| H1 Anthony H. Cordesman Understanding the Key Judgments in the New NIE on Iranian Nuclear Weapons Source: Center for Strategic & International Studies Full Report (PDF; 361 KB) Los Angeles Times Secret CIA effort lures top Iranians to defect Officials say the campaign, intended to weaken Tehran's nuclear program, has prompted some key departures Despite relative calm, divisions deepen in Iraq The U.S. troop buildup has brought down violence. But ethnic and sectarian balkanization continue Washington Post In Iraq, Can We Guard What We've Gained? By Stephen Biddle, We must remember: Civil wars are civil wars because the locals do not trust each other. An outside peacekeeping role is thus critical to success. Newsweek Make Iran an Offer It Might Refuse by Fareed Zakaria International Crisis Group Kosovo Countdown: A Blueprint for Transition (repeat) Ha’aretz – Jervis & Cohen discuss the flaws of the Iran NIE Al Awsat Bush and the 'Arc of Crisis' : Amir Taheri Counterinsurgency For U.S. Government Policy Makers, A Work in Progress (PDF; 9.9 MB)
Source: U.S. Department of State (via U.S. Government Interagency Counterinsurgency Initiative) New York Times THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN Making Peace With Pieces Unless there is more reconciliation within the countries in the Middle East, it is hard to see how there will be more reconciliation between them. By EDUARDO PORTER If China is less wealthy, and less a rival, maybe some members of the United States Congress will not press it so hard to revalue its exchange rate. Washington Post The Spies Strike Back By Jim Hoagland The Fourth of July came on Dec. 3 this year for the U.S. intelligence community. Ghost Hunting The good news: We're not going to war with Iran. The bad news: We still don't know what they're thinking. By Arthur Keller, Confused about Iran? As a former CIA officer working in Iraq, I feel your pain. Who's Watching Over Ahmadinejad? By Vali Nasr, Meet 'The Decider' of Tehran. It's Not the Hothead You Expect. A Prisoner to Primacy by Carl Conetta - Project on Defense Alternatives - Since the end of the Cold War, much of the US policy community has been mesmerized by the advent of US military primacy and the advantages it supposedly conveys. Primacy has become a security end in its own right and the cornerstone of our global policy. Trouble is: primacy is not sustainable. Indeed, the more it is exercised, the more it invites balancing behavior on the part of others. Moreover, experience suggests that we have dangerously overestimated both the extent and utility of our military primacy Gulf States Speak Out Against Attack on Iran Sunday Times Iran ‘nuclear bombshell’ splits US Was US intelligence really fooled for four years or is it being undermined from within? CSIS Critical Questions: Iran and the New National Intelligence Estimate Jon Wolfsthal and Jon B. Alterman Kristol: Iran Halting Nuclear Weapons Program Is ‘Another Feather ... Daily Telegraph Sanctions 'push Iran's economy to brink' Iran's banks are on the brink of collapse and its manufacturing industries facing severe shortages as sanctions bite, according to assessments by Western officials. Sunday Telegraph Iraqis begin to emerge from the dark As the kidnappings, brutality and bombs abate, exiles start to return and Baghdad cautiously resumes normal life, reports Colin Freeman. McClatchy Iraq awaits a fiery Shiite cleric's next move Christian Science Monitor Baghdad safer, but it's a life behind walls Mini fortified 'green zones' are cropping up, improving security but leaving many residents feeling penned in. Putin eyes Belarus merger The union could enable Russia's popular president to retain power by creating a new Constitution. In Iran, Ahmadinejad's bold gambits boost presidential power The firebrand leader has succeeded in grabbing more control despite wide criticism at home and abroad. NATO and Missile Defence SWP A 29-page German analysis of the options available to European members of NATO in the light of the rapid development of the US missile defence system Russian Gas and European Energy Security SWP A German examination of the limitations and weaknesses of the European energy foreign policy Boston Globe Africa Rising Democracy is expanding. Conflicts are ebbing. Economies are growing at a healthy clip. The untold story of a continent that is surprising the pessimists. (By Drake Bennett, Boston Globe) Wall Street Journal Algeria-Russia Split Helps Europe An Algerian-Russian natural-gas pact has lapsed, possibly allaying Europe's concerns big suppliers could join to boost prices Washington Times Making history (By Ariel Cohen) This NIE is laying the groundwork for a dramatic turnaround in U.S. foreign policy, and heralding a further decline in the world's perception of American power. Bolton calls report on Iran quasi-putsch Boston Globe For US foreign policy, it's all power, no influence A MAN bit a dog last week. Not just any man, and not just any dog. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates decried the vast disproportion between America's annual investment in the Pentagon - something like $700 billion - and what is spent on the State Department - about $35 billion. Guardian Serbs prepare for Kosovo showdown After talks end in deadlock, province prepares to declare independence IHT A difficult question for Kosovars: Who are we? "A Kosovo identity does not exist," as the rebellious province moves closer to independence from Serbia Ha’aretz Barel They stole the threat from usWhat good can come from emphasizing the ties between Iran and Hamas or Hezbollah when Iran is now portrayed as a state that no longer threatens the region? Oren Ballistic in Brussels NATO will not bring peace, but if peace comes, it will accept an invitation to keep an eye on it. However, to reach that goal, Israel will have to make good on the poetic statements it is making. FT Engage with Iran and Syria, Iraq tells US Iran and Syria have taken measures to curb violence in Iraq, a senior Iraqi official said, in a rare acknowledgement of a shift in tactics by the two allegedly troublesome neighbours French seek pragmatic EU Nicolas Sarkozy’s determination that the European Union should not be a ‘machine that just advances on its own’ and must allow elected national politicians to exercise more influence over competition, monetary and trade policies, has been underlined by the French president’s chief political strategist Iran signs $2bn oil deal with China Iran has signed a $2bn oil contract with Sinopec of China, sending a signal to western companies that they might miss out on potentially lucrative contracts if they continued to heed US-inspired sanctions against Tehran UK’s Iraq combat task to end by Christmas Britain is to hand over its last remaining combat responsibilities in Iraq to local army and police “in the next two weeks”, Gordon Brown announced last night on a visit to troops in Basra Independent Leading article: The wheels are in motion - and time is running out Unless the gathering in Bali is able to muster a significant step towards an international and mandatory system of emission cuts, it will go down in history as an unforgivably wasted opportunity Best case for Israel? How Much Land is Enough? The map. Ruth Wisse, Harvard Crimson. Winep Unwanted Guest: The Gulf Summit and Iran Simon Henderson examines the implications of the Iranian president's unprecedented attendance at the recent Gulf Cooperation Council summit.
