| H1 White House: Fact Sheet: U.S.-Iraq Declaration of Principles for Friendship and Cooperation Guardian Bush commits troops to Iraq for the long term · Deal to provide mandate for military beyond 2008 · US oil companies likely to benefit from proposals Beyond the Drop in Iraq Violence - Amir Taheri, New York Post New York Times Seeking a Mideast Path, Bush Offers a Nudge President Bush’s vision for two-state peace is ambitious but his strategy is cautious, and the real measure of the talks will be what happens afterward. U.S. and Iraq to Negotiate Pact on Long-Term Relations AP Iraqis may offer US deal to stay longer Iraq's government, seeking protection against foreign threats and internal coups, will offer the U.S. a long-term troop presence in Iraq in return for U.S. security guarantees as part of a strategic partnership, two Iraqi officials said Monday Washington Post Tempered Optimism for Mideast Peace Talks U.S. Plans Hands-Off Approach at Meeting U.S. officials hope Annapolis summit will lead to a Palestinian state, perhaps before President Bush leaves office in January 2009. Bush, Maliki Sign Pact on Iraq's Future Mandate to Be Extended, But Troop Issue Unsettled Iran: The Uninvited Wildcard in Mideast Talks By Robin Wright Jordan Vote Reflects Islamic Parties' Slide Voters rebuked Islamic politicians in parliamentary elections in Jordan last week, following poor showings by Islamic-oriented political blocs in Egypt and Morocco over the past six months. Is the Israel-Palestine Conflict about the Size of Israel, or About Its Existence? - Bernard Lewis (Wall Street Journal BBC Future freedom
Kosovo a touchstone for others dreaming of independence New poll shows Clinton trails top 2008 Republicans Web Site: New Bin Laden Tape Will Address Europe Asia TimesIran the uninvited guest at peace summit The United States-hosted summit in Annapolis on Tuesday is supposed to be about peace in the Arab-Israeli world. But it is also being used as a "means of sorts of cementing a coalition against Iran and its allies". At a time that the potential for a successful resolution of the Iran nuclear crisis has gained unprecedented momentum, such a ploy has grim consequences. - Kaveh L Afrasiabi Independent The Big Question: Would the Balkans flare up again if Kosovo declared independence? New Republic A Primer for the Annapolis Peace Summit
by Dennis Ross UPI Commentary: New geoeconomic paradigm By ARNAUD DE BORCHGRAVE The largest ever foreign investment in Africa came from China. Qatar, with a population of half a million, is setting aside $100 billion a year for foreign investments, or twice as much as the developed world gives developing countries. This is the new geoeconomic paradigm. Can a geopolitical shift in the global correlation of forces be far behind? (Los Angeles Times) Bush to Stay on Sidelines of Mideast Talks - Paul Richter Bush's positions suggest there may be a gap between his views and those of Rice, his chief diplomat, who has labored for years to indicate there is no daylight between them. Rice has said that she wants to wrap up negotiations before the president's term ends. But Hadley said the administration is not, in fact, setting that date as a deadline. Completing the deal within a year was "an idea that the parties have articulated," Hadley said. Guardian The autumn of the patriarch Simon Tisdall As the situation unravels all around him, how long can General Musharraf hold on to power in Pakistan? Jerusalem Post Exclusive: Russia to host post-Annapolis summit Russian Embassy official tells Post the US supports the idea; Olmert says there are many meetings planned for after summit. Democracy Myth By: Stanley Kurtz | The National Review Democracy and the constitution cannot be restored in Pakistan because, in any serious sense, neither democracy nor constitutional rule has ever existed there AP piece on forthcoming NIE on Iran, uncertainty of the intelligence. Some reason for cautious optimism on the U.S.-Iran front? "'Is there room in these last months of a lame duck presidency to craft a modest opening to Iran, while maintaining a stout anti-Iranian coalition?'" Ha’aretz – Bradley Burston: Nine reasons Annapolis will succeed Jawad Boulous: Did Livni intend transfer of Israeli Arabs? Marcus Bush's baby - and ours It is doubtful that America's next president will be as friendly and supportive as Bush. Whatever can be achieved we must try to achieve now, while Bush is still at the helm The FP Debate: Should the US Abandon Pervez Musharraf? Juan Cole Al-Maliki Negotiates a Treaty with US Kurds Defiant on Oil Deals Financial Times COMMENT: Annapolis and a history of failure George W. Bush needs to spell out, in detail, what a Middle East peace settlement would look like, writes Gideon Rachman WORLD NEWS: Grim portents for Mideast peace talks Israel and the Palestinians play down the importance of agreeing a joint declaration at the Annapolis meeting despite intensive efforts by the US to secure a deal WORLD NEWS: US paves way for long-term stay in Iraq American and Iraqi officials said both countries would work towards extending the United Nations mandate that allows US and coalition troops to operate in Iraq for one more year Stumbling towards mutual understanding The EU and China are discovering that there is almost no economic topic or international security issue on which their interests do not intersect – and sometimes collide A Russian travesty The authorities are fighting a cynical election campaign. The poll result is a foregone conclusion, yet in Putin’s system of “managed democracy” nothing can be left to chance COMMENT: Could the euro rule supreme? It's not worth it The risk of conflict within the eurozone is clear. A stronger euro would be anathema to those already worried about its strength, writes Simon Tilford NYT Defense Secretary Urges More Spending for U.S. Diplomacy Israelis and Palestinians Try to Set Pace for Peace Talks as Bush Plans Speech DAVID BROOKS Follow the Fundamentals The U.S. still has much more to gain than to lose from openness, trade and globalization. Editorial Exit, Russian Democracy For a leader who has everything, President Vladimir Putin of Russia looks increasingly desperate and threatened ahead of parliamentary elections William Arkin Progress In Iraq? We Still Need to Get Out IHT Challenger to Merkel works one step away By JOHN VINOCUR On matters that count to the rest of the world, a clear, not easily reconcilable breach at the top has been exposed in Germany between Chancellor Angela Merkel and Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier FT EU businesses split over eastern promise Discontent with China rising among European companies over unfairly cheap imports, an undervalued currency and disregard of intellectual property rights Stumbling towards mutual understanding The EU and China are discovering that there is almost no economic topic or international security issue on which their interests do not intersect – and sometimes collide IHT The 'China honeymoon' is over.By DAVID SHAMBAUGH After 15 years of dramatically developing ties, new tensions are emerging between Europe and China. Daily Telegraph Brown to push unemployed into work Unemployed people claiming benefits will be forced to undertake training to get them back to work under a package of sweeping welfare reforms unveiled by Gordon Brown. YaleGlobal The Limits of a Smaller, Poorer China
Israel, Bahrain to set up diplomatic relations?
