| H1 Washington Post Iran Top Threat To Iraq, U.S. Says Focus on Al-Qaeda Now Diminishing Robert Kagan on The End of the End of History: Why the twenty-first century will look like the nineteenth. Stratfor Realignment in the ME Winning Counterinsurgency War: The Israeli Experience - Maj.-Gen. (res.) Yaakov Amidror (Institute for Contemporary Affairs-Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs) (pdf) NYRB Into the Lion's Den
By Hussein Agha and Robert Malley NYRB What Have We Learned, If Anything? By Tony Judt
The twentieth century is hardly behind us but already its quarrels and its achievements, its ideals and its fears are slipping into the obscurity of mis-memory. In the West we have made haste to dispense whenever possible with the economic, intellectual, and institutional baggage of the twentieth century and encouraged others to do likewise. In the wake of 1989, with boundless confidence and insufficient reflection, we put the twentieth century behind us and strode boldly into its successor swaddled in self-serving half-truths: the triumph of the West, the end of History, the unipolar American moment, the ineluctable march of globalization and the free market. When Choosing Not to Choose Becomes a Choice By: Amir Taheri | Asharq Alawsat
As always, the only thing that really mattered in the recent elections in the Islamic Republic in Iran was voter turnout. This is because, with all candidates approved by the authorities, the only choice that voters had was to go to the polls or not New York TimesIran Fighting Proxy War in Iraq, U.S. Envoy Says Bush Holds Out Hope for More Iraq Troop Cuts Is this the beginning of water wars? New Scientist Yedioth Ahronoth 'New Iran sanctions unlikely' US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice reiterates concerns over Iranian nuclear program, says both US and UN must wait and see how Islamic republic responds to latest round of imposed sanctions YaleGlobal How to Win in Iraq Without Losing to Iran Dilip Hiro COMMENT: Good leaders must avoid 'emperor's trap' FOR the first time in decades, a United States senator will become the next American president as all three of the remaining candidates -- Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and John McCain -- are members of the Senate. While legislators have many leadership skills, their management ability is usually unproven. Senators manage a roughly 100-member staff, and a campaign staff of several hundreds. But can they manage an executive branch employing millions? By Joseph Nye Ha’aretz – Guest: US-Israel defense pact would be a bad idea Weekly Standard Progress, Actually Things are looking up in Iraq, which is why the Democrats have forgotten about benchmarks. by Frederick W. Kagan Asia Times US edges closer to engaging Iran Iran has condemned attacks on the Green Zone in Baghdad, distancing itself from provocative acts against the United States, while also downplaying Israel's massive military exercises. This comes as Tehran acknowledges the receipt of an official Washington suggestion for a next round of talks on Iraq. With the US position eroding fast in Iraq, there is a strong sense the George W Bush administration is taking the plunge for unconditional talks with Iran. - M K Bhadrakumar Tehran keeps its options open
Iran's reluctance to jump into another round of dialogue with the United States over Iraq stems from its belief that no tangible results can be gained as long as Washington constantly demonizes Iran and fails to appreciate its true role in Iraq. - Kaveh L Afrasiabi Mixed Muslim message in 'war on terror'
The majority of the 57 member states of the Organization of the Islamic Conference lend territorial or military assistance of different shades to the United States' "war on terror". This appears to belie any imminent "clash of civilizations". Yet while the governments side with the US, their citizens have vehemently anti-American positions. - Sreeram Chaulia The U.S. Election: Grounds for Optimism By: Tom Plate | The Japan Times With the U.S. elections revealing candidate's increased interest in China, India, Japan and South Korea, Asia finds it can afford to be optimistic about its future U.S. relations. Can China and India Save the U.S.? By: Bill Emmott | The Guardian Economies in crisis: The new economic powerhouses are less reliant on American consumption, but to conquer rampant inflation they must work together Iran’s election signals , Rasool Nafisi Cheney on the Warpath Again? By Dan Froomkin Reidar Visser Iraqi Shiite Factionalism