052708f - FOREIGN PRESS REVIEW (FPR) - ‘Relevant news, views, comments and analyses for informed debate’ Compiled by Şanlı Bahadır Koç U.S. / Britain / Turkey / Magazines / Think-tanks / Blogs / Misc /Books / Quickread / Numbers / Reports - Subscribe to FPR FPR Table - H4 NYT WP GU H7 ME Isr H10 CSM IHT Eur FSU Asia H13 Times WSJ FT LAT H16 USP DT Ind H19 Mil Int Ter Wonk H21 Misc

H1 Washington Post When Carrots and Sticks Don't Work By Zbigniew Brzezinski and William Odom, American policy toward Iran is not only ineffective but also illogical.

Sadr Pursues Image to Match His Power Unexpected Heir Studies, Strategizes to Become an Icon Like His Father

Guardian Post-American Israel

Dominique Moisi The 41-year-old special relationship between the US and Israel seems to be ending. What will follow it?

Olmert Says He Gave No Commitment on Golan

U.N. Blames Russia for Downed Drone

Los Angeles Times Iraqis losing patience with militiamen

Muqtada Sadr's Mahdi Army militia has provided services and protection to residents, but fighting in recent weeks has endangered their lives.

Christian Science Monitor Iran, U.S. leaning toward talks? Recent events suggest both Tehran and Washington may be willing to engage in dialogue.,,

The next president has to promote democracy better Amid democratic recession, the US must rethink its freedom agenda.

New Republic The Jihadist Revolt Against Bin Laden Why his Islamic radicals have turned on the Al Qaeda leader. by Peter Bergen and Paul Cruickshank

Al Qaeda: The Rebellion Within - Lawrence Wright, The New Yorker

Sistani Opposes SOFA; "As Long as he is Alive; Al-Maliki Advisor seems to, Too; 5 Killed, 22 Injured in Baghdad

Tom Barnett reviews Kagan and Zakaria Scripps Howard.

IHT The 'fiction of affluence' has Greeks uneasy Greece, with an economy that is slipping toward obsolescence, has its work cut out for itself: bloated state-owned companies, a wallet-busting pension system and old-fashioned universities.

New rules for the Middle East

By RAMI G. KHOURI Iran, Turkey, Hezbollah, Hamas and Israel share one and only one common trait: They routinely ignore Washington's advice.

Guardian This mini-league of nations would cause only division

Shashi Tharoor: John McCain wants to create a new alliance to circumvent the UN. We mustn't let this idea gain consensus in Washington

Crisis talks on global food prices

Summit in Rome expected to pledge immediate aid to poor countries threatened by malnutrition

Wall Street Journal How Bush Sold the War
By Douglas J. Feith Security, not democracy, was the reason we invaded Iraq. Why the radical shift in presidential rhetoric?

Financial Times On Israel and the US campaign bus Dealing with accusations of anti-semitism or anti-Israeli sentiment is draining and time-consuming for a presidential candidate. It is easier to chuck a controversial adviser under the bus. But America’s absolutism on the Middle East is reducing its influence, writes Gideon Rachman

Recession still likely in US, says Greenspan ‘Greater than 50 per cent probability’

Iran reformists upbeat despite poll defeat In spite of only comprising 15 per cent of the new parliament, reformists are optimistic about the influence they will wield in the new legislature

EU backs mandate for Russia talks Foreign ministers have approved a negotiating mandate for a new partnership agreement with Russia. It could cover energy and broad areas such as trade and security

DT Taliban uses Iraq-style tactics in Kabul Taliban militants have begun infiltrating districts around Kabul, adopting Iraq-style insurgency tactics against Nato forces and the fragile Afghan government.

New foreign policy body an opportunity EU cannot afford to miss, says report A new Chatham House Report, The European External Action Service: Roadmap for Success, sets out ten key policy recommendations that would ensure that the EAS is the most effective possible instrument for its task. Download Paper here

CFR The Candidates on Defense Policy

Ha’aretz – Palestinians reject Israeli offer to hand over 91.5% of W. Bank

MI: Syria still transferring arms to Hezbollah,

Rand Unbeknownst to US, Islamic Media Shapes the Mid-East

Jerusalem Post Our World: Utopian peace junkies

By CAROLINE GLICK Reality has counted for little in Israel's political and strategic discourse in recent years.

Daily Star Now we move on to Hizbullah's future By Nicholas Blanford

Japan’s Nuclear Future: Policy Debate, Prospects, and U.S. Interests (PDF; )
Source: Congressional Research Service (via OpenCRS) Full Report (PDF; 124 KB)

WP A Patriot's Progress By E. J. Dionne Jr., By calling young Americans to service, Obama can make patriotism a winning issue.

“Radar Magazine has an interesting piece by Christopher Ketcham that asks, "Is the government compiling a secret list of citizens to detain under martial law?"”