Washington Note On Hamas, Saud al-Faisal Agrees with Colin Powell who Agrees with Brent Scowcroft who Agrees with Zbig Brzezinski who Agrees with Eric Shinseki . . CAP Making Annapolis Work: Middle East Summit Requires Follow Up International Crisis Group Darfur’s New Security Reality Der Spiegel Iran Embargo : Boycott of Tehran Hits German Coffers SPIEGEL Interview with Portuguese Prime Minister José Sócrates: 'The European Project Is One of the Grandest Ideas in the SPIEGEL Interview with Germany's Foreign Minister: 'My Approach to Authoritarian States Is Beyond Reproach' | H2 TURKISH OFFICIALS CALL FOR TURKIC COMMONWEALTH
Eurasia Daily Monitor FT REPORT - CYPRUS 2007 - FRONT PAGE: Seeds of doubt dominate Ankara's view on the island LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: Support for Turkish accession to EU would lead to a 40-member Union and to its fatal dilution Asia Times Even more good news for Maliki Maliki has the support of Muqtada and the Kurds in blocking thousands of former Ba'athists from reclaiming their government jobs and from joining the armed forces. Far more surprisingly, Muqtada has done an about-turn and backs Maliki over a referendum on Kirkuk's incorporation into Iraqi Kurdistan. It's almost too good to be true. “What's new is the apparent willingness of Muqtada … to coordinate with Kurdish politicians. Muqtada also sent a very strong message to Kurdish politicians through one of his top loyalists, member of Parliament Bahaa al-Araji. Speaking to the Iraqi newspaper Ilaf, Araji defended article 140 of the constitution, pertaining to Kirkuk. That is certainly a new line for the Sadrists. …. if Maliki and Muqtada support article 140, then Kirkuk very much might become "Kurdish".”- Sami Moubayed Sırada Ankara-Erbil diyaloğu var SAMİ ŞURUŞ Cumhurbaşkanı Gül, Le Figaro'ya konuştu "Kandil'de 500 kişi var" THE TURKISH TERROR LAUNDRY
FrontPage Iraqi Kurds Say Turkish Reporter's Deportation Not Linked to Barzani's Trip Barzani iddiasını ortaya atan muhabire sınır dışı Gül, Pakistan'da arabuluculuk yapacak Iraqi Kurds expel Turkish journalist from northern province after he refuses to name sources in anonymous report - International Herald Tribune Opium: Legal Solutions By: Dorian Jones | ISN Security Watch travels to western Turkey, where farmers' livelihoods depend on strictly controlled legal opium cultivation, as some ask if this model might be feasible for Afghanistan. Washington Times Covering customs in Turkey (By Tulin Daloglu) OxAn IRAQ: Kirkuk move may unleash more territorial claims Google News KurdishMedia Kurdish Kurdish Aspect BBC Monitoring Kuzey Irak'a ABD takviyesi Kürt kökenli AKP'li vekiller 'temsiliyet' turuna çıkıyor Elebaşlarının birlikte son fotoğrafları Bayık, Barzani ve Talabani’yi topa tuttu Kürt açılımında Anayasal 3 adım Karayılan'ın kardeşi ilk kez konuştu Aksiyon DTP, ensesinden PKK'yı indirmeden çözüm üretemez – 'Kürdistan' sarhoşluğundan geçim derdine Kuzey Irak - Haşim Söylemez Demokrasinin yeni imtihanı - Hamza Erdoğan Derya SAZAK Burkay, PKK, Kürtler Ümit Pamir Türkiye, Kürt sorununda karar aşamasına giriyor Özcan Yeniçeri Barzani ve ABD çıkarlarına uygun operasyon! 'PKK değişmek zorunda kalır' 'Devlet eşimi biliyordu' Security forces on alert for PKK’s anniversary Başkan, teröristi öncü kadın ilan etti Diplomatik operasyon PKK’yı Kandil’de boğdu [TERÖRLE MÜCADELEDE İNGİLTERE TECRÜBESİ] DTP, bir Gerry Adams bulabilir mi? Iraqi Kurdistan Premier Says Government Cannot Cancel Kurds' Oil Deals 6. kapanırken 1. görüşülecek MHP'li Gül: PKK'lılar da şehidimizdir Biri yalan söylüyor Kuzey Irak Bölgesel Kürt Yönetimi Başbakanı Neçirvan Barzani, terör örgütü PKK konusunda ne ABD ne de Türkiye ile hiçbir anlaşmaları olmadığını açıkladı. PKK’lı iki terörist elebaşı ise, peşmergelerin kendilerini Kandil’de kuşattığını, Barzani ve Talabani’nin, Türkiye’nin askeri operasyonuna destek verebileceğini iddia etti. Çürük raporunda ilk tutuklamalar Yalova Emniyet Müdürü El Sakka'yı doğruladı Rahman: Anayasada Kürdistan bölgesi tanındı, uğruna savaştığımız bu haklarımız var Kürtlerin içinde de çözüm istemeyenler var
DTP’li başkan, 7 askerin şehit olmasına neden olan PKK’lı teröristi ‘Kadın özgürlük mücadelesinin öncüsü’ ilan etti Iraqi Kurds Say Turkish Reporter's Deportation Not Linked to Barzani's Trip Iraq Kurds defy Baghdad on oil deals
