| H1 Israel Mulls Military Option Against Iran ICG - "To Protect or to Project? Iraqi Kurds and Their Future", Joost Hilterman (repeat) Los Angeles Times Iraq parliament fails to pass elections bill Iraq lawmakers break for vacation, unable to agree on oil-rich Kirkuk, which the Kurds want to annex to the semiautonomous Kurdish region Weekly Standard The End of Nuclear Diplomacy Iran to the West: Drop dead by Reuel Marc Gerecht New York Times Iraqis Fail to Agree on Provincial Election Law The failure to reach a deal before Parliament’s recess left the fate of nationwide provincial elections in doubt Guardian Political games Editorial: President Pervez Musharraf faces threat of impeachment in Pakistan but decides to attend Olympics US seeks tougher action in Iran nuclear standoff Warning follows Tehran's failure to give clear answer to demands that it halt all nuclear activities Prepare for global rise of 4C, warns top scientist Exclusive: Defra's chief adviser says we need strategy to adapt to potentially catastrophic increase in temperature Washington Post Gates's Next Mission By David Ignatius, As Defense Secretary, Robert Gates has gotten results. He could be useful to the next president. Russia Asks That Iran Be Given More Time No Deadline on Incentives, Envoy Says Asia Times Syria exploits US loopholes Rather than isolate Syria, the United States' tough line on Damascus has made it an indispensable problem-solver in key regional issues. Washington's flawed perception of Syria as a "weak country" has led to it helping stabilize Iraq and Lebanon while also acting as a mediator with Iran. And for Syria, a peace deal with Israel is now a real possibility. - Sami Moubayed Stratfor Geopolitical Diary: Oscillation in US Defense Strategy Andrew Bacevich Redefining the War on Terror - Council on Foreign Relations Financial Times Hawk vs talk: America’s foreign policy choice Obama would shift perceptions further, both in Europe and in the poorest parts of the world, where threats coalesce, writes Michael Fullilove Russia can play a vital role in the west’s security Maurizio Massari says that Georgia’s and Ukraine’s aspiration to join Nato next year could turn a potential spoiler into a win-win situation Why a bust is boom time for happynomics Jonathan Guthrie on wages and well-being Russia denies sanctions deal after Iran snub Moscow dismisses reports of agreeing with the US and UK for more economic restrictions after Tehran sidestepped an initiative for negotiations over its nuclear programme The Big Freeze: Part 4 - Policy Response There is scope for fiscal measures to boost demand; for the financial sector capital is the priority, writes Lawrence Summers WSJ What McCain Should Do Next By Karl Rove
It's not enough just to feed voters' doubts about Obama Massimo Calabresi / Time: Poll: Trouble Signs in Obama's Lead After two weeks of sharpened attacks between the campaigns, Barack Obama is maintaining a narrow 5% lead over John McCain Salon "We were basically hiring terrorists" The U.S. signed up legions of sketchy Iraqi fighters to help stop sectarian violence. Now, most may lose their security jobs -- but remain armed and angry. By Anna Badkhen Asia Times Baghdad warms to Sunni awakening
Lured by a promise of 3,000 jobs in the national police, the mostly Sunni Sahwa militia is playing a pivotal role in a joint operation with Iraqi government forces in Diyala province. The deployment underscores the military and political gains of the Sahwa, and even former foe Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki has come around. - Ahmed Ali and Dahr Jamai Daily Telegraph China: a power to be watched, not feared As Beijing prepares to take centre-stage with the Olympics, Malcolm Rifkind argues that there is no need to fear the rise of a new global superpower Russia threatens to move rockets to EU border Moscow threatens to deploy bombers and missiles on the Polish border if Warsaw agrees to US missile shield. Christian Science Monitor U.S. shifts 'hearts and minds' fight Instead of trying to explain America, it promotes alternatives to extremism. Can Pakistan clean up its intelligence agency? The US, India, and Afghanistan are pressuring the government to root out pro-Taliban agents. The Times Time for Musharraf to stand down Pakistan's President and Government are failing to provide effective leadership Jerusalem Post US calls for 'punitive' measures following Iranian response Six world powers agree to pursue new UN sanctions; Mofaz: Iran "biding their time;" Israeli officials: sanctions not likely until 2009 Yedioth Ahronoth Beware the Syrians/ Peri Domestic Syrian killings remind us not to expect genuine normalization with Damascus Trouble on the Ballot in Iraq - Council on Foreign Relations Asia Times India as a US hedge against China
