| H1 NYT Clinton May Be Hopeful, but Obama Rolls On Barack Obama is still picking up superdelegates despite his troubles, leaving his opponent with dwindling options Pew Research Center: Obama's Image Slips, His Lead Over Clinton Disappears — Gallup Daily: Clinton 49%, Obama 45% — CNN Poll: Obama losing support New York Times DAVID BROOKS The Cognitive Age There’s a problem with the way the globalization paradigm has evolved. It doesn’t really explain most of what is happening in the world Washington Post Ideology's Rude Return By Robert Kagan, Autocracy's success in Russia and China poses a challenge to the liberal West McCain's Foreign Policy Guru - R. Kagan & C. Flavelle, Newsweek Financial Times Clever conceits cannot hide the world’s jagged edges You can always find some analogy or other from the past that can be said to illuminate the here and now. Yet upheavals in the global system since 1989 – the most profound for at least a century – are not susceptible to neatness, writes Philip Stephens A tale of two futures, Paul Rogers
What will the world be like in 2020? Here are two scenarios William Arkin War with Iran? That Will Be for the Next President CSM China's 'rational' nationalism Beijing lights a dangerous patriotic torch as the Olympic torch heads its way. The Economist Angry China The recent glimpses of a resentful, snarling China should scare the country's government as much as the world The TIME 100 Our fifth annual list of the world's most influential people: leaders, thinkers, heroes, artists, scientists and more USIP Religious Reconciliation in Iraq Should NATO Defend Europe Against Russia's Energy Weapon? - American Enterprise Institute
What Exactly Is the West? By: Guy Sorman | The Japan Times
In the great clash of civilisations, with the West against the rest, it's the emphasis on innovation that defines a Westerner. Wall Street Journal Bush Calls for More Food Aid The president proposed $770 million in assistance on top of the $200 million released two weeks ago to alleviate the global surge in food prices. While the traditional U.S. approach is to ship American-grown food overseas, the White House proposal calls for buying more food in developing countries CIA Chief: Iran Wants to Kill Americans in Iraq General Claims 'Clear Evidence' Iran Supporting Taliban Los Angeles Times Iraq sends team to Iran to discuss U.S. accusations Tehran denies the charges that it is aiding militias. Meanwhile, Gen. Petraeus says large amounts of Iranian weapons were found in the Basra crackdown Sadr Snubs Iraq Peace Overtures State Dept: Iran Tops State-Sponsored Terrorism Iran Ends Oil Transactions in US Dollars ANALYSIS: Syrian-Israeli contacts worry Iran, Hezbollah Richard Perle: Fight For Human Rights, Democracy Follows Commentary The Return of History and the End of Dreams by Robert Kagan Reviewed by Gabriel Schoenfeld Q&A: Anne-Marie Slaughter on the East-West Divide Ha’aretz – Mofaz, at Yale: Iran could have nuke bomb technology this year Akiva Eldar The Syrian-Palestinian lie Rice: Israelis and Palestinians must agree on final borders Bush Will Not Pressure Israel on Core Issues Self-confidence in Israel's DNAThe national ability to set and attain goals without letting reality interfere underlies our chutzpah to exist against all odds and to thrive against all expectations Guardian Labour suffers mauling on grim night for Brown Results so far show Labour heading for its lowest share of the vote since the 1970s The Iranian Chessboard
by Pepe Escobar and Tom Engelhardt IHT WORLD FOOD CRISIS Through Africa with hope By BAN KI MOON If we begin taking steps to deal decisively with the world food crisis, the solution will come. Russia steps up effort to keep Georgia out of NATO Russia's decision to send 1,000 extra troops to Georgia's breakaway region of Abkhazia is part of the Kremlin's policy to thwart the ambitions of the Caucasus country to join NATO, Georgia's foreign minister says Heritage The West Should Unite in Support of Georgia by Ariel Cohen To Annex or Annoy? EDM ANNEXATION AND MILITARIZATION OF ABKHAZIA CONTINUE APACE
- WILL TURKMEN GAS GO SOUTH AS WELL AS WEST? Poll: Bush most unpopular in modern history Douglas Feith's War and Decision: Life in a Neocon's Parallel Universe by Michael Scheuer BloggingHeads J. Peter Scoblic & Jacob Heilbrunn: How To Start Worrying About The Bomb Today in The Nation: The New Geopolitics of Energy Time Measuring Iraq's Security Forces The U.S. is counting on Iraq's security forces to take on greater responsibilities. But despite some progress, the Iraqis remain plagued by desertion and sectarianism--if they're even awake. Why the U.S. still can't stand down CFR The Syrian Nuclear Puzzle Abbas-Olmert Talks a ‘First’ in Mideast Diplomacy
CEPS Is Social Europe fit for Globalisation? Prospects for the EUs New Generation of FTAs Ground Truth - American Enterprise Institute The Future of U.S. Land Power
Soaring Food Prices Mean Less Education for Poor - Council on Foreign Relations 'We will act,' Peres warns THE WASHINGTON TIMES EDITORIAL The United States may be entering a world in the next few years with a chilling reality: a world in which nuclear-armed rogue states conclude that they can get away with almost anything. Will US and Iran Go to War at Sea? - Christopher Dickey, Newsweek opinion Engaging the East - Michael Auslin, Weekly Standard opinion European Union and China Drifting Apart By: Israel Rafalovich | Asia Sentinel
While the buzz from Beijing about the visit of the President of the European Union, Jose Manuel Barroso of Portugal, appears to presage a closer embrace between Europe and China, the fact is that the European Union and China are drifting apart Al Awsat Syria or Iran: Where Does the Decision Lie? : Tariq Alhomayed Renewed Iran-Egypt Ties? By: Jonathan Schanzer | National Review Egypt : A policy paper from the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace looks at Egypt’s April elections and argues that they indicate a broad deterioration in Egyptian politics. Iraq: U.S. Has No Claim to Oil Boom By: Liz Sly | The Chicago Tribune As Congress gears up to debate the Bush administration's latest request for an additional $108 billion in war funding for Iraq and Afghanistan, Iraqis are fuming at suggestions being floated by lawmakers that Baghdad should start paying a share of the war's costs by providing cheap fuel to the U.S. military. Religion and secularism Power points The slogans of political Islam remain highly resonant, whether as a programme for peaceful governance or an inspiration to wage war. Two new books explain why North Korea and Syria Oh what a tangled web they weave The shadowy half-life of Syria's supposedly non-existent nuclear reactor Understanding The Recent Changes In Iraqi Political Dynamics Roger Owen Bilgiler geçici olarak kullanılabilir değil.
