082908f - 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 New York Times Obama Takes Aim at Bush and McCain With a Forceful Call to Change America Senator Barack Obama told tens of thousands of Democrats gathered at Invesco Field that he could repair “broken politics.” Text: Obama’s Speech Video

Washington Post The Perfect Stranger By Charles Krauthammer Democrats may start wondering who exactly they married last night.

Obama Rekindles the Flame By E. J. Dionne Jr., Obama will stand or fall on his ability to rekindle a sense of possibility and aspiration.

CNN: Putin accuses U.S. of orchestrating Georgian war

Gallup Daily: Obama Moves Ahead, 48% to 42%

Cheney to Give Georgia More US Reassurances

Russia Announces Increased Naval Presence in Syria -

The Times Iraq's Sticky Future Kurds and Arabs must find a way to share their natural wealth

Divided Kirkuk faces up to curse of oil 'Smoke, dirt and occupation' plague the Iraqi city that sits on of one of the world's biggest oil reserves

Analysis: Kremlin sees a threat, Nato an exercise To Russia, the Western naval presence looks threatening, but the ships are all involved in preplanned training and exercising

Navigating the new global archipelago The Georgia crisis reveals new rules of international diplomacy. Obama had better learn them fast Nader Mousavizadeh

U.S. Energy Interests and the Caspian: The Free Ride Is Over By: Peter Kiernan | World Politics Review While control over routes for the export of oil and gas to Western markets was clearly not the primary cause of the recent hostilities between Moscow and Tbilisi, the vital role of the Caucasus as an energy transit route nevertheless cannot be ignored in the context of Russia's increasingly tense relationship with the United States and its European allies.

IHT William Pfaff: Saakashvili's folly Blaming Russia avoids acknowledging the real damage that President Mikheil Saakashvili has done to the United States, NATO and to Georgia itself.

Christian Science Monitor

Void in U.S. strategy for Afghanistan As officials consider sending more troops to Afghanistan, some worry about the lack of a larger plan.

Farewell to world peace? The Georgian conflict ended 1,716 days of no war between nations. But trends favor peace.

West mulls few options in Georgia-Russia crisis It gingerly considers how to set consequences for Russia and maintain cooperation.

Russia trifles with genocide A 2005 UN mandate that allows invasions to end genocides cannot be claimed by Moscow.

TNI Kosovo Precedent
Prevails by Ted Galen Carpenter

ANALYSIS-EU energy reliance on Russia to grow after Georgia

Financial Times Putin maps the boundaries of greater Russia Moscow’s invasion of Georgia points to a retreat from integration and a preference for force over rules. Russia’s neighbours are told they can be vassals or enemies. Mr Medvedev boasts Russia is ready for another cold war, writes Philip Stephens

Russia fails to secure regional backing Dmitry Medvedev, Russian president, failed to win support from China or the former Soviet republics of central Asia in his deepening dispute with the west over military action in Georgia

Putin blames US provocation Russia’s prime minister accused the US of provoking the conflict between Russia and Georgia, in the latest sign of escalating tensions between Moscow and Washington

Time to pay the bill? Notions of economic decoupling from the west are being debunked as economic and other problems push down stock prices across the developing world - but for how long?

EU must give Kiev accession hope It is not enough to warn that Russia might try to build on its military victory in Georgia by targeting Ukraine. The west should respond – and the EU must play a big role

Kremlin counters fears of domino effect Some experts say the most important lesson learned by the Caucasus peoples from the conflict in Georgia is that Russia has the strength and arbitrariness to ensure its will is carried out

EU states consider delaying Russia talks Governments may react to the attempted dismemberment of Georgia by postponing the next round of talks with Moscow on a long-term partnership agreement, EU diplomats said

Chaos Fills Void Left by Mahdi Army Departure

Iraqi PM Changes Team Negotiating US Troops Pact

Brass Secretly Meet With Pakistanis on Carrier

Obama Could Open Early Iran Nuclear Talks: Adviser

IRAN:Conservatives divided over presidential candidate

The Economist Iraq Leave as soon as you sensibly can Iraqis naturally want their country back, and should have it as soon as they think they are ready

Russia and Georgia South Ossetia is not Kosovo Russia’s recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia cannot be justified by a bogus comparison to Kosovo

America’s nuclear deal with India

Time to decide There should be no exemption for India from the world’s nuclear rules

Wall Street Journal U.S. Reviews Its Ties With Russia The U.S. has put "under review" bilateral talks with Russia focused on missile defense and nuclear disarmament as part of a broader re-evaluation, escalating its response to Moscow's actions in Georgia.

Biden Wanted to Break Up Iraq By Dan Senor
The senator's biggest foreign policy initiative appears to have vanished from his -- and Barack Obama's -- memory.

Russia and the New Axis of Evil
By Arthur Herman The West has to confront the oil-rich dictatorships.