The Gulf States and Iran - Max Boot, Wall Street Journal
Behind the Annapolis Meet And the Iran NIE Shock Executive Intelligence Review A Series of Excerpts from 'The Fall of the House of Bush': | H2 NYT As Iraqis Vie for Kirkuk’s Oil, Kurds Become Pawns Squatters have turned the Kirkuk soccer stadium into a refugee city as they wait to vote on Kurdish regional rule The PKK - Alternate Battleground
Counterterrorism Blog PKK-Linked Party Head Criticizes US, Iraqi Kurdistan Government Over Stance [NEWS ANALYSIS] Alleged manipulations in defense tenders annoy contractors Jerusalem Post Turkey nixes air force's satellite offer Officials say decision, made due to no-spying clause, won't harm close bilateral ties. US Backs Turkey's Anti-PKK Strikes
DefenseNews.com Turkey mulls new amnesty for PKK Deterioration of the Turkish – Israeli relationship American Chronicle Bryza Türkiye'de ordunun rolünü belirlemek ABD'ye düşmez Kirkuk: Edging Out Its Arab Migrants Turkey Eyes Law to Get PKK Members to Quit: Report Not at Nicosia's expense Ha'aretz İran Cumhurbaşkanı Ahmedinecad Türkiye'ye gelecek Google News KurdishMedia Kurdish Kurdish Aspect BBC Monitoring Iraq Kurd leader to discuss oil deals with Baghdad Iraqi Legislator: Canadian Firm Prospecting for Oil Outside Kurdistan Without Official Approval Iraqi Kurd Leader Talks to Media After Reported Attempt on Life The DTP made mistakes, but it was forced to do so Why is The AKP Reasonable on Kurds? Aydınlardan 'eve dönüş'e destek: Dağa çıkışın yolu da kapanmalı PKK yer değiştiriyor PKK'dan telsizle basına saldırı emri PKK'yı istemiyoruz ama Kandil Dağı kontrolümüzde değil Mehmet Metiner Çözüme doğru - Iraqi Kurdish Press Highlights 9 Dec 07 Sıfır noktasına füze platformu Kurdish Party Official Urges Focus on Winning Economic War With Iraq Arabs, Kurds Swap Places in Kirkuk DTP Genel Başkanı: "İltica etmek gibi bir niyetim yok" Gündem eve dönüş Stratejik noktalara geçici karakol kuruluyor Miting izni verilmeyen DTP'den sert tepki Araplaşma Türkleri daha çok Müslüman yapmaz PKK’ya destek nasıl kesilir sempozyumu Mehmet Altan Otuz bin kişi ölmezdi... Iraq's Kurdish Jews Cautiously Return to Homeland Rafsanjani: Kurdish leaders are our good friends Iraqi Turkomans Oppose Opening of UN Office in Arbil Iraqi Kurdish Paper Interviews Iranian Consul in Sulaymaniyah Toptan: Pişmanlık Yasası gerekmez PKK tasarısına eleştiri K.Irak'taki ‘Kürdistan' haritası çıkartıldı A journey into Turkey's wild east
Jakarta Post Al-Iraqiyah Roundup: Talabani, Kurdish Delegation View Political Developments Red Cross seeks to help Kurdish displaced Jordan king to discuss Mideast peace, Iraq in Turkey Iran says President Ahmadinejad plans to visit Turkey Ahmedinecad Türkiye'ye gelecek Sözde Kürdistan haritasına operasyon DTP milletvekillerinden pişmanlık yasasına tepki
Iraq Kurd leader to discuss oil deals with Baghdad La Gioconda Perduta: Turkey, Kurdistan, and the PKK Polisten DTP'ye sloganlı cevap 'Son iki İran raporunda Türkiye rolü' Kandil menzilde Turkcell, Syriatel'in yüzde 51'ini satın alacak Irak petrolüne İsrail de ortak
Nasuhi Güngör Türkiye’siz enerji denklemi kurulamaz Okmeydanı'nda olaylı gün İzin çıkmadı savaş çıktı DTP'li Sabahat Tuncel Kürt değilmiş Gabar’da kuş uçurtmuyorlar Doğu Ergil Iran's defense strategy: threat or deterrence? ‘Industry for peace’ project going to Afghanistan, Pakistan Google News Greece Cyprus Turkish Cypriot Press ABHaber AB'yle Fransa krizi Murat Yetkin The long road to banishing stereotypes from Greek-Turkish TIES Rauf Denktaş Uzlaşma- uzlaşmazlık Andrew Finkel Baku, Brussels or Barcelona? Washington Post Jailed Teen Is Cloud Over Turkey's E.U. Bid Türk-Yunan ilişkilerinde 'Kennedy doktrini' Erivan'da 'Türkiye yanlısı' Ter-Petrosyan'a büyük destek EU ministers seek way out of Turkey crisis AB kulisi yaptı The truth behind the 'Fried statements'
Cyprus Mail Saadet Oruç AB’de Fransız kilidine Lizbon anahtarı Bosphorus Reflections: Turkish Politics: Society Progresses not the Politics Türkiye ile üyelik arasına yine Fransa girdi Zirvede Türkiye krizi çıkabilir AB, Türkiye konusunda Fransa'yı iknaya çalışacak Türk-Alman üniversitesi için mutabakat tamam Papadopus: Veto kullanmak doğru değil Kosova, yeniden Erdal Güven Kosovar party supported by Turks wins elections Bonino: Türkiye, Merkel’e dirensin Ata Atun If the Greek Cypriots said ‘yes’ to the Annan Plan 'Türkiye'yi veto koz kaybettirir' Orta Asya ile 34 harfli, ortak alfabe çalışması başlatılıyor Peace Strategies in "Frozen" Ethno-Territorial Conflicts
MZES This 57-page German working paper uses the example of Nagorno-Karabakh to argue for a peacekeeping strategy that integrates reconciliation and conflict management Azerbaijan-Turkey-US Relationship and its Importance for Eurasia ... Atalay: Kapkaç yüzde 65 azaldı Emniyet Genel Müdürlüğü, 185 bin polisi yeniden eğitime alıyor Madımak çiçekçi olacak Polisin orantısız güç kullanımı büyük sorun AI-Turkey survey: insufficient knowledge of human rights in Turkey [MONDAY TALK] Professor Kaboğlu: I feel defenseless as a 30-year defender of human rights Atatürk'e 60 Bin Kişilik Darbe Planı SSM’den büyük askeri araç ihalesi Dil bilmeyen 45 bin Hoca Dualar insanı iyileştirir mi?