AFP – Iran disbands PJAK cell in Kurdistan Iraqi Kurdish Press Highlights 26 Nov 07 Turkish Press Views Premier's "New Restoration" Project for Kurds DTP mitingi inceleniyor Şırnak'ta askeri araç devrildi: 1 er şehit
Mahremimiz PKK MELİHA OKUR IMF Irak'ta sınıfta kaldı! İBRAHİM KARAGÜL Barzani nerede? İsrail'de olmasın! 'The Boss' who organised crimes to fund Kurdish terrorists Hasan CEMAL Ortadoğu'da barış, ekmek, demokrasi! Sami KOHEN Annapolis: Sadece bir umut HAKAN ALBAYRAK Annapolis komedisi Türkiye'nin çabasını takdir ediyoruz 4 soruda Annapolis AKİF EMRE Annapolis'ten yeni bir savaş çıkabilir ERDAL ŞAFAK Annapolis: Barışa son şans Hüsnü Mahalli Ann(e)-polis ve barış! İlter Türkmen Annapolis Konferansı: Havanda su dövmek mi? Gül'den 'Büyükelçi' sürprizi Afganistan'daki Türkiye sevgisinin sebebi Mehmetçik ve Türk okulları Google News Greece Cyprus Turkish Cypriot Press ABHaber Gila Benmayor TÜSİAD’dan, Bakan Böhmer eliyle Merkel’e mektup KIBRIS'TA RUM SİLAHLANMASINA DİKKAT
DEVAM Doç. Dr. BİROL ERTAN Turkey's Gul cool on French "Med Union" project Turkey’s improved image contributes to better ties with Italy, too Rum yetimhanesi davası AİHM'de Cyprus expresses satisfaction with C’wealth Joint Communique Diversifying Caspian Gas
Registan.net Hasan Kanbolat Turkey plays into Saakashvili’s hands Independence in the Balkans
Turkish Daily News
Ariana FERENTINOU
Avni DOĞRU
Yusuf KANLI Critical stage in anti-terror war EP delegation to discuss Turkish Cypriot town of Mara Qantara.de - The Case of Hrant Dink - Incitement to Violence as Free Speech Türkiye “akıllı” kameralarla donatılıyor
Babacan: Turkey's image abroad growing stronger with Turkish schools Turkey trains police to tackle widespread domestic violence Köşk'e Gül kütüphanesi - Terörden kaçtık oğlumu polis vurdu Türk bilim dergileri uluslararası arenada Hakan Şükür'den şok karar 27 Kasım 2007 Basın Özeti | H3 Ruşen Çakır ABD, PKK ile Mart 1994’te G.Kıbrıs’ta masaya oturdu PKK’NIN KARAKUTUSU KANİ YILMAZ’IN “DİPLOMASİ” ANILARI Türkiye-ABD-Irak çerçevesinde iki senaryo Hasan Celal Güzel Fikret BİLA Barzani, Türkiye'nin yanında mı? Ahmet Taşgetiren ABD ile stratejik vizyon rötuşu mu? Cengiz Çandar Annapolis ve post-Annapolis Babacan: Barzani tanımadığımız bir isim Kuzey Irak'ın söylemi değişti ama henüz eyleme geçilmedi Ne yaralı ne hasta Barzani Milano’da! PKK üçüncü adamın elinde Karayılan ve Bayık nerede bilinmiyor, örgütün kasası Rıza Altun da kayıp.. Bayık, Barzani ve Talabani’yi topa tuttu Tuğluk Kürtlerin içinde de çözüm istemeyenler var
Babacan, ABD Ulusal Güvenlik danışmanıyla PKK konusunu görüştü Ayrıntılar Mustafa Karaalioğlu Terör bitse bile... Babacan'dan Barzani'ye sert eleştiriler: PKK'ya karşı bir adım atılmadı PKK'lı itirafçı: Hakurk Kampında örgüt yöneticileriyle ABD askeri görüşüyor Ergin Yıldızoğlu Bu Kriz, 'O Kriz'... PKK oyunu bitiyor mu? - Fatih Uğur Teröristten itiraf: Üst düzey PKK yöneticileri ABD askerleriyle görüşüyordu Kürt sorununda petrol şirketleri
Murat Yetkin Kuzey Irak'a ABD takviyesi t nedeniyle bölgedeki asker sayısını artırdı. Dohuk'taki üslere konuşlandırılan askerler devriye görevi yap...» PKK sıkıştı: Kandil'de kuşatıldık YAŞ steps up efforts for professional army Güler Kömürcü Mesud Barzani ‘rafa’ Neçirvan vitrine Serdar Turgut AKP'nin Pravda'sı
Kendisinden yana medya yaratmakta hayli aktif olan ve kontrolu dışında habere hoş bakmayan hükümetin tek seslilik arayışının MUHARREM SARIKAYA Baykal: Omurgamda sapma yok
Şahin Alpay PKK "kuşatılıyor" mu? Mahir Kaynak Cevabı ne? Ertuğrul Özkök İzmirli gazeteciler lobisi M Ali Birand Erdoğan Kuzey Irak krizini iyi götürüyor Cüneyt Ülsever Kar politikasının zaferi Güneri CIVAOĞLU PKK kargoyla taşınmaz Ahmet Taşgetiren Askeri yaklaşım tekliyor – Debates on the new Turkish draft constitution and secularism by ERGUN ÖZBUDUN* Kerim Balcı Need for an energy-centric policy paradigm Taha Kıvanç Telâşa gerek yok Fehmi Koru, Paris'te İzmir'i pazarlamak ALİ BAYRAMOĞLU Önemli bir sorun: Kamusal cinayetler, yargı ve zihniyet… KÜRŞAT BUMİN Karayalçın güzel konuşuyor Ali Bayramoğlu Muktedir bir hükümetin öyküsü... Anayasaya Abant ayarı – Başbakan bizi yalanladı İsmet Berkan Enis Berberoğlu Tora-Bora’ya Türk projesi Oktay Ekşi Bizde tirajlar az mı? Yalçın Doğan AKP’nin sivil toplum atağı Taha AKYOL Kutsal otorite! Andrew Finkel The search for tolerance Berat Özipek Malatya davasında garip şeyler oluyor ERGUN BABAHAN İzmir için tarihi bir fırsat EMRE AKÖZGülünç bir ilan NAZLI ILICAKMemleketi kendi malı sayanlar...