BloggingHeads Steven Simon & David Frum: Surging and Appeasing

WINEP The U.S.-Israel-Egypt Trilateral Relationship: Shoring Up the Foundation of Regional Peace

Lebanese Crisis Ends: Hizballah Victory or Temporary Truce?

EurasiaNet Russia-Kazakhstan: Medvedev Tries to Pick Up Where Putin Left Off
BY JOANNA LILLIS
New Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, making his first foreign foray as president, visited Kazakhstan to emphasize the importance of energy issues in the Kremlin’s geopolitical mindset. While Medvedev and Kazakhstani President Nursultan Nazarbayev offered effusive praise for bilateral ties, the host nevertheless stressed that Astana’s energy-export policy would continue to be based on pragmatic considerations, and not Russian wishful thinking.

Ehsan Ahrari Iraq: Breaking Up is Hard to Do

Time A New Man for Lebanon's Old Puzzle

The Return of Iraq's Ayatollah

H2 Apo ile Talabani’nin 17 yıllık kasedi çıktı

PM says Olmert requested Turkish mediation with Syria

OPINION: Escaping forwards —Uri Avnery Turkey is now a partner in the game. Even Olmert understands that it will be sheer folly to annoy the Turks

Cevdet Aşkın Kürtlerin yükselen yıldızı Neçirvan Barzani

DTP’de Türk-Ayna savaşı şiddetleniyor

Kürt yönetimi taviz vermeden Kerkük'te referandum olmaz

Citing drought, Iraq asks Turkey for more water

Turkey to take important steps on Kyoto Protocol

Türkiye bölgesel hakem rolü üstlendi

Savaş Süzal ABD desteklese de desteklemese de

Conceptualizing Turkey right: Post-Islamism vs. neo-secularism
Pinar K. TREMBLAY

Olmert Says He Gave No Commitment on Golan

Shell to be partner in Samsun-Ceyhan project, deal in June

İç Basında Türk Dış Politikası Dış Basında Türkiye - BBC Turkish 0700 VOA TSİ 06:30 Turkish Press Review Google News Turkey TurcoPundit

Google News Fırat News Agency KurdishMedia Kurdish Kurdish Aspect Dış Basında Irak BBC Monitoring Inter-national

Cevdet Aşkın Kürtlerin yükselen yıldızı Neçirvan Barzani

DTP’de Türk-Ayna savaşı şiddetleniyor

‘PKK problem requires political solution’

[YORUM - BEJAN MATUR] Diyarbakır'da devlet

G.Doğu paketi bugün açılıyor

Erdoğan, Diyarbakır çıkarmasında öncelikli projeleri açıklayacak

Hükümetin Diyarbakır çıkarması

Bush memnun etti siyasi çözüm istedi

PKK'nın kayıp arşivi Ergenekon'da mı? -

Suriye ‘Libya modeli’ peşinde

Hüsnü Mahalli Basit mantık

ERDAL ŞAFAK Beyrut mesajları

Baydemir'den Erdoğan'a yine boykot

DTP’den davet protestosu

Sami Kohen Lübnan’da yeni bir başlangıç

Kerim Balcı The sun rises from the East

Mete Çubukçu: Ortadoğu’da blöfü görmek

Iran - Turkey Gas Flow Halted After Blast

PKK için siyasi çözüm gerekiyor

Türkiye Cumhuriyeti pasaportu
NURAY MERT

İBRAHİM KARAGÜL Bir 'Osmanlı Barışı' mümkün!

Iraq: Kurds say no to elections in Kirkuk The Iraqi Kurdish leadership wants to postpone the provincial elections in the disputed areas, including the city of Kirkuk, until Article 140 of the constitution is implemented, Kurdish Globe reports.

Güneydoğu'da susuz afet

Yalçın Bayer GAP’ı kaptırmamak için yol haritası

İran’ı sevmek NAMIK KEMAL ZEYBEK

[NEWS ANALYSIS] Mideast states increasingly ignore US views

Arslan Bulut Erdoğan'ın GAP'ı satma operasyonu!

PHOTOS: Kirkuk's Provincial Police Chief Inspects IPs in Zaab

Google News Greece Cyprus Turkish Cypriot Press ABHaber Dış Basında Türkiye-AB İlişkileri Günlük Haftalık

AB ‘dikkat’ çekti

Brüksel�de gündem Türkiye

The EU’s safe guide on insulting Turkey

Bakanı, Sarkozy'e dokundurdu: Bana kalsa 6 müzakere faslı açarım

Turkish, Greek commanders’ meeting marred by criticism

German Ambassador: AK Party government is a secular one

Yusuf KANLI Cyprus fine tuning

Catholics Hope Turkey Opens Church For St Paul Year

AB Türkiye'ye sunacağı tutum belgesini onayladı

Eurasia versus 'Eureuropa'
Sylvia TİRYAKİ

EU shouldn't interfere in our business
Orhan KİLERCİOĞLU

Ali Babacan: "Katılım kelimesi rahatsız ediyor"

