071808f - 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

A Cast of 300 Advises Obama on Foreign Policy Barack Obama’s huge foreign policy team, organized like a mini State Department, is on the spot this week as the senator plans his overseas trip. Graphic: Obama’s Key Foreign Policy Advisers

Is the U.S. finished? Well, all those think tank theorists, public intellectuals, and elite media experts seem to think so. How could they be wrong?... more»

A special report on al-Qaeda Winning or losing?

Iran and America A surprising move Why America is sending a top man to talk directly to the Iranians

Guardian Talks are back on

Editorial: America's decision to send a senior official to meet with Iran marks a major, and long overdue, policy change,

US hints at Iranian diplomatic thaw Foreign minister Mottaki welcomes Washington's 'positive' stance prior to Geneva talks

Keep watch on the hawks Abbas Edalat: US policy on Iran seems to be softening, but the world must stay vigilant to avert the threat of war

The American dream invades Iran Masoud Golsorkhi: The US is popular with the Iranian people, and creating diplomatic ties will destabilise the regime more than any military attack

Taming the hawk Simon Tisdall: Washington's decision to talk to Iran is a significant shift in US foreign policy

NPQ Francis Fukuyama: U.S. IS NOT PREPARED TO FACE A POST-AMERICAN WORLD

Washington Post Obama's Greatest Admirer By Charles Krauthammer The question about Obama used to be: Who is he? The question now is: Who does he think he is

The View From the Eye of the Storm By David Ignatius, 'Right now, we need to emphasize stability. That's our top priority.'

Ha’aretz – These enemies have faces By Trita Parsi and Roi Ben-Yehuda - Some essential things Iranians and Israelis should know about each other

An end to hegemony? The concept of hegemony, French or anyone else's for that matter, is almost comical in the era of globalization.

DoD and Iraq Update

Ruling Palestine II: The West Bank Model? International Crisis Group

Independent Condi's coup: how the neo-cons lost the argument over Iran Condoleezza Rice was George Bush's handmaiden for the war in Iraq but she is now emerging as the best hope for avoiding a military conflict between the United States and Iran.

Leading article: A welcome change of tack by Washington,

The Big Question: How has Angela Merkel become the key player on Europe's political stage?

WSJ Knowing Afghan Neighbors Is Half the Battle

Like other guerrilla conflicts, Afghanistan's war is an armed popularity contest. To win, soldiers need skills that go beyond good tactics; they must blend street smarts with sensitivity, awareness with deal-making. As a result, one of the most dangerous moments in this conflict is when Afghanistan veterans go home and novices arrive.

Forward A Skeptical Audience Awaits Barack Obama in Israel

New World Order Is Long Overdue By: Frank Ching | The Japan Times It's a classic standoff: the world's richest countries versus its biggest emerging economies. For the sake of humanity, the two groups must work together

Report Says Iran Military Growing but Is Still Outdated

Analysts: Bush Shifts Away From 'Axis of Evil' Rhetoric on Iran

India and Israel: A Balancing Alliance By: Adam C. Castillo | Diplomatic Courier
Diplomatic ties between India and Israel are still in the relatively nascent stage, but the need of both countries to shore up regional power bodes well for the relationship's future.

Asia Times US lends Iran a listening ear The decision by the George W Bush administration to send a high-level official to join talks on Iran's nuclear program as a "listener" marks a significant shift, but in line with Washington's engagement of North Korea. The move on Iran brings the possibility of a "freeze-for-freeze" - a simultaneous suspension of international sanctions and uranium enrichment - a step closer. Hardliners in the United States, though, will not give up without a fight. - Jim Lobe

Tehran open to US Interests
The government of President Mahmud Ahmadinejad has responded positively to a proposal by Washington that it open a US Interests Section in Tehran. Hooshang Amirahmadi, president of the American Iranian Council and currently in Iran, also welcomes the initiative, pointing out that Ahmadinejad is always ready to talk

Has the 'Surge' in Iraq Worked? by Immanuel Wallerstein

Going jaw to jaw with our enemies

SENATOR JOHN McCain has apparently decided to focus not on the sagging economy under the disastrous Bush economic and fiscal policies, which McCain would continue, but on Senator Barack Obama's willingness to communicate with hostile foreign leaders, such as those in Iran, North Korea, and Syria. (By Ted Sorensen, Boston Globe)

The Dollar and Oil (PDF; 247 KB) Source: U.S. Congress, Joint Economic Committee
From press release (PDF; 76 KB):

Financial Times Emerging markets progress at risk A big casualty of the credit crisis may be the growth of financial markets in developing countries, write Erik Berglof and Raghuram Rajan