İsmet Berkan Çelik: Türbanlıları moda artırmıştır Ways to fight against Islamophobia discussed at İstanbul conference Turkey deals a fatal blow to human trafficking with new methods New York Times: İstanbul, 2008'in yemek başkenti FOODIE DESTINATION | ISTANBUL; Cultures Meet at the Dinner Table Unakıtan'ın oğlu için 4 suçlama 'Hizbullah imamı'nı kayıp dosya kurtardı Conference Circuit Jerusalem Post Ahmet Ertürk: Kimseyi zorla ATV-Sabah ihalesine sokmadık I guarantee no trouble in Armenia-Turkey match Cemevi-cami kavgası ECEVİT KILIÇ Orta Asya'dan göç etme bir efsanedir
Nuclear Energy and Turkey Yüksel Oktay Violence-inclined police officers come under scrutiny Engin Ardıç Atatürk düşmanı değilim! El insaf! Türkiye’de petrol var mı?
Bugüne kadar "Mezun olduğumda beni kaparlar" diyen Boğaziçi ve ODTÜ öğrencilerini bile, 'işsizlik korkusu' sardı Karamürsel Air Station, Turkey, 1964
Üniversiteler ışıkevleri kuşatmasında Alevi diye dayak yiyen öğrenciyi de aramış Türk-İş’in yeni başkanı Mustafa Kumlu A Personal Evaluation of Nuclear Energy in Turkey- 2007 İmama ’iman’ şartı Gündüz Dışişleri personeli gece taksi şoförü oluyorlar Zaim passes away, Turkey loses master of economics Bamteli, artık görüntülü yayınlanacak TRT to sign rock band Mor ve Ötesi for Eurovision 10 Aralık 2007 Basın Özeti | H3 Türkiye'nin yapısı muhafazakâr ağırlıklı Çıkışı önle inişi sağla TSK ile hükümet PKK hazırlığında Yeni bir yasayla, bu kez eve dönüşü sağlayabiliriz Demokratik açılım genişliyor ERDAL ŞAFAK Hükümet-TSK ortak arayışı
PKK’da çöküş hızlanır
Şamil Tayyar Dağdan iniş şifresi: 221 Orta Asya'dan göç efsanedir Antropolog Timuçin Binder: Gen araştırmaları Türkiye'de yaşayanların 40 bin yıldır burada olduğunu gösteriyor Suriyeli terörist için ’Şam’ formülü Farklı bir Türkiye’ye doğru... Anadolu’yu yeniden fethetmeye hazırız Silah böyle bıraktırılır Government sends mixed signals on amnesty law MUHARREM SARIKAYA Dağdakine af mı pişmanlık mı? Araştırmadan korkanlar
Tarhan Erdem Taha AKYOL Şehirlerde dinin yükselişi Kadri GÜRSEL KONDA'nın araştırması türbanı deşifre etti Tarhan bey ispatlasın bu işi bırakırım Yeni YÖK Başkanı Prof. Özcan Güneydoğu için öneri Mahfi Eğilmez Toprak bütünlüğü kaygısının mazisi
AVNİ ÖZGÜREL KORAY DÜZGÖREN Bu sorun keşke “Ananın yanına dön” demekle çözülebilse Ardan Zentürk Türkiye’nin İran-Suriye zaferi... Hakan Aygün PKK’yı nasıl tasfiye etmeli? – Fatih Çekirge PKK kapattırmak istiyor çünkü DTP’yi yendik Cengiz Çandar Ömer Taşpınar Olive branch to Iran? Semih İDİZ İsrail de işin içine çekilmedikçe bu iş olmaz Ali H Aslan [WASHINGTON] Bush'un İran'la imtihanı Fikret BİLATeziç'ten Gül'e yeni YÖK önerisi Erdoğan'ın 'eve dönüş' adımına Baykal şimdilik, Bahçeli ise hepten karşı 'Terörün arkasında siyasi proje var' Malatya sanıkları cinayetten bir gün önce polisin takibindeymiş Emniyet'ten 'Malatya Katliamı' açıklaması... Son Soli Özel| Malatya ya da hukuk arayışı Malatya'da silah bilmecesi Tabancalar çocuk oyuncağıymış Emniyet: Silahlar savcılığa verildi Taha Kıvanç Fehmi Koru Great expectations and missed opportunities KÜRŞAT BUMİN Anayasa tartışmasına devam Kazanımlardan ödün verilmesin Ferai Tınç Anayasa tartışması 'Bu tartışmadan mutabakat çıkaralım' Din, Laiklik ve Türban Araştırması
Hasan Celal Güzel Yavuz Baydar As long as the outlaws rule… [CAFE CAPITAL] 100 days of Gül İhsan Yılmaz Surveys needed on more than just headscarves Hâkim-savcı eylemdeydi Durmuş Hocaoğlu Büyük Manevra ve Psikolojik Harekât: (I) II Ertuğrul Özkök Ekrem Dumanlı Medyada yeni bir dönem Ahmet HakanAz kalsın Sezen’in senaristi oluyordum Ahsen Yenge 3 milyarımı kaptı Mustafa Akyol Akıl, bilim ve mini etek M Ali Birand Cüneyt Ülsever Bilimden nasibini almamak Enis Berberoğlu Erdoğan’ın 11 ay sonra gösterdiği Köşk tanığı Oktay EkşiDaha önceleri neredeydiniz? Tufan TürençAkıl defterinden notlar Özdemir İnce Bir kez daha tevhid-i tedrisat (3) [Yorum - Doç.Dr.Mustafa Acar] Bir anketin ardından Yeni anayasa için 70'i aşkın kuruluş bir araya geldi
Anayasa için el ele Alevilerle randevu: 11 Ocak Hasan CEMAL Dayak! Turkish government strives to win hearts, Alevis want action MUHARREM SARIKAYA Dağdakine af mı pişmanlık mı? ERGUN BABAHAN Abim evin tek çocuğu EMRE AKÖZ Erdal Şafak Dışa açılmak, içe kapanmak Sami Selçuk ‘İçimdeki ahlak yasası’ Umur Talu HASAN BÜLENT KAHRAMAN Amerika din tartışıyor NAZLI ILICAK Yargı, devlet ve insan MAHMUT ÖVÜR AK Parti'den 'Yerel seçim startı' Sedat Sertoğlu
Dışişleri Bakanlığı’na El Fatiha Mustafa Erdoğan İnsan hakları: Bir uygarlık ölçütü YAVUZ DONAT Son defa Sıcak gündem: YÖK Serdar Turgut Neler oluyor
Mümtazer Türköne Erdoğan Teziç'ten sonrası Mustafa Ünal CHP nereye koşuyor? Şahin Alpay ‘A dialogue of civilizations’ İhsan Dağı Headscarf, hegemony and the Kemalists
Güngör URAS Yabancı, bankayı fabrikayı götüremez ama kârı götürür Büyüme durdu ABDURRAHMAN YILDIRIM Sermaye çıkışını şok faiz ve yeni bir paket keser
2001'den beri en düşük büyüme hızı Bir zamanlar onun adı Kızıl İmam'dı Bu gidişat hayra alamet değil
Fatih Özatay İslami borsa endeksi oluşturuluyor [NEWS ANALYSIS] Looking at Turkey’s inflation rate as the year’s end approaches Ercan Kumcu Bankacılıkta gözetim ve denetimin sınırları Dışarıya bakarken içeriyi ihmal etmeyelim Osman ULAGAY Dalga değil, tsunami Erdal Sağlam Enflasyon mu, büyüme mi tartışmaları kaçınılmaz Başarılı örnekler özendiricidir! Uğur Gürses Minimum wage far below minimum standard of living Yaman TÖRÜNER Türk ekonomisi değişti Türkiye'de ücretler yüksekmiş
Murat Belge Asım Erdilek The global corruption barometer OKAN MÜDERRİSOĞLU
Cari açık tedavi programı
Deniz Gökçe 851 milyar YTL! Deniz Gökçe OECD pek kötümser değil! Erdoğan: Türkiye ekonomik anlamda restorasyon değil, yeniden inşa yaşıyor Serpil YILMAZ
Çalık 1.1 milyar doları nasıl ödeyecek?
Türk lirası mevduat kıt, bankacılıkta rekabet kızışacak Bülent Keneş Turkey’s ‘other war’ |
