South Caucasus state’s chances for accelerated integration into the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. EDM THE EU COMMISSION BETWEEN MOL AND OMV: ANOTHER “SLEEPWALKING” CASE?
- MOSCOW WITHDRAWS FROM EUROPEAN SECURITY SYSTEM
- NAZARBAYEV ORDERS DEFENSE AND SECURITY REFORMS For Putin, Anti-Democracy By: Nikolai Petrov | The Moscow Times
The State Duma election campaign will reach its end next week. Looking back, the entire process has been little more than a struggle among various pro-Putin candidates vying for Duma seats Ukraine, Russia Face Off Over Cleaning Up Oil Spill By: John C. K. Daly | Eurasia Daily Monitor
On November 11 a powerful storm arose in the northeastern Black Sea. By the end of it, Russia and Ukraine faced serious environmental damage from an oil spill and a potentially acrimonious diplomatic situation. Weekly Standard A Rose by Any Other Name
The wheels come off in Georgia.
by Michael Weiss Succeeding Turkmenbashi Central Asia Media Review: Kazakhstan (TCA Vol.9 No. 92-484) |
| H13 The Times Better security sees Iraqi refugees flood home Saida Zaynab, the Damascus neighbourhood once dominated by many of the 1.5 million Iraqi refugees, is almost deserted Leader Road From Damascus Iraqis are voting with their feet by returning home after exile President Putin rattles nuclear sabre at Nato The Russian President ordered the military to place its nuclear arsenal on a higher state of alert after accusing Nato President Sarkozy braves ‘Black Tuesday’ French President declares he will push ahead with his drive to reform France regardless of resistance that has led to strike A Brief Encounter with Not Much Promise - Bronwen Maddox Wall Street Journal A Globalization Winner Joins Trade Backlash Anti-trade sentiment is percolating across America, forcing presidential candidates to address the unease. Even voters in Iowa, a winner from globalization, are expressing anxiety about trade issues. The Annapolis Fiasco - Brett Stevens Henry Kissinger once observed that "when enough prestige has been invested in a policy it is easier to see it fail than abandon it." At the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., next week, the current secretary of state will illustrate her predecessor's point. The Perils of Engagement
The U.S. can't prevent the Palestinians and their Arab backers from making poor choices. By JEFF ROBBINS What's the Matter With Georgia? By: Thomas de Waal | The Wall Street Journal (subscription required)
The south Caucasus -- the three nations of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia -- have always been the "lands in-between." Between the Black and Caspian Seas, Europe and Asia, Russia and Iran, Christianity and Islam. And, more recently, between Soviet authoritarianism and European democracy. Oil Rises Above $99... DOWN: Dollar Declines To Another Record Low... | H14 Financial Times US reports ‘phenomenal’ drop in Iraq violence Military attributes the decline to the ‘surge’. Violence in Iraq has fallen at a rate that has surprised military commanders and even one of the architects of the ‘surge’ that boosted US troop numbers in the country this year, according to figures gathered by the US COMMENT: Who will pick up the thread after the great unwinding?It is plausible that the US will experience a lengthy period of sluggish growth in domestic private demand, partially offset by fiscal expansion and an improvement in net exports. The rest of the world must now become the demand engines of the world economy, writes Martin Wolf Editorial Kosovo crunch Further delay on deciding Kosovo’s status is not an option. Ethnic Albanians will wait no longer for international action. If they act alone, the dangers of violence will be far greater WORLD NEWS: Annapolis talks face battle to bridge rift US candidates shun Mideast issue Middle East-watchers fear that the fragile Israel-Palestine peace process which converges next week on Annapolis, Maryland, could be about to take a turn for the worse LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: Two-state solution no longer realistic Fed cool on long-term growth forecast The Federal Reserve revealed it no longer believed the US economy could grow much more than 2.5% a year in the long run without generating rising inflation, a lower rate than many global investors thought was sustainable COMMENT & ANALYSIS: Emerging economies have not become 'decoupled' The scale of domestic and intra-regional trade should not blind us to their dependence on outside events, writes John Kay COMMENT: Longer detention plays into the hands of terrorists