Will Turkey Abandon NATO?
By Zeyno Baran On Georgia, Ankara must choose between Russia and the West

Newsweek Dickey: Obama’s Diplomacy, McCain’s National Security

What is Wrong with Secularism of all Sorts? Priority for Democracy

Time The New Gambit: Moscow's View

Asia Times Maliki picks a date with destiny Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki has put himself on the line by insisting that all American troops leave the country by the end of 2010, as a precondition to signing a security accord with the US. Maliki's stance, clearly influenced by Iran, is unacceptable to Washington. Something has to give. - Sami Moubayed

Tehran exploits US-Russian tensions Iran's geopolitical leverage has increased sharply as a result of the West's faceoff with Russia over Georgia. Tehran is potentially a valuable ally for either side in Cold War II, and for now it is cleverly keeping its options open - while the price for its cooperation rises. - Jim Lobe

Punishing Russia could prove costly In response to Russia's recognition of independence for Abkhazia and South Ossetia, the West is chanting "cold war". Moscow's position is, if friendship with the West can only be bought by ignoring pleas from kindred nations, Russia cannot afford such friends. Cold war or not, the time of a politically correct Russia is over. - Mikhail Molchanov

Guardian Putin accuses US over Georgia crisis Russian PM says Georgia war has been cooked up in Washington to create a neo-cold war climate

Belligerent bluster Editorial: When the Georgian artillery opened up with a barrage on Tskhinvali, it wasn't just the Russian tanks that were shattered

Anbar back to Iraqis as al-Qaida ousted Increase in police numbers credited with helping to bring stability to formerly dangerous province

The recognition game Ian Bancroft: As predicted, Kosovo's declaration of independence has reverberated around the world – most thunderously in Georgia

Ha’aretz – ANALYSIS / Assad working post-Georgia world to his advantage As America's standing erodes, Syrian President sells country to highest bidder after long int'l isolation

Avineri Welcome to history After the communist intermezzo, both Russia and China are returning to the bosom of their history.

Abbas: All Palestinians should be given right to return home

Jerusalem Post Victory of Hamas 'warlords and thugs' may hamper Schalit effort

"Young guard", most of whom are affiliated with the group's armed wing, win big gains in the Shura Council - a major decision-making body.

Yedioth Ahronoth US: 63% support Israeli strike in Iran

Assad slapped in the face/ Bechor Syrian leader thought Cold War is back, but Russia made it clear Assad was wrong

Iraq's Sadr extends militia truce Iraq's influential Shia cleric, Moqtada al-Sadr, indefinitely extends a truce being observed by his Mehdi Army militia

Russian assault unites Georgia behind Saakashvili

Russian Tests Beat Anti-Missile Systems

LA Times What's NATO worth? Michael C. Moynihan says it offers security against Russian aggression. Andrew Meier says it's an obsolete alliance

Vladimir Putin enters the picture, seeking to salvage Russia from the chaos and mass poverty of the Yeltsin era. Oil helped him out... more»

Justin Raimondo
Obama's Cheney

America’s foreign-policy election , Godfrey Hodgson

How Much Does the Middle East Matter?

Amir Taheri Pakistan's Rough Road Ahead - Asharq Alawsat

H2

WSJ Will Turkey Abandon NATO?
By Zeyno Baran On Georgia, Ankara must choose between Russia and the West

EDM TURKEY’S DELICATE ACT OF BALANCING IN THE BLACK SEA

Caught between two worlds, Turkey steps up Caucasus diplomacy

[NEWS ANALYSIS] Turkey in tight spot between Russia, NATO

Kurds reject Sunni proposal on Kirkuk

Güler postpones Tehran visit, awaiting steps by Iran

Turkey — Is It East or West?
New York Times

Turkey's new military chief promotes secularism

INTERVIEW OF PRESIDENT SERGE SARKISIAN TO RADIKAL NEWSPAPER (TURKEY)

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

The Times Iraq's Sticky Future Kurds and Arabs must find a way to share their natural wealth

Divided Kirkuk faces up to curse of oil 'Smoke, dirt and occupation' plague the Iraqi city that sits on of one of the world's biggest oil reserves

Cevdet Aşkın Gül, Başbuğ ve Koşaner'in konuşmalarındaki PKK şifreleri

Kurds reject Sunni proposal on Kirkuk

Barzani`den ABD heyetine Kerkük mesajı: Anayasanın ihlal edilmesi kabul edilemez!

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

Sami Kohen Talat’ın eli güçlendi

MUHARREM SARIKAYA ABD Montrö'ye uyacak

Oramiral Ataç: Montrö’ye aykırı bir durum yok

Turkey's location, a blessing or a curse? Semih Idiz

ERDAL ŞAFAK Türkiye ve Ukrayna

Turkey: A Concrete Definition Will Open Doors « Diplomatic Courier’s Blog

Cengiz Aktar

Ilık Savaş’a siftah

Talat cautious as talks are underway Barçin YİNANÇ

Turkey’s Proposal of ‘Caucasus Alliance’: How Likely is Its Success?

Gürcistan-Kosova
Gürcistan'ın iki bölgesi ve Kosova ne kadar benzeşiyor?