A message from Obama for those infuriating Europeans There is little the Union can quarrel with in the broad thrust of the national security strategy set out by the US Democratic presidential candidate this week, writes Philip Stephens. There are some caveats but they can be sorted out if the framework of the relationship is sound

Blowing in the wind The US economy performed better than expected in the first half of the year but volatile markets suggest the rest of 2008 might bring a W-shaped downturn

France and UK reduce trade ties with Iran The British and French embassies in Tehran have dramatically scaled back their trade sections amid a slowdown in business ties with Iran caused by international sanctions

Al Awsat An Act of Dangerous Symbolism : Amir Taheri

Exiting Iraq Is Easier Than They Say CBS News

Iraq To Limit No-Bid Deals With Big Oil
CBS News

H2 The Economist Turkey’s future Flags, veils and sharia Behind the court case against Turkey’s ruling party lies an existential question: how Islamist has the country become?

Plots and counterplots Coup de grâce A case is also brought against those planning a coup against the government

Washington Post Turkey's Turmoil Will the U.S. Stand Up for a 'Democratic Model'? By Aliza Marcus and Andrew Apostolou, Will the U.S. stand up for a 'democratic model'?

The Times Leader The Battle for Turkey Angry generals are a threat to democracy; headscarves are not

Ankara'da adı konulmamış temas trafiği

Türkiye, İran nükleer krizinin diyalogla çözülmesi için her türlü yardıma hazır

Bitter Lemons Middle East Roundtable July 17, 2008 Turmoil in Turkey The deeper problems
Soli Ozel The Ergenekon case is ultimately a more promising one for Turkey's political future.

"Chaos" in Turkey Fadi Hakura

Turkey could be on the cusp of a novel style of politics.

Lawfare in Turkey: Ergenekon versus the AKP Ersin Kalaycioglu The AKP initiatives precipitated a confrontation that fell on this cultural division of the Turkish polity.

Radicalization of a national dialogue Steven A. Cook

It is entirely unclear who would govern Turkey if AKP is closed and its leaders banned.

Mother Jones Pre Pre-Negotiations: Are the US and Iran Already Meeting in Turkey?

Turkey has been involved in Iran nuclear talks, Babacan says

Tahran trafiği

Ferai Tınç İran krizinde Türkiye’nin rolü

US security adviser in Turkey

Barçın Yinanç Kızım sana söylüyorum gelinim sen anla diplomasisi

Nagehan Alçı Bush’un danışmanı neden geldi?

OECD OECD Economic Survey of Turkey --- The Policy Brief (pdf format)

OECD warns Turkey over rising tension, inflation and slow growth

Ermenistan’la gizli görüşme

Gülen’e Amerikan vatandaşlığı yolu açıldı

Ya Kerkük ya bölünme!

EDM TOWARD A NEW ERA IN TURKISH-IRAQI RELATIONS?

‘Eski büyükelçi bunu nereden biliyor?’

UPDATE 1-Gazprom proposes setting up firm in Turkey -source

Rus gazı ve Azeri petrolü, Türkiye üzerinden İsrail'e gidecek

FT LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: Turkey could be an Iranian-style state within five years

FT ARTS: No place for trivia

Turkey, Israel agree to start work on Med pipeline project

Kaçan fırsatlar

İngiliz basını Tayyip Erdoğan, Türk yargısı ve generalleri yorumluyor

Hadley Ankara'dan Ayrıldı

ABD-İran nükleer pazarlığı Ankara’da

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

1 üsteğmen, 1 er şehit

Barzani: "Referandum yapılmazsa Irak bölünür"

Kerkük’te çözüm daha fazla ertelenemez FARUK HACI MUSTAFA

Turkish, Israeli Ministers Discuss Pipeline Projects

Turkish Minister Says Pipeline Project to Contribute to Regional Peace

Kurdish blocs review ties with Iraqi gov't

Cevdet Aşkın PKK'ya karşı psikolojik harekat ve Bahoz Erdal

İBRAHİM KARAGÜL

Ankara'da İran zirvesi

PKK’ya darbe üstüne darbe

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

Fransa’nın stratejik vizyonu ve Akdeniz için birlik NEJAT ESLEN

Türkiye aksırdı KKTC zatürree

Yumuşatılmış formül Senato’dan geçti

Hükümetten 9 bakanlı KKTC çıkartması

Ermenistan’la gizli görüşme

Fransız Senatosu, yenilenen Türkiye önergesini kabul etti

Hedo Okur Tuncay Nihat Altintop

2010 yılında Türkiye'nin yarısı su sıkıntısı çekecek

FT ARTS: No place for trivia

Serdar Turgut Bugün dibe vuruyorum

Hırsızlığa karşı 'özel tim' geliyor

ABD Kongresi'nde Türk Stajyerler

ODTÜ: Yıkabilirse yıksın

H3 Tarihi sorgu

Kara Kutu konuştu

Operasyona Türk halkından destek

Gazeteci arkadaşı Tuncay Güney’i anlattı

'Ağabey'i kabineden mi?