In Greek-Turkish Relations…it takes two to tango American Chronicle

Talat, Brüksel mesaisinde

Poland: EU should help east prepare for membership

Greek media questions its stance over Turkey Ariana FERENTINOU

AB’den Babacan’a güvence

Babacan, AB'ye 'müzakere çerçeve belgesi'ni hatırlatacak

Atatürk ve Venizelos’un izindeyiz

Agos gazetesi çalışanlarına ceza istemi

Kosovo Turks’ fear of albanianization by HAJRUDIN SOMUN*

The headscarf: political symbols and constitutionalism by Christopher Vasillopulos*

Gila Benmayor Koçulu: Ermenistan’la komşuluk ilişkileri peynirle başlasın

Greek media questions its stance over Turkey

Turkish Cypriot FM condemns attack on mosque on Greek side

Turkish Cypriot leader meets top EU officials in Brussels

Yunanlı generale sıcak karşılama

Yunanlı komutana sirtaki jesti

Yunan efsanesi boğazları aşamadı

Turkey’s judicial standards far behind EU’s

AB'nin eleştirileri için Babacan 'doğal' dedi

Ortaklık Konseyi toplanıyor

Limasol’da Büyük Cami’ye çirkin saldırı

Brüksel’de Gündem Türkiye

Dışişleri'nden Yunanistan'a 'anma günü' tepkisi

Dışişleri’nden Pontus açıklaması

Halkın yargıya güvenini arttırın

Anadolu Ermenileri kiliselerini istiyor

Türkiye beklesin: Boşnaklar AB'ye vizesiz giriyor!

Greek general staff chief on historic visit to Turkey

Greek military chief in Ankara
Athens News Agency

Britain & US Responsibility for Turkey’s Aggression in Cyprus
Greek News

Hedo Okur Tuncay Nihat Altintop

Umur TaluBir, iki, üç... daha fazla maymun!

27 Mayıs servet ihtilaliydi

Ceylan ups the ante in Cannes; France wins first Palme d’Or in 21 years

Oray Eğin “Yalnız ülkem” cümlesinin kodları

Seven Bilge Ceylan’ın en iyi ödülü PERİHAN MAĞDEN

Yapma Diyanet, etme Diyanet!

Turkey To Host Record Tourists in 2008

Kamuflajda ‘zeytin dalı’ modeli

Selçuk’a ‘fücur’ mu dedi, ‘fikir’ mi?

Ergenekon’un yazarı kooperatiften cezaevinde

Depo Müze’deki objeleri Çankaya’ya verebiliriz

Başbayan’ın ‘Çankaya Sarayı’ projesi

Millî yazılım için büyük adım

Turkey’s drug trafficking report for 2007 revealed that 31 tons of ...

Kene kâbusu bitmiyor

Kontenjan artışı için karar bugün

27 Mayıs 2008 Basın Özeti

H3 Bir bildiri de Köşk'ten

Gül devrede

Gül’den ilk adım

Toptan’dan ‘ara dönem formülü’ne açık kapı

'Ara formüllerin içinde olmam'

Gerçeker: Gayet olumlu bir görüşme Yargıtay Başkanı "tansiyonu düşürme" zirvesini VATAN'a anlattı

Yargıtay Başkanı Gerçeker'den Gül'e: Yargıda reform taslağı geri çekilsin

Kapatma davası, Türkiye'yi 12 milyar dolarlık yabancı yatırımdan etti

Gül: "Kapatma davası ile ilgili dikkatli olmak zorundayım"

‘Kaygı ve tavsiyelerimi muhataplarıma ilettim’

"AKP ve laiklik" yorumu

‘Paksüt’ü Başbakan dinletti’

AK Parti'deki "Ara Rejimci" 4 isim...

Umur TaluBir, iki, üç... daha fazla maymun!

Yapma Diyanet, etme Diyanet!

Gül, bildiri savaşına el koydu

Çözüm görüşmesi

CHP: Gül krizi çözemez

Ortam dinlemesi

Bu haberi hayretle okuyacaksınız!

‘Teziç kayıtları’ ortam dinlemesi

Şahin’den ‘maaş’ özrü

‘En çok parayı yargıya verdik’

Çiçek’ten Gül’e destek

Tartışmalar birliğimizi ve istikrarı bozmasın

Ergenekon yazarı tutuklandı

Makul olan görüşmek

Mahremiyet kalkıyor mu?

Darbe hazırlanıyor haberimiz olmuyor TESEV devletin istihbarat faaliyetlerinin “şeffaflaşmasını” konu alan dikkat çekici bir çalışmaya imza attı

‘Bu şerefsizce bir iddiadır’

Zafer Mutlu Barlas’ın iftirasını yanıtladı

Medyanın 'meyhane baskısı' devam ediyor

We Still Need a Larger Army - American Enterprise Institute

Son Dakika Milliyet Hürriyet Zaman

Cengiz Çandar Yeni Ortadoğu Denklemi; Lübnan’daki Türkiye; Türkiye’deki Türkiye

Ahmet Taşgetiren 27 Mayıs neden hâlâ güncel? Mumcu'nun "sistem krizi" değerlendirmesi

Ruşen - Çakır

Eyüp Can Haşim Kılıç ne demek istedi?