H4 New York Times THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN Making Peace With Pieces Unless there is more reconciliation within the countries in the Middle East, it is hard to see how there will be more reconciliation between them. Help Me Spy on Al Qaeda By MIKE McCONNELL We must be able to continue effectively obtaining the information gained through the Protect America Act if we are to stay ahead of terrorists who are determined to attack the United States. Editorial In Arrogant Defense of Torture Lawmakers should demand that the White House explain why intelligence operatives should scoff at a ban on torture that is unquestionably the law of the land. ROGER COHEN Obama’s American Idea Barack Obama is right to retain a belief in America’s capacity to inspire; it remains unique By EDUARDO PORTER If China is less wealthy, and less a rival, maybe some members of the United States Congress will not press it so hard to revalue its exchange rate. Look Who’s Still Standing in Russia By CLIFFORD J. LEVY With President Vladimir V. Putin’s party swaggering to an election landslide last week, the heirs of Lenin and Stalin are the only ones left with a toehold in the government. U.N. Fears Serbs Will Disrupt a Free Kosovo | H5 Washington Post In Iraq, Can We Guard What We've Gained? By Stephen Biddle, We must remember: Civil wars are civil wars because the locals do not trust each other. An outside peacekeeping role is thus critical to success. The Spies Strike Back By Jim Hoagland The Fourth of July came on Dec. 3 this year for the U.S. intelligence community. Ghost Hunting The good news: We're not going to war with Iran. The bad news: We still don't know what they're thinking. By Arthur Keller, Confused about Iran? As a former CIA officer working in Iraq, I feel your pain. Who's Watching Over Ahmadinejad? By Vali Nasr, Meet 'The Decider' of Tehran. It's Not the Hothead You Expect. Iran Aims 'To Foment Instability,' Gates Says Nuclear Program Could Be Restarted, Defense Chief Warns Foreign Affairs Panel Calls For Overhaul of State Dept. Putin, Long Taciturn About His Future, Has Put Scenarios in Play, Analysts Say Putin Power By Boris Jordan The Russian president delivers. That's why they like him. The Belarus Resistance Fred Hiatt | Bush's 'freedom agenda' has been taken more seriously by its enemies than by its authors. Paulson Behind the Curve Sebastian Mallaby| The Treasury Secretary ranks among the Bush administration's many disappointments. Harvest of Misery Jimmy Carter | Take it from a former president (and a former farmer): The farm bill is bad for America and bad for the world. Suicide Bombing Kills 8 In Northern Iraq Oil Town Hill Briefed on Waterboarding in 2002 In Meetings, Spy Panels' Chiefs Did Not Protest, Officials Say Justice, CIA Begin Videotape Inquiry Spy Agency Asked to Preserve Evidence Related to Destroyed Interrogation Records After Struggle, a New French Mosque Is Born European Muslims, many of whom have spent decades praying in basements and abandoned buildings, find acceptance in new mosques. Stop Getting Mad, America. Get Smart. By Richard L. Armitage and Joseph S. Nye Jr Shocked and frightened after 9/11, we put forward an angry face to the globe. That's not who we are. Iraq's 'Battlefield of the Mind' Bush Threatens Veto Of New Spending Bill Proposed Deal Includes Iraq War Funds Bomb Kills Iraqi Police Chief Praised by U.S. Mere hours after U.S. commanders praised him for bringing stability to Iraq, Maj. Gen. Qais al-Mamouri is killed by a roadside bomb. Hillary's Ex Factor The 'Two Presidents' Issue Isn't Going Away By David Ignatius, The 'dual presidency' issue isn't going away Oprah: 'I'm Tired of Politics as Usual' Oprah Winfrey Makes Her Case for Sen. Obama's Presidential Candidacy White May Be Might, But It's Not Always Right By Khalil G. Muhammad, After a century, it's about time we stopped blaming "black" values for social problems. After Guantanamo Stays, Saudis Are Reintegrated About 40 Saudi Arabian detainees who have been transferred to Riyadh since last year have been released after participating in ongoing program Names of the Detained in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba Full Coverage | Timeline | 5 Years at Guantanamo 'A Defining Issue' » Editorial| The presidential candidates fall into two distinct groups on the question of torture. It's Still Spying Ron Wyden| A law that protects Americans from government surveillance on U.S. soil should also protect U.S. citizens overseas Sharif's Party to Participate in Pakistan Vote Former Prime Minister Decides Against Boycott After Bhutto Wouldn't Join Him » Robert D. Novak| Why the GOP has failed to regain its brand as the party of fiscal responsibility | H6 Guardian Serbs prepare for Kosovo showdown After talks end in deadlock, province prepares to declare independence Troops ready for final assault on Musa Qala · Battle is first major test of Nato-trained Afghan army · UK soldiers exchange intense fire with Taliban
Analysis: British handover Four years after its compound was bombed, UN renews mission to bring peace to Iraq The liberties stripped from the weak today could be lost to us all tomorrow Natasha Walter: Plans to extend pre-trial detention have sparked opposition - yet many are already locked up for months without charge To believe in a European utopia before Muslims arrived is delusional
Gary Younge: It is pernicious to regard prejudiced views within migrant communities as exclusive to either them or their cultures Spin, lies and contempt Michael Boyle Beyond the politics of the National Intelligence Estimate on Iran lie some uncomfortable questions about the Bush administration The threat has not diminished Jonathan Schell The intelligence is misguided - the danger that Iran will acquire nuclear weapons is real. What's missing is the policy to address it Brown's new economic plan for Iraq PM flies in to meet troops days ahead of the British military handover of control Troops set for final Musa Qula assault Battle is first major test of Nato-trained army made up of British, American and Afghan soldiers Analysis: It's time for power to shift Britain's role in Iraq and Afghanistan, which has been putting huge pressure on the armed forces, enters a defining stage this week. Iran remains potential threat, Gates warns Brown calls on Google to help the world's poor Talks held with multinationals to tackle 'development emergency' The Observer Battle rages for Taliban stronghold Royal Marines fighting to seize area key to the drug trade Don't turn our law enforcers into thought police A democracy must collectively guard itself from those that preach hate. But democracy is itself undermined when we turn law officers into thought police Revolution in care for old people
Elderly people are to be given money to pay for their own care in a move hailed as one of the most radical welfare reforms in over a generation A new civil defence force would defeat the politics of fear Nick Clegg: Insecurity has become the signature tune of contemporary life. And yet, in many ways, we have never been safer or healthier |