As the race to conclude the United States-India civil nuclear agreement presses on, its advocates are peddling one selling point that appeals to both sides in the US Congress, which has to approve the deal: America must recruit the Indian tiger to hedge against the rising Chinese dragon. Yet despite its broad popularity, this strategy is completely untested. - Jeff M Smit EDM - Russian PRIME MINISTER DOMINATES ECONOMIC, FOREIGN AND SECURITY POLICY Institutionalizing Adaptation: U.S. Counterinsurgency Capabilities Must Improve By: John A. Nagl and Brian M. Burton | World Politics Review The recent clashes in eastern Afghanistan thrust the "forgotten war" back into the public eye. At a time when admittedly fragile stability is taking hold in Iraq, it is also an important reminder that the need for improved counterinsurgency capabilities neither began nor will end there Iraqi Army Is Willing, but Not Ready, to Fight By: Campbell Robertson | The New York Times While Americans and Iraqi civilians alike are increasingly eager to see combat operations turned over to the Iraqi Army, interviews with more than a dozen Iraqi soldiers and officers in Diyala Province, at the outset of a large-scale operation against insurgents led by Iraqis but backed by Americans, reveal a military confident of its progress but unsure of its readiness. Iraqi Militia Leader to Order Followers to Lay Down Their Arms By: Ewan MacAskill | The Guardian The leader of one of the most powerful militias in Iraq, Moqtada al-Sadr, is to order his followers to disarm and transform themselves into a purely social and political organisation, according to a new strategy document published yesterday China and the Enduring Uighurs | Stratfor Wall Street Journal The New Southern Strategy Spurred by the souring economy and a newfound willingness to embrace conservative candidates, the Democratic Party is running its most competitive campaign across the South in 40 years, fielding potential winners along a rib of states stretching from Louisiana to Virginia, the heart of the Old Confederacy. • At a Glance: Running Closer in the South We Need a New Think Tank for the War on Terror By Jonathan Stevenson The early Rand Corporation provides a model.
In a confidential memo, a company tells investors McCain's foreign-policy advisor and consultant Randy Scheunemann can help it win Iraqi oil contracts — because he was a "key player" in getting the US to invade. EurasiaNet Nuclear Negotiations with Iran May Continue Amid Caution Iran is refusing to compromise, but it wants to keep on negotiating with the international community over the fate of the country’s nuclear program. Iranian officials continue to hope that they can revamp a deal, but some experts caution that Tehran may err in pushing too far. Quick quiz on who supplies American oil | H2 CSM Editorial Build bridges in Turkey Turkey's Islamist party has escaped being banned. It now must reach out to secularists Lale Sarıibrahimoğlu Gen. Başbuğ’s arms acquisition approach to be watched carefully Dış politikanın yönü Kapatılmayan AKP nasıl bir dış politika izler? 'Kerkük Kuzey Irak'a Bağlanamaz' Türkiye’nin bölgesel önemi artıyor Japan Times EDITORIAL: Victory for Turkish Democracy (View Article) [Yorum - Abdulvehhab Bedirhan] Kerkük'ün çözümü Kürtlerin elinde Ordunun siyasi nüfuzu düşüşte AHMED AMRABİ İnönü’den Erivan ziyareti TURKEY: Government Survives Shakily Inter Press Service IMF says Turkey's current account deficit a risk EDM LUKOIL AND TURKEY Türkiye Atatürk’ü hiçe sayan adamı hafife aldı
İç Basında Türk Dış Politikası Dış Basında Türkiye - BBC Turkish 0700 VOA Turkish Press Review Google News Turkey TurcoPundit Google News Fırat News Agency KurdishMedia Kurdish Kurdish Aspect Dış Basında Irak BBC Monitoring Inter-national Murat Yetkin İlker Başbuğ, Kürt sorunu ve büyük resim Semih İdiz Kürtler olmayacak duanın peşini bırakmıyor
Iraq’s Kirkuk debate along with election law postponed 'Kerkük Kuzey Irak'a Bağlanamaz' Malazgirt Emniyeti’ne roket: 1 şehit Barçin YİNANÇ Ardan Zentürk Yeni krizin adı: AHMEDİNECAD Sunni political group denies backing Kurds in Kirkuk debate Iraqi Kurdish Troops Surround Kirkuk FACTBOX-Iraq's provincial elections law Jandarma, ÇEV'in terörist yakınlarına burs verdiğini belgeledi
Bu ziyaret konjonktürel Kurdish Militants Claim 51 Iranian Deaths Tunceli’de Mehmetçik dağı taşı bombalıyor Miroğlu makes open call addressed to Birand for unsolved murders Hasan Kanbolat Increased concern in Syria reinforces trust of Turkey Kürt siyasi ve işadamı fişi de elde Cevdet Aşkın
Literary leap Kurdistan novelist strikes region's first major book deal Google News Greece Cyprus Turkish Cypriot Press ABHaber Dış Basında Türkiye-AB İlişkileri Günlük Haftalık Why Gül’s invitation from Yerevan is not an ‘opportunity’ by ELSEVER SALMANOV* Turkey, Armenia should aim low, Armenian think tank Turkey To Have 7 Bln Usd Trade Deficit With US This Year, Minister BTC pipeline fire in Turkey disrupts oil flow Su sorunu yok mu? TARHAN ERDEM Cezaevlerinden ürküten rapor Nükleerde güvenlik şartları neler? Yunanistan’da 30, bizde 2 amfibik yangın uçağı [Yorum - Eser Karakaş] Türkiye genç neslini kaybediyor
Hangi komutanda ne tür zırhlı araç var Why Turkey still loves Raj Kapoor Yeni rektörlerin özgeçmişi What’s all the fuss about?