Roubini CNBC Interview: Why the Worst is Ahead of US | H2 Washington Post Editorial Secular and Antidemocratic In Turkey, another attempt to reverse the elections won by moderate Islamists FT Editorial Turkish free speech The AKP-dominated parliament has just amended Article 301 of the penal code but it must be completely overhauled or – better still – repealed The Economist Turkish politics An ineffective opposition The sad irrelevance of Turkey's main opposition leader ARIEL COHEN Turkey's constitutional dilemma Middle East Times EDM AKP PRESENTS DEFENSE AS POLL SUGGESTS POPULAR SUPPORT WAVERING Carnegie Invisible Nation: How the Kurds' Quest for Statehood Is Shaping Iraq and the Middle East TSK 1 saat 10 dakika da PKK kamplarını yerle bir etti
EurasiaNet Turkey: An Islamic Radical Group Resurfaces, Striving to Embrace Peaceful Change Huseyin Yildirim carries a heavy weight on his shoulders. While he says he never killed a man, he was jailed for membership in Kurdish Hizbullah, a radical Sunni Islamist group that was reputedly connected to about 500 murders in the 1990s. Now, he heads a countrywide NGO that he insists is dedicated to peace. Turkish Jets Bomb PKK Camps – Reuters Reports: Turkish planes bomb Kurdish rebels
Turkish Planes 'Bomb Iraqi Kurds' - BBC News
Police break up Turkey marchers BBC News Istanbul's Economic Tension.
TIME A lawsuit threatens to undo the pro-Islamic government's record of reform and growth Postcard: Cyprus Another breach in Nicosia's "green line" suggests that the Turkish North's status as the choice destination for fugitives may not be forever. On the Run in the Sun Invisible Nation: How the Kurds’ Quest for Statehood is Shaping ...
Harvard Political Review Türkiye sadık değil güçlü müttefik Turkish-Pakistani CT Cooperation Bodes Ill for Bad Guys Damascus ascendant
Al-Ahram Weekly The Turkish Role in the Peace Process
The Media Line Amir Taheri Sarkozy is Wrong About Turkey Asharq Alawsat The Economist Smyrna, 1922 End of an era In Cyprus, a Street Is Revived, and So Is Hope Wall Street Journal Want the best of Asia and Europe? Try Istanbul - Where in the World is Matt Lauer? - MSNBC.com On May Day around the world, a mix of rallies, violence and even hints of hope Thousands of marchers gathered in Hamburg on May Day to call for more workers' rights, while protesters in Turkey were met with police batons and water cannon. Turkcell denies US pressure against Syrian deal A Pakistani in Turkey Khaleej Times 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 Kuzey Irak'la resmî temaslar başladı; Neçirvan Barzani, Türkiye'ye gelecek PKK'ya giden silah dolu TIR, Cilvegözü'nde yakalandı Türk heyeti Talabani ve N. Barzani'yle görüştü PKK'ya tır dolusu silah
ERDAL ŞAFAKIrak'taki oluşumun adı
TSK'nın Sırat Köprüsü
M.Ali Kışlalı Cevdet Aşkın Ankara-Erbil PKK pazarlığı Turkey Holds First Senior Official Contact With Iraqi Kurds in Years Sebahattin Önkibar AKP Irak'taki Türkmenler arasında bile islamcılık ayrımını yapıyor! Erdoğan: Bağdat'a gelmeye hazırım TRT, Kürtçe kanalına koordinatör arıyor Birileri Kürt-Türk çatışması istiyor Nasuhi Güngör Sakarya’da olanları hafife almayalım DTP etkinliğini basan grup serbest bırakıldı MGK'dan radikal karar PKK'dan topluca kaçtılar Barzani'ye 'PKK'yla mesafe koy' mesajı What is the UN Doing in Kirkuk? Bilgiler geçici olarak kullanılabilir değil. Yerel medyaya Ankara eğitimi Başbakanlık ’hack’lendi
'Dünyada en etkili 100'e 2 Türk girdi Dünyanın 100 entelektüeli listesinde tanıdık isimler Kadın-erkek eşitliği ve ekonomi