Kıbrıs'ta çözüm iki kurucu devlet

Osetya’yı tanıma Kıbrıs’ı da etkiler

Turkish President Calls for Cyprus Solution Under UN Framework

Hedef 2008’de çözüm

Rusya gerçekten kazançlı mı?
HASAN CELAL GÜZE

Kosova, Abhazya ve Osetya örnek olacak

İBRAHİM KARAGÜL

Bu çatışmayı ancak Türkiye durdurabilir!

Nagehan Alçı Sırada ‘Dondurucu Savaş’ mı var?

Yavuz Baydar Frankly, let the talks begin -- but seriously

Ali Bulaç As US vessels set sail to Black Sea

Nicole Pope Actions speak louder than words on paper

Etyen Mahçupyan Irrevocable point

Türk-Rus ticaret cephesi

Okay Gönensin

Çapraz ateş

Sabahattin Önkibar İşte Ruslarla yaşanan Aziz Yıldırım'lı, Ali Şen'li devlet skandalı!

Beril Dedeoğlu ‘Bağımsızlık’ ve ‘tanınma’

Halit Kakınç Büyük bir savaş çıkmaz Bunlar, artçı depremler

Could BSEC incorporate a Caucasian alliance?

Yağmur Atsız Kedi gibi

Durmuş Hocaoğlu Tek kutuplu dünyanın sonu mu?

Hedo Okur Tuncay Nihat Altintop

Hurşit Güneş Köşe yazarlığı ne demektir?

Orhan Pamuk: Eşyaların teselli gücü vardır

Mavi yolculuğun kalbi betona teslim oluyor

Metin Münir Siemens rüşvet konusunu araştırıyor mu?

5 ilin daha suyu arsenikli çıktı

Şiirimizin uç beyi İlhan Berk vefat etti

Ferai Tınç Çanakkale’de değerleri tanıma seferberliği

Gila Benmayor TOBB kadınları gerçekten seviyor mu

Köşk’ten bu kez Amerikan halkına hitap görüntüsü

H3 Laiklik, cemaatler, AB, ulus devlet... Başbuğ'dan hükümete kapsamlı mesajlar

Sert başladı

Başbuğ: İrtica endişesi ciddiye alınmalı

Güçlenen cemaatler ekonomiyi yönlendiriyor

1 milyona yakın nüfusa içkili restoran yok

Paksüt'ün eşi Ergenekon 'zanlısı' olarak sorgulandı

Ergenekon sorgusunda Paksüt'e neler soruldu? Yeni hazırlanacak olan iddianamede Paksüt de var.

Ferda Paksüt'e yüz Ergenekon sorusu

5 saat boyunca 37 sayfa ifade verdi

AK Parti’de Şaban Dişli rahatsızlığı

KURSUYE CIKTI ANDIC OKUDU

MİT beş bin kişiyi soruşturmuş

2. İşte hükümetin memur zammı önerisi

Kutan'ın genel başkanlık sürprizi

Doğan'la İddaa'yı Karamehmet kazandı

Genelkurmay kozmik belgeleri sifahen istedi

Asker, Baykal'ı içeri sokmadı. İşte ilginç olay:

Gerekçeli kararlar, hem siyaset hem toplum açısından önemli

Son Dakika Milliyet Hürriyet Zaman GH Türkiye

Cengiz Çandar

Ahmet Taşgetiren Koşaner'den problemli çıkış

Ruşen - Çakır Org. Başbuğ “akıllı güç” olmak istiyor

İsmail Küçükkaya 26’ncı Genelkurmay Başkanı’nın manifestosu

Taha Akyol Kafkasya krizi

Fikret Bila İlker Paşa’dan açık uyarılar

Hasan Cemal 'Yeni' şeyler söylemeden iktidar alternatifi olmaz!

Murat Yetkin ‘Hepimiz aynı toprağın çocuklarıyız’

İsmet Berkan Amerika’ya hasım gerek

Fehmi Koru Havanda su dövmeye gerek yok

Taha Kıvanç Şeffaflık iyidir

[Yorum - Prof. Dr. Ergun Özbudun] Arato, konsensüs arayışı ve yeni anayasa

Şamil Tayyar

Ali Bayramoğlu

Yasemin Çongar

Oray Eğin Bu yazıyı Taraf basamaz

Ertuğrul Özkök Haber atlama psikolojisi

Ahmet Hakan

M Ali Birand TSK’nın yakasını bırakalım…

Cüneyt Ülsever

Enis Berberoğlu

Gülay Göktürk Jandarma neden vardır?

Oktay Ekşi Gül’ün bir yılı

YASİN DOĞAN Uzlaşma…

Ece Temelkuran ‘Yaşantımdan kime ne!’

Mustafa Mutlu

İki komutandan iki farklı tavır!

Mehmet Altan TSK neden demokrasiye taraf değil?

Bülent Keneş The end of ‘the end of history’

Bekir Coşkun Sıfırdan başlamak...

Tufan Türenç Vicdanlar üzerine...