| H7 Bolton calls report on Iran quasi-putsch Boston Globe For US foreign policy, it's all power, no influence A MAN bit a dog last week. Not just any man, and not just any dog. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates decried the vast disproportion between America's annual investment in the Pentagon - something like $700 billion - and what is spent on the State Department - about $35 billion. Winep Unwanted Guest: The Gulf Summit and Iran Simon Henderson examines the implications of the Iranian president's unprecedented attendance at the recent Gulf Cooperation Council summit. 'Laptop of Death': Revising the NIE on Iran State Department documents reveal U.S. dealings with Venezuela's Chavez Tony Karon Israel and the NIE’s Inconvenient Truth TimeBlog NIE: Tehran's Choice Now The Leveretts, the White House and Iran Post Iran NIE: What Stays the Same, What Changes Is This Really World War IV? - Peter Beinart, Los Angeles Times
The Gulf States and Iran - Max Boot, Wall Street Journal
Washington Times Editorial Whitewashing Iranian nukes PINR "Intelligence Brief: NIE Report on Iran's Nuclear Weapons Program" Full text of report Cenk Uygur: Our Third and Final Mistake in Iraq Daily Star Gordon Brown's Middle Eastern amnesia
By Michael Glackin Boston Globe Africa Rising Democracy is expanding. Conflicts are ebbing. Economies are growing at a healthy clip. The untold story of a continent that is surprising the pessimists. (By Drake Bennett, Boston Globe) | H8 IraqSlogger Google News Iraq Iran Syria Mideastwire.com - NPR Iraq stratfor Israel says Iran could have nuclear bomb by 2010 US General Says al-Qaeda Changing Tactics in Iraq's Diyala Bolton: US Intel Report on Iran Was Political Israel says Iran could have nuclear bomb by 2010 Iraq Proposes U.S. - Iran Talks In January Iran Studying Talks With U.S. on Iraq Iran Drops Dollar From Oil Deals Tea and empathy
Peaceful streets test social skills of US troops in Iraq Iraqi police chief dies in attack The police chief of a mainly Shia region of Iraq is killed in a roadside bomb attack south of Baghdad, police say. Rival Lebanese Parties Closer to Consensus on Amendment Syria: Assad Fires Official Who Barred Facebook BBC Monitoring Headlines, Quotes From Iraqi Press 9 Dec 07 - Package B BBC Monitoring Headlines, Quotes From Iraqi Press 9 Dec 07 Iran students break campus gate in protest... Iraq Plans Crackdown in Violent Province Gordon Brown Makes Unannounced Visit to Iraq | H9 Ha’aretz – Jervis & Cohen discuss the flaws of the Iran NIE Barel They stole the threat from usWhat good can come from emphasizing the ties between Iran and Hamas or Hezbollah when Iran is now portrayed as a state that no longer threatens the region? Oren Ballistic in Brussels NATO will not bring peace, but if peace comes, it will accept an invitation to keep an eye on it. However, to reach that goal, Israel will have to make good on the poetic statements it is making. Olmert: Israel will work to expose Iran nuke program U.S. army chief Mike Mullen: 'I understand Israel's concerns' Gates: Israel Not a Nuclear Threat, Unlike Iran Report: Hamas Wants Cease-Fire With Israel in the Gaza Strip Poll: Who's your Democratic favorite for 2008? December Factor: Giuliani, Clinton, Bloomberg, McCain U.S. experts criticize report on Iran nukes Sources: Russia working to get its emigrants back Jerusalem PostMofaz to challenge prime minister for Kadima leadership Unraveling more than Iran policy [ JONATHAN TOBIN Yedioth Ahronoth 'Cede parts of Jerusalem' Vice Premier Haim Ramon defends construction project in contested Jerusalem neighborhood but says Israel should consider handing over the city's Arab areas to the Palestinian Authority so as not to lose crucial US support Daily Alert.org – Middle East Progress - EJC Israeli Press Review – Google News Israel - Palestine Kevin Peraino Palestinian spooks are finding inventive ways to undermine the Islamists in the Gaza Strip. The Legacy Interview by DEBORAH SOLOMON The newly anointed editor of Commentary talks about filling his dad’s shoes, pundits versus intellectuals and why things look bad for the Jews. Helena Cobban Washington losing struggle for Abu Mazen's soul? |
| H10 Christian Science Monitor Baghdad safer, but it's a life behind walls Mini fortified 'green zones' are cropping up, improving security but leaving many residents feeling penned in. Putin eyes Belarus merger The union could enable Russia's popular president to retain power by creating a new Constitution. In Iran, Ahmadinejad's bold gambits boost presidential power The firebrand leader has succeeded in grabbing more control despite wide criticism at home and abroad. Destroyed CIA tapes spur probes They could have shown if the harsh interrogation of terror suspects was illegal. At Bali climate change meeting, a hard look at Kyoto Old climate change standards offer lessons In Kosovo, a critic who just won't quit House arrest hasn't stopped Albin Kurti from railing against foreign diplomats who are expected Monday to announce their failure to broker an independence deal. Benazir Bhutto: Why the world needs democracy in Pakistan AMERICA'S HOUSING BUST A crisis with staying power The current deflation of home prices is changing America. First of a three-part series. ASIA Newsweek Why America’s Point Man On China Is Running Into a Wall The Observer Why the Himalayas might not look like this for much longer Will Hutton: China's economic growth, underpinned by a lack of political accountability, will have a devastating environmental impact FDI and Job Creation in China ICSEAD A 31-page working paper examining the effect of FDI on job creation in the Chinese manufacturing sector China in the Eyes of its Neighbours Stimson Center A US article on the concerns held in neighbouring countries about the emergence of China as a major power The ASEAN Brief
ASEAN This 17-page document highlights the progress of ASEAN integration, community building and development Political Crisis and the 'Coming' Election in Pakistan