and Iran’s Role in the Basra Fighting Independent The other global crisisThe other global crisis: rush to biofuels is driving up price of food The credit crunch will dominate this weekend's G7 meeting. But the world's poorest countries face a more urgent problem: the spiralling cost of basic foods which has provoked riots and threatens millions with starvation. Leading article: The challenge ahead... how to feed the world over the coming century RFE/RL Commentary: Did Ukraine And Georgia Lose A NATO Battle, Or The War? NATO: Kyiv, Tbilisi Face More Obstacles Than Simply Russian Resistance World: CIS Countries Among Hardest Hit In Global Financial Crisis The Times British accused of appeasement in Basra As Basra slowly comes back to life, the hands-off role of the British is blamed for the previous success of fanatics Nicolas Sarkozy's Mediterranean Union Patrick Seale - President Nicolas Sarkozy of France believes passionately in a Mediterranean Union, and is putting a great deal of energy - and urgency -- into bringing it to birth Financial Times Opec cuts output despite west’s pleas The 13-member cartel has quietly begun to reduce production despite calls from the US and Europe for the group to pump more so that prices fall Obama opposes Hamas meeting Barack Obama has distanced himself from Jimmy Carter, the former US president, who plans to meet Khaled Meshal, the leader of Hamas, the radical Palestinian party, in Syria next week ‘Reagan Democrats’ switch allegiance Fuelled by disaffection with the Iraq war, the Bush administration’s alleged mismanagement of the US economy and its departure from fiscal conservatism, Pennsylvania as a whole has shifted from being a swing state into a Democratic state over the past few years US consumer confidence hits 26-year low The soaring cost of basic foodstuffs and a weakening labour market sent US consumer confidence spiralling to a 26-year low this month compounding the gloomy outlook for the US economy Soaring Shia ambitions in Iraq threatened Plans for a $10bn rebuilding project drawn up by the Shia community in Iraq are being undermined by clashes between government forces and Moqtada al-Sadr’s Mahdi army The lazy, crazy middle class The percentage of average Americans who say their life is better than it was five years ago is the lowest in almost half a century, writes Christopher Caldwell • 'Slippery Polls: Uses and Abuses of Opinion Surveys from Arab States' by David Pollock, The Washington Institute Newsmax/Zogby Poll: Clinton Holds Slight Edge Over Obama in PA — Bush Job Approval at 28%, Lowest of His Administration | H2 Redefining Turkishness - Washington Times editorial Washington Institute Divergent European Approaches to Combating PKK Terrorism By Abdulkadir Onay ABD’nin İncirlik endişesi By Qubad Talabani Iraq's Kurds have every right to pursue their national self interests and to defend their hard earned gains Vote of confidence to Turkey from ATC president Amitai Etzioni Let Them Wear Scarves Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to Give Keynote Address to ... The Kurds Ascending: The Evolving Solution to the Kurdish Problem ... OxAn The World Next Week - Turkey: curiouser and curiouser Cyprus: three-way split Turkey: headscarf wrangle Friends of convenience The Australian FOR the past 12 months, Turkish envoys have been shuttling between Jerusalem and Damascus, carrying missives aimed at peace, not war, in the Middle East Turkish Iranian gas deal takes shape FT WORLD NEWS: Barroso urges Turkey to speed up pace of reform Turkish Dam Controversy Continues: Berlin Threatens Project Pullout - International - SPIEGEL ONLINE - News PARTY CALLS FOR A COMMITTEE ON SOUTHEAST TURKEY - Eurasia Daily Monitor Lawfare and Wearfare in Turkey - Greece / Turkey / Cyprus Religion - Anarkismo İç Basında Türk Dış Politikası Dış Basında Türkiye - BBC Turkish 0700 VOA Turkish Press Review Google News Turkey TurcoPundit Google News Fırat News Agency KurdishMedia Kurdish Kurdish Aspect Dış Basında Irak BBC Monitoring Inter-national Genelkurmay: PKK çöküş sürecinde Başbuğ rules out any ethnic rights in political field Iran, Turkey to seek means of further cooperation against PKK, PJAK Cevdet Aşkın Öcalan: Özal temsilci, Erbakan mektup, ordu komutan gönderdi Kurds, Turks, and the Tower of Babel Mustafa AKYOL Kürtçe TV'ye yasal temel Sebahattin Önkibar AKP kapatılırsa güneydoğu kaybedilir mi? UN to propose template in May for Iraq's Kirkuk Google News Greece Cyprus Turkish Cypriot Press ABHaber Dış Basında Türkiye-AB İlişkileri Günlük Haftalık Sami Kohen AB gene gündemde Semih İdiz Barroso laiklik konusunda hayal kırıklığı yarattı İlter Türkmen Barroso’nun ziyareti 'AB ile görüşmeler ertelenir' Semih İDİZ