GÜLSEREN ONANÇ Oray Eğin 12 Yayın Yönetmeni’nin fotoğrafı Foreigners in Turkey permitted to purchase real estate Ünal için 31 yıl istemi 2 Mayıs 2008 Basın Özeti | H3 Şanlı Taksim müdafaası
Cemil Çiçek ara dönem siyasetçisi; AKP'ye yaptığını FP'ye de yapmıştı CHP Çalık kredisi için BDDK’ya başvurdu AK Parti’nin savunmasındaki ayrıntılar
AKP'lilerin "uzlaşma" isteklerine Erdoğan'dan yanıt AK Parti: Demirel ve Ecevit de mi laikliğe karşı? Vekillere savunmayı anlatan Erdoğan, umutlu konuştu İşçiye devlet şefkati! AKP'nin demokratlığı buraya kadarmış Gazistanbul! Vali Güler 'orantılı güç' dedi, uygulama 12 Eylül'ü aratmadı 'Ayaklar'a adım attırmadılar Savunmada adı geçen general Halis Burhan İki farklı Ankara Yalçınkaya’dan jet işlem
1 Mayıs'ın iki yüzü Terör örgütü provoke etti ● Devletin istihbaratı haklı çıktı DHKP-C, Tunceli'den adam getirdi
4 yıldızlı general oymuş 301’in iptali için işbirliği arayışı AKP’nin savunması Özal ve Demirel’den
Mahkeme adresi Çatlı ile aynı çıktı 375 milyon dolar kredi aldığı Halkbank’a talip Milliyet Son Dakika Cengiz Çandar 1 Mayıs ya da Hükümetin harakirisi... Ahmet Taşgetiren Şövalyelik Ruşen - Çakır Erdoğan ve AKP 1 Mayıs’ta büyük bir fırsat kaçırdı Taha Akyol AKP ve yargı Fikret Bila Taksim savunması! Hasan Cemal Demokrasi ipinin yerine devletin sopasına sarılmak! Murat Yetkin Hükümet şimdi 1 Mayıs'ı kazanmış mı oldu? İsmet Berkan1 Mayıs ve Ergenekon yöntemleri Fehmi Koru 1 Mayıs böyle geçti Taha Kıvanç'Sağlam kanıt' anlatıyor... Şamil Tayyar Ali BayramoğluUzak açıdan: Kapatma davası, 1 Mayıs,vs, vs… Yasemin Çongar Ertuğrul ÖzkökMatruşkanın 1 Mayıs itirafı Serdar Turgut Türkiye MBA dersi oldu Ahmet HakanMüptezellik M Ali BirandDeğdi mi, bunca gerilime... Cüneyt Ülsever Enis Berberoğlu Türker Alkan - Üniformaya özgürlük! Bilgiler geçici olarak kullanılabilir değil. Haluk Şahin - Papaz efendinin ettikleri Bilgiler geçici olarak kullanılabilir değil. Murat Yetkin - Hükümet şimdi 1 Mayıs'ı kazanmış mı oldu? Bilgiler geçici olarak kullanılabilir değil. İsmet Berkan - 1 Mayıs ve Ergenekon yöntemleri Bilgiler geçici olarak kullanılabilir değil. Hasan Celal Güzel - Bayram böyle mi olur? Bilgiler geçici olarak kullanılabilir değil. M.Ali Kışlalı - TSK'nın Sırat Köprüsü Erken seçim çözüm mü? Bilgiler geçici olarak kullanılabilir değil. Bilgiler geçici olarak kullanılabilir değil. Namık Kemal Zeybek - Zorla Müslüman Murat Belge - 1 Mayıs'ı kutlamaktayız
BÜLENT KORUCU - Hudson'dan Taksim'e yol gider! HÜSEYİN GÜLERCE - Kanunsuz gösteriler karartma çabası mı? MUSTAFA ÜNAL - İsimsiz kahraman! İHSAN DAĞI - 'Demirel demokrasisi' yeter mi? MÜMTAZ'ER TÜRKÖNE - "Hangi Atatürk"ün yargıçları? Oktay EkşiTaksim inadı Tufan Türenç Erdoğan’ın öfkesinden işçiler de nasibini aldı Özdemir İnce 1 Mayıs üzerine Yalçın Bayer Polis devletinin ayak sesleri mi Ferai Tınç Kuşatma altındaki Taksim’den bildiriyorum Mehmet Y YılmazSorun demokrat olamamakla ilgili MUHARREM SARIKAYA Bağımsızlar hareketi ERDAL ŞAFAKIrak'taki oluşumun adı
YASİN DOĞAN AK Parti'nin duruşu… Mehmet Altan 1 Mayıs ve Ortadoğu Eser Karakaş Yargıçlar, hukuk ve özgürlük ENGİN ARDIÇKıyamet senaryosu ERGUN BABAHANGösteri hakkı temel haktır
EMRE AKÖZKarizma çizildi Umur TaluPolis devleti, cop hükümeti, gaz vilayeti HASAN BÜLENT KAHRAMAN Ayakları baş yapmak NAZLI ILICAKTaksim savaşını kim kazandı? MEHMET BARLASEmekçi fabrikada çalışırsa "işçi", emniyette çalışırsa "polis" olur... MAHMUT ÖVÜRYeni siyasi arayışın adı: Gökkuşağı Hareketi...
YAVUZ DONATAK Parti... Nereden nereye?