Taha Akyol 27 Mayıs

Fikret Bila Gül: Çok dikkatli olmak zorundayım

Hasan Cemal Bıçak sırtındayız!

Murat YetkinÇankaya gergin, hükümet yorgun, Meclis Başkanı kırgın

İsmet Berkan Ahlakın kökeni din midir?

Fehmi Koru Öğretmen mi, imam mı galip?

Taha KıvançAllah şifalar versin

Şamil Tayyar

Ali BayramoğluGüçlü Türk'ün yeni temsilcileri… Mumcu'nun "sistem krizi" değerlendirmesi

MUHARREM SARIKAYA 'Bürokratik oligarşi...'

[YORUM - PROF. DR. ERGUN ÖZBUDUN] İki laiklik anlayışı(2)

Yasemin Çongar

Ertuğrul ÖzkökCaminin faaliyet raporu olur mu

Serdar Turgut Slogan sosyolojisi

Ahmet Hakan

M Ali BirandKendimize haksızlık ediyoruz

Cüneyt ÜlseverŞerif Mardin ve Türkiye’de felsefenin sefaleti (I)

Enis BerberoğluLübnan’ı İran’dan kurtarın telefonu

İlter Türkmen Kuvvetler ayrılığı kuvvetler çatışması

EKREM DUMANLI - Şaşırıp kaldınız değil mi?

ŞAHİN ALPAY - Türkiye'de demokrasi Batı'nın umurunda mı?

İHSAN DAĞI - 27 Mayıs bayramınız kutlu olsun!

LEYLA İPEKÇİ - Adaletin merkez ve çevresi

MÜMTAZ'ER TÜRKÖNE - "Olumsuz laiklik düşkünlüğü"

Bilal Çetin Krize Gül müdahalesi...

Can Ataklı

“AKP kapatılırsa Erdoğan ara seçimde aday olamaz”

YAVUZ DONATKöksal Toptan: "Beni inciten durum şudur"

Güneri Civaoğlu Erdelhun sendromu

Demokrasiye ilk darbe: 27 Mayıs

Fatin Rüştü Zorlu’nun özel kalemi ve 27 Mayıs

Oktay EkşiBaş dönmesi

Özdemir İnce Brüksel yolunda

[YORUM - PROF. DR. DAVUT DURSUN] 'Beyefendi, halk dört yılda bir fikrini söyler; her gün fikrini söyleyen güçler var'

47 yıl sonra 27 Mayıs

Mehmet Y YılmazAmatör dekoratör kendini geliştiriyor!

Ali Bulaç Secular and anti-secular

Andrew Finkel ‘Shoddy law’

Bekir Coşkun Bay tersine...

Sabahattin Önkibar Abdullah Gül'den arabulucu olur mu?

Nuray Başaran Şerif Mardin'in düşündürdükleri

Mehmet Altan Menderes’i kim devirdi?

Berat Özipek Yargıda demokratik reform şart!

Eser Karakaş Hukuka, yargıya 24 Ocak gerekiyor

Sami Selçuk Uyarıcı sancılar

Mahir Kaynak 27 Mayıs

MUHARREM SARIKAYA 'Bürokratik oligarşi...'

ERDAL ŞAFAK Beyrut mesajları

ENGİN ARDIÇ

ERGUN BABAHAN Üç maymun

EMRE AKÖZ Apoletçilerin büyük hayali

Umur TaluBir, iki, üç... daha fazla maymun!

HASAN BÜLENT KAHRAMAN

NAZLI ILICAK Yassıada'dan anılar

MEHMET BARLASTürk toplumunun hâkim eğilimi demokratlık ve dünyalılıktır

MAHMUT ÖVÜRPrag'da Türkiye rüzgârı esiyor!

YAVUZ DONATKöksal Toptan: "Beni inciten durum şudur"

Yaman Törüner Yabancılar tapuları ele geçirirse!

TAMER KORKMAZ

“Türkiye'ye Yapılmış En Büyük Kötülüğün” yıldönümü

FATMA K. BARBAROSOĞLU

İşte bu bizim hikayemiz: Abdülhamit Han'dan Başbakan Tayyip Erdoğan'a

Derya Sazak Öğretmen ve imam

Muhitimize geldik... TÜRKER ALKAN

ABDURRAHMAN YILDIRIM

'Taksitle hiçbir şey pahalı gözükmez'

Ercan Kumcuİki yanlış bir doğru etmiyor

Erdal SağlamBüyüme ve kredi kartı müdahalesi

Hurşit Güneş Kim haklı?