Saudi Gazette Rodos'un gizli hazinesi; Müslüman Kütüphanesi Uyuşturucu tacirlerini MİT takip etti, polis yakaladı
Sonsuz enerji ürettiği iddia edilen 'Erke Dönergeci' de Ergenekon soruşturmasına girdi Af bekleyen 600 bin öğrenciye müjdeli haber | H3 İşte en son seçim anketinin sonuçları "AKP kırmızı kart sınırında" 28 Şubat senaryosu Harbiye Orduevi'nde yazıldı 'Fadime telekız, Kalkancı alkolikti!'
'Çukurambar görüşmesi'ni sert bir dille eleştiren Haşim Kılıç hakkında şok bir iddia daha ortaya atıldı İşte Ergenekon'un delil klasörleri
(GÜNCELLENDİ) MHP'den yerel seçim için 'büyük çatı' formülü Ergenekon MHP'ye de el atmış!.. Veli Küçük'ün Devlet Bahçeli'yi devirme planı...
Ergenekon dava dosyasındaki MİT raporunda Fethullah Gülen’in birçok faaliyeti sıralandı • AK Parti tatil sonrasındaki rotasını belirledi
CHP'li Mustafa Özyürek, Erdoğan’a şu soruları sordu Kozmik takip ‘Ayışığı’ için mi FLAŞ! Üsküdar'da patlama! Sızdırılan(!) gizli buluşmanın öyküsü Gölge ordudan Ergenekon'a-5
‘Albay Ergenekon’ Türkes’ti Mecburi istikamet reform -
Eymür: “Yalçın Küçük PKK’yı yönlendiren, taktik ve stratejiler veren bir durumdaydı”
Gül'ün rektör atamalarına üniversitelerden istifalı tepki Üniversitelerde istifa depremi Uğur Mumcu'ya tehdit gibi soru İsrail Büyükelçisi'nin bu sorusu herşeyi anlatıyor... İhraç isteme senaryosuna hukukçulardan olur yok Cumhuriyet muhafızları
Fişleme Özel Kuvvetler’in rutin işlerinden biriymiş CHP-TSK gerilimi
’F tipi’ örgütlenenleri mutlu ettiniz CHP-TSK gerilimi büyüyor İpler koptu Kurumların uyumundan neden rahatsız oluyorsunuz?
Milyon dolarlık sohbetler ’Çuwal’ sadece senaryoymuş Ölüm ovası: Dilovası Ya Erdoğan ihraç edilsin ya AKP kapatılsın
3. Veli Küçük konuştu İddianame iftiranameye benziyor Bakan Aksu’ya masaj tuzağı planlamışlar JİTEM’in korumalı ve maaşlı yazarı olmuş Ergenekoncu dernekten gençlere 'ajanlık' eğitimi Son Dakika Milliyet Hürriyet Zaman SOLİ ÖZEL Kararın anatomisi (2) Cengiz Çandar Dünyanın gözü "Merkezi Krallık"ta Ahmet Taşgetiren “Odak” ve “Kaçak” Ruşen - Çakır AKP-ORDU ilişkileri/1 Erdoğan ve Büyükanıt: Ayrılan ve birleşen yollar Taha Akyol Ilımlı İslam Fikret Bila Ergenekon 2001’de niye kapatıldı?