Mustafa AKYOL
KORAY DÜZGÖREN 12 Eylül hiçbir yere gitmedi, hâlâ burada TAMER KORKMAZ Bir 'Korku Bayramı' daha rüzgar gibi geçti…
Tandoğan’da barış gülü Sıhhiye’de polise saldırı AK Parti savunmasında Demirel ve Yılmaz örneği Bilgiler geçici olarak kullanılabilir değil. Vekillere savunmayı anlatan Erdoğan, umutlu konuştu Bilgiler geçici olarak kullanılabilir değil. Halk düşmanlığıyla sosyal demokrasiyi nasıl bağdaştırıyorsunuz? Bilgiler geçici olarak kullanılabilir değil. CHP'li başkanın skandal sözlerine tepki yağdı Bilgiler geçici olarak kullanılabilir değil. CHP'li vekiller komisyonda birbirine girdi Bilgiler geçici olarak kullanılabilir değil. MHP'den CHP'ye '301' ziyareti Bilgiler geçici olarak kullanılabilir değil. AB'den 301 yorumu: Darısı diğerlerinin başına ABDURRAHMAN YILDIRIM 'Bağımsız Merkez Bankası' çıpasından da olmayalım Ercan Kumcu Finans sisteminin vergilendirilmesi Hurşit Güneş Hükümetten Merkez Bankası’na gitmesi gereken mektup Hasan Ersel TCMB'nin enflasyon tahminindeki sıçrama Güngör Uras İşsizlik Fonu’ndaki işçi paraları harcanacak İBRAHİM KAHVECİ Kriz bitmedi tersine derinleşiyor Uğur Gürses - Kredibilite hedeflemesi! Turkey seeks adviser to privatise power firm-sources
Hayvancılıkta önlem alınmazsa et fiyatını kimse tutamaz Exports rise despite political uncertainty Erdal Sağlam Türkiye'ye ihracat morali FT MARKETS & INVESTING: Inflation forecast shakes Istanbul OKAN MÜDERRİSOĞLU
4 ayda 106 bin yeni çocuk işçimiz oldu! ŞEREF OĞUZ Açlık belası Deniz Gökçe ABD istatistiklerinde henüz resesyon yok! Türklerin lüks saat tutkusu, pazarı beş yılda 500 milyon dolara çıkardı |
| H4 New York Times DAVID BROOKS The Cognitive Age There’s a problem with the way the globalization paradigm has evolved. It doesn’t really explain most of what is happening in the world Editorial Notes From the War on Terror The next president and Congress will have to work very hard to uncover all the ways President Bush has twisted or evaded the law, and then set things right. ‘D.C. Madam’ Is Found Dead, Apparently in a Suicide Congress Passes Bill to Bar Bias Based on Genes The bill speaks to the hope that genetic research may vastly improve health care and to the fear of a dystopia in which people’s DNA could be turned against them. Wall St. Starts to See Signs of a Turnaround Despite a drumbeat of bad economic news, the stock market is up, and for the first time in months, Wall Street analysts and executives sound upbeat. Shame in Calais We do not discount the anxieties of Europeans whose lives have been transformed by globalization, but the answer is not to pretend that immigrant labor isn’t needed PAUL KRUGMAN Party of Denial Barack Obama is doing more harm to the Democratic cause by echoing Republican attack lines on issues such as insurance mandates and Social Security | H5 Washington Post Ideology's Rude Return By Robert Kagan, Autocracy's success in Russia and China poses a challenge to the liberal West. Five Years After 'Mission Accomplished' By Dan Froomkin Fair Play for False Prophets By E. J. Dionne Jr NEW YORK -- Do white right-wing preachers have it easier than black left-wing preachers? Is there a double standard? At Least 35 Iraqis Die in Wedding Convoy Blast Attack appears to target members of the Awakening movement, mainly Sunnis who have joined with U.S. forces to fight the Sunni insurgent group al-Qaeda in Iraq. Senate Panel Moves to Shift Costs of War to Iraq The Perils Of Patronizing By Michael Gerson, In the past few weeks Barack Obama has learned the political perils of condescension. The 'Race' Speech Revisited By Charles Krauthammer, On Tuesday, Barack Obama begged to extend and revise his previous remarks on race. The Ugly ChinesePomfret's China | An end to China's effective projection of "soft" power. 'D.C. Madam' Confirmed Dead Facing prison for running an area call-girl ring, Deborah Palfrey apparently hanged herself The Campaign Nonsense Du Jour By Eugene Robinson Say any damn thing you think the voters want to hear McCain's Birth Abroad Stirs Legal Debate: His Eligibility for Presidency Is Questioned Fed to Crack Down on Credit Card Companies Aggressive regulations would label as "unfair or deceptive" practices such as arbitrarily raising interest rates on outstanding balances. Clinton Defends Gas Tax Plan After polls, her advisers argue that the economy has become increasingly important to voters | H6 Guardian Labour suffers mauling on grim night for Brown Results so far show Labour heading for its lowest share of the vote since the 1970s Pastor row sees Obama losing ground After a relatively smooth campaign, Barack Obama faces his greatest crisis ahead of Indiana primary Israel urged to end Gaza blockade As talks begin in London over the faltering peace process, Oxfam calls for end to 'complacency' The chain that ties us all Simon Tisdall The growing world food crisis should focus western minds on the plight of the world's poorest people, if only out of self-interest Scratching secularism's surface Brian Whitaker Today's launch of British Muslims for Secular Democracy showed the need for a more rigorous debate on religion in politics Vox populi Michael Tomasky US elections 2008: Superdelegates won't overturn the popular vote - they're more pro-Obama than rank-and-file Democrats Lessons from history Leader: Failings of International Criminal Court undermine true nature of justice for victims of genocide and human rights abuse When business calls, the clunking fist turns into a wee tim'rous beastie Polly Toynbee: Instead of panicking at corporate scare stories, Brown should join forces internationally to make firms pay fair taxes Dawn of an energy famine Jeremy Leggett: Just as the need for renewables becomes critical, the oil giants signal an alarming retreat |