Obama’yı yükselten iki neden
HALUK ŞAHİN

Sıra poliste MEHMET ALİ KIŞLALI

Eser Karakaş Koşaner, Keçiören ve internet yasakları

İhsan Dağı Ordu göreve!

Hüseyin Gülerce Solun bahçıvanı Ergenekon

Mümtazer Türköne Ferda Paksüt skandalı ve Anayasa Mahkemesi

Özdemir İnce

Mehmet Y Yılmaz

MUHARREM SARIKAYA ABD Montrö'ye uyacak

ERDAL ŞAFAK Türkiye ve Ukrayna

ENGİN ARDIÇ Ölmeden önce adam olmak

ERGUN BABAHAN Çömez vakası

EMRE AKÖZ Kim bu iç düşman?

Umur Talu Ağlama kızım, desem...

HASAN BÜLENT KAHRAMAN Ergenekon'suz bir sol için

NAZLI ILICAK TMSF, Çukurova'nın peşinde

MEHMET BARLAS Kendi kalemize gol atmanın hüner sayıldığı bir dönemde değiliz

MAHMUT ÖVÜR Sol, PKK ve Ergenekon

YAVUZ DONAT Meclis'e 240 kamera

Derya Sazak Postmodern demokrasi

Nasuhi Güngör Hürriyet’in ‘kafa’ dengi hocası!

Okay Gönensin

Çapraz ateş

Hakan Aygün Ergenekon'un bir numarası Paksüt mü?

Emin Pazarcı Çürüme ve çöküş

AKP'de Şener rahatsızlığı

Ekonomi

Güven Sak En fazla kâr, en çok pozisyon açana giderse durum iyi midir?

ABDURRAHMAN YILDIRIM

Mantalite değişimi olmadan asla

Aydın Ayaydın

İhracat kimin sayesinde artıyor?

Yiğit Bulut

Oyakbank’ın satışı ‘düşen en önemli son’ kaleydi...

Necati Doğru

Ekonomi uçuyor! Memur çakılıyor!

Ercan Kumcu

Ali Ağaoğlu

Fırtına ekip, enflasyon biçmek?

Erdal Sağlam

Yiğit Bulut Mehmet Şimşek neden cevap vermiyor

‘Teknik çalışmalar sürüyor’!
UĞUR GÜRSES

H5 Washington Post The Perfect Stranger By Charles Krauthammer

Democrats may start wondering who exactly they married last night.

Obama Rekindles the Flame By E. J. Dionne Jr., Obama will stand or fall on his ability to rekindle a sense of possibility and aspiration.

80,000 Pack Stadium to Hear Obama Accept Nomination Historic Moment Is Called a Testament to Martin Luther King's Vision As Democrats Close Convention With a Sense of Unity and Celebration

Putin Asserts Link Between U.S. Election and Georgia War

Occupation With No End in Sight

Georgians in 'Security Zone' Resigned to Russians' Presence

Iraq and China Sign $3 Billion Oil Contract Deal Is First of Its Kind Since Invasion

McCain Prepares to Announce His Running Mate

Editorial The Message From Denver

The Democrats offer familiar policies, but in Barack Obama, a charismatic leader.

Pentagon Reports U.S. Airstrike Killed 5 Afghan Civilians, Not 90

Tax. Spend. Create Great Jobs.

By John E. Schwarz, Page A15

Democrats so far have failed to provide a compelling mantra about the economy.

For the Descendants of King's Dream, a New Day Dawns

GOP Considers Delaying Convention

Tropical Storm Gustav Is Forecast to Hit U.S. Next Week as Hurricane

H6 Guardian Putin accuses US over Georgia crisis Russian PM says Georgia war has been cooked up in Washington to create a neo-cold war climate

Belligerent bluster Editorial: When the Georgian artillery opened up with a barrage on Tskhinvali, it wasn't just the Russian tanks that were shattered

Anbar back to Iraqis as al-Qaida ousted Increase in police numbers credited with helping to bring stability to formerly dangerous province

In praise of ... American rhetoric

Editorial: Martin Luther King spoke of his dream exactly 45 years before Barack Obama's big day

McCain tries to spoil the party

Republican candidate may reveal name of running mate in effort to steal limelight from Barack Obama

Clinton dazzles while Biden stirs

Translating Feminism Into Islam By: Faisal al Yafai | The Guardian
The parameters have shifted: the rise of political Islam means feminism is now an element of living an ideal Islamic life: can it survive?