BARÇIN YİNANÇ
Zeynep Göğüş Sıkışınca AB’ye koş Talat Lokmacı'dan Rum Kesimi'ne Geçti 'Taviz Vermek Gerekir' Mensur Akgün Teşekkürler José Manuel Barroso Mehmet Altan Elitler karşı, yığınlar taraf Ergin Yıldızoğlu Rusya'nın Gölgesinde NATO Gülen'in avukatı: Rusya'da açılan davanın Gülen'le ilgisi yok Avrupalı Liberaller'den AK Parti'ye güçlü destek: Erdoğan'ın arkasındayız İki eski dost akşam yemeğinde buluştu Türkiye önemli bir ortak 'Hep bütünlemeye kalıp ilerleyemeyiz' 'Reformlara devam edin' Bilgiler geçici olarak kullanılabilir değil. Kapatma davası, Türkiye karşıtlarını sevindirdi Bilgiler geçici olarak kullanılabilir değil. Ankara, Tel Aviv'e '1915' uyarısı yaptı Derya Sazak Portekiz deneyimi Bilgiler geçici olarak kullanılabilir değil. Talat, 30 yıl sonra Rum tarafına geçen ilk KKTC lideri oldu Greece, US discuss energy security for Greece, NATO Turkey Is Well Ahead Of At Least 10 E.U. Member States, Erdogan Milli Eğitim ne yapsa dershanelere yarıyor Türkiye'nin işkence hafızasını çaldılar Melih Gökçek'i şok eden karar Perihan Mağden - Bir erkeklik aleti olarak: Argo Çakıcı'ya Ergenekon'un mafya bağlantısı soruldu Cem Yılmaz: Bende akıl sağlığımı kaybetme korkusu var! 11 Nisan 2008 Basın Özeti | H3 Kapatma davası siyasi AK Parti kapatılmamalı AK Partinin oyları yüzde 50'yi aşıyor
Parti kapatmada son dakika formülü ORGENERAL BAŞBUĞ’UN MESAJI BARROSO’YA MI? İşte o Venedik Kriterleri Survey shows Turks believe courts unjust - Turkish Daily News Apr 12, 2008 Uneasy public rallies behind AK Party • Nokta'ya beraat! Özden Paşa ne olac... Ben kendimi Mustafa Kemal ile kıyaslamak istemiyorum ama burada büyük bir benzerlik var AKP'li Dengir Fırat CHP'yi darbe tehdidiyle suçladı Üniversiteye sokan ve yönlendiren kim? İfade özgürlükleri müzakere edilemez Ulusal Egemenlik mitingi Milliyet Son Dakika SİYASET GÜNCEL DÜNYA Cengiz Çandar Barroso ve Türkiye'ye gelen 'AB oksijen tüpü' Ahmet Taşgetiren • İki kişinin özel sınavı ( 12.04.2008 ) Hasan Cemal 367 vakası: Yüksek Mahkeme ile asker arasında ne oldu?.. Ruşen - Çakır Taha Akyol Asker gözüyle Fikret Bila Org. Başbuğ’dan önemli mesajlar Murat YetkinCumhurbaşkanı'na ayıp olmuyor mu? İsmet Berkan CHP, 1961 Anayasası'nı kabul etmez mi? Fehmi Koru Fehmi Koru: Kapatılacak... Kapatılmayacak... Kapatılacak... Taha Kıvanç Taha Kıvanç: Doğru mu anladım acaba? Şamil Tayyar Ali Bayramoğlu Yasemin Çongar Ertuğrul ÖzkökHürriyet'ten inside bilgi Yalçın Bayer Emniyet’in 58 isminden kimler rahatsız acaba Cevdet Aşkın Öcalan: Özal temsilci, Erbakan mektup, ordu komutan gönderdi Kurds, Turks, and the Tower of Babel Mustafa AKYOL Mustafa Erdoğan Láik fundamentalizm İsmail Küçükkaya
Hisarcıklıoğlu Anayasa Mahkemesi’ne gitti [HABER YORUM] Alper Görmüş yargılandı beraat etti, ya darbeciler? Ahmet Hakan M Ali Birand Barroso, AB rotasına ince ayar yaptı… Cüneyt Ülsever Enis BerberoğluBaykal, Anayasa’da haklı ama türbanı CHP çözmeli Bilgiler geçici olarak kullanılabilir değil. Kürşat Bumin: 'Her yıl 5 bin kişi kayboluyor' Bilgiler geçici olarak kullanılabilir değil. Hakan Albayrak: Şamil Tayyar'ın Çerkeslerle ilgili “soru işareti”ne dair Bilgiler geçici olarak kullanılabilir değil. Ayşe Böhürler: Karşıyız Karşı! İsmet Berkan - CHP, 1961 Anayasası'nı kabul etmez mi? Bilgiler geçici olarak kullanılabilir değil. Hakkı Devrim - Aysun konusu neden kapandı? Bilgiler geçici olarak kullanılabilir değil. Türker Alkan - Dinci demokrasi olur mu? Bilgiler geçici olarak kullanılabilir değil. Haluk Şahin - Kasaba demokrasisi Bilgiler geçici olarak kullanılabilir değil. Murat Yetkin - Cumhurbaşkanı'na ayıp olmuyor mu? Bilgiler geçici olarak kullanılabilir değil. Murat Belge - Bir soruya bir cevap MEHMET KAMIŞ - Hukuka sahip çıkın size de lazım oluyor Bilgiler geçici olarak kullanılabilir değil. ABDÜLHAMİT BİLİCİ - Türk laikliği Barroso laikliği Bilgiler geçici olarak kullanılabilir değil. ALİ BULAÇ - Sömürge tipi laiklik Bilgiler geçici olarak kullanılabilir değil. ŞAHİN ALPAY - Kırk yıl sonra "68 kuşağı" Oktay Ekşi Yakından bakınca Özdemir İnce Tekbiiiiiiiiiiiirrrrrrci MHP Mehmet Y Yılmaz Ömer Lütfi Mete ‘Mütareke basını’ nasıl bir şey? Nuh Gönültaş MHP ideolojisi mümbit alan! Güneri Civaoğlu Dumanlı zihniyet coğrafyası Can Dündar Ankara minare ile boynuz arasında MUHARREM SARIKAYA ERDAL ŞAFAKKriterler
ENGİN ARDIÇLan deme lan ERGUN BABAHANYargı sürecine müdahale meselesi EMRE AKÖZJakoben mi demokrat mı?