| H7 What Exactly Is the West? By: Guy Sorman | The Japan Times In the great clash of civilisations, with the West against the rest, it's the emphasis on innovation that defines a Westerner. SyriaComment News Round Up (1 May 2008) War with Iran II--5/2/2008 12:00:00 AM Richard Perle: Fight For Human Rights, Democracy Follows 'We will act,' Peres warns THE WASHINGTON TIMES EDITORIAL The United States may be entering a world in the next few years with a chilling reality: a world in which nuclear-armed rogue states conclude that they can get away with almost anything. Will US and Iran Go to War at Sea? - Christopher Dickey, Newsweek opinion Al Awsat Syria or Iran: Where Does the Decision Lie? : Tariq Alhomayed Renewed Iran-Egypt Ties? By: Jonathan Schanzer | National Review Egypt and Iran joined forces in mid-April at the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) meeting in Cape Town, South Africa, to propose the adoption of a pro-Palestinian statement, Iranian news agencies report. The proposal held no authority, and the IPU is not an organization that commands even a modicum of international respect. But, when Egypt and Iran work together in any capacity, there is cause for concern. Gvosdev Kagan's Memory Problems Egypt : A policy paper from the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace looks at Egypt’s April elections and argues that they indicate a broad deterioration in Egyptian politics. Iraq: U.S. Has No Claim to Oil Boom By: Liz Sly | The Chicago Tribune
As Congress gears up to debate the Bush administration's latest request for an additional $108 billion in war funding for Iraq and Afghanistan, Iraqis are fuming at suggestions being floated by lawmakers that Baghdad should start paying a share of the war's costs by providing cheap fuel to the U.S. military. Religion and secularism Power points The slogans of political Islam remain highly resonant, whether as a programme for peaceful governance or an inspiration to wage war. Two new books explain why North Korea and Syria Oh what a tangled web they weave The shadowy half-life of Syria's supposedly non-existent nuclear reactor A Lebanese Test Zuheir Kseibati - It is Iran's business in the first place not to believe Washington's assurances especially as the latter sends a second carrier to the Gulf, but Syria is the business of all Arabs. Perhaps the test is not over yet, and while Lebanon remains its field, its loss will not make the road to the Golan shorter The heat is on Muqtada
The fierce battle raging in Baghdad's Sadr City between Muqtada al-Sadr's Mahdi Army and United States and Iraqi forces has claimed more than 1,000 lives over the past few weeks. What is not clear is the motive behind the offensive against the Shi'ite militia. It could be the Americans, trying to nip in the bud any united front between Muqtada and Sunnis. Or the Iranians, wanting to eliminate a potential thorn in their side. Either way, Muqtada has a fight on his hands. - Sami Moubayed Al-Qaeda searches for unity in Iraq A series of messages from al-Qaeda deputy Ayman al-Zawahiri and its chief in Iraq, Abu Hamza al-Mujahir, indicates al-Qaeda is pulling out all the stops to try to prevent the Sunni Iraqi mujahideen from militarily winning the war but then losing the political spoils because of disunity. - Michael Scheuer Is Iran the Biggest Problem in Iraq? - Herschel Smith, The Captain's Journal What Is a Vote Worth in Iran? By: Ahmad Sadri | Turkish Daily News
Iran is facing increasing voter apathy that will likely disrupt the delicate balance of theocracy and democracy, possibly unleashing a crisis of legitimacy in the Islamic Republic. Democrats and the Killing Fields By: Arthur Herman | The Wall Street Journal
Most people have never heard of Operation Frequent Wind, which ended on April 30, 1975, 33 years ago. But every American has seen pictures of it: the Marine helicopters evacuating the last U.S. personnel from the embassy in Saigon. The Discrete Charm of the Washington Consensus
Source: Levy Economics Institute at Bard College Full Paper (PDF; 90 KB) | H8 IraqSlogger Google News Iraq Iran Syria Mideastwire.com - NPR Iraq CIA Chief: Iran Wants to Kill Americans in Iraq General Claims 'Clear Evidence' Iran Supporting Taliban State Dept: Iran Tops State-Sponsored Terrorism Iran Ends Oil Transactions in US Dollars Iraq by the Numbers: Key Figures Since the War Began in 2003 Israeli Transportation Minister: Iran Could Go Nuclear in a Year US Troop Deaths in Iraq Hit Seven-Month High Al-Sadr Aide Says Iranian Weapons Sold in Iraqi Markets Paper U.S. Commission Split on Iraq Religious Freedom by Eli Lake Iran: Tehran Comes Under Pressure to Halt Support for Militias Operating in Iraq British Troops to Stay in Basra 'For the Long Term' Jordan Muslim Brotherhood Elects New, Hawkish Leader Gulf States May Drop Currency Pegs to Dollar, Kuwait Finance Minister Says... | H9 Ha’aretz – Mofaz, at Yale: Iran could have nuke bomb technology this year Akiva Eldar The Syrian-Palestinian lie Rice: Israelis and Palestinians must agree on final borders Bush Will Not Pressure Israel on Core Issues Self-confidence in Israel's DNAThe national ability to set and attain goals without letting reality interfere underlies our chutzpah to exist against all odds and to thrive against all expectations Bar’el Ahmadinejad's enemies at home IDF chief: We take calls for Israel's destruction seriously Israel Harel: Jewish guilt over Gaza deaths weakens us in fight for Israel's existence Verter In the holiday spirit Hamas TV: 'Satanic Jews' planned, perpetrated Holocaust Donor nations: Israel must lift West Bank barriers By YAAKOV KATZ
It'd be hard for Israel to explain its Gaza ops when Hamas has said it is ready to lay down weapons For a cease-fire with Hamas [ LARRY DERFNER , 'Israelis must rediscover Jewish values' 'Olmert to be interrogated on Friday' PMO confirms prime minister will be questioned by police's Fraud Investigation Unit; reason unclear. Yedioth Ahronoth Olmert faces urgent probe
PM to be questioned Friday at his Jerusalem residence after Attorney General Mazuz issued special permit allowing police to interrogate him within 48 hours. Affair that prompted urgent interrogation remains unclear 'Land for peace' a fantasy Lebanon, Gaza pullouts make it clear that withdrawals don't pay off, Haim Misgav says Clear message to the world/ Arad‘Never Again’ means that those who harm Israel will pay full price for it Daily Alert.org – Hebrew Press Editorials (2008) - Middle East Progress - EJC Israeli Press Review – Google News Israel - Palestine Daily Star Rice is right: Palestinian-Israeli peace talks are losing credibility Commentary 1948, Israel, and the Palestinians—The True Story Efraim Karsh From our May issue. An exhaustive review of the archival evidence tells a ruinous tale of villainy and betrayal Blood and Sand By: David Remnick | The New Yorker
For thirteen centuries, between 1200 B.C. and the second century A.D., the Jews lived in, and often ruled, the land of Israel. The population was clustered mainly in Judaea, Samaria, and Galilee. Palestinian Militants, but Not Israel, Back Hamas Truce Plan By: Ashraf Khalil | Los Angeles Times