Murat Yülek Globalization: feared by developed countries

Asaf Savaş Akat

İlk çeyrekte istihdam

Petrol, altın, metal ve dolar
MAHFİ EĞİLMEZ

IMF: Turkey must continue tight fiscal policy

Eylem planı 35 gün sonra bitiyor ama hala eksik çok

Çiçek: Elektrikte gereken tedbiri alacağız

Erdoğan: impacts of case costing Turkey blns in investments

Ali Tezel ‘İstihdam paketi 30 yaşından büyükleri işsiz bırakır’ demiştik...

Seyfettin Gürsel Boş tartışma

ANALYSIS-Turkish bank shares hit by credit card plan

Canada seen interested in Turkey nuclear tender

‘Turkey should capitalize on growing Mediterranean tourism’

Olmert Says He Gave No Commitment on Golan

CNN, Newsweek editor starting international show

H5 Washington Post When Carrots and Sticks Don't Work By Zbigniew Brzezinski and William Odom, American policy toward Iran is not only ineffective but also illogical.

Sadr Pursues Image to Match His Power Unexpected Heir Studies, Strategizes to Become an Icon Like His Father

Iran Withholds Key Nuclear Documents Program Still Peaceful, U.N. Agency Says

U.N. Says Russia Downed Drone

Georgian Craft Was Flying Over Separatist Region

No Clear Map For Clinton's Political Future

A Patriot's Progress By E. J. Dionne Jr., By calling young Americans to service, Obama can make patriotism a winning issue.

That's the Ticket By Richard Cohen,

The only way for the United States to get a sensible foreign policy may be for John McCain and Barack Obama to run together.

Editorial Bearing No Burden

Republicans hold the line against paying any cost of war.

Release the Rice (II)

Japan acted swiftly to ease hunger. It can do even more.

Did She Really Say That?

By Eugene Robinson, Page A13

Forget the nomination. If this race goes on much longer, Hillary could lose her soul.

Outpouring of Help Shifts Mood in China

Bush Straddles His Hard Line in Engaging Sudan

Release the Rice (II)

Japan acted swiftly to ease hunger. It can do even more.

H6 Guardian Post-American Israel

Dominique Moisi The 41-year-old special relationship between the US and Israel seems to be ending. What will follow it?

This mini-league of nations would cause only division Shashi Tharoor: John McCain wants to create a new alliance to circumvent the UN. We mustn't let this idea gain consensus in Washington

IAEA says Iran not revealing nuclear aims International Atomic Energy Agency raises concern over anomalies in Tehran's nuclear activities

Crisis talks on global food prices

Summit in Rome expected to pledge immediate aid to poor countries threatened by malnutrition

'Russia shot down Georgian spy drone' UN report backs Georgian claim that Russia is giving support to Georgia's break away region, Abkhazia

EU ministers plan to amend relations with Russia

We have gone mad, Your Majesty, and only you can cure our affliction

George Monbiot: An open letter to the leader of Opec's biggest oil producer, the one man who can force Britain to cut its carbon emissions

The new revolution Agnès Poirier: This year's winner of the Palme d'Or reveals a France finally ready to embrace the 21st century

Obama calls for new special relationship UK's special relationship with US needs to be recalibrated, Barack Obama tells ex-pats in Britain

'Quake lake' flood fears for 1.3m people Chinese officials prepare for mass evacuation as death toll expected to exceed 80,000

H7

Washingto Times New president rises on army's neutrality Military commanders often ride to power atop a tank. But in Lebanon, the key to army chief Michel Suleiman's rise to the nation's presidency has been keeping his men out of the fight

Daily Star Nasrallah said what he had to, but not all that he should have

Now we move on to Hizbullah's future
By Nicholas Blanford

Barry Rubin / gloriacenter.org:
The Fall of Lebanon — “If you have tears, prepare to shed them now....

Hizbullah Employs Shock and Awe in Beirut - Borzou Daragahi (Los Angeles Times)

Is Sufism the accepting face of Islam? Sufism is often lauded as the moderate face of Islam but since it preaches a form of universalism now associated with the West, it loses popular support to fundamentalism

Hizbullah Awaits the Next Round in Lebanon

Matthew Yglesias on the appeasement paradox: Understanding the usefulness of diplomacy and the limits of American power (and more).

America should help Lebanon (By Gary Anderson)

Amr Musa Talks to Asharq Al-Awsat

Iranians Would Welcome Airstrikes--5/27/2008 12:00:00 AM

H8 IraqSlogger Google News Iraq Iran Syria Mideastwire.com - NPR Iraq

Mideast Govts Increasingly Ignore US Views

USA-Iraq Security Agreement "Almost Impossible to Pass" - Al-Alam TV

Political Balance is Lebanon May Turn Out to Be Just a Ceasefire - Margelov

Al-Jazeera Interviews Qatari Premier on Lebanese Agreement, Arab Issues

Nasrallah vows not to use arms to achieve political goals

Iraq Suicide Bomber Targets US-Allied Group

Iran may be withholding information needed in nuclear probe

Hezbollah has warning for Lebanon's new government

Iran's Foreign Minister Says US Should Modify Its Policies in Region

Hezbollah head urges co-existence Hezbollah's leader reiterates that the powerful Shia Muslim group is not seeking to rule Lebanon.