Kafa karıştıran sözler

’Yalan’ dedi ama belgesi var

ATO Başkanı: Aracı olmadım misyonum yok

Ergenekon savcısının en önemli iki iddiası

1. Ergenekon iddianamesine itiraz

Ergenekon'da şok isim Sezer mi?

2010 yılında Türkiye'nin yarısı su sıkıntısı çekecek

Savcı Öz, Danıştay saldırısıyla Ergenekon ilişkisi için uyarmış

Albay Öz'e soruşturma için izin talebi

'Kapatmaya toplum karşı'

Akyürek'in yanıtlayamadığı soru:

Katilleri neden engellemediniz?

Egemenlik Allah’ın mı milletin mi?

Onlar da ifade versin

Soruşturma ‘gizli tanık’ varsa çöker

Fehmi Koru çıkarmış!

Raportör: Durum değişti!

İfadeler yasadan önce alındığı için geçersiz

Gül’ün programına Harp okulu ayarı

Dinleme ‘Sav’ı düştü

Gülen’e Amerikan vatandaşlığı yolu açıldı

Raportörden kapatmaya karşı 3 görüş

Anayasa Mahkemesi Raportörü şu gerekçelerle kapatmaya karşı çıktı

Bu rapor hukukî bir belge

Vakit'e telekulak davası

Albay ile yüzbaşıya soruşturma istendi

Koç'tan Aygün'e sürpriz ziyaret

Kilisede 'Agarta' ayini

Telefon dinleme aynen devam!

Yargıtay kararına rağmen dinlemeler devam ediyor.

Eslen Paşa'dan tartışılacak sözler: Demokrasi, Türkiye'nin öncelikli meselesi değil

Ergenekon, İBDA-C ile ittifak istemiş

Yüksek Mahkeme'yi eleştirince hakkında 14,5 yıl hapis istendi

Yüksek Mahkeme'yi eleştirince hakkında 14,5 yıl hapis istendi

Gazetecilere giriş yasağı

Ergenekon iddianamesinin bölüm bölüm yayınlaması üzerine gazetecierin adliyeye girişi yasaklandı

Gazeteci cinayeti Ergenekon-Hizbullah ilişkisini aydınlatacak

Hayrünnisa Gül konuştu

Son Dakika Milliyet Hürriyet Zaman

Serdar Akinan Okuyun..!

Cengiz Çandar Ergenekon, ulusalcılık-'Neo-İttihatçılık'

Ahmet Taşgetiren

Ruşen - Çakır Dönem hassas gündem kritik ziyaretçi önemli

Taha Akyol AKP davası

Fikret Bila Kıbrıs’ta tek egemenlik tartışması

Hasan Cemal

Murat Yetkin Ankara’da başka önemli gelişmeler

İsmet Berkan Tarihten ders alınsaydı (3)

Fehmi Koru Parti kapatmayı fal konusu olmaktan çıkaralım

Taha Kıvanç Kara kutular konuşmaya başlarsa

Şamil Tayyar Provokatör Can

Fatih Altaylı Raportörün raporu yazdığımız gibi

Ali Bayramoğlu Siyasi süngü savaşları…

Kapatma kimin işine yarar?
HALUK ŞAHİN

Habercilik öldü
MEHMET ALİ KIŞLALI

Serdar Turgut TSK’dan çok önemli adım

Yasemin Çongar

Ertuğrul Özkök Hatırla sevgili

Ahmet Hakan Senin de gözün kör olmuş be hacım

M Ali Birand AKP'nin kapanmasına neden karşıyım?

TAMER KORKMAZ

Çabalama kaptan, ben gelemem…

Tufan Türenç Ergenekon meğer Ecevit’e bile darbe yapmaya kalkmış!

Nasuhi Güngör Ergenekon bizi İran’a götür!

NEWS ANALYSIS] Advisor’s report increases speculation over closure case

Durmuş Hocaoğlu Türkler tabiî ki bir "millet"; ama yine de bir problem var

Bülent Korucu Sahi Ecevit'e ne olmuştu?

Mustafa Ünal AK Parti kapatılacak mı?

Raportöre kulak veriniz
HASAN CELAL GÜZEL

Demokrasi sağlıksız bir alışkanlık değildir
ORAL ÇALIŞLAR

İhsan Dağı Darbeyi kim soruşturacak?