Labour has got Cameron wrong: this is no crypto-Thatcherite but a whig David Marquand: The Tory leader's rhetoric echoes Burke, seeking to improve and preserve, resonating with a nation weary of state chivvying

Shadows in the sunshine Slavenka Drakulic: It is a tourist favourite and looks EU bound, but Croatia's attitude to its fascist past is troubling

The recognition game Ian Bancroft: As predicted, Kosovo's declaration of independence has reverberated around the world – most thunderously in Georgia

China's lead in race for new nuclear plants could create UK skills famine Britain's plans for new nuclear power stations will face a fierce challenge for skills and resources

Designing the cold peace Sergey Lagodinsky: The west's relations with Russia have become frosty and are likely to remain so. But we still need to work out a way of living together

Self-interested environmentalism

Brian Wilson: To win with voters, Democrats must recast energy independence as an economic issue, not just an environmental one

I have a dream today Martin Luther King: August 28, 1963 - 'We have come to this hallowed spot to remind America

Poverty in the high plains

Sasha Abramsky: In towns across the American southwest, people are increasingly pessimistic about their

economic prospects

Energy policy makes strange bedfellows Hugh Jackson: Texas oilman T Boone Pickens has become an advocate for renewable energy – and the Democrats' improbable ally

McCain could yet ignite a bonfire of the liberal vanities Martin Kettle: Electing Obama would be one of America's noblest gestures of historical redemption - which is why it may not happen

H7

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

Iraq's Sadr extends militia truce
Iraq's influential Shia cleric, Moqtada al-Sadr, indefinitely extends a truce being observed by his Mehdi Army militia

China's CNPC seals $3bn Iraq deal China's state-oil firm CNPC has agreed a $3bn (£1.63bn) oil services contract for Iraq.

Iraq Says US to Hand Over Former Sunni Battleground

Chalabi Aide Arrested on Suspicion of Baghdad Bombings

Chalabi aide arrested on suspicion of Baghdad bombings

U.N. extends Lebanon mandate

U.S. plans restructuring in Iraq

British Forces Conduct Heavy Artillery Training in Western Basra

Kurdish MP Slams Govt Forces Deployment in Diyala's Disputed Town

Russia Links Its Help on Iran to Georgia Row

H9 Ha’aretz – ANALYSIS / Assad working post-Georgia world to his advantage As America's standing erodes, Syrian President sells country to highest bidder after long int'l isolation

Avineri Welcome to history After the communist intermezzo, both Russia and China are returning to the bosom of their history.

Abbas: All Palestinians should be given right to return home

Forward to the past In recent weeks, a number of prominent Fatah figures have suggested a return to the pre-1988 demand for Israel's replacement by a single state in the area between the Jordan and the Mediterranean

Judea Pearl: U.S. media suffer from 'Down with Israel' syndrome

Jerusalem Post Victory of Hamas 'warlords and thugs' may hamper Schalit effort

"Young guard", most of whom are affiliated with the group's armed wing, win big gains in the Shura Council - a major decision-making body.

Labor to keep faith with Barak

Consensus comes despite polls indicating that the party will fall to new low in next general election.

Israel: Assad not serious about peace Officials: He says he wants US in talks, but he sides with Russians during a time of great tension

IDF: Missile threat on bases not grave Recent study says bases in Central and South regions won't need to be evacuated in event of war

From Humphrey to Obama

Humphrey may have been the last instinctive friend of Israel to seek the presidency.

Yedioth Ahronoth US: 63% support Israeli strike in Iran

Assad slapped in the face/ Bechor Syrian leader thought Cold War is back, but Russia made it clear Assad was wrong

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

How Effective Were Hizbullah's Anti-Tank Missiles? - William F. Owen (Strategy Page)

Israel Views Jordan's Talks with Hamas as "Unhelpful" -

What Is a Jew in Germany Permitted to Say Against a Jew in Germany? By: John Rosenthal | World Politics Review
In Germany, the daughter of a famous bête noir of German anti-Semites, herself now a fanatical critic of Israel, has sued a German political commentator for labeling her an "anti-Semite."

Unemployment in Israel Falls to Lowest Rate in Twenty Years

Hamas Welcomes Russian Recognition for Abkhazia, South Ossetia

Obituary Abie Nathan

H10 Christian Science Monitor

Void in U.S. strategy for Afghanistan As officials consider sending more troops to Afghanistan, some worry about the lack of a larger plan.

Farewell to world peace? The Georgian conflict ended 1,716 days of no war between nations. But trends favor peace.

West mulls few options in Georgia-Russia crisis It gingerly considers how to set consequences for Russia and maintain cooperation.

Russia trifles with genocide A 2005 UN mandate that allows invasions to end genocides cannot be claimed by Moscow.

Iraq's port city shows signs of an economic comeback

The amount of cargo coming into Umm Qasr has tripled since April

Antiterror measures incite sectarianism in Yemen Opposition party leaders claim that new schools to stem extremism prevent minority sects from recruiting new members.

Yemen's fight against resurgent Al Qaeda The government is backing a feature film to warn young Yemenis against radical jihad.

As Gustav nears, oil companies shut down rigs Disruptions in supply could push up pump prices, as they did after Katrina.

ASIA

Weak Afghan Police Threaten NATO Plan By: James Palmer | The Washington Times
Outgunned, outmanned, poorly trained and underpaid, Afghan police are a weak link in the U.S.-led effort to stabilize the country and must improve or risk jeopardizing security seven years after U.S.-led forces toppled the Taliban government.