High hopes Jim Muir looks ahead as Lebanon unites behind new president

H9 Ha’aretz – Palestinians reject Israeli offer to hand over 91.5% of W. Bank

MI: Syria still transferring arms to Hezbollah,

Rosner's Guest: Jeremy Ben-Ami, the co-founder of J Street

Sources: Israel, Hezbollah strike prisoner swap dealOther sources refute report, saying deal is yet 'far off'; reported deal includes 2 captive IDF soldiers

Nasrallah's speech / Preparing Kuntar's 'homecoming'

Who's afraid of Finkelstein?

Carter says Israel has 150 nuclear weapons

Israeli source: PA forces have improved 'dramatically' in W. Bank

Jerusalem Post Our World: Utopian peace junkies

By CAROLINE GLICK Reality has counted for little in Israel's political and strategic discourse in recent years.

Talansky to testify against Olmert in illicit funding case

61 MKs back bill against Golan exit

The Syrian Talks Aren't Serious - Barry Rubin

Hamas "Very Disturbed" over Syrian-Israeli Peace Talks

In Washington: There are no dangers in diplomacy

[ MJ ROSENBERG

Yedioth Ahronoth Army forgot its job Paradoxically, In Israel civilians are at front while army keeps on withdrawing, Udi Label writes

Why did Nasrallah yield?

To the last inch/ Eitan HaberTruth must be told: Syria deal would entail full withdrawal from Golan Heights

Daily Alert.org – Hebrew Press Editorials (2008) - Middle East Progress - EJC Israeli Press Review – Google News Israel - Palestine

Olmert: Only Delusional People Think We'll Keep Post-'67 Borders

What Was - and Was Not - Agreed On in the Israeli-Palestinian Negotiations INSS
An Israeli article spelling out the areas of agreement and disagreement in the Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations

Hizbollah's Increased Strength
INSS An Israeli article examining the implications for Israel of Hizbollah's increased strength

Olmert: I did not pre-commit to Israeli withdrawal from Golan

Israel 'has 150 nuclear weapons' Ex-US President Jimmy Carter says Israel has 150 nuclear weapons, in off-the-cuff remarks at a literary festival

The Missing Palestinian Moderates - Clifford D. May

Workers in the Occupied Territories (PDF; 464 KB) Source: International Labor Organization (via UN Pulse)

Gaza Sewage Crisis Threatens Israel's Shores

Israel Serious about Peace with Syria

H10 Christian Science Monitor Iran, U.S. leaning toward talks? Recent events suggest both Tehran and Washington may be willing to engage in dialogue.,,

The next president has to promote democracy better Amid democratic recession, the US must rethink its freedom agenda.

Food aid must go local to do good Aid groups have a responsibility to consider the impact of their programs on local culture.

China enjoys rare moment of global support The country won long-sought international sympathy for its tragic earthquake and rapid government response.

Both Obama, McCain start seeking No. 2 They need to pick running mates with strong résumés.

Fuel prices' toll on U.S. economy A $10 increase in the price of a barrel of oil can lower GDP by about 0.2 percent.

ASIA

Japan’s Nuclear Future: Policy Debate, Prospects, and U.S. Interests (PDF; )
Source: Congressional Research Service (via OpenCRS) Full Report (PDF; 124 KB)

China's New Tiananmen: Activism After the Quake

On the edge Ashley Bommer

The Afghan-Pakistani border, riddled with Taliban and al-Qaida insurgents, is not beyond redemption - provided both countries work together

Trade Policy Review: China 2008 WTO A WTO Secretariat report on the trade policies and practices of China (single page linking to each section)

Pakistan PM Says Three-Pronged Strategy to Combat Terrorism

Trade Policy, New Century: The WTO, FTAs and Asia Rising IEA This 122-page UK monograph deals with the future of free trade

Pakistan's Other Border

H11 IHT The 'fiction of affluence' has Greeks uneasy Greece, with an economy that is slipping toward obsolescence, has its work cut out for itself: bloated state-owned companies, a wallet-busting pension system and old-fashioned universities.

New rules for the Middle East

By RAMI G. KHOURI Iran, Turkey, Hezbollah, Hamas and Israel share one and only one common trait: They routinely ignore Washington's advice.

Russian jet shot down Georgian spy drone, UN says A United Nations investigation has concluded that an unmanned Georgian reconnaissance aircraft destroyed last month was struck by an air-to-air missile fired from a Russian fighter jet.

New alliances in view in a changing Germany By JOHN VINOCUR

A reflexive conviction that there are deficits in social justice has altered German politics and turned Die Linke (the Left), founded from a fusion of parties, into a single, increasingly respectable political force that is now Germany's third largest.

Social Democrats in Germany launch challenge to president, further straining coalition The Social Democrats on Monday nominated a challenger to President Horst Köhler, setting up a standoff between the governing parties as they prepare for a 2009 general election.