IDSA Broad U.S.-China Dialogue Advances Toward Long-Term Goals Bush, Musharraf and the rule of law (By Nat Hentoff) Sharif's party drops opposition boycott | H11 IHT A difficult question for Kosovars: Who are we? "A Kosovo identity does not exist," as the rebellious province moves closer to independence from Serbia. Harmony out of reach at EU-Africa summit Science and policy collide in EU over genetically modified crops EUROPE European press review BBC EU ministers debate Kosovo future EU foreign ministers are meeting to debate Kosovo's status, as a UN deadline for a resolution arrives. Q&A: Kosovo's future Profile: Hashim Thaci Milosevic's legacy
Dreams of a greater Serbia end with an independent Kosovo
Clashing continents
Spats, tough issues and grand words at EU-Africa summit Newsweek Is This the New Look of France? Denis MacShane arkozy has a lot of energy. But he is increasingly looking like a placeholder for whoever comes next. NATO and Missile Defence SWP A 29-page German analysis of the options available to European members of NATO in the light of the rapid development of the US missile defence system The Challenge of Islamists for EU and US Policies: Conflict, Stability and Reform
SWP, USIP An 83-page volume of contributions on the challenges presented by Islamist politics to the EU and US Pioneering Foreign Policy: The EU Special Representatives ISS-EU
This 165-page paper examines the role of the EU special representatives Is NATO, "To Be, or Not to Be"? Cicero Foundation This 12-page lecture comments on the challenges facing NATO The Berlin-London Connection: From "No Frills" to "Full Service"
SWP An 8-page German article discussing the growth in cooperation between Germany and the UK in European affairs Independence Jitters Grip Kosovo NATO Says It's Prepared to Keep the Peace in Kosovo Gender and working conditions in the European Union
Source: Eurofound Full Report (PDF; 2.5 MB) Bosnian Serbs vote for president
Social Democrat Rajko Kuzmanovic takes an early lead in the election for a new Bosnian Serb president. | H12 RFE/RL Communist leader emerging as head of Russia's opposition, by default Google News Azerbaijan Russian Gas and European Energy Security SWP A German examination of the limitations and weaknesses of the European energy foreign policy Peace Strategies in "Frozen" Ethno-Territorial Conflicts
MZES This 57-page German working paper uses the example of Nagorno-Karabakh to argue for a peacekeeping strategy that integrates reconciliation and conflict management US Missile Defence in Europe: The View from Russia CAST Rebuilding Chechnya: From Conflict Zone to House of Cards FRIDE A 10-page Spanish paper describing the situation in Chechnya and current Russian policy towards it A Collapsing Facade: The Russian Duma Election in Perspective Glorious Nation of Uzbekistan
New York Times - Boston Globe In Russia, a democratic message blurred SEVERAL ATTEMPTS by the alliance known as Another Russia to organize protest rallies in Russia's most populous cities, including the recent fiascoes in Moscow and St. Petersburg, have revealed an indisputable truth - those who call themselves the liberal opposition in Russia are neither competent nor popular. (By Nicolai Petro, Boston Globe) Interview with Mikhail Gorbachev The former Soviet president on autocracy, hints of a new Cold War -- and that Louis Vuitton ad. |
| H13 The Times Leader Britain and Basra Brown must show a willingness to confront extremists in southern Iraq Brown promises Christmas handover in Basra Prime Minister made a pre-Christmas visit to troops and demanded the release of five British hostages captured in May Success in Musa Qala matters Success in Musa Qala is important, it's the only town in Afghanistan undeniably under Islamist control Bronwen Maddox Troops set to retake Taleban stronghold Troops are poised to smash through Taleban defences after surrounding the Afghan town of Musa Qala in a huge operation David Miliband urges unity over Kosovo The Foreign Secretary will fly to Brussels to urge European powers to unite behind Kosovo when it declares independence A story of life and The Times By Fleet Street standards, The Times has been a stable institution, its character adds to its authority William Rees-Mogg Sunday Times Iran ‘nuclear bombshell’ splits US Was US intelligence really fooled for four years or is it being undermined from within? British capture two senior Taleban commanders Troops are poised to smash through Taleban defences after surrounding the Afghan town of Musa Qala in a huge operation We can put the brake on Brussels Signing up for the EU reform treaty in Lisbon on Thursday is a matter of profound consequence Lord Owen Impotent West leaves Darfur hurting Accepting the unacceptable in Darfur makes a mockery of Tony Blair's new "liberal interventionism" Simon Jenkins Wall Street Journal Algeria-Russia Split Helps Europe An Algerian-Russian natural-gas pact has lapsed, possibly allaying Europe's concerns big suppliers could join to boost prices | H14 Financial Times Editorial Decision time looms on Kosovo The European Union must emphasise that eventual Union membership for all the Balkan states will come only with peaceful co-existence Engage with Iran and Syria, Iraq tells US Iran and Syria have taken measures to curb violence in Iraq, a senior Iraqi official said, in a rare acknowledgement of a shift in tactics by the two allegedly troublesome neighbours French seek pragmatic EU Nicolas Sarkozy’s determination that the European Union should not be a ‘machine that just advances on its own’ and must allow elected national politicians to exercise more influence over competition, monetary and trade policies, has been underlined by the French president’s chief political strategist Kosovo set to hold off on settlement Kosovo’s Albanian majority has begun a critical week in its relations with Serbia by insisting that it will not press ahead with a declaration of independence without co-ordinating the move with the European Union Iran signs $2bn oil deal with China Iran has signed a $2bn oil contract with Sinopec of China, sending a signal to western companies that they might miss out on potentially lucrative contracts if they continued to heed US-inspired sanctions against Tehran UK’s Iraq combat task to end by Christmas Britain is to hand over its last remaining combat responsibilities in Iraq to local army and police “in the next two weeks”, Gordon Brown announced last night on a visit to troops in Basra. Enlarged EU is coping without treaty, says study Spectre of colonialism vies with the Spirit of Lisbon It was billed as the occasion for European countries to shed post-colonial guilt along with any predilection