U.S.-Pakistani Brainstorming on Border Violence By: Eric Schmitt | The New York Times
The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff secretly convened a highly unusual meeting of senior American and Pakistani commanders on an aircraft carrier in the Indian Ocean on Tuesday to discuss how to combat the escalating violence along the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

One Taliban Faction's Violent Campaign Against Girls' Education By: Shaheen Buneri | World Politics Review
The Swat valley, a picturesque region in the North West Frontier Province of Pakistan, was once a tourist destination. Two years ago, however, it became a Taliban haven when Maulana Fazlullah, a hardline cleric turned militant Taliban commander, launched a vicious campaign against the education of girls.

Pentagon OKs Missile Sale to Taiwan By: Mark Magnier | Los Angeles Times
Ending an apparent freeze on providing arms to the island, the deal comes at a time of warming cross-strait ties between China and Taiwan

China's excess liquidity trap
China is awash with cash, thanks to high levels of savings, increased enterprise profitability, a government budget surplus and more foreign exchange reserves than it knows what do with. It sounds good - but the imbalances are creating hazardous challenges with significant implications at home and overseas. - Pieter Bottelier

Afghanistan: on the cliff-edge, Paul Rogers

India's nuclear deal headed for fiasco Delhi seriously underestimated the opposition the United States-India nuclear deal would arouse in the international Nuclear Suppliers' Group, which must grant India a waiver from its tough rules on nuclear trade. The frantic scramble for a compromise US-drafted waiver motion leaves Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in a lose-lose position

H11 IHT William Pfaff: Saakashvili's folly Blaming Russia avoids acknowledging the real damage that President Mikheil Saakashvili has done to the United States, NATO and to Georgia itself.

Putin suggests U.S. role in Georgia clash Russia's prime minister said he thought the U.S. might have helped "stir up" the conflict to benefit one of the presidential candidates

Russia deal may fall, a casualty of conflict The imminent collapse of a nuclear deal between the United States and Russia represents the most tangible casualty so far of deteriorating relations with Russia.

A hard habit to break, even with gas at $10 a gallon Transportation experts say that many Europeans, out of necessity, habit or love, have proved surprisingly willing to bear the extra cost of driving.

Yuri Nosenko, KGB defector, said to be dead in U.S. Yuri Nosenko, a former Soviet agent who was at the center of some of the most dramatic espionage episodes of the Cold War, has died under an assumed name, somewhere in the southern United States, a senior American intelligence official said.

When FDR found 'the forgotten man'

By TIMOTHY EGAN The dissonance that Barack Obama felt growing up is now shared by many voters, and with the stage set in Denver, he must connect

EUROPE European press review

The Economist Russia and Georgia Put out even more flags

Georgia and the Balkans Parallel bars

France and Afghanistan To stay or not to stay

Charlemagne Unity is strength

Shadows in the sunshine

Slavenka Drakulic: It is a tourist favourite and looks EU bound, but Croatia's attitude to its fascist past is troubling

Largest mosque in Europe to be inaugurated; able to fit 10,000 worshipers...

All of EU needed to tackle organized crime

Crisis in the Caucasus: EU Considers Sanctions as Russia Looks for Friends

H12 RFE/RL

Russian assault unites Georgia behind Saakashvili

Vladimir Putin enters the picture, seeking to salvage Russia from the chaos and mass poverty of the Yeltsin era. Oil helped him out... more»

Google News Azerbaijan

Putin: US orchestrated conflict in Georgia

Abkhazia's lesson to the west , Inal Khashig

EDM UKRAINE DIVIDED ON RUSSIAN RECOGNITION OF SOUTH OSSETIA

Azerbaijan: Terror Attack on Baku Mosque Stirs Anxiety The mid-August bombing of a Baku mosque is heightening an already anxious mood in Azerbaijan. Reflecting the government’s alarm over the terrorist incident, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev is personally leading the ongoing investigation. Some opposition politicians have openly wondered whether Russia is trying to stir instability in Azerbaijan in order to extend the Kremlin’s influence in the Caucasus.

China Expresses Understanding of Russian Recognition Motives - Ministry

Georgia Needs Nato Membership, Not Membership Action Plan - Saakashvili

Medvedev Calls for Setting Up Security Belt Around Abkhazia, S. Ossetia

Russia successfully tests ICBM designed to beat anti-missile systems

Why has Russian strongman Putin backed away from summit with Bush?

Spilling over Could Crimea become the new cold front?

Russia: The Kremlin Tries to Put on Brave Face Following Diplomatic Slap over Georgia
The Kremlin received a rude diplomatic surprise on August 28, when some of its closest allies offered only a tepid endorsement for Russia’s incursion into Georgia, while reaffirming the principle of the territorial integrity of states. Moscow now finds itself more diplomatically isolated than ever over its continuing military presence in Georgia and its recognition of the independence of the separatist entities of Abkhazia and South Ossetia

Russia Will Not Politicize Fuel Supplies to Eu Countries - Putin

Nothing Changed in Armenia-Nato Relations - Yerevan

Georgia: Tbilisi Feels Buoyed By US Aid Shipments
BY MOLLY CORSO
Georgians are welcoming the arrival of American aid shipments, interpreting them as a get-tough message to Moscow, and as a gesture of enduring support.