Umur Talu HASAN BÜLENT KAHRAMAN Gürültü demokrasisi NAZLI ILICAKAndıç komedisi MEHMET BARLASAK Parti AB yolunda gecikti de CHP sanki öne mi geçti?
MAHMUT ÖVÜRDemokrasi umurumuzda mı? YAVUZ DONAT Mahir Kaynak Aşı teorisi Hadi Uluengin Statüko, ricat ve zeká Ülkücülere kavga yasağı Köşk, Paşa'ya sert çıktı Solda birlik artık mümkün değil ABDURRAHMAN YILDIRIM Ercan Kumcu Ege Cansen Verilmiş sadakamız varmış Erdal SağlamSpor devletin kıyakları ile ekonomik bir sektör olmaz A conference on: New Outlook of Turkish Financial Markets in the Global Financial World (Washington, DC) Kökten piyasacılığın sonu (mu)
Taner Berksoy MELİHA OKUR
TMO'ya özerklik şart! Metin Münir Çalık için devlet bankaları devrede |
| H4 New York TimesIran Fighting Proxy War in Iraq, U.S. Envoy Says Bush Holds Out Hope for More Iraq Troop Cuts Gunmen Kill Aide and In-Law of Iraqi Cleric BOB HERBERT Losing Our Will The war in Iraq stands like a boulder in the road, blocking progress on so many important issues that are crucial to our viability as a society Berlusconi, Running Again, Is No Longer Promising ‘Italian Miracle’ The Saturday Profile: A Bloody Era of Syria’s History Informs a Writer’s Banned Novel Former Party Boss in China Gets 18 Years Pakistan Government Proposes Lifting Media Restrictions Israeli Incursion in Gaza Kills 5 G.E. Earnings Drop, Raising Broader Fears Sharply disappointing results at a company widely viewed as a bellwether underscore the damage done by the credit crisis throughout the economy. Great Expectations for a Conservative Group Seem All but Dashed Freedom’s Watch, which was expected to be a conservative counterweight to MoveOn.org, has been paralyzed by internal problems. Opponents Call Obama ‘Out of Touch’ | H5 Washington Post Iran Top Threat To Iraq, U.S. Says Focus on Al-Qaeda Now Diminishing Cheney on the Warpath Again? By Dan Froomkin Aide to Shiite Militia Leader Killed in Iraq Ambush Could Intensify Clashes Between Sadr's Mahdi Army, Government Troops Opponents Paint Obama as an Elitist Clinton, McCain Try to Score Off 'Bitter' Remark Editorial Christoper Hitchens: What I'd Ask the Pope Bush Approved Meetings on Interrogation Techniques President's Comments to ABC News Prove Top-Level Involvement in Allowing Harsh Coercion Administration Set to Use New Spy Program in U.S. Congressional Critics Want More Assurances of Legality Six Palestinians Die After Israeli Strikes on Gaza Google Earth to Track Crises U.N. teams with search firm to use globe-mapping software to illustrate plight of world's refugees | H6 Guardian Third time unlucky Leader: Perhaps Berlusconi appeals more to Italians than any number of competent economists. He is the devil they know Ditch the tatty flag of nationalism Isabel Hilton: When it took on the games, China promised heroic efforts for change. But the torch debacle has left it snarling in a corner Tories join Brown in bid to block fraud investigations Conservatives back PM in seeking power to halt BAE-style corruption inquiries PM to meet US presidential hopefuls Downing Street hopes visit will build a rapport with next Oval Office incumbent Samurai wanted Richard Kozul-Wright April 11, 2008 3:00 PM Economies in crisis: A global gathering of policymakers along the lines of Bretton Woods is needed |
| H7 Tehran Keeps Its Options Open By: Kaveh L Afrasiabi | Asia Times Iran's reluctance to jump into another round of dialogue with the United States over Iraq stems from its belief that no tangible results can be gained as long as Washington constantly demonizes Iran and fails to appreciate its true role in Iraq When Choosing Not to Choose Becomes a Choice By: Amir Taheri | Asharq Alawsat
As always, the only thing that really mattered in the recent elections in the Islamic Republic in Iran was voter turnout. This is because, with all candidates approved by the authorities, the only choice that voters had was to go to the polls or not Let's 'Surge' Some More By: Michael Yon | The Wall Street Journal It is said that generals always fight the last war. But when David Petraeus came to town it was senators -- on both sides of the aisle -- who battled over the Iraq war of 2004-2006. That war has little in common with the war we are fighting today The Price of Food: Global Crisis Ingredients By: Heidi Fritschel | Open Democracy Prices are surging for food commodities worldwide, posing a tough policy challenge for developing countries - can they protect poor consumers without crushing new opportunities for farmers? Strategic confusion — Misunderstanding Iran's role works to increase its influence in Iraq Iraq and the U.S. Economy: Ills Feeding Off Each Other By: Joseph E. Stiglitz | The Daily Star Some say there are two issues in the coming American elections: the Iraq war and the economy. On days when the war seems to be going better than expected, and the economy worse, the economy eclipses the war; but neither is faring well British, Russian Support May Not Save Ambitious Nuclear Power Club By: Richard Weitz | World Politics Review After hesitating several years, the British government finally accepted American entreaties to join the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP), becoming its 21st member on Feb. 26, 2008 Not talking to Syria...