Several Palestinian militant groups signed off Wednesday on a Hamas-sponsored temporary truce proposal that the Islamist movement says could bring calm to Israel's southern border with the Gaza Strip and ease the 10-month economic siege of Gaza 130,000 Images Online in Yad Vashem Photo Archives Israel Treats Thousands of Sick Gazans Archaeologists for hire Yigal Bronner May 1, 2008 4:30 PM A Jewish settler organisation is using archaeology to further its political agenda and oust Palestinians from their homes Interview With
Jimmy Carter
by John Nichols |
| H10 Christian Science Monitor U.S. kills Al Qaeda-linked militant, but elsewhere terrorism grows News of an airstrike on Aden Hashi Ayro came on the heels of the State Department's annual report on terrorism, which concluded that Al Qaeda was rebuilding in Pakistan Linchpin in Afghan security: a better police force The US is stepping up police training to change a force that has a reputation among Afghans as corrupt and often ineffective. In praise of Palestinian steadfastness Despite 60 years of hardship, real achievement, too. Obama, Clinton intensify pursuit of white working class His big lead in North Carolina slips heading into May 6 primary; exodus of whites cited. ASIA CSM China's 'rational' nationalism Beijing lights a dangerous patriotic torch as the Olympic torch heads its way. The Economist Angry China The recent glimpses of a resentful, snarling China should scare the country's government as much as the world China A lot to be angry about Afghanistan Fearful asymmetry Pakistan's tribal areas Dangerous deals Japanese politics Fukuda's botched repairs Engaging the East - Michael Auslin, Weekly Standard opinion European Union and China Drifting Apart By: Israel Rafalovich | Asia Sentinel
While the buzz from Beijing about the visit of the President of the European Union, Jose Manuel Barroso of Portugal, appears to presage a closer embrace between Europe and China, the fact is that the European Union and China are drifting apart China's pride versus Western prejudice The Chinese government did not expect the Olympic Games to be politicized to the extent they have been and the result is a big loss for Beijing. It has also damaged the image of China's "harmonious society" and prompted a new wave of Chinese nationalism. Many Chinese now feel, for the first time in many years, antagonized by Western ideology. - Da Wei India raises a toast to Iran
In a clear reference to the United States, Delhi has asserted that India and Iran "are perfectly capable of managing all aspects of their relationship", and is solidifying a number of agreements previously stalled with Tehran, mostly related to energy. The economic imperatives are obvious, but there are also compelling political reasons. - Siddharth Srivastava USIP Kick-starting the Virtuous Cycle? Security, Development, and Governance in Afghanistan A Japanese think tank presents its proposal for closer China-Japan ties ahead of Chinese President Hu Jintao’s trip to Japan in May (PDF). US Considered Nuking China in 1958 CIA Chief Says China's Rapid Military Buildup Troubling Sunday’s attack on President Karzai of Afghanistan has proved that the Taliban still has teeth, but that Karzai should not make the mistake of reverting to the policy of relying solely on military force to defeat the Islamist radicals. Shao Jiang: China remains a land of torture and repression China's Pride Versus Western Prejudice By: Da Wei | Asia Times The Chinese government did not expect the Olympic Games to be politicized to the extent they have been and the result is a big loss for Beijing. Time We Must Not be Alarmist about China - London Daily Telegraph editorial
Is China Our Enemy? - Gordon Chang, Contentions
China opens 'world's longest sea bridge'...
New Beijing Airport terminal becomes 'world's largest building'...
CHINESE BUILD SECRET NUCLEAR SUB BASE...
Senator: China plans to spy on Olympic hotel guests... The Real U.S. Deficit With China -- Knowledge By: Xu Wu | The Christian Science Monitor
Americans are out of touch with today's China. It's a knowledge deficit that carries more weight in the long-term bilateral relationships between China and the United States than the ballooning US trade deficit with China. And as China makes a comeback on the world stage, it's one that the US should address N. Korea to Give Nuke Files to U.S. By: Nicholas Kralev | The Washington Times
North Korea has tentatively agreed to give the United States thousands of records from its Yongbyon nuclear reactor dating back to 1990 to complement an expected declaration of its nuclear programs, administration and congressional officials said yesterday 'It's time to negotiate with Naxalites' India should seek peace talks with Maoist rebels whose influence is spreading, a report to the Government advises Five Asian Nations Are Weighing a Rice Cartel By: Thomas Fuller | The New York Times
The prime minister of Thailand, Samak Sundaravej, said Wednesday that his government would try to create a cartel of rice-producing countries in partnership with Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmar and Laos | H11 IHT WORLD FOOD CRISIS Through Africa with hope By BAN KI MOON If we begin taking steps to deal decisively with the world food crisis, the solution will come. Russia steps up effort to keep Georgia out of NATO Russia's decision to send 1,000 extra troops to Georgia's breakaway region of Abkhazia is part of the Kremlin's policy to thwart the ambitions of the Caucasus country to join NATO, Georgia's foreign minister says Diplomats' expulsion from Belarus angers U.S. EUROPE European press review The Economist Sarkozy's difficult year The French are right to be disappointed in their president Sarkozy's France The presidency as theatre Mr Sarkozy's first year in the office has brought only limited change to France. Even if he grows less distracted, he may find reform harder to achieve The European Union and Russia Divide, rule or waffle The European Union cannot agree over how to deal with Russia. That suits the Kremlin just fine ZL. Normative Empire.pdf Zaki Laïdi CEPS Is Social Europe fit for Globalisation? Prospects for the EUs New Generation of FTAs Bosnia Angered by Signing of EU-Serbia Deal By: Elitsa Vucheva | EU Observer The signing of a pre-accession deal between the EU and Serbia has been criticised by Bosnia and Herzegovina, which has so far not had the privilege of being offered a similar deal European Union and China Drifting Apart By: Israel Rafalovich | Asia Sentinel