MAHMUT ÖVÜRYurtdışındaki Türkler, en çok neyi merak ediyor?
YAVUZ DONATKamp asıl CHP'ye lazım
Eyüp Can Tayyip Erdoğan’ın tiraj raporu
Savaş Süzal Türkiye üzerine oyunlar Survey shows tax evasion quite easy in Turkey ABDURRAHMAN YILDIRIMDalgalanmada Türkiye'nin ikinci şansı faizde düşüş
Ercan Kumcu Dünya turu Erdal Sağlam Merkez çeyrek de olsa faiz indirecek gibi Ergin Yıldızoğlu Bu Kriz, 'O Kriz'... İBRAHİM KAHVECİ TC vergileri kimi besliyor? Yaman TÖRÜNER
IMF yerine 'Güneyin Bankası' Hedefi ıskalamak Mahfi Eğilmez Hurşit GÜNEŞ Kriz sonrası ekonomi verimlilikle 3 puan fazla büyüdü Serpil YILMAZ Türk Telekom Saudi Telecom ile görüşüyor Kötü kredi her zaman kötü kredidir...
Korkmaz İlkorur Serdengeçti: Enflasyonun yavaş düşmesini istemek çok tehlikeli US court rules in favor of Turkish steel
Kalıcı istikrarın koşulları Deniz Gökçe 2006 yılında doğrudan yabancı sermaye yatırımı |
| H4 New York Times Seeking a Mideast Path, Bush Offers a Nudge President Bush’s vision for two-state peace is ambitious but his strategy is cautious, and the real measure of the talks will be what happens afterward. Defense Secretary Urges More Spending for U.S. Diplomacy Israelis and Palestinians Try to Set Pace for Peace Talks as Bush Plans Speech Back in Pakistan, Sharif Condemns Musharraf Nawaz Sharif, the religiously conservative former prime minister, demanded an end to emergency rule and called for the reinstatement of fired supreme court justices. BOB HERBERT Behind the Curtain The electorate is upset, anxious and hungry for change. But “weak tea” is as good a term as any to describe what the Democrats are offering. | H5 Washington Post Tempered Optimism for Mideast Peace Talks U.S. Plans Hands-Off Approach at Meeting U.S. officials hope Annapolis summit will lead to a Palestinian state, perhaps before President Bush leaves office in January 2009. Bush, Maliki Sign Pact on Iraq's Future Mandate to Be Extended, But Troop Issue Unsettled Iran: The Uninvited Wildcard in Mideast Talks By Robin Wright Jordan Vote Reflects Islamic Parties' Slide Voters rebuked Islamic politicians in parliamentary elections in Jordan last week, following poor showings by Islamic-oriented political blocs in Egypt and Morocco over the past six months. Putin Accuses U.S. of Interference State Dept., European Agency Deny Allegations Over Decision Not to Monitor Election Russia's New Old Dissidents By Anne Applebaum, Images of the treatment of Vladimir Putin's political enemies are chillingly familiar Fire and Water in Gaza By Maher Najjar, Disrupting normal civilian life in Gaza will not have positive political results for Israel. Beyond the Reach of Annapolis By Richard Cohen, Behind the meeting of the mothers of two dead daughters, one a suicide bomber, one a victim of her attack. Politics Creates Odd Pair: Sanchez and Democrats Ex-Iraq Commander Now Criticizing War Lott Will Quit Senate Next Month Resignation Is Seen As a Blow to the GOP GOP Comeback Climb Steepens Resignations make an already difficult 2008 electoral landscape even more complicated. Liberals' Lesson Down Under By E. J. Dionne Jr., Democrats should take note of the success of Austrailia's Kevin Rudd. Beijing's Environmental Plan Cites Need for Enforcement | H6 Guardian Bush commits troops to Iraq for the long term · Deal to provide mandate for military beyond 2008
· US oil companies likely to benefit from proposals The autumn of the patriarch Simon Tisdall As the situation unravels all around him, how long can General Musharraf hold on to power in Pakistan? Conflict resolution Ian Williams Nov 26 07, 07:00pm: Annapolis: Israel's anachronistic founding document - 60 years old this week - should be the starting point for peace talks Bid to bridge Middle East divide US making frantic efforts to close Israeli-Palestinian gaps on the eve of bid to 'relaunch' peace negotiations Supplies drain away for Gazans Sarkozy urges calm as riots hit Paris Violence in suburbs after youths die in police crash while angry residents accuse officers of fleeing scene Leader The plot thickens Pakistan: When Musharraf ceases to be a general and is sworn in as a civilian president, which is expected to happen later this week, an important link between him and the Pakistani military will be broken Half the story Talat Hussain Nov 26 07, 09:30pm: General Musharraf controls the media and judiciary in Pakistan, so the true scale of his brutality goes unreported Putin says US is behind poll experts' boycott Putin accuses US state department of being behind a decision by experts not to monitor Russia's elections Q&A: Russian elections Theocracy's limits Clarissa de Waal Nov 26 07, 11:00pm: Keeping repression selective minimises the numbers antagonised in Iran and accounts for the apparently laid-back atmosphere of daily life Stop supporting Bin Laden Ed Husain: When intellectuals in the west descend to Islam-bashing, they play straight into the hands of Osama Ahmadinejad offers to be an observer at US election Overtures of Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, to the US seem to grow ever more extravagant |
| H7 Democracy Myth By: Stanley Kurtz | The National Review
Democracy and the constitution cannot be restored in Pakistan because, in any serious sense, neither democracy nor constitutional rule has ever existed there Beyond the Drop in Iraq Violence - Amir Taheri, New York Post AP piece on forthcoming NIE on Iran, uncertainty of the intelligence. Some reason for cautious optimism on the U.S.-Iran front? "'Is there room in these last months of a lame duck presidency to craft a modest opening to Iran, while maintaining a stout anti-Iranian coalition?'" Daily Star Editorial Peace is impossible without an agenda that stresses people over policy Give the peace summit a chance
By Raafat Dajani Avoid failure at Annapolis by seeking realistic aims
By Ghassan Khatib Iraq’s Uncertain Oil And Political Prospects (Part 1 Of 2)