EU foreign ministers approve partnership talks with Russia Foreign ministers with the European Union on Monday approved much delayed plans to begin talks with Russia aimed at forging a new "strategic partnership."

Health care fees trouble Eastern Europe Countries rich and poor struggle with how best to provide affordable health care, but in the center of Europe the difficulty is sharpened by the clash between rising expectations for the best treatments and the long-ingrained habits of Communist-era unlimited, free health care.

EUROPE European press review

Der Spiegel Looking East: EU Gives Green Light for Russia Talks

From FT, the role of intellectuals may have diminished, but they remain central to French public life — four of the country's most provocative thinkers yield insights on the state of their homeland, the environment, human rights and military interventionism.

New Life For Eastern Neighborhood

An new initiative seeks to reinforce the bloc's ties with its eastern neighbors -- with a view to putting at least some of them on the path to membership

H12 RFE/RL

50,000 turn out in Georgia to protest election results About 50,000 opposition demonstrators marched through Georgia's capital on Monday to protest parliamentary election results they said were rigged in favor of the ruling party.

Google News Azerbaijan

Moscow Waits for Eu to Officially Announce Readiness for Talks on New Accord - Diplomat

Russia, Nato Should Cooperate Despite Existing Problems - State Duma Deputy

UN backs Georgia over drone claim A Russian jet did shoot down a Georgian drone over breakaway Abkhazia last month, UN monitors say

H13 The TimesMission to Mars

Phoenix may reveal whether the Red Planet could support life

Life on Mars: just waiting for proof Most planetary researchers now believe that there is - or was - life on Mars: they're just waiting for the proof

The Vice (Presidential) Squad

Choosing a running mate will be a serious challenge for both Obama and McCain

Scientists identify new strain of bird flu Researchers find that H7 strains of the flu virus may develop some of the traits necessary to easily infect human beings

Wall Street Journal How Bush Sold the War
By Douglas J. Feith
Security, not democracy, was the reason we invaded Iraq. Why the radical shift in presidential rhetoric?

Renewing America's Asia Policy By John McCain
And Joseph Lieberman
The region deserves more attention, investment and cooperation from the U.S.

Labour's Loser

By Stephen Pollard
State of the Union: The case for Gordon Brown's resignation.

Republicans Are in Denial
By Tom Coburn K Street and 'compassionate' conservatism ruined the GOP.

We Need Free Trade in Health Care
By Jagdish Bhagwati
And Sandip Madan
The Democratic candidates are ignoring huge cost savings

A Call for an "Asian Plaza"
\"The International Economy\"
A 5-page US article outlining initiatives for dealing with global trade/currency imbalances

H14 Financial Times On Israel and the US campaign bus Dealing with accusations of anti-semitism or anti-Israeli sentiment is draining and time-consuming for a presidential candidate. It is easier to chuck a controversial adviser under the bus. But America’s absolutism on the Middle East is reducing its influence, writes Gideon Rachman

Recession still likely in US, says Greenspan ‘Greater than 50 per cent probability’

Iran reformists upbeat despite poll defeat In spite of only comprising 15 per cent of the new parliament, reformists are optimistic about the influence they will wield in the new legislature

EU backs mandate for Russia talks

Foreign ministers have approved a negotiating mandate for a new partnership agreement with Russia. It could cover energy and broad areas such as trade and security

Gideon Rachman’s blog The politics of Eurovision: Western Europeans complain that they no longer recognise a club that they founded and continue to fund

WORLD NEWS - CLIMATE CHANGE: US emissions trading waits for Bush to go

Putin quickens tax cuts to revive oil flow Russia’s government takes its first steps towards $4bn of tax cuts to boost investment in its oil industry, amid warnings output could fall for the first time in 10 years

Japan seeks ties with Africa Premier to have talks with 45 African leaders as he tries to prove Tokyo is a valuable partner and seeks their support for Japan gaining a permanent UN Security Council seat

SPD defies Merkel with presidential nominee Germany’s Social Democrats, junior partner in the ruling coalition, nominate their own candidate for next year’s presidential election as discord with the CDU increases

A party stranded between defeat and disaster Philip Stephens on Brown and the Labour party

Cooling Kiev Ukraine’s leaders must co-operate to fight inflation, but the political struggle that has hampered policy-making since 2004 still prevents coherent action

Brown and the Bank of EnglandThe monetary policy committee is unlikely to respond to political pressure. Expect the central bank to put up a robust fight against inflation

Google, Yahoo, Microsoft: antitrust confusion Thomas Hazlett on the purpose of regulation

Buffett, other cultures and the trust question Michael Skapinker on the US investor’s move to Europe

H15 Los Angeles Times Iraqis losing patience with militiamen

Muqtada Sadr's Mahdi Army militia has provided services and protection to residents, but fighting in recent weeks has endangered their lives.