While the buzz from Beijing about the visit of the President of the European Union, Jose Manuel Barroso of Portugal, appears to presage a closer embrace between Europe and China, the fact is that the European Union and China are drifting apart Russia : The European Council on Foreign Relations analyzes the ascension of Dmitry Medvedev and what it means for EU-Russia relations. The Russians Are Coming: Moscow Investors Go on Shopping Spree for German Companies Informal EU Meeting Discusses Security and Diplomatic Policy Former Kosovo Albanian Minister Leads Party in Macedonian Election | H12 RFE/RL Google News Azerbaijan Russian-Georgian Military Buildup Raises Fears of War By: Richard Weitz | World Politics Review
On April 29, 2008, the Russian Foreign Ministry accused the Georgian government in Tbilisi of preparing to invade the pro-Moscow separatist region of Abkhazia, which is located on the eastern shore of the Black Sea, along the Russia-Georgia border Azerbaijan Sees Armenia Differently After Elections By: Fariz Ismailzade | Eurasia Daily Monitor “Democracy in Azerbaijan is at least no worse than in Georgia, but the comparison with Armenia is almost impossible,” said Khazar Ibrahim, the head of the press service of the Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs Azerbaijan Frees Russian Cargo for Iran Nuclear Plant OxAn GEORGIA/RUSSIA: Military steps could escape control EDM ANNEXATION AND MILITARIZATION OF ABKHAZIA CONTINUE APACE
- TAJIK GOVERNMENT ASKS FOR CONTRIBUTIONS TO BUILD ROGUN HYDROPOWER STATION
- WILL TURKMEN GAS GO SOUTH AS WELL AS WEST? Hayden Warns of Russian Unrest By: Bill Gertz | The Washington Times
Russia's declining population will require Moscow to import foreign workers, increasing racial and religious tensions in the former superpower that still has thousands of nuclear weapons, CIA Director Michael V. Hayden said The Kremlin: Enter a New False Dmitry? BY IGOR TORBAKOV
The last Dmitry to rule in the Kremlin, way back in 1605, savored absolute authority for less than a year before running afoul of Moscow’s power brokers. Suspected of trying to convert Russia to Roman Catholicism, he was denounced as the "False Dmitry," assassinated, his body burned and his ashes shot out of a cannon pointed toward Poland. Russia’s new Dmitry, Mr. Medvedev, is set to assume Russia’s powerful presidency in a matter of days. His fate will doubtless be less severe than his predecessor’s. Yet, the president-to-be is nevertheless coming to power engulfed by a fog of speculation that raises questions about whether his tenure will be a tranquil one for Russia, and, by extension, for Russia’s near-abroad. |
| H13 The Times Democrats warned: a vote for Clinton is a vote for McCain Super-delegate dumps Hillary Clinton for Barack Obama amid fears marathon race is only helping the Republican candidate The Base Al-Qaeda's ideology is losing its pull but this Hydra remains dangerous Blair-Brown ‘summit’ the one to watch The activity at the Middle Eastern talks in London will be vacuous, in the sense that firm pledges or signs of progress will be largely absent Bronwen Maddox Barack and the boys from his 'hoodThe sermons of Jeremiah Wright threaten to open up the wounds that Obama is trying to heal · Gerard Baker Wall Street Journal Bush Calls for More Food Aid The president proposed $770 million in assistance on top of the $200 million released two weeks ago to alleviate the global surge in food prices. While the traditional U.S. approach is to ship American-grown food overseas, the White House proposal calls for buying more food in developing countries Exxon Agonistes
If John D.'s heirs aren't satisfied with Exxon, they're welcome to invest elsewhere. Our guess is that few will, given how much money they've made on fossil fuels. Africa Does Not Have to Starve
By Norman Borlaug and Andrew Natsios How to reduce the pain of higher food prices. The Economist Global monetary policy Ben's bind National Review THE EDITORS: With nobody looking at the big economic picture, we are running a real risk of drifting into a ’70s-style policy mix of high taxes, loose money, a weak dollar -- and stagflation. “Out of Gas” Fed may want inflation
US Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke continues to cut interest rates, even as concerns grow at home and abroad at rising prices across swathes of the global economy. Despite public pronouncements to the contrary, it is possible the Fed chief sees more pros than cons for the US in the inflation he risks stoking. - Axel Merk Economy takes US center stage
A major new survey finds that oil prices and other economic issues are edging out foreign policy concerns on the US public's worry list. Seventy percent of respondents say they worry "a lot" about soaring energy costs, and the survey's aptly named "Anxiety Indicator" shows that 84% worry about the way things are going for the US. - Jim Lobe Bernanke takes one more gamble Bernanke's decision to cut key interest rates one more time was always in the cards. More astonishing was the scant concern he showed towards the inflationary risks inherent in his actions over the past few months, risks that food riots make clear are already a harsh reality in the world beyond the US. - Julian Delasantellis | H14 Financial Times Clever conceits cannot hide the world’s jagged edges You can always find some analogy or other from the past that can be said to illuminate the here and now. Yet upheavals in the global system since 1989 – the most profound for at least a century – are not susceptible to neatness, writes Philip Stephens US farm lobby defends biofuel No quick end to the credit squeeze While the Bank’s Financial Stability Report may be right not to expect further spectacular crashes and liquidity crises, it does not mean markets will recover speedily US military seeks more Afghan aid funds US commanders in eastern Afghanistan are calling for double the amount of money spent on military-led reconstruction in an attempt to curb popular support for the Taliban Black leaders back disowning of pastor Barack Obama has received the blessing of the most senior African-American in Congress for his decision to sever ties with Jeremiah Wright, the controversial pastor Obama looks to Indiana’s ‘shotgun’ houses Dramatic, not slow, remedies are the best way Tinkering does not work, argues Jamie Whyte Why Britain’s economy will change Martin Wolf on the Bank’s response to the credit crisis Regulators must reform Wall Street Start with incentives system, says William Cohan | H15 Los Angeles Times Iraq sends team to Iran to discuss U.S. accusations Tehran denies the charges that it is aiding militias. Meanwhile, Gen. Petraeus says large amounts of Iranian weapons were found in the Basra crackdown U.S. terrorism report finds Al Qaeda attacks rose in Pakistan Editorial The Wright choice By repudiating his controversial former pastor, Obama did what had to be done. A commitment problem By Norman Ornstein Pity the poor superdelegate waiting for a clear sign on which Democrat to support Rev. Wright deserves some attention Rosa Brooks Writing him off as twisted does nothing to promote reconciliation. U.S. tracked newly slain Somali for years Aden Hashi Ayro, the leader of a brutal Islamic militia, died along with others in a Navy missile strike. |