Middle East Economic Survey Iran May Be Struggling with Nuclear Technology and Technique AAAS From Der Spiegel, an interview with Jordan's King Abdullah: "Yes, we do have a nuclear program". Al Awsat The Annapolis Summit Has Already Affected the Arab World : Abdul Rahman Al-Rashed | H8 IraqSlogger Google News Iraq Iran Syria Mideastwire.com - NPR Iraq stratfor U.S. And Iraq Agree on Talks For Future Relationship US, Iraq Deal Sees Long - Term US Presence BBC Iraq seeks end of troop mandate Iraq's prime minister says he will ask the UN to renew the US-led troops' mandate for one last time for 2008. Cautious hope for Mid-East talks The US, Israeli and Palestinian leaders express guarded optimism in a conference on restarting a peace process. History of failed peace talks The possibilities of Annapolis Q&A: Annapolis meeting UPI Analysis: Lebanon's un-independence
By CLAUDE SALHANI The deadline set by the Lebanese Constitution for the country's Parliament to elect a new president expired at midnight Friday. No consensus was reached and the departing president, Emile Lahoud, handed the task of insuring Lebanon's security to the army. He called it a "temporary measure." But in Lebanon, temporary measures have a bad habit of being more than temporary. The Middle East's 20 Richest People Iraqi President Speaks of "Positive Signs" for National Unity Government Annapolis conference finds little popular support in Middle East Score This Round for March 14 By: Michael Young | The Daily Star
Lebanon is looking into the abyss; it is in the throes of a political crisis that everyone has announced might bring on catastrophe. March 14 is on its final feet, wracked by division. If you think all this is true then here's a less apocalyptic account of what has just happened on the presidency. Saudi Arabia Marks 136th Beheading of 2007 Syria Explains Why It'll Go To Annapolis AP Iraqis may offer US deal to stay longer Iraq's government, seeking protection against foreign threats and internal coups, will offer the U.S. a long-term troop presence in Iraq in return for U.S. security guarantees as part of a strategic partnership, two Iraqi officials said Monday WINEP Lebanon's Presidential Crisis
Six Critical Questions for Annapolis and Beyond Annapolis: a view from Amman, El Hassan bin Talal | H9 Ha’aretz – Bradley Burston: Nine reasons Annapolis will succeed Jawad Boulous: Did Livni intend transfer of Israeli Arabs? Marcus Bush's baby - and ours It is doubtful that America's next president will be as friendly and supportive as Bush. Whatever can be achieved we must try to achieve now, while Bush is still at the helm Study: Israelis' confidence in IDF, security services at 7-year low Analysis / The name of the game: lowered expectations Hamas steps up anti-Annapolis talk: Abbas has no right to give up one inch of Palestine Inside Intel / Not a reactor - something far more vicious Rosner's Guest: Good reasons for Israel to explore Syria negotiations Bush to call for peace on basis of 2 nation states Jewish, Christian leaders to U.S.: No compromise on Jerusalem Religious leaders meet with National Security Advisor; PM: Israel, not U.S. Jews, to decide future of J'lem The U.S. Is Back - Aluf Benn Saudi FM: U.S. to offer specific Mideast proposals at summit Iran fights back against sudden chill of isolation in Arab world Iran embarks on diplomatic offensive in wake of Annapolis summit, fear of attack over nuclear program Russian Embassy official tells Post the US supports the idea; Olmert says there are many meetings planned for after summit. By DAVID HOROVITZ
Whatever comes out of Tuesday's conference, the Palestinians have reasons to be cheerful Syrian daily says Damascus attending Annapolis summit to gauge the US's commitment to peace Yedioth Ahronoth Bush: Compromises needed
At dinner for Annapolis peace conference delegates, US president says 'achieving two-state solution will require difficult compromises.' No agreement reached on joint Israeli-Palestinian declaration A Diplomatic Show of Force - Ron Ben-Yishai Assad back in game Roee Nahmias Follow-up Meeting in Moscow Will Discuss Syrian, Lebanese Issues; U.S. Proposes Monitoring Committee Including Arab Membership Interview with Hamas's Said Siyam NRO Q&A: Caroline Glick vs. Condoleezza Rice. “Give Annapolis a Chance?” Daily Alert.org – Middle East Progress - EJC Israeli Press Review – Google News Israel - Palestine Don't Ignore Hamas By: Yossi Beilin | The Christian Science Monitor
As Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization prepare to launch formal negotiations on final status -- for the first time in seven years -- Israel should seek to reach a cease fire with Hamas as soon as possible. Ghazi Falah was not worried when Israeli security stopped his car on a narrow mountain road. “They will soon release me,” he assured himself... more» |
| H10 Christian Science Monitor Russian vote may help Putin craft his next role The Dec. 2 vote is expected to bring his party a sweeping victory. Syria's role at US talks may help Lebanon Syria's controversial presence at Tuesday's Middle East peace talks in Annapolis may boost stability in Lebanon, which is deadlocked over electing a new president How much safer is Baghdad now? An arc of neighborhoods in Baghdad may be the true test of better security. THE MONITOR'S VIEW Putin's Potemkin election Russia's parliamentary elections will essentially return the country to a one-party state. Opinion: A Muslim belongs in the Cabinet Opinion: The real goal at Annapolis The US must get Israel and Syria to resume talks. As Israelis, Palestinians head to Annapolis, Syrians sign up The promised attendance of many of Israel's Arab neighbors is good news, though it's unclear their presence will translate into progress at peace talks. ASIA EU businesses split over eastern promise Discontent with China rising among European companies over unfairly cheap imports, an undervalued currency and disregard of intellectual property rights France, China sign $30 billion in nuclear, airliner deals Stumbling towards mutual understanding The EU and China are discovering that there is almost no economic topic or international security issue on which their interests do not intersect – and sometimes collide IHT The 'China honeymoon' is over.By DAVID SHAMBAUGH After 15 years of dramatically developing ties, new tensions are emerging between Europe and China. A U.S.