is diplomacy. Lee Smith, TNR. Carte Blanche for General Petraeus in Iraq Report on Iraq to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs Source: U.S. House of Representatives, Committee on Foreign Affairs + Chairman Howard L. Berman’s opening remarks for hearing, “Report on Iraq to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs”+ Report to Congress on the Situation in Iraq, General David H. Petraeus (PDF: 37 KB) + Testimony of Ambassador Ryan C. Crocker Before the House Foreign Affairs Committee The Limits of the Surge: An Interview with Gian Gentile - Judah Grunstein, World Politics Review A Baghdad View of the US Election TIME Intelligence Guidance: Week of April 13, 2008 | Stratfor Press 1, Troops 0 - Ralph Peters, New York Post
Why Should Clinton Quit? - Stuart Rothenberg, Roll Call
Petraeus's Policy Quandary - Jed Babbin, Human Events
Election Year Politics and the Cost of War - James Klurfeld, Newsday
Iraq's Transformation Little Short of Miraculous - Michael Yon, WSJ
A US war at the polls
While the George W Bush administration claims its Iraq policy is not beholden to public opinion polls in the United States, it is increasingly difficult to view US strategy, as unveiled in congressional hearings this week, as doing anything more than reducing violence now to quell domestic dissent against the war | H8 IraqSlogger Google News Iraq Iran Syria Mideastwire.com - NPR Iraq Arab diplomatic interest in Iraq growing
(UPI) -- A top State Department official noted the growth in Arab diplomatic interest in Iraq ahead of a meeting with Iraq's neighbors and the U.S. secretary of state Iraqi militias feeling pushback Tribal leaders in southern Iraq are starting to push back against Iranian-supported militias in Basra, cracking their hold over the economically crucial province, Gen. David H. Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan C. Crocker said yesterday at two separate roundtable interviews with reporters. Upping Diplomatic, Judicial, Economic and Military Pressure on Syria is Unlikely to Work
Al-Sadr Aide's Assassination Threatens Cleric's Militia Cease-fire Apr 11 SD# 1894 - Arab Liberals Discuss Fifth Anniversary of Operation Iraqi Freedom In Sadr City, Transcendent Bonds of Friendship Gates: Iran boosts support for militias Iraqi cleric al-Sadr says U.S. to blame for top aide's death Wheat price strains Egypt's economy Fear of unrest grows as youths take to the streets to protest against the rising cost of staple foods US Iraq envoy stresses Arab role
The US ambassador to Iraq calls on Arab countries to engage diplomatically and economically with Baghdad. | H9 Ha’aretz – Guest: US-Israel defense pact would be a bad idea Rice criticizes Carter over planned meeting with Meshal U.S. Secretary of State says it is 'hard to understand' what to be gained from meet with Hamas' political chief Anniversary of Lebanese civil war blighted by ongoing crisis Lebanese fear row over election of pres. may lead to rerun of 15-year-long war that claimed 150,000 lives IDF troops kill 8 Gazans, including 2 children Barack Obama campaign launches Hebrew blog in Israel Jerusalem Post Iran complains to UN chief about Ben-Eliezer's remarks Letter says Fuad's statement that any Iranian attack would prompt Israel to "destroy" Iran "blatantly" defies international law, UN charter Despite wars and intifadas, Israel has built an economy able to lead the nation to greater prosperity Pentagon says US Navy warned vessel away by firing flare; Revolutionary Guard denies "confrontation." Security and Defense: Arrested developments [ YAAKOV KATZ It was always a jihad [ DAVID HOROVITZ Ahmadinejad's smile [ CAROLINE GLICK Yedioth Ahronoth 'New Iran sanctions unlikely' US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice reiterates concerns over Iranian nuclear program, says both US and UN must wait and see how Islamic republic responds to latest round of imposed sanctions The power of words Minister Ben-Eliezer’s tough message to Tehran may be the right approach, Roni Sofer says Daily Alert.org – Hebrew Press Editorials (2008) - Middle East Progress - EJC Israeli Press Review – Google News Israel - Palestine Israeli ex-general sharply criticizes official “defensive” policy as recipe for war Ezra Klein / American Prospect:
OBAMA AND THE ISRAEL LOBBY. The other evangelicals Ben White To be an American evangelical has become synonymous with pro-Israel politics, but alternative voices are gaining prominence Rice criticizes ex-president Carter's plan to meet with Hamas Israel Leads the World in Computers per Capita – Russia Seeking to Include Hamas in Moscow Middle East Parley Israeli tanks in Gaza incursion
Israel sends tanks into the Gaza Strip after pledging to retaliate against a militant attack on a fuel depot. One Missing Piece at 60th Anniversary By: Frida Ghitis | Miami Herald In a few weeks, the celebrations to mark Israel's 60th anniversary will begin in earnest. Some of the events, including a landmark visit by the German chancellor and her cabinet, have already taken place. On May 7, the country will come to a stop, remembering the thousands killed in Israel's many wars Hamas: More Israeli Civilians Will Be Killed By: Yaniv Berman | The Media Line Hamas promises more attacks on Israel, following the killing of two Israeli civilians, who were working in the Nahal Oz gasoline terminal on the border with Gaza The Rise of the Jewish Empire: The Jewish Conquest of America |