| H19 Military Intelligence Terrorism Why Study War? - Victor Davis Hanson, City Journal opinion Ground Truth - American Enterprise Institute The Future of U.S. Land Power The RAND Corporation remains one of the most potent and complex purveyors of U.S. imperialism. Its influence, positive and sinister, continues to be felt... more» The Case for Strengthening the Department of State - American Diplomacy US Considered Nuking China in 1958 In new congressional testimony, Harvard’s Matthew Bunn explains steps the United States could take to prevent nuclear proliferation and terrorism. ...But Elsewhere Terrorism Grows - Peterson and Crilly, Christian Science Monitor
Al-Qaeda's Ideology is Losing - London Times editorial
Where Are We Losing? - Abe Greenwald, Contentions
Half-Won, Half-Lost War - Victor Davis Hanson, National Review
How Juggernaut is the AQ Online Juggernaut? - March Lynch, Abu Aardvark A review of The Bin Ladens: An Arabian Family in the American Century by Steve Coll (and more and more and more and more). A U.S. air raid in Somalia killed the leader of an Islamic insurgency as well as ten other people (BBC). Aden Hashi Ayro was confirmed dead by a spokesman for the group al-Shabab, but not the U.S. government. Al-Shabab, the militant wing of the Union of Islamic Courts, held sway in Somalia until 2006 when Ethiopian troops, backed by the United States, ousted the courts. U.S. officials claim ties between al-Shabab and al-Qaeda, which al-Shabab denies. Somali officials told the New York Times that Ayro’s death could be a turning point in their fight against the Islamists. A leader of Ayro’s clan, however, suggests that al-Shabab will continue because many young Somalis see the group as a “heroic cause.” White House, Telecoms Tried to Hide Snooping The Swedish Model How to build a jet fighter US Military Coordinated Day of Prayer Events With Christian Right Group Lawless in Guantánamo | H20 Slate Jeffrey Sachs on Economics for a Crowded Planet The Economist Farm subsidies The right time to chop Rich-country governments must ignore special pleading to restrict farm trade A review of Misha Glenny's McMafia: A Journey Through the Global Criminal Underworld. Fixes for the Food Fight By: Jake Caldwell | The Washington Post
The world is not food secure. An overextended global food system operating in an increasingly resource-constrained world with little or no cushion to cope with catastrophe is now at the brink of break down due to soaring global food prices Newsweek The Next US President Won’t Be Green Food troubles are here to stay The food and fuel crisis this year will only be exacerbated by the serious water crisis caused by the cold dry winter Develop New Energies for a Battered World Economy By: Jeffrey Sachs | The Daily Star
The world economy is being battered by sharply higher energy prices. While a few energy-exporting countries in the Middle East and elsewhere reap huge profits, the rest of the world is suffering as the price of oil has neared $120 per barrel and that of coal has doubled The real mystery over oil prices is why expensive oil is not changing the way we behave. Rivers and conflict Streams of blood, or streams of peace Talk of thirsty armies marching to battle is surely overdone, but violence and drought can easily go together Freedom of the Press 2008 Survey Release Source: Freedom House + Charts (Word)
+ Tables (PDF; 539 KB)
+ Overview Essay (PDF; 127 KB)
+ Draft Reports (PDF; 1 MB)
+ Methodology (PDF; 31 KB)
+ Map of Press Freedom 2008 (PDF; 1 MB)
+ Historical Trends in Media Freedom | H21 Woman Found Dead in Fla. Believed to Be 'DC Madam' Palfrey No Harm, No Foul: The Outcome Bias in Ethical Judgments
Source: Harvard Business School Working Papers Full Paper (PDF; 169 KB) Two studies investigated the influence of outcome information on ethical judgment. Participants read a series of vignettes describing ethically-questionable behaviors. We manipulated whether those behaviors were followed by a negative or positive consequence. As hypothesized, participants judged behavior as less ethical when it was followed by a negative consequence. In addition, they judged the behavior as more blameworthy and to be punished more harshly. Participants’ ethical judgments mediated their judgments of both blame and punishment. The results of the second experiment showed again that participants rated behavior as less ethical when it led to undesirable consequences, even if they saw that behavior as acceptable before they knew its consequences. Implications for both research and practice are discussed American media On the brink Some of America's most venerable newspapers face extinction, unless they evolve Rawls vs. Nozick: the standoff between these two thinkers is central to political philosophy today. Both loved the abstract, and had little regard for human nature... more» The Winning Formula of 60 Minutes--Staying on top by covering the war while ignoring Britney Spears Scourge of the corporate pirates: The artist's enemy is obscurity, not piracy, says novelist and Web activist Cory Doctorow. Too Many People Own Homes
The government's misguided encouragement of home-buying is to blame for the mortgage crisis.
by Joshua Rosner Outrage after Italy posts all citizens' salary details on web! PAPER: The 50 most influential political pundits...
20-11... For God's Sake, Rank the TIME 100
Noted statistician Joel Stein creates a mathematical formula to rank the influence of everyone from Vladimir Putin to Bruce Springsteen |