-Indian partnership against nukes By KARL F. INDERFURTH AND BRUCE RIEDEL Recognizing India as a full nuclear power could lead to a broader anti-nuclear agenda. Morgan Stanley China Impact of High Oil Prices: Facts and Ready Reckoners The Times China's great green leap forward? The world's superpolluter appears to be making huge environmental efforts. But is this just rhetoric? Geoff Mulgan WORLD NEWS - EU-CHINA SUMMIT: European opinion split over benefits of eastern engagement China rejects Sarkozy calls on renminbi Beijing defiant on exchange rate North Korea: a pitiable, stagnant pond left over from the flood of Leninism. But it has nowhere to drain away... more» Weekly Standard: DPRK On The Verge Of Collapse? — Intelligence sources and other observers both here in the capital of the PRC and elsewhere in Asia are stating that they project a possible collapse of the North Korean regime within six months time. — Although there have been similar dire predictions made in the past … One (Very) Small Step Forward for ASEAN By: Ralph Cossa | The Japan Times Forty years on, ASEAN continues to shrink away from sensitive issues while burying its head in the sand, and pretending that regional problems will somehow go away. No Land for China’s Farmers By: Mark O'Neill | Asia Sentinel
A month and a half after it was gingerly put into place, China is struggling to find ways to cope with its new national property law. Despite 13 years in drafting and seven years of debate at the National People’s Congress, few analysts expect that the law will actually change the system of land ownership or ease what appears to be endemic rural unrest Indian Discontent in Malaysia By: Zafar Anjum | Asia Sentinel
The harsh reaction by Kuala Lumpur’s police Sunday to a protest organized by the Hindu Action Force, a pressure group established to further the cause of Malaysia’s 2 million Indians, turns the spotlight on the country’s third largest ethnic group and the problems it has faced for decades. Up in Smoke? Asia and the Pacific Oxfam International This 96-page report examines the measures being taken in Asia and the Pacific to mitigate the effects of climate change Strings attached to Sharif's return Unlike his previous attempt to return to Pakistan from exile, former premier Nawaz Sharif has been allowed to stay. The difference is, he now has a deal, brokered by his former hosts Saudi Arabia, under which he won't make trouble, and his brother, Shabaz, plays a part in a new government. - Syed Saleem Shahzad (Nov 26, '07)
ASEAN still toothless after 40 years
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations did its already crumbling reputation no favor by stiffing UN special envoy Ibrahim Gambari at the last minute after he was invited to brief the 10-nation group on his mission to Myanmar. Though the 40th anniversary summit did make a big show of unity and ballyhooing its new (ineffective) charter, it was clear that by kowtowing to Myanmar's junta it is likely to remain a paper tiger for many years to come. - Alex Au (Nov 26, '07) China's richest province
wants more Guangdong, China's wealthiest province, is set to overtake Taiwan's gross domestic product this year, and has already outstripped two other "little dragons", Hong Kong and Singapore. Now the province has set its sights on beating South Korea, but the odds aren't good. - Olivia Chung
Australia's new PM is old Asia hand Australian prime minister-elect Kevin Rudd speaks fluent Mandarin, has met with Chinese President Hu Jintao without an interpreter, and is eager to sign the Kyoto Accord. Rudd clearly has an advantage over his predecessor in dealing with Asia, but Australia is also likely to remain a loyal, if more independent, ally of the United States, especially if a Democrat is elected to the White House next year. - Andrew Symon | H11 IHT Challenger to Merkel works one step away By JOHN VINOCUR On matters that count to the rest of the world, a clear, not easily reconcilable breach at the top has been exposed in Germany between Chancellor Angela Merkel and Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier Annapolis obstacles and hopes By JAMES CARROLL There are plenty of reasons to be pessimistic about the latest Middle East peace conference. But there is another way to look at the talks that begin Tuesday in Annapolis. 2nd night of violence in Paris suburb Young people clashed with the police, throwing stones, glass and firebombs against large contingents of heavily armed riot police Putin accuses U.S. of meddling in Russian election The Russian president said Monday that OSCE monitors had canceled plans to appraise the parliamentary balloting in Russia at the urging of the State Department in Washington. EUROPE European press review BBC Future freedom
Kosovo a touchstone for others dreaming of independence
UPI Analysis: Last chance for deal on Kosovo Serbian and Kosovar leaders Monday began a final attempt to resolve the status of the Serbian breakaway province, but there is little hope for a breakthrough. Walker's World: Sarko's semi-victory By MARTIN WALKER French President Nicolas Sarkozy won his battle with the labor unions. Or did he? Kosovo: Armed for Independence ISA
With both outlawed ethnic Albanian and Serbian paramilitary units armed and patrolling the borders in Kosovo and Macedonia ahead of the official end of internationally mediated talks on Kosovo's status on 10 December, renewed conflict seems inevitable Daily Mail: English is the foreign language for 40% of primary school pupils Small Change By: Jakob Illeborg | The Guardian Denmark has, like Britain, enjoyed a decade-long economic boom. We share membership of the European Union and, like the British, still have our own currency, the krone. At a referendum in 2000 the Danes said no to the euro. We need to join the euro as soon as possible. An Unhealthy State By: Ian Bancroft | The Guardian In blaming the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina for reform failures, the international community seeks to exclude its own role from scrutiny. Italian news reports regarding upheaval in the organization of the Sicilian mafia were synthesized and summarized in a new analysis from the Open Source Center, a component of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. | H12 RFE/RLAfghanistan: China's Winning Bid For Copper Rights Includes Power Plant, Railroad EDM RUSSIAN OPPOSITION LEADERS DETAINED: IS A CRACKDOWN UNDERWAY?