Hüseyin Gülerce Ecevit bana da anlattı

Why isn’t a coup attempt a military offense?
by MUSTAFA ŞENTOP*

Sabahattin Önkibar MHP'de dehşet, AKP'de zarafet!

Cüneyt Ülsever

Enis Berberoğlu

Oktay Ekşi Ön şartsız

Özdemir İnce ’Vurun CHP’ye!’

Mehmet Y Yılmaz 450 soruşturmaya gerek yoktu

MUHARREM SARIKAYA İlklerin dönemi

ERDAL ŞAFAK Sisler ardından

ENGİN ARDIÇ

ERGUN BABAHAN Kapanacak mı kapanmayacak mı?

Bülent Keneş Turkey’s dark past and Ergenekon

Yavuz Baydar Optimism, cold logic and reality

Ali Bulaç Ergenekon case

Nicole Pope A different approach?

Etyen Mahçupyan Is the target the US or the police?

EMRE AKÖZ 'Dost medyacı' niye telaşlandı?

Hali pür melâlimiz
TÜRKER ALKAN

YUSUF KAPLAN

Ergenekon'un getirdikleri ve götürdükleri

YASİN DOĞAN

Felaketin büyüklüğü görüldükçe iyimserlik artıyor!

Derya Sazak Darbe araştırması

Necati Doğru

Ergenekoncu tuğgeneralin arkasındaki lobi!

Güngör Mengi

Bir cuma günü

Mehmet Tezkan

Kemal Derviş de Ergenekoncu!

Umur Talu

HASAN BÜLENT KAHRAMAN

İki sivillik arasında

NAZLI ILICAK Nasıl bir vatanseverlik?

MEHMET BARLAS Az gittik uz gittik, dere tepe düz gittik ama...

MAHMUT ÖVÜR Türkiye'nin en güçlü siyasi aktörü kim?

YAVUZ DONAT

Yalçın Bayer Ergenekon gölgesinde kalan rektör atamalarına dikkat

Ekonomi

ABDURRAHMAN YILDIRIM

Ercan Kumcu Cari açık sorunu hakkında

Erdal Sağlam

Deniz Gökçe
İstihdamda sonuçlar karışık

Merkez'in açıklamasındaki gizli mesaj

OECD warns Turkey over rising tension, inflation and slow growth

Carlyle to buy stakes in 2-3 firms in Turkey

Asaf Savaş Akat

Dış açık ve finansman

Güngör Uras Otomobilin yerlisini üretiyor, yabancısını seviyoruz

Hurşit Güneş Durgunluk yeni mi başlıyor, yoksa sonuna mı gelindi?

Aydın Ayaydın

Ekonomide ilk yarı gelişmeleri (2)

Mark Parris'ten 'kapatılmama' sinyalini alan piyasalar coştu

Gila Benmayor Kadın istihdamı AKP’nin gündeminde yok

U.S. Considers Opening a Diplomatic Post in Iran

H5 Washington Post Obama's Greatest Admirer By Charles Krauthammer The question about Obama used to be: Who is he? The question now is: Who does he think he is

The View From the Eye of the Storm

By David Ignatius, 'Right now, we need to emphasize stability. That's our top priority.'

Turkey's Turmoil Will the U.S. Stand Up for a 'Democratic Model'? By Aliza Marcus and Andrew Apostolou, Will the U.S. stand up for a 'democratic model'?

Macbeth and the Market COLUMN | Is the dagger we see before us, hanging over the financial system, real or imagined?

Gore's Energy Oomph By E. J. Dionne Jr., Gore has a plan to ease our climate, energy and economic woes all at once.

Editorial Olympic Countdown

China's preparation for the Games can be measured in arrests, denied visas and cracked heads.

No Friends of the Ice Bears

By Michael Gerson, Page A17

Will the environment survive the environmentalists?

Warming Is Major Threat To Humans, EPA Warns

Unease Over West Bank Raids

Israeli Crackdown on Charities Problematic for Palestinian Authority

Unease Over West Bank Raids

Israeli Crackdown on Charities Problematic for Palestinian Authority

Terror Funds May Pay for Top Brass to Fly in Style Air Force leaders sought for three years to spend $16.2M in counterterrorism money on "comfort capsules" to be installed on military planes

In Obama Fundraising, Signs of a Shift From Online to In-Person

H6 Guardian Talks are back on

Editorial: America's decision to send a senior official to meet with Iran marks a major, and long overdue, policy change,

US hints at Iranian diplomatic thaw Foreign minister Mottaki welcomes Washington's 'positive' stance prior to Geneva talks