Comfort food and complaints at a Cairo food stand

At a corner cart known for its faoul, a bean dish, customers seek sustenance and commiserate over the soaring cost of food in Egypt

Editorial

Swelling lake threatens 1.2 million in China The government warns that evacuations may be necessary because of the risk of flooding

'Follow the water' on Mars

The latest pictures from NASA show a bizarre landscape apparently shaped by the movement of ice

Iran may be withholding info needed in nuke probe Iran may be withholding information needed to establish whether it tried to make nuclear arms, the International Atomic Energy Agency said today in an unusually strongly worded report.

Somalia on the verge of collapse, aid officials and residents say

On top of a growing insurgency and a government void, the nation's fragile economy is disintegrating

Michel Suleiman sworn in as president of Lebanon

The former army chief of staff takes over a country torn between U.S.-Saudi support and Hezbollah.

America's new segregation

Gregory Rodriguez: Can American democracy survive all this heightened interest in the political process?

H16 American Politics

AP INTERVIEW: McCain criticizes Obama on Iraq

realclearpolitics memeorandum ABC’s The Note – US News Political Bulletin Early Bird GovExec Swamp Gas The Swamp

Two Democratic dynasties near the exit

How Barack Obama Can Win The Patriotism Debate
by E. J. Dionne, Jr.

Bill Clinton: ‘Cover up’ hiding Hillary Clinton's chances — (CNN) — Former President Bill Clinton said that Democrats were more likely to lose in November if Hillary Clinton is not the nominee, and suggested some were trying to “push and pressure and bully” superdelegates to make up their minds prematurely.

Evan Thomas / Newsweek:
A Memo to Senator Obama

Fidel Castro bashes Obama Cuba policy —

The hardest word

Michael Tomasky: US elections 2008: Why can't Hillary Clinton say she's sorry? The answer has very little to do with politics

H17 Daily Telegraph Failing the troops in Afghanistan Rather than taking meaningful action to protect troops, the Government prefers to deny failings or silence critics.

Obama proposes fairer UK partnership Democratic contender has proposed a fairer, more even relationship between USA and the UK if he his elected president.

Taliban uses Iraq-style tactics in Kabul Taliban militants have begun infiltrating districts around Kabul, adopting Iraq-style insurgency tactics against Nato forces and the fragile Afghan government.

Russian spyplane attack was 'act of war' Russia was effectively charged with committing an act of war after a UN report concluded it shot down a Georgian reconnaissance aircraft over Georgia in April

H18 Independent 2008: a martian odyssey

Leading article: Still looking for life

German snoopers 'tracked thousands of phone calls'

H19 Military Intelligence Terrorism

The Principles of War: 3. Offensive Action

CFR The Candidates on Defense Policy

We Still Need a Larger Army - American Enterprise Institute

New Republic The Jihadist Revolt Against Bin Laden Why his Islamic radicals have turned on the Al Qaeda leader. by Peter Bergen and Paul Cruickshank

Al Qaeda: The Rebellion Within - Lawrence Wright, The New Yorker

Radar Magazine has an interesting piece by Christopher Ketcham that asks, "Is the government compiling a secret list of citizens to detain under martial law?"

Human Security Brief 2007
Human Security Report Project

The Exon-Florio National Security Test for Foreign Investment
Source: Congressional Research Service (via OpenCRS)

Canada's foreign minister resigns Canada's foreign minister resigns after he admitted leaving classified papers in a non-secure location.

Iraqi teens forced to train for suicide bombings, officials say

Women warriors

By HELEN BENEDICT Nearly a third of female veterans say they were sexually assaulted or raped while in the U.S. military.

A world beyond control , Paul Rogers The United States and military is planning for the long-term challenge of low-intensity insurgent warfare. But its thinking remains locked in the past

H20 Slate

World Health Statistics 2008
Source: World Health Organization Download in sections (PDFs) or as full document (PDF; 5.11 MB).

George Bush's Foreign Aid: Transformation or Chaos? CGD This 136-page study analyzes the dramatic changes in foreign aid during the Bush Administration

H21 From The Atlantic Monthly, the sky is falling: The odds that a potentially devastating space rock will hit Earth this century may be as high as one in 10; so why isn’t NASA trying harder to prevent catastrophe?

In the Basement of the Ivory Tower

The idea that a university education is for everyone is a destructive myth. An instructor at a “college of last resort” explains why. by Professor X

Agnostic about atheism Tracy Quan: The strident secularism of Dawkins and Hitchens misses a bigger point. God doesn't have to be great for religion to be worthwhile

What's Up, Doc? The prestige of honorary degrees falls to record lows by Joseph Epstein

From Seed, to find life on other worlds requires thinking about how other life would find us.

Plans to return humans to the moon are under way — but will the moon be a stepping stone to Mars or a destination all its own?

Why the Moon?: Developing a strong rationale for returning to the Moon becomes ever more important.

Who owns the Moon?: Glenn Harlan Reynolds on the case for lunar property rights. ,,

Sydney Pollack, Academy Award-winning director, dies at 73

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