- RUSSIA HOPES TO ENTER CASPIAN MARKET WITH NEW KASHAGAN DEAL
- - WEST RACING RUSSIA FOR TURKMEN GAS
- - TURKISH OFFICIALS CALL FOR TURKIC COMMONWEALTH Google News Azerbaijan The Middle East as Moscow's Ticket to Global Relevance By: Konstantin Eggert | The Daily Star Russia's foreign policy has acquired a certain swagger during Vladimir Putin's presidency. In Moscow these days it is fashionable to talk about the "rebirth of Russian power" and "doing away with the legacy of the 1990s," a decade when Russia supposedly played second fiddle to the Americans and Europeans in global affairs Russians in Abkhazia By: Giorgi Lomsadze | ISN Security Watch
While international attention focuses on the upcoming Georgian presidential elections, Tbilisi’s tussle with the opposition has coincided with a stepped-up campaign against Russian peacekeepers in Abkhazia. Putin says US behind poll boycott President Vladimir Putin says the US is inciting Western observers to boycott Russian parliamentary elections. Kazakhstan to be offered deal by watchdog The Organisation for Security and Co-operation plans to postpone the state’s upcoming chairmanship bid for a firm offer on 2010 or 2011 due to democratic reform concerns Al Hayat Moscow: From The Tsars To The Putins Jamil Theyabi - Moscow is embracing the world with a new face that makes it easier to visit and invest business in without being asked whether one harbors communist or socialist beliefs. Putin’s modernizations were accurately calculated to grant the Kremlin’s ties a modern dimension and to put Moscow on the forefront of the new international scene, away from the old communist and socialist ideas. The Holodomor By: Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko | The Wall Street Journal (subscription required)
Seventy-five years ago the Ukrainian people fell victim to a crime of unimaginable horror. Usually referred to in the West as the Great Famine or the Terror Famine, it is known to Ukrainians as the Holodomor. It was a state-organized program of mass starvation that in 1932-33 killed an estimated seven million to 10 million Ukrainians. EurasiaNet Ready or Not, Georgia’s Election Season Kicks Off Central Election Commission Chairman Levan Tarkhnishvili is guaranteeing that Georgia will hold a fair and transparent presidential election on January 5. Even so, several election monitoring groups are already voicing concerns about potential problems with voter lists and with the improper use of administrative resources. Kyrgyzstan: Parliamentary Election Campaign Kicks Off Georgia: Opposition Leaders Revive Street Protest Strategy |
| H13 The Times An overpriced piece of pie in the sky The EU is paying too much for Galileo, an overcomplicated satellite navigation system that doesn’t work Bronwen Maddox Leader Just Keep Talking Expectations at Annapolis are low, but the stakes could not be higher Breakthrough 'near' for Middle East peace talks Israel and the Palestinians said they were close to agreement on a joint document outlining the terms of new negotiations ‘Annapolis is a bubble . . . it will burst’ Sarkozy appeals for calm after new Paris riots A second night of violence as gangs of youths battle with the police north of Paris following the deaths of two teenagers Analysis: Musharraf too weak to block Sharif The President is no longer strong enough to ignore Saudi Arabian pressure to allow Nawaz Sharif back into Pakistan Wall Street Journal Turnover Down Under A close U.S. ally has lost the election in Australia.
By MARY KISSEL Abu Dhabi Invests in Citigroup Citigroup received a $7.5 billion capital infusion from Abu Dhabi's investment arm, which will become one of Citi's largest shareholders. Executives are studying cost-cutting moves. Russian Justice The rule of Putin project Weekly Standard The Fed's Dillema
To cut or not to cut interest rates.