How to Handle an Angry Bear By: David Howell | The Japan Times
Experts have been telling us that conventional wars are a thing of the past and that nations instead face a globalized terrorism requiring new responses. Unfortunately the Russians just proved them wrong

Leonid Kuchma Built a Propserous Ukraine By: Anders Aslund | The Moscow Times
On Aug. 9, Leonid Kuchma turned 70 years old. For 10 years, from 1994 until 2004, he was the president of Ukraine. He arrived as the savior of his nation, but the Orange Revolution ended his second term. His legacy is rich but multifaceted

Surprise Nuclear Plant in Kaliningrad By: Maria Antonova | The Moscow Times
Rosatom head Sergei Kiriyenko has signed a decree for the construction of a nuclear power plant in the Kaliningrad region, the country's atomic energy company announced Wednesday

H13 The Times Iraq's Sticky Future Kurds and Arabs must find a way to share their natural wealth

Divided Kirkuk faces up to curse of oil 'Smoke, dirt and occupation' plague the Iraqi city that sits on of one of the world's biggest oil reserves

Analysis: Kremlin sees a threat, Nato an exercise To Russia, the Western naval presence looks threatening, but the ships are all involved in preplanned training and exercising

Navigating the new global archipelago The Georgia crisis reveals new rules of international diplomacy. Obama had better learn them fast Nader Mousavizadeh

Barack Obama: 'the change we need is coming' In his historical speech the Democrat is expected to challenge voters to find the courage to end the Republicans' grip on the White House

Comment: same-old political promises

Putin accuses White House over Georgia Cold War rhetoric increases with Vladimir Putin claiming President Bush orchestrated the war to help John McCain's presidential bid

McCain 'has chosen his running mate' After months of speculation the name of the Republican vice-presidential nominee is to be announced in the coming hours

EU surprise over sanctions

France hints at sanctions over Georgia conflict, but privately EU officials are aware that consensus unlikely at summit next week

Comment: McCain isn't Bush

The Democrats' strategy is to make the election look like a rerun of 2000 and 2004

Gerard Baker

Religion's history of self-inflicted pain A Muslim is convicted of child cruelty over a religious ritual. Should a secular state interfere? A.C. Grayling

Wall Street Journal U.S. Reviews Its Ties With Russia The U.S. has put "under review" bilateral talks with Russia focused on missile defense and nuclear disarmament as part of a broader re-evaluation, escalating its response to Moscow's actions in Georgia.

Biden Wanted to Break Up Iraq By Dan Senor
The senator's biggest foreign policy initiative appears to have vanished from his -- and Barack Obama's -- memory.

Russia and the New Axis of Evil
By Arthur Herman The West has to confront the oil-rich dictatorships.

Will Turkey Abandon NATO?
By Zeyno Baran On Georgia, Ankara must choose between Russia and the West

Obama Frames Campaign Obama launched a historic general election campaign by pledging to "fix the broken politics of Washington." The senator faces challenges and uncertainties no other presidential contender has confronted.

A Shooting Liberal Star

Obama's agenda and persona are marked by contradiction.

Democrats Offer Stealth Liberalism

By Kimberley A. Strassel
Potomac Watch: The Reagan revolution is dead! Just don't expect us to bet this election on it!

Minnesota's Vice Presidential Contender By John Fund
The Weekend Interview
Replay: The governor wants more "Sam's Club Republicans."

H14 Financial Times Putin maps the boundaries of greater Russia Moscow’s invasion of Georgia points to a retreat from integration and a preference for force over rules. Russia’s neighbours are told they can be vassals or enemies. Mr Medvedev boasts Russia is ready for another cold war, writes Philip Stephens

Russia fails to secure regional backing Dmitry Medvedev, Russian president, failed to win support from China or the former Soviet republics of central Asia in his deepening dispute with the west over military action in Georgia

Putin blames US provocation Russia’s prime minister accused the US of provoking the conflict between Russia and Georgia, in the latest sign of escalating tensions between Moscow and Washington

Time to pay the bill? Notions of economic decoupling from the west are being debunked as economic and other problems push down stock prices across the developing world - but for how long?

EU must give Kiev accession hope

It is not enough to warn that Russia might try to build on its military victory in Georgia by targeting Ukraine. The west should respond – and the EU must play a big role

Kremlin counters fears of domino effect Some experts say the most important lesson learned by the Caucasus peoples from the conflict in Georgia is that Russia has the strength and arbitrariness to ensure its will is carried out

EU states consider delaying Russia talks Governments may react to the attempted dismemberment of Georgia by postponing the next round of talks with Moscow on a long-term partnership agreement, EU diplomats said

Smaller companies enter Iran market

Small and medium-sized companies are entering Iran’s market to replace big companies that have scaled down their operation to avoid sanctions, western diplomats say

Obama takes the fight to McCain

Barack Obama accepted the Democratic nomination for president with a hard-hitting address at a 75,000-seat stadium that blended flashes of the Illinois Senator’s soaring rhetoric with a litany of policy proposals intended to ease the lives of a struggling middle class