| H10 Christian Science Monitor ASIA China Olympics losing limelight China intended the Olympic Games to mark its emergence as a global power worthy of international respect. Instead, the games have provoked a harsh crackdown on dissent, evoking memories of protests and boycotts that marred the games during the Cold War. WSJ Big Show in Beijing It seems as if there's just one big show left that's still really big: the Olympics. But Beijing's Games won't be a routine rich-country affair. It's China's chance to tell the world (and itself): "We've arrived." Here's a look at China on the verge of the Summer Games. The U.S. Election: Grounds for Optimism By: Tom Plate | The Japan Times With the U.S. elections revealing candidate's increased interest in China, India, Japan and South Korea, Asia finds it can afford to be optimistic about its future U.S. relations. Can China and India Save the U.S.? By: Bill Emmott | The Guardian Economies in crisis: The new economic powerhouses are less reliant on American consumption, but to conquer rampant inflation they must work together Musharraf Visits China, May Support Hu in Xinjiang By: James Rupert | Bloomberg News Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf flew to China today on a six-day trip to seek Chinese financial aid, meet his counterpart, Hu Jintao, and visit the tense northwestern Muslim region of Xinjiang India's struggle to feed a billion people Newsweek Improving US-China Military Ties Regional Role for China's Yuan By: Mamoru Ishida | The Japan Times As Asia heads toward an RMB area, China has the choice to fix it as one or use its newly acquired economic and political power to promote Asian currency cooperation Weekly Standard Carrying a Torch for China by Ethan Gutmann Is the CIA behind the China-bashing Olympics protests?
Here's to the Mob By: Simon Jenkins | The Guardian The hubris of China and the IOC's torch relay have given protesters a golden chance to derail a grossly tainted Olympics Let's make a deal Ian Williams : In its obstinacy on Tibet, China is missing the fact that talking with the Dalai Lama now offers the best chance of a resolution China: Officials Say Uyghur Group Involved In Olympic Terror Plot Arab News (Saudi Arabia) In an editorial on the first ever India-Africa economic summit in Delhi, the paper says that economic rivalry between India and China and a strengthening alliance between Pakistan and China could, in the wrong circumstances, have disastrous consequences. It is in everyone’s interest that they do not, it concludes. US candidates ride the China bogey
Democratic presidential hopefuls Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama have both seized on China as potentially being able to damage the United States' foreign policy, as well as its economy. They are correct, but for all their rhetoric they avoid naming the US's many problems or offering solutions. - Dmitry Shlapentokh An opportunity to defuse the Taiwan standoff THE TAIWAN election results provide the United States with an opportunity to reduce one of its greatest security risks, the risk of conflict with China. Such a conflict could make the Iraq war seem like a local squabble. The immediate danger is that miscalculations or incidents could set off a conflict between Taiwan and mainland China and that the United ... (By Ezra Vogel, Boston Globe) | H11 IHT EUROPE European press review Nicolas Sarkozy's Mediterranean Union Patrick Seale - President Nicolas Sarkozy of France believes passionately in a Mediterranean Union, and is putting a great deal of energy - and urgency -- into bringing it to birth Revisiting NATO-ESDP Relations: Part 1 SDA The first part (32 pages) of a discussion paper on the future of NATO-ESDP relations Sign of election gap closing in Italy Walter Veltroni launches last-minute campaign amid signs he might be closing in on Silvio Berlusconi Italy poll rivals make final push Election campaigning wraps up in Italy with little to distinguish rivals Silvio Berlusconi and Walter Veltroni Envoys Fear UN Chief Ban Ki Moon May Go Soft on Kosovo By: James Bone and Tony Halpin | The London Times Ban Ki Moon is mounting a charm offensive on a three-day trip to Moscow after Russia threatened to block him from serving a second term as United Nations Secretary-General because of his stance on Kosovo Macedonia to hold early election Macedonia will dissolve its parliament and hold early elections amid a row with Greece over its name. | H12 RFE/RL Commentary: Did Ukraine And Georgia Lose A NATO Battle, Or The War? NATO: Kyiv, Tbilisi Face More Obstacles Than Simply Russian Resistance World: CIS Countries Among Hardest Hit In Global Financial Crisis Recognition of Nagorno Karabakh independence by Armenia looks logical and justified: interview with Hayk Kotanjian Google News Azerbaijan Georgian Spring By: Gregory Dubinsky | The Moscow Times
NATO's decision not to offer Georgia an immediate path to membership appears at first glance to be a blow to Washington. Although the NATO secretary-general announced that Ukraine and Georgia would eventually become members, Russia's envoy to NATO, Dmitry Rogozin, confidently predicted that nothing would change anytime soon Kremlin Uses NATO-Russia Council as Platform for Anti-NATO Polemics By: Vladimir Socor | Eurasia Daily Monitor
Russian President Vladimir Putin attended a session of the NATO-Russia Council (NRC) at the level of heads of state and governments on April 4 in Bucharest, as an epilogue to the NATO summit. NATO had initiated the invitation, while Putin played hard to get in the run-up to the NRC summit. Predictably, Putin misused the event in order to lash out at the Alliance and its policies. Russian Opposition: Long Game, Long Odds By: Ben Judah | ISN Security Watch