by Irwin M. Stelzer | H14 Financial Times COMMENT: Annapolis and a history of failure George W. Bush needs to spell out, in detail, what a Middle East peace settlement would look like, writes Gideon Rachman WORLD NEWS: Grim portents for Mideast peace talks Israel and the Palestinians play down the importance of agreeing a joint declaration at the Annapolis meeting despite intensive efforts by the US to secure a deal WORLD NEWS: US paves way for long-term stay in Iraq American and Iraqi officials said both countries would work towards extending the United Nations mandate that allows US and coalition troops to operate in Iraq for one more year Stumbling towards mutual understanding The EU and China are discovering that there is almost no economic topic or international security issue on which their interests do not intersect – and sometimes collide A Russian travesty The authorities are fighting a cynical election campaign. The poll result is a foregone conclusion, yet in Putin’s system of “managed democracy” nothing can be left to chance Preparing for the White House Every new American president needs on-the-job training. Proximity to power is no substitute. Those who think otherwise have most to learn COMMENT: Time runs out for Brown's long-termism The UK prime minister’s position is recoverable but there is nothing inevitable about a revival in fortunes, writes Philip Stephens COMMENT: Could the euro rule supreme? It's not worth it The risk of conflict within the eurozone is clear. A stronger euro would be anathema to those already worried about its strength, writes Simon Tilford COMMENT: I no longer want to be a paperback reader They seemed a good idea at the time, bemoans Michael Skapinker. But the years, sunlight and central heating are taking their toll Second night of riots after Sarkozy appeal Nicolas Sarkozy called for calm as continued rioting raised fears of a repeat of the wave of unrest that swept across some of France’s poorest housing estates two years ago Citi gets $7.5bn capital fill-up from Abu Dhabi The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority will shore up Citigroup’s overstretched balance sheet with a capital injection at a coupon of 11 per cent WORLD NEWS - EU-CHINA SUMMIT: European opinion split over benefits of eastern engagement Iraq’s part in Howard’s downfallGideon Rachman: The Australian premier’s defeat is not the first for a leader who supported the US invasion of Iraq China signed two multibillion-dollar contracts as a visit by Nicolas Sarkozy, France’s president, showed signs of producing plenty of business deals but little progress on European calls for a stronger renminbi | H15 Los Angeles Times U.S., Iraq set agenda for talks on long-term relations Editorial Annapolis Is Just the First Step By: Aaron David Miller | Los Angeles Times Real progress in the Middle East will come through hard work and hard choices after this week's summit. : "Everybody's dreamin' big, but everybody's just gettin' by." In Iran, a cadre of lawyers takes the case of justice Baath Reform Spurs Uproar in Iraq Parliament By: Ann M. Simmons and Raheem Salman | Los Angeles Times
Reforms that would ease curbs on former members of Saddam Hussein's Baath Party rejoining Iraq's civil service and military appeared headed for legislative gridlock after attempts Sunday to read a draft bill in parliament disintegrated into yelling and finger-pointing. Military wants more views on Iraq reports White House tempers the tone on Mideast talks |
| H19Military Intelligence Terrorism Arms embargoes by UN 'ineffective' The first study of arms embargoes imposed by the UN Security Council finds they work in only 25% of cases. Spies like us
Inside MI5 and MI6 - what do £27,000-a-year spies do?
A review of Deception: Pakistan, the United States, and the Secret Trade in Nuclear Weapons by Adrian Levy and Catherine Scott-Clark; The Nuclear Jihadist: The True Story of the Man Who Sold The World's Most Dangerous Secret and How We Could Have Stopped Him by Douglas Frantz and Catherine Collins; and America and the Islamic Bomb: The Deadly Compromise by David Armstrong and Joseph Trento (and more). A review of The Seventh Decade: The New Shape of Nuclear Danger by Jonathan Schell. More and more and more and more on Richard Rhodes' Arsenals of Folly: The Making of the Nuclear Arms Race. Islamists Target Arizona Base By: Sara A. Carter | The Washington Times
Fort Huachuca, the nation's largest intelligence-training center, changed security measures in May after being warned that Islamist terrorists, with the aid of Mexican drug cartels, were planning an attack on the facility. Congressional Research Service "Weak and Failing States: Evolving Security Threats and U.S. Policy," November 15, 2007. "Pakistan's Nuclear Weapons: Proliferation and Security Issues," updated November 14, 2007. "The Cost of Iraq, Afghanistan, and Other Global War on Terror Operations Since 9/11," updated November 9, 2007. "Judicial Security: Responsibilities and Current Issues," updated November 13, 2007. "Pandemic Influenza: An Analysis of State Preparedness and Response Plans," September 24, 2007. "The Public Health and Medical Response to Disasters: Federal Authority and Funding," September 19, 2007 Part 5: US Army Chaplain Ron Eastes Military chaplains: Presbyterian pastor patrols with his soldiers in Iraq Army Capt. Ron Eastes carries a big responsibility - but no weapon - in his 'ministry of presence' with the airborne infantry. BOOK REVIEW
Non compus POTUS
Shadow Warriors by Kenneth R Timmerman
Intelligence is an adjunct of war-fighting; it cannot compensate for a failed plan. Former US president Ronald Reagan won the intelligence war against the Soviet Union, while George W Bush is losing in the Middle East, because Reagan's overall war strategy was successful, while the Bush strategy is flawed. Instead of finding demons in the US intelligence world to blame for Bush's failure, author Timmerman would do better to study some basic precepts of logic. - Spengler | H20 Slate Pandemic Influenza: Scientific Evidence Paper
Cabinet Office - UK
This 72-page UK paper summarizes the work of an expert group analyzing the evidence available on possible measures to reduce the impact of pandemic influenza Summary for Policymakers of the Synthesis Report of the IPCC Fourth Assessment Report
IPCC Discerning the ancestry of European Americans in genetic association studies
Source: PLoS Genetics | H21 Google Service to Store Users' Data Google is preparing a service that would let users store data from their own computers on the company's hard drives. Chess is a game of pure reason, without luck or chance or subjectivity. It has always attracted free spirits... more» Darwin’s Surprise by Michael Specter There may be no biological process more complicated than the relationships that viruses have with their hosts. Could it be that their persistence made it possible for humans to thrive?… The characters in War and Peace infect each other with the high temperature of their existence, and so infect us... more» ... more» Will science and religion ever be friends? Very unlikely, says E.O. Wilson. The growth of biology is widening the tectonic gap between them... more» The Golden Beauty: Brain Response to Classical and Renaissance Sculptures
Source: PLoS ONE Thank God for time off
Giles Fraser: Religion is one of the last ways left to escape the modern oppression of being defined by work |