Keep watch on the hawks Abbas Edalat: US policy on Iran seems to be softening, but the world must stay vigilant to avert the threat of war

The American dream invades Iran Masoud Golsorkhi: The US is popular with the Iranian people, and creating diplomatic ties will destabilise the regime more than any military attack

Taming the hawk Simon Tisdall: Washington's decision to talk to Iran is a significant shift in US foreign policy

TV anchors shun McCain for Obama CBS, NBC and ABC networks said to be planning interviews with Obama on visit to Middle East

This hate figure doesn't merit a state funeral. All she did was rescue Britain Simon Jenkins: Margaret Thatcher was a revolutionary leader who improved people's lives. The left's continued fury will serve to cheer her

Russia: Get computer-savvy or get out, Medvedev tells staff

Officials at centre of president's plans for 'electronic government' to improve transparency

The price of freedom Sholto Byrnes: South-east Asian voters appreciate that liberal democracy doesn't always produce progressive social policy

Who knows what happened on 9/11? Dan Hind: Wide-ranging conspiracies do take place, whether you or I, or Charlie Brooker, are inclined to believe it or not

Hope for Dafur from the ICC

Salil Tripathi: The UN is hamstrung by China – but can a genocide trail for President al-Bashir signal an end to the atrocities in Sudan?

H7 Has the 'Surge' in Iraq Worked? by Immanuel Wallerstein

Going jaw to jaw with our enemies

SENATOR JOHN McCain has apparently decided to focus not on the sagging economy under the disastrous Bush economic and fiscal policies, which McCain would continue, but on Senator Barack Obama's willingness to communicate with hostile foreign leaders, such as those in Iran, North Korea, and Syria. (By Ted Sorensen, Boston Globe)

Asia Times Fallujah's flames rekindled Local militias supported by United States forces claim to have "cleansed" the troubled Iraqi city of Fallujah, though residents claim the security situation is as bad as ever, blaming political parties and Sunni groups fighting for money and power. - Ali al-Fadhily and Dahr Jamail

Iraq's Security 'Remarkably Better' By: Rowan Scarborough | The Washington Times
The nation's top military officer Wednesday declared the security situation in Iraq "remarkably better," so good in fact that he expects to recommend more U.S. troop reductions this fall if conditions hold.

Decoding Iran's Air Defense System (Strategy Page)

The Pentagon and the Hunt for Black Gold by Nick Turse and Tom Engelhardt

The Economist The International Criminal Court Sudan’s leader is accused, but others can expect to follow Will the indictment of Sudan’s president for alleged war crimes help or hinder the prospects for peace in Darfur?

World trade Defrosting Doha Within a week the Doha round of trade talks could be ready to serve or left to rot

Daily Star Bashir is guilty, but does Sudan benefit?
By Julie Flint

Al Awsat The Disengagement of Syria and Iran : Huda al Husseini

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

Iran Nuclear Issue Should Be Discussed Against Broader Background - President

Iraq: One Year Limit on No-Bid Oil Contracts

Iran Denies Links to Shi'ite Special Groups in Iraq

Iraqis Divided by US Troop Timetable Call

Report Says Iran Military Growing but Is Still Outdated

Iraqi PM Urges Cooperation Between Central, Local Governments; TV Update 17 Jul

Iran briefs ally Syria on standoff with West

Iran satisfied at US involvement
Iran welcomes as positive America's decision to take part in international talks on its nuclear programme.

US Senate Panel Approves New Iran Sanctions

Iraqis Doubt Current Fragile Peace in Iraq

Iran Says US Presence in Geneva Meeting Opportunity for Washington

Paring down high unemployment is Iraq's next task

Iran Foreign Minister Stresses Role of Influential Countries in Region

Article Analyzes Ties Between Iran and Egypt

Commentator Analyzes Iran's Military Manoeuvres

Iran's Military Power Can Withstand Any Aggressor - Paper

Iran to Think About Pre-Emptive Attack Strategy - Paper

H9 Ha’aretz – These enemies have faces By Trita Parsi and Roi Ben-Yehuda - Some essential things Iranians and Israelis should know about each other

An end to hegemony? The concept of hegemony, French or anyone else's for that matter, is almost comical in the era of globalization.

ANALYSIS / What does Nasrallah mean by 'defense strategy'? Having completed the prisoner swap, Hezbollah seeks new justification for continued military activity

Shalit talks deadlocked as Hamas hangs on to 'asset'

Jerusalem Post Hizbullah moves into 'every town'

Group bolsters its presence in S. Lebanon villages with non-Shi'ite majorities to build military positions.

The new Lebanon Artificial distinctions were swept away in a display of barbaric unity.