to deliver lessons. Senator seeks tougher CIA tapes inquiryThe controversy over the CIA’s destruction of videotapes allegedly showing harsh interrogation of al-Qaeda suspects grew with an influential Democrat calling for a special counsel investigation Climate conference directs fire at US and EU Proposals by rich nations that poor countries should remove trade barriers on environmental goods to fight global warming have raised a storm at the climate talks in Bali The UK economy is vulnerable It still looks robust, but times will now get tough for Britain, exposed to market turmoil. Those who live by the global economy also die by it Mormonism goes mainstream Religious freedom includes the freedom not to believe. If Mitt Romney disdains the irreligious, that would be reason for the US to vote against him The trouble with the Paulson plan As the housing slump worsens, the US Treasury secretary’s home loans deal will increasingly be deemed unfair and inadequate. From now on, every mortgage foreclosure will be seen as proof of the policy’s failure – and partly the administration’s fault, says Clive Crook Striking title, shame about the content Gideon Rachman finds the former American diplomat frustrating because his badly-written book lacks intellectual depth and new ideas Europe carmakers call for world climate deal | The oil speculator premium ,By Paul Roberts Nine little words By Thomas Powers The NIE report on Iran's nuclear program squelches talk of war, and renews faith in our intelligence agencies' independence. Is this really World War IV? By Peter Beinart Neocon insistence that the Cold War was a 'world war' distorts history and incites armed conflict. Beyond preemption By Matthew YglesiasDemocrats can't just criticize Bush's foreign policy, they must articulate alternatives Bolton calls report on Iran 'quasi-putsch' Editorial Bomber targets police in Iraqi oil hub |
| H16 American Politics Roger Cohen: Obama and the American idea By ROGER COHEN I asked Senator Barack Obama if he's tough enough for a dangerous world. Sometimes the Democratic candidate treads so carefully, and looks so vulnerable to a gust of wind, the question of whether his legal mind can get lethal arises. The Observer High noon in Iowa: one small state, one global decision Fewer than three million Americans could decide the race to the White House. Paul Harris reports NYT Clinton Talks of Scars While Keeping Guard Up After years of public battles, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton must prove she is not too hardened to inspire FRANK RICH The Republicans Find Their Obama The real reason for Mike Huckabee’s ascendance may be that his message is more uplifting than that of rivals whose main calling cards are fear and nativism. Show Us the Mortgage Relief Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson Jr.’s new relief plan to stanch the foreclosure crisis is too voluntary, as it relies on the private sector to protect the public interest. Huckabee surges to big GOP lead; Dems in dogfight Clinton wobbles as her backers turn to Obama realclearpolitics – ABC’s The Note – US News Political Bulletin Early Bird GovExec Swamp Gas The Swamp By LAURIE GOODSTEIN Mitt Romney, after nearly a year of graciously sidestepping invitations to a theological duel, may have at last engaged it despite himself Glenn Greenwald / Salon: Democratic complicity in Bush's torture regimen — Robert Maranto / Washington Post: As a Republican, I'm on the Fringe | H17 Daily Telegraph Sanctions 'push Iran's economy to brink' Iran's banks are on the brink of collapse and its manufacturing industries facing severe shortages as sanctions bite, according to assessments by Western officials. We must never forget we're British Britishness runs deeper than a check-list of historic achievements, no matter how notable. It is rooted in our shared institutions and values. And, perhaps most important, it is about a state of mind Scots and English 'will part as friends' The United Kingdom, as an idea, has become anachronistic for modern Scots, finds Andrew O'Hagan at the start of his journey to gauge the strength of the Union. Kosovo's Serbs face up to bleak future Kosovo's dwindling Serbs expect to be cut off from their mother country if the Albanian majority declares independence. Battle for Taliban stronghold intensifies British and Afghan troops probed the edges of Musa Qala but held back from a final assault as thousands of civilians remain inside. Sunday Telegraph Iraqis begin to emerge from the dark As the kidnappings, brutality and bombs abate, exiles start to return and Baghdad cautiously resumes normal life, reports Colin Freeman. We are all better off being British The Telegraph is launching a patriotic campaign to celebrate Britishness and stimulate projects that will confound those who want to tear our great Union asunder We love Britain, but the Union's future is uncertain More than six out of 10 English voters say they feel "British", according to a new poll, but the future of the Union is shaky. Analysis: How long will the union last? British troops advance on Taliban stronghold Nato and Afghan troops advance on Musa Qala following a series of intense clashes. Hold fast to Union that makes Britain great United, we still give a lead to the world. Yet some want us to divide. Andrew Roberts kicks off the Telegraph's 'Call Yourself British' debate with a salute to our nationhood The Hitchhiker's Guide to PM There is no logical political explanation why ministers decided that the number of days terror suspects can be held without charge should be 42, writes Matthew d'Ancona Why Brown should sign the EU Treaty If Gordon Brown fails to turn up to sign the new EU constitution next week in Lisbon, it will be an act of cowardice. | H18 Independent Leading article: The wheels are in motion - and time is running out Unless the gathering in Bali is able to muster a significant step towards an international and mandatory system of emission cuts, it will go down in history as an unforgivably wasted opportunity. 'The biggest environmental crime in history' British oil giant BP is being accused of abandoning its "green sheen" by investing nearly £1.5bn to extract oil from the Canadian wilderness using methods which environmentalists say are part of the "biggest global warming crime" in history. Revealed: racism row scientist has black genes A Nobel Prize-winning scientist who claimed black Africans were less intelligent than whites has a DNA profile with up to 16 times more genes of black origin than the average white European. Kosovo protesters demand declaration of independence France and Spain join forces to fight Eta China the victor as Europe fails to secure trade deal with Africa Iranian defectors 'helped with US intelligence report' Nato troops close in on Taliban stronghold Brown heralds handover of power in Basra to Iraqis CIA photos 'show UK Guantanamo detainee was tortured' Britain is to embark on a wind power revolution that will produce enough electricity to power every home in the country, ministers will reveal tomorrow Leading article: The planet's chance of a lifetime Briefing: Russian paranoia as Kosovo prepares to go it alone US plan to cut greenhouse gases by 70 per cent signals change of heart on climate change |