Speculation builds on McCain running mate John McCain was poised to unveil his Republican running mate on Friday as an opinion poll suggested Barack Obama had widened his lead in the US presidential race during this week’s Democratic convention

Stocks rally on surprise US GDP boost US stocks rose after data showed that the US economy grew much faster in the second quarter than first reported, boosted by a strong increase in international trade, hitting an annualised rate of 3.3 per cent

Hidden meanings in praise of Obama

The Clintons may well be plotting their course for retaking the White House in 2012 having watched an ageing John McCain defeat Barack Obama this November. Nothing they said and did this week is inconsistent with that view

Andrew Duff: Summer of discontent

Comment: The dilemma Merkel faces to save Germany As the economy weakens, the chancellor faces a choice between populism to win re-election or fundamental reform, writes Bertrand Benoit

Mind the gap Britain’s poor need to be helped to healthier habits. More than new hospitals, preventative campaigns are what the UK needs to close its health gap

H15 Los Angeles Times Obama accepts Democratic nomination
with promise of change Blending his trademark eloquence with straightforward appeals to the middle class, he uses some of his harshest language yet to describe McCain and 8 years of GOP rule

Obama's challenge His acceptance speech paired idealism with pragmatic proposals. Will Americans buy in?

What's NATO worth? Michael C. Moynihan says it offers security against Russian aggression. Andrew Meier says it's an obsolete alliance

Putin suggests U.S. may have provoked Georgia conflict

Russian prime minister's assertions are dismissed by Washington as both nations' diplomats trade barbs at the U.N. China and other Central Asian nations criticize Moscow's action in Georgia

U.S. arrests key Iraq official for suspected ties to militia

Ali Lami, who oversaw the controversial purging of Baath Party members is alleged to have helped militias said to get training and funding from within Iran

Editorial Hillary Clinton the uniter In Denver, her words and deeds on behalf of Barack Obama have done much to bring Democrats together.

U.S. says review backs its reported toll in Afghanistan airstrike

From the Washington Post

The U.S. military finding contradicts reports by the U.N. and Afghan officials, which say 90 civilians were killed

Abie Nathan, 81; Israeli peace activist, founder of 'Voice of Peace' radio station

Abie Nathan, the Israeli peace activist who made a dramatic solo flight to Egypt and later founded the groundbreaking "Voice of Peace" radio station, died Wednesday. He was 81

H16 American Politics

History echoes all around as Obama steps up to big speech

On a historic day echoing the dreams of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and John F. Kennedy, Democrat Barack Obama immediately set a JFK-like goal: to end America’s dependence on Middle East oil within 10 years

The Hope We Confess - It was a deeply substantive speech ... (Andrew Sullivan/The Daily Dish)

Klein: Obama's Speech 'Very Tough'

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

McCain's Prickly TIME Interview

The Economist Bring back the real McCain The Republican candidate is fighting hard, but he needs to do more to separate himself from George Bush

John McCain

No surrender The gnarled maverick outpolls his party and might even beat Barack Obama. But what sort of president would he be?

Some Clinton Donors Are Contributing to McCain

Glenn Greenwald / Salon:
What's missing from the Democratic convention?

accuses McCain of policies too close to Bush

Obama’s No Joke to Late-Nite TV Comics; Trails McCain, Bush and Hillary in Humor Race But Obama Rules on Comedy Central
Source: Center for Media and Public Affairs

H17 Daily Telegraph Russia may cut off oil flow to Europe Fears are mounting that Russia may restrict oil deliveries over coming days, in response to the threat of EU sanctions.

Iran's secret weapon isn't bombs but oil The West must realise its new bogeyman can ignore economic threats as it is sitting on a huge pile of cash, says David Blair

Viktor Yushchenko plays a risky game Ukraine should be told that the West is in no position to fight a new Crimean war, writes Con Coughlin.

Putin accuses US of provoking Georgia war Russian PM accuses the US of provoking a war to improve Republican prospects in presidential election.

Mikheil Saakashvili and the 'silly affair'

H18 Independent Obama: my vision to heal America

Barack Obama was last night set to stand before 80,000 supporters bearing a pledge to bring an end to Republican ownership of the White House with three short words of promise: "Eight is enough".

• Bill comes through for Barack – and is right on message
• The delirious moment that history was made
• Biden provides human face of an otherwise ice-cool campaign
• Matthew Norman: Passion, drama and democracy
• Leading article: Onwards and upwards

A biblical tragedy in the Sea of Galilee

An arid country, Israel relies on the waters where Jesus sailed to irrigate its farmland and supply its homes. But now the lake is drying up – and only drastic action will save it

H19 Military Intelligence Terrorism

Air Force leaders refine new mission

H20 Slate

Monitoring Environment and Security BICC This 95-page Germsn brief focuses on identifying research gaps relevant to the security/environment nexus

H21

In 1949 Revolution, a few Americans went to China to help build the Maoist dream. Sixty years later, one of them is still there... more»

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