Yedioth Ahronoth

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

Ruling Palestine II: The West Bank Model? International Crisis Group

India and Israel: A Balancing Alliance By: Adam C. Castillo | Diplomatic Courier
Diplomatic ties between India and Israel are still in the relatively nascent stage, but the need of both countries to shore up regional power bodes well for the relationship's future.

Forward A Skeptical Audience Awaits Barack Obama in Israel

Asia Times Hezbollah's deal leaves Israel short Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah is trumpeting that he has "kept his promise" in having five prisoners and the remains of 199 others returned to Lebanon by Israel. This indeed enhances Hezbollah's prestige, while Israel, although getting back the bodies of two soldiers abducted in 2006, has drawn widespread criticism for appearing to come off worse in the exchange. And why did the Israelis wait so long before agreeing to the deal? - Sami Moubayed

Daily Star Arab initiatives always seem to fail the Palestinians
By Ali Jarbawi

H10 Christian Science Monitor Soaring inflation undermines sustainability of Persian Gulf regionStates scramble to protect themselves from skyrocketing energy costs, but measures such as government subsidies are proving ineffective

Seeking answers of peace for the global economy People are hungering for solutions. We encourage everyone to seek that aid and wisdom that lie beyond human abilities.

Saudis host a global interfaith conference in Madrid: a 'first step'

The three-day meeting, which runs through Friday, has been cast as 'historic' but also criticized as a PR stunt.

In Israel, a nation mourns with the families of slain soldiers

Two soldiers whose remains were part of a prisoner swap with Hezbollah were eulogized Thursday amid ongoing unease over the exchange and questions about balancing family interests with those of the state.

China's Olympic muddle

This coming-out party is already tarnished by a worsening human rights record.

ASIA

NATO Helicopter Gunships Attack Militants in Pakistan By: Michael Heath | Bloomberg News
NATO forces in Afghanistan used helicopter gunships and artillery to attack militants in Pakistan after coming under fire, as U.S. defense chiefs told the government in Islamabad to combat extremists on its side of the frontier

Gates Warns of Unilateral Strikes in Pakistan

U.S. Prepares to Boost Its Forces in Afghanistan By: Peter Spiegel and Karim Faiez | Los Angeles Times Senior U.S. military officials are developing plans to speed the deployment of thousands of additional troops to Afghanistan, including possibly pulling the next brigade scheduled to go to Iraq this fall and sending it to Afghanistan instead.

IHT AFGHANISTAN, PAKISTAN AND INDIA Resolving old rivalries

By KARL F. INDERFURTH AND WENDY CHAMBERLIN

Trading accusations does nothing to resolve the threat by extremists to all three countries.

NPQ Nathan Gardels: ASIA NEEDS A LITTLE OBAMANIA

US-Led Forces Confirm Killing Afghan Civilians

A Test of India's Confidence By: Joe Leahy | Financial Times
When Manmohan Singh, India’s prime minister, decided to push through a nuclear deal with the US last week, the response from his erstwhile communist parliamentary allies was immediate and to the point. “That time has come,” said Prakash Karat, head of the Communist party of India (Marxist).

H11 IHT Gabriel's revelation

By JAMES CARROLL "The Gabriel Revelation" does not undercut Christian faith but helps it recover from history's worst disease.

AFGHANISTAN, PAKISTAN AND INDIA Resolving old rivalries

By KARL F. INDERFURTH AND WENDY CHAMBERLIN

Trading accusations does nothing to resolve the threat by extremists to all three countries.

SUDAN AND THE ICC

Whose crimes against humanity?

By RAMI G. KHOURI Criminal acts must be investigated and punished wherever they occur; and the same standard of culpability and morality should be applied to all situations around the world.

EUROPE European press review

The Economist The Mediterranean Union Sarko’s southern dream It was a diplomatic success, but will the new Club Med go anywhere?

EU plans to block aid to Bulgaria
The European Commission plans to block almost $1bn in funds for Bulgaria as penalty for failing to beat corruption.

H12 RFE/RL Medvedev Unveils Little New In Russia’s Foreign-Policy Course When Dmitry Medvedev became Russian president in May, many wondered whether the soft-spoken young lawyer would find ways to set himself apart from his domineering predecessor, Vladimir Putin.