With oil prices and Putin's popularity sky high it may be too little too late for a chance to play out a long game to undermine the Medvedev presidency EDM NATO SUMMIT SENDS AMBIGUOUS MESSAGE ON RUSSIAN TROOPS IN MOLDOVA AND GEORGIA
- VENEZUELA BUYS RUSSIAN ARMS
NATIONALIST MOODS RISE IN KYRGYZSTAN AS KAZAKHSTAN INCREASES ECONOMIC PRESENCE Georgia: Governing Party to Rely on Star Power as It Aims to Dominate Next Parliament With less than two months to go before Georgia’s parliamentary elections, attention is focusing on whether or not President Mikheil Saakashvili’s governing party will opt to change its "face" to keep its majority in parliament. With four prominent business executives tapped to represent the party at the polls, some observers believe that a makeover is already in the works. World: CIS Countries Among Hardest Hit In Global Financial Crisis The World Bank is warning that the countries of Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union could experience a slowdown in economic growth as a result of the downturns in financial markets in the United States and Western Europe. |
| H13 The Times British accused of appeasement in Basra As Basra slowly comes back to life, the hands-off role of the British is blamed for the previous success of fanatics Gordon Brown: the terrible vacuum The Prime Minister is disastrous, with no ideas. He may well be ousted before the next election Matthew Parris Italian election: a two-horse race Italy needs a political leader willing and able to pursue reform Bill Clinton revives 'sniper' problem Ex-President does wife no favours by bringing up her false claim to have faced sniper fire on a trip to Bosnia Wall Street Journal | H14 Financial Times Opec cuts output despite west’s pleas The 13-member cartel has quietly begun to reduce production despite calls from the US and Europe for the group to pump more so that prices fall Obama opposes Hamas meeting Barack Obama has distanced himself from Jimmy Carter, the former US president, who plans to meet Khaled Meshal, the leader of Hamas, the radical Palestinian party, in Syria next week ‘Reagan Democrats’ switch allegiance Fuelled by disaffection with the Iraq war, the Bush administration’s alleged mismanagement of the US economy and its departure from fiscal conservatism, Pennsylvania as a whole has shifted from being a swing state into a Democratic state over the past few years US consumer confidence hits 26-year low The soaring cost of basic foodstuffs and a weakening labour market sent US consumer confidence spiralling to a 26-year low this month compounding the gloomy outlook for the US economy Soaring Shia ambitions in Iraq threatened Plans for a $10bn rebuilding project drawn up by the Shia community in Iraq are being undermined by clashes between government forces and Moqtada al-Sadr’s Mahdi army ‘Shocking’ GE results show size of crisis General Electric underlined the depth of the global financial crisis, announcing its worst quarter in five years and slashing full-year forecasts Man in the News: Paul Volcker The former chief of the US Federal Reserve blames the current crisis on a lack of restraint in the banking sector. But delivering bad news is practically his professional calling The lazy, crazy middle class The percentage of average Americans who say their life is better than it was five years ago is the lowest in almost half a century, writes Christopher Caldwell Saving banking from the bankers Fears of globalisation, discontent with high prices, rising income inequality – all have led to an uncertain time for capitalism. The capitalists have not helped Cured in America The US lead in embryonic stem cells leaves scope for researchers elsewhere to take part in what promises to be one of the great biological endeavours of the century Half pregnant Blair had many faults but indecisiveness was not among them. Whether he is dithering or devious, Brown’s message – if he has one – is a mess Capital Fellow Boris Johnson, the Conservative candidate, is odds-on favourite to win London’s mayoral race. Victory would be a fantastic political comeback for a man often dismissed as a lightweight and a joker, writes Gideon Rackman Britain’s property market faces its moment of truth For all the current doom and panic among households and government, one institution is standing firm, at least for now, writes Chris Giles – the Bank of England Germany set to replace Iron Cross Sixty years after the defeat of Nazism led Germany to shun symbols of military heroism, Berlin is poised to bring back official honours for bravery, including a new medal for valour | H15 Los Angeles Times A cleric, a pol, a warrior By Patrick Cockburn In Iraq, Muqtada Sadr's clout and experience make any effort to subdue him a dangerous strategy. Editorial |
| H16 American Politics Newsmax/Zogby Poll: Clinton Holds Slight Edge Over Obama in PA — Bush Job Approval at 28%, Lowest of His Administration Ezra Klein / American Prospect: OBAMA AND THE ISRAEL LOBBY. Transcript of Obama's Remarks at San Francisco Fundraiser Sunday
The Bottom Line: Paying for War - Ronald Brownstein, National Journal
The Perfect Pope for the Internet Age - Peggy Noonan, Wall Street Journal
The Turmoil Olympics - Ian Bremmer, RealClearPolitics
George Soros: Face of a Prophet? - Louis Story, New York Times
Where have all the liberals gone? By Victor Davis Hanson These days Democrats are not sounding very liberal. Classic liberals, after all, would support free markets, internationalism and the universal desire for constitutional government, while downplaying racial affinity.