| H19Military Intelligence Terrorism Counterinsurgency For U.S. Government Policy Makers, A Work in Progress (PDF; 9.9 MB)
Source: U.S. Department of State (via U.S. Government Interagency Counterinsurgency Initiative) The UN Security Council’s Counterterrorism Program: What Lies Ahead? (PDF; 1.1 MB ) Source: International Peace Academy Open Source Intelligence (OSINT): Issues for Congress (PDF; 161 KB)
Source: Congressional Research Service (via Federation of American Scientists) Is NATO, "To Be, or Not to Be"? Cicero Foundation This 12-page lecture comments on the challenges facing NATO NATO and Missile Defence SWP A 29-page German analysis of the options available to European members of NATO in the light of the rapid development of the US missile defence system Probation and Parole in the United States, 2006 Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics Full Report (PDF; 243 KB) The number of adult men and women in the United States who were being supervised on probation or parole at the end of 2006 reached 5,035,225. French Author Accused of Outing Secrets Return of Booby Traps in Iraq: Security Retrogression or Proof of Existence? Lawyers charge the CIA tortured their client in secret prisons Managing Contradictions: The Inherent Dilemmas of Postwar Statebuilding IPA
This 18-page report summarizes the findings of a collaborative research project seeking to disentangle some of the key dilemmas of statebuilding CIA Official Known for Caution The Justice Department is opening an inquiry into the CIA's destruction of detainee-interrogation tapes in a sign of increasing scrutiny U.S. Releasing Some Saudi Detainees Sibel Edmonds's Story is more Explosive than the Pentagon papers ... | H20 Slate Does Culture Matter for Development? AFD
Papers delivered at this conference addressing the relationship between culture and development (single page linking to each paper) Bookmaker and pari-mutuel betting: Is a (reverse) favourite-longshot bias built-in? (PDF; 448 KB) Source:Department of Economics, Royal Holloway, University of London A widely documented empirical regularity in gambling markets is that bets on high probability events (a race won by a “favourite”) have higer expected returns than bets on low probability events (a “longshot” win). Such favourite-longshot (FL) biases however appear to be more severe and persistent in bookmaker markets than in pari-mutuel markets; the latter sometims exhibit no bias or a revers FL bias. Our results help understand these differences: the odds grid in bookmaker markets leads to a built-in FL bias, wheras that used in pari-mutuel betting pushes these markets toward a reverse FL bias. The Characteristics of Offshorable Jobs Source: Economic Policy Institute Why Generation(s) Matter(s) to Policy Source: Institute of Public and International Affairs, University of Utah Climate Change and National Security CFR 'Climate change' or 'global warming'? Global Imbalances and Developing Countries: Remedies for a Failing International Financial System FONDAD, KIEP This 148-page monograph considers the problems raised by global imbalances, especially for developing countries Prospects for Future Oil Production CFR Comments by the vice-chairman of Chevron Corporation on future world oil production Republicans on the Fringe in Academia - Robert Maranto, Washington Post By GREGORY CLARK Reviewed by BENJAMIN M. FRIEDMAN Does natural selection favor the rise of capitalist economies? 'The Fall of the House of Bush,' by Craig Unger The List: The World’s Worst Places to Be a Kid | H21 NYT Magazine For the seventh consecutive December, the magazine looks back on the passing year through a special lens: ideas. Editors and writers trawl the oceans of ingenuity, hoping to snag in our nets the many curious, inspired, perplexing and sometimes outright illegal innovations of the past 12 months. Then we lay them out on the dock, flipping and flopping and gasping for air, and toss back all but those that are fresh enough for our particular cut of intellectual sushi. For better or worse, these are 70 of the ideas that helped make 2007 what it was. Enjoy All Brains Are the Same Color By RICHARD E. NISBETT Interventions at every age from infancy to college can reduce racial gaps in I.Q., sometimes by substantial amounts in surprisingly little time. Joseph Schumpeter Revisited - Brad DeLong, Chronicle of Higher Education The science of persuasion Steve Martin The behaviour of others is a powerful motivating force. If harnessed correctly it could help us to become more socially responsible World views on free press mixed
A BBC World Service poll shows global opinion divided on the importance of press freedom and social stability Wikipedia ban for disruptive professor
The academic world has been sceptical of Wikipedia since its launch in 2001. Now the controversial website is suspicious of academics, following a scandal in which a world-renowned computer scientist has been banned from editing the online collaborative encyclopaedia Smart talkers who left US white elite lost for words
New film tells the story of an all-black debating team that overcame 1935's best and brightest From burgers to Bin Laden: has film-maker found al-Qai'da boss? Pulp Nation How crime fiction shaped the way we see the world (By Steve Almond, Boston Globe) A force for peace By MARK LEVINE AND SALMAN AHMED Led Zeppelin has channeled the Sufi music of South Asia through the blues to create rock 'n' roll. It's about time the world starts listening.
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