EDM RUSSIA IS STRONGER AND MORE AGGRESSIVE

- MEDVEDEV PRESENTS A GRAND DESIGN FOR FOREIGN POLICY

- GAZPROM HIT BY GAS SHORTFALL

Google News Azerbaijan

Moscow and Tbilisi Trade Exercises By: Alexander Gabuev and Georgi Dvali | Kommersant
Russia begins large-scale military exercises working out a scenario of military action in Abkhazia and South Ossetiain the strategically important Roki and Mamison Passes, which connect South Ossetia to Russia. The maneuvers coincide with the Georgian-American Immediate Response 2008 military exercises. That may mean that Russia and Georgia are preparing for further tensions in their relations

The Kremlin's Tibet By: Georgy Bovt | The Moscow Times
The Kremlin's Tibet Almost daily we hear of a new incident in Abkhazia or South Ossetia -- an explosion, murder or random shelling. Moscow accuses the Georgian military of provocation, and Tbilisi responds by blaming Moscow.

Tiomoschenko Cabinet Survives No Confidence Vote By: Pavel Korduban | Eurasia Daily Monitor
The opposition in Ukraine’s parliament has failed to oust the government of Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko. Only 174 deputies in the 450-seat chamber voted in favor of a no-confidence motion against her on July 11, far short of the 226 needed.

H13 The Times Hysteria alert: Fab One tour starts Obama is no messiah but his appearance in Europe will inspire those disenchanted with the US

Gerard Baker

Prison works. So why won't we admit it? If the crime rate really is falling, there's a simple explanation. We are locking up more criminals David Green

Is Stalin or Nicholas the greatest?

One was a grotesque mass murderer and the other staggeringly inep. My vote goes to Pushkin Simon Sebag Montefiore

India’s Government accused of buying votes An MP has revealed how offers have been made of up to 250 million rupees, £3 million, for each vote cast in parliament

Obama tour targets domestic audience The whirlwind trip will take Barack Obama to Iraq, Afghanistan, Jordan, Israel, the West Bank, Germany, France and Britain

Blair raises doubts over peace deal Middle East envoy says uncertainty in Israel is undermining efforts to reach an agreement with the Palestinians

Wall Street Journal What Would Obama Die For?
By David Paul Kuhn Centrism is fine so long as it's genuine.

Obama's 'Judgment'
His Iraq visit is a chance to learn how wrong he was about the surge

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the White House
By James Taranto McCain's humor "often backfires." But is Obama's humorlessness preferable?

Arming Taiwan
By Ed Ross The U.S. must support its ally now more than ever.

Knowing Afghan Neighbors Is Half the Battle

Like other guerrilla conflicts, Afghanistan's war is an armed popularity contest. To win, soldiers need skills that go beyond good tactics; they must blend street smarts with sensitivity, awareness with deal-making. As a result, one of the most dangerous moments in this conflict is when Afghanistan veterans go home and novices arrive.

H14 Financial Times Emerging markets progress at risk A big casualty of the credit crisis may be the growth of financial markets in developing countries, write Erik Berglof and Raghuram Rajan

A message from Obama for those infuriating Europeans There is little the Union can quarrel with in the broad thrust of the national security strategy set out by the US Democratic presidential candidate this week, writes Philip Stephens. There are some caveats but they can be sorted out if the framework of the relationship is sound

Blowing in the wind The US economy performed better than expected in the first half of the year but volatile markets suggest the rest of 2008 might bring a W-shaped downturn

France and UK reduce trade ties with Iran The British and French embassies in Tehran have dramatically scaled back their trade sections amid a slowdown in business ties with Iran caused by international sanctions

Obama sets out to earn foreign policy stripes A closely choreographed stint of foreign policy speeches and travel marks a crucial moment in Barack Obama’s campaign, as he seeks to tackle widespread doubts among US voters about his qualifications to be commander-in-chief

FRONT PAGE - FIRST SECTION: Oil price plunge could provide breathing space on inflation

Pakistan’s troubles demand unity

It is time for politicians to bury their differences and work together for the sake of the country, which is rising rapidly up the global risk register

Belgium’s identity crisis The fissures in Belgium’s five-party coalition government, largely due to its intransigent politicians, are making the country’s political problems worse

Fannie and Freddie damned

The rescue of these government-sponsored agencies underlines the flaw in global financial market regulation, write John Eatwell and Avinash Persaud

Merrill Lynch hit by $9.4bn writedown The battered investment bank spoiled investors’ appetite for financial stocks and dealt a setback for its chief executive after reporting a $4.6bn loss in the second quarter

The fallacy of the ‘choice agenda’ Ideas popular with politicians that aim to empower users to select from among public service providers do not provide enough choice, writes Samuel Brittan

France orders probe at all nuclear sites The government ordered an investigation into the water table around all of the country’s 58 reactors to dispel fears raised by a leak from a treatment plant run by Areva

Hizbollah hails Israel prisoner swap

Shia group celebrates release of the last five Lebanese prisoners held by Israel as a “victory from God” and gave them a hero’s welcome at a rally attended by much of the country’s political leadership

WORLD NEWS: Kuwait will station ambassador in Iraq

H15 Los Angeles Times Oil prices drop for third straight day to below $130 a barrel

ADD in D.C. Rosa Brooks

How else can you explain the spotty attention Bush and McCain have paid to Afghanistan?