realclearpolitics memeorandum ABC’s The Note – US News Political Bulletin Early Bird GovExec Swamp Gas The Swamp A silver lining in the Blue Battle: Hillary's destructive coup attempt is a good thing for the Democratic Party Bill Clinton misstates facts while defending wife's Bosnia story Micro man Kevin Mattson US elections 2008: Mark Penn's obsession with small demographics like 'soccer moms' created a political class held hostage by opinion polls | H17 Daily Telegraph Will we let China cover itself in Olympic glory? In totalitarian states, the Olympic Games have a sinister purpose. In our country, they are like the Millennium Dome - pricey, and with no purpose, writes Charles Moore Whose side are the Afghans on? British troops still betrayed by locals in Afghanistan. McCain 'would confront Russia and China' A John McCain presidency would take a more forceful approach to Russia and China, according to senior foreign policy advisers to the Republican candidate. Britain crying out for new Thatcher Every few years, British politics comes to the end of a cycle: we reach a moment when the public awaits a new leader who can simply sort things out. | H18 Independent The other global crisisThe other global crisis: rush to biofuels is driving up price of food The credit crunch will dominate this weekend's G7 meeting. But the world's poorest countries face a more urgent problem: the spiralling cost of basic foods which has provoked riots and threatens millions with starvation. Leading article: The challenge ahead... how to feed the world over the coming century Sean O'Grady: Rich countries have ability to solve problem Robert Fisk: Semantics can't mask Bush's chicanery Obama's lead over McCain evaporates as Democrats fight |
| H19 Military Intelligence Terrorism Winning Counterinsurgency War: The Israeli Experience - Maj.-Gen. (res.) Yaakov Amidror (Institute for Contemporary Affairs-Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs) (pdf) Key Principles for Interagency Campaign Design Revisiting NATO-ESDP Relations: Part 1 SDA
The first part (32 pages) of a discussion paper on the future of NATO-ESDP relations The Atomization of Terrorist Efforts From Salon, a harrowing account from a man the CIA handed over to Jordan — smuggled from prison on tiny paper — exposes US complicity in torture. Dick Cheney warned that there might never be an “end date” in the struggle against terrorism. All these years later, his wisdom seems vindicated... more» Nuclear Forensics: Role, State of the Art, Program Needs
APS, AAAS
The 64-page report of a joint working proup examining the state of the art of nuclear forensics Assessing the Cyber Security Threat
SDA Dogs of War: Military justice and PMCs
Published: April 11, 2008 at 11:56 AM
WASHINGTON, April 11 (UPI) -- Two recent developments have highlighted different aspects of the accountability issue presented by the use of private military contractors. Arms: A commentary from the Singapore-based university RSIS looks at southeast Asia’s rising prominence as a hub for global arms trade (PDF). Targeted assassination
The Retreat from Stop-Loss - John Podhoretz, Weekly Standard | H20 Slate U. S. international trade in goods and services, February 2008 Source: U.S. Census Bureau/U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis Germany: The McKinsey Quarterly looks at Germany’s strategy to cut carbon emissions without weighing down economic growth and questions what impact it will have on businesses. Gene Bank Preserves Israel's Flora Against Extinction Solar Balloons to Power Remote Areas? - Ari | H21 Internet is riddled with 'cyber black holes,' researchers say Changing the ways we connect: Globalism today has less to do with countries than with how we choose to define our communities. The Eligible-Bachelor Paradox: How economics and game theory explain the shortage of available, appealing men Paul Gottfried reconsiders Richard Hofstadter's Anti-Intellectualism in American Life. Clive Crook on the end of the American Exception: Economically speaking, America could soon be more European than Europe. Voting behaviour seemingly confounds rational choice theory, but voting can be perfectly rational. John Ruskin said, “a man wrapped up in himself makes a very small parcel.” The only way to achieve happiness is therefore to get out of yourself... more» The pop music industry has sadly come to depend on “heritage acts” – wrinkled, dyed-hair, aging stars – to pack houses and make money... more» The brain is the most complex object known. We can barely grasp the simplest mental functions in biological terms, and yet we blithely use drugs to treat mental disorders... more» Youth is not entirely wasted on the young. That long, long human childhood has its pluses, as David Bjorklund explains... more» Much of what we know about the ancient world we owe to Herodotus, the only travel writer in print for 2,500 years. A.P. David explains... part 1 ... part 2 “When enough people share a delusion, it loses its status as a psychosis and gets a religious tax exemption instead.” Ronald De Sousa on how we think... more» My Week: George Clooney I hate London. I’m here to promote some new film I’m in with Ren饠Zellweger. I hate Ren饠Zellweger Alcohol fatwa sparks controversy A prominent Egyptian cleric fuels debate by saying tiny amounts of alcohol are permitted in Islam. JAMES BOWMAN: Newseum is the perfect baby-boomer museum: it's all about us. “Media Monument” |