Partick Mercer warns of propaganda attacks COMMENT & ANALYSIS: A dynastic disease in American politics By Grover Norquist The news is not all badGideon Rachman’s blog: America is doing a lot better on the hearts-and-minds front than is generally acknowledged COMMENT & ANALYSIS: European business leads on scientific research American universities continue to attract European scientists and engineers but, in the private sector, Europe may have an edge, says Sami Mahroum Iran and US to meet over Iraq The security situation will be the priority in talks to be held amid rising tensions over Tehran’s nuclear programme said Iran’s foreign minister Germans fear backlash as China ties cool Beijing warns that bilateral exchanges could continue to suffer unless Berlin acts to improve the ‘political atmosphere’ damaged by Angela Merkel’s meeting with the Dalai Lama Lebanon pushes presidential election to brink Lebanon’s squabbling politicians have pushed the election of a new president back to the last day of the current incumbent’s term on Friday, increasing worries that political tensions could spill over into violence. Hizbollah flexes muscles as crisis deepens Presidential election in Lebanon delayed amid sharp divisions between the government and the Hizbollah-led opposition Millions on fraud alert after benefit privacy breach Millions of British families have been warned to watch their bank accounts for suspicious transactions after the government admitted it had lost child benefit details of 25m people | H15 Los Angeles Times Editorial Lebanon Still in Political Deadlock By: Borzou Daragahi | Los Angeles Times Lebanon this week faces its worst political crisis since its 15-year civil war, with leaders unable to come up with a compromise selection for president after the current one's term expires Saturday Iraq takes hard stance in shooting by security guards An oral history of the Iraq war by the journalists who covered it. Lebanon still in political deadlock |
| H19Military Intelligence Terrorism CFR Gansler: US Army Needs More People, Oversight, to Improve Contracting
Department of Defense Releases Selected Acquisition Reports
Source: U.S. Department of Defense National Interest Report and Retort: A Weak America is an Unsafe America by Jim Talent Ted Galen Carpenter thinks it’s time Washington started reducing the Pentagon’s budget and scaling down the military’s role in the world. Former U.S. Senator Jim Talent responds, arguing that a wide range of foreign policies, no matter their ideological roots, depend upon American strength There has never been a realistic military justification for amassing large, expensive stockpiles of nuclear arms... more» Spencer Ackerman / TPMmuckraker:
$20 Billion in Afghanistan, Iraq Contract Cash Goes to Unidentified Companies Lost in the post: 25m at risk after data discs go missing Mass fear of fraud as personal details of 7m families are mislaid by HM Revenue & Customs Nov 21 SD# 1772 - The 'Lone Wolf' Theory and John Allen Muhammad | H20 Slate How To Judge the Success of the Annapolis Summit Think of it as a big party.
Shmuel Rosner Nasty As He Wants To Be Obama is paying no price for aggression.
John Dickerson Walter Russell Mead on how today's anti-Americans, anti-Semites, and anti-Zionists have embraced a set of images and beliefs that haunted the European imagination for hundreds of years. Brokaw: WASHINGTON POST Print Paper 'Probably' Dead in 10 Years... The Chilling Effect of IQ Taboos
| H21 In praise of ... Alfred Brendel
Alfred Brendel may well be the last of his kind. These days the conventional route to pianistic stardom is through competitions 'God is Brazilian,' President Lula says after oil find... Aliens among us? Are microbes from outer space hiding in plain sight, before our very eyes?... more» “The devious lie of a snapshot.” A photo isolates and freezes action, detaching it from context and sequence. Louis Masur explains... more» Explanations of how science works often differ from the actual process. Miracle in a test tube as human skin is turned into heart and brain cells Heart muscle and brain cells have been made for the first time in a test tube from human skin, marking a breakthrough in stem-cell research that could end the need to clone human embryos.
From Newsweek, a cover story on The Future of Reading: Amazon's Jeff Bezos already built a better bookstore — now he believes he can improve upon one of humankind's most divine creations: the book itself. The death of reading 'Martin Amis is no racist' Guardian, Christopher Hitchens
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