Oil prices threaten Latin America's economic gains

About 26 million people in the region climbed out of poverty between 2002 and 2006, but now inflation is bringing inflation and misery

Russian guilt drives czar's popularity, Romanov heir says

Russians' newly found reverence for the last czar comes from a sense of guilt 90 years after his murder by Bolshevik executioners, the self-styled heir to Russia's imperial throne said today

H16 American Politics

Reuters/Zogby Poll: Obama Maintains Lead Over McCain

The Economist Lexington Cobbling together a dream ticket John McCain and Barack Obama need to err on the side of caution in choosing their running-mates

McClatchy Can anything slow Obama's fundraising juggernaut?

Barack Obama raised another record sum of money in June — $52 million — and now has surpassed George W. Bush's record for campaign fundraising. That means the Democrats likely will have the cash on hand to wage battle in states that haven't seen a real presidential fight in decades. "He's a fundraising god," said one political scientist

Obama raises $52M in June, still trails McCain, GOP

Fitzgerald Says Rove Was Trying to Fire Him During CIA Leak Probe

Obama's summer of success

IT'S A tricky time, the period from the end of the primary season to the start of the political conventions. (By Scot Lehigh, Boston Globe)

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

McCain, Obama Err to Placate Party Bases - Mort Kondracke, Roll Call

Obama's Ego-Accomplishment Gap - Charles Krauthammer, Wash Post

The Promise and Peril of Obama's World Tour - John Dickerson, Slate

Obama Tour Will Inspire the Disenchanted - Gerard Baker, London Times

Al Gore's Bold Solutions - E.J. Dionne, Washington Post

The Obama Campaign's Out of Control Spending

Hunter: This conservative activist is backing Obama

America, Too Big to Fail... Probably - Nicole Gelinas, City Journal

A Generational Challenge to Repower America - Al Gore

H17 Daily Telegraph Britain is our friend and ally Ron Prosor, Israel's ambassador to the Court of St James's, welcomes Gordon Brown's Israel visit.

A better world where despots lose sleep The decision to go after Sudan's president may rattle Mugabe, writes Con Coughlin.

The case for freer trade Raising tariffs and maintaining subsidies stifle the trade on which prosperity depends

France orders tests on nuclear stations Fears over France's nuclear reactors have been raised as the government orders ground water tests at its 58 power stations following a uranium leak.

H18 Independent Condi's coup: how the neo-cons lost the argument over Iran Condoleezza Rice was George Bush's handmaiden for the war in Iraq but she is now emerging as the best hope for avoiding a military conflict between the United States and Iran.

Leading article: A welcome change of tack by Washington,

The Big Question: How has Angela Merkel become the key player on Europe's political stage?

H19 Military Intelligence Terrorism

WSJ Knowing Afghan Neighbors Is Half the Battle

Like other guerrilla conflicts, Afghanistan's war is an armed popularity contest. To win, soldiers need skills that go beyond good tactics; they must blend street smarts with sensitivity, awareness with deal-making. As a result, one of the most dangerous moments in this conflict is when Afghanistan veterans go home and novices arrive.

Terrorists trying to enter U.S. with EU passports, Chertoff says

Four Madrid bomb convicts cleared

Spain's Supreme Court overturns the conviction of four people found guilty of involvement in the Madrid train bombings in 2004

Preventing torture needs assurances

WASHINGTON, July 17 (UPI) -- To assure detainees won't be tortured after transfer from U.S. custody, assurances must be evaluated, a new report from the Council on Foreign Relations says

House Approves 2009 Intelligence Bill Despite Veto Threat

Feasibility of Improved Information Sharing Assessed

H20 Slate

Biofuel policies in OECD countries costly and ineffective, says report
Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development

Gore challenges US to ditch oil

Nobel Peace Prize winner Al Gore urges Americans to abandon electricity generated by fossil fuels within a decade.

Q&A: Climate change

Global oil industry in figures

Gore Calls for U.S. to Use Renewable Energy by 2018

H21

Women's brains are different from men's – and here's scientific proof

Men and women show differences in behaviour because their brains are physically distinct organs, new research suggests. Male and female brains appear to be constructed from markedly different genetic blueprints.

Media Metrics: The True State of the Modern Media Marketplace (PDF; 4.7 MB)
Source: Progress & Freedom Foundation

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