Hasan Cemal AB yolu, unutmayın, Kürt sorunundan da geçiyor! Sedat Ergin BAŞBAKAN’IN BAŞKA BİR ADRESE YÖNELMESİ GEREKİYOR Murat Yetkin İlker Başbuğ, Kürt sorunu ve büyük resim İsmet Berkan Hukuk devleti mi dediniz? Fehmi Koru Mal meydanda Taha Kıvanç Sabahattin Önkibar Fehmi Koru’nun mumu Çukurambar’da söner mi? Şahin Alpay Başbakan'ın yerinde ben olsaydım Şamil Tayyar Ali Bayramoğlu Yeni dönem, yeni kapılar Kazananlar ve kaybedenlere Yasemin Çongar Avrupa Birliği’ni dış politika konusu olmaktan çıkarmanın tam zamanı Hüseyin Gülerce CHP, Demirel ve askerler... İsmail Küçükkaya Gül-Erdoğan yer değiştirir mi? Şükrü Küçükşahin Sızdırılan(!) gizli buluşmanın öyküsü AYM kararı ve Türk demokrasisi HASAN CELAL GÜZEL
Kaçan fırsat Ertuğrul Özkök Selimiye'de genç bir kadın Ahmet Hakan Madem öyle gel böyle M Ali Birand [Yorum - İhsan Işık] Kapatılamayacak kadar büyük olmak Cüneyt Ülsever Kapatılmamanın ardından iç dinamikler Enis Berberoğlu Oktay Ekşi Yeni rektörler Özdemir İnce Mehmet Y Yılmaz
Burak BEKDİL
TAMER KORKMAZ YAŞ'ın Ardından Mehmet Kamış CHP, Türkiye'nin çağdaş bir ülke olduğunu kabul edemiyor Mümtazer Türköne 'Beraat-i zimmet' ve 'Silahların denkliği' Kerim Balcı Unhappy wİth the army Mehmet Altan Birinci Cumhuriyet Bekir Coşkun Birçok ’Tayyip’imiz olacak Halit Kakınç Travmalarımızı hazmediyoruz Andrew Finkel What’s in a name? With Ergenekon, a lot Mustafa Erdoğan Bu laiklik anlayışıyla demokrasi olmaz MUHARREM SARIKAYA ERDAL ŞAFAK Kuşkucu! ENGİN ARDIÇ "Yeni bir sol parti" safsatası
ERGUN BABAHAN CHP'nin sivil tavrı
EMRE AKÖZ Mızıkçı hocalar Umur Talu Beni kimseyle yan yana komayın! (Ahmet Altan'a...) HASAN BÜLENT KAHRAMAN NAZLI ILICAK Pandora'nın kutusu açıldı MEHMET BARLAS Ezanın güzel okunması beklentisi gündemde ağırlıkla var... MAHMUT ÖVÜR Behçet Cantürk öldürüleceğini biliyordu YAVUZ DONAT Sönmez Köksal... Ciddi bir devlet adamı
Tüm direnç noktaları kırıldı... Sırada artık radikal adımlar var! Oray Eğin Bunun adı AKP yası Ekonomi ABDURRAHMAN YILDIRIM Kur sorununa kolay çözüm var mı?
Ercan Kumcu Dalgalı kurdan şikáyet etmekte geç kaldık Erdal Sağlam Kamu borç yönetimi raporu
MAHFİ EĞİLMEZ IMF says Turkey's current account deficit a risk IMF’nin etkili rolü sürecek HSBC sharpens Islamic banking focus Reform ve sivil toplum yaratma
KORKMAZ İLKORUR Hedeflemeden vaz mı geçsek?
FATİH ÖZATAY İbrahim Öztürk Yabancı sermaye ve ekonominin geleceği Seyfettin Gürsel Endişelenmek için şimdilik neden yok Dolar 1.15'te kalırsa şirket anahtarlarını hükümete veririz Deniz Gökçe Küresel iklim değişikliği ve Kyoto Özelleştirmeden 30.5 milyar dolar gelir sağlandı MELİHA OKUR Rusya'ya ihracat durdu!
Hurşit Güneş Fiyatlar artınca petrol arama anlamlı hale geliyor |
| H4 New York Times Iraqis Fail to Agree on Provincial Election Law The failure to reach a deal before Parliament’s recess left the fate of nationwide provincial elections in doubt. China’s Leaders Are Resilient in Face of Change An upsurge in Chinese patriotism around the Olympics has bolstered the party against international criticism. 500: Deadly U.S. Milestone in Afghan War With U.S. troops at record levels and the violent threat from the Taliban expanding, the conflict in Afghanistan is roaring back into public view Officials Say Documents Tie Scientist to Anthrax Attack Bruce E. Ivins sent e-mails with wording nearly identical to language used in deadly anthrax-laced letters, the documents say. Anthrax Documents (usdoj.gov) Panel Convicts Bin Laden Driver in Split Verdict Salim Ahmed Hamdan was convicted of one war crime but acquitted of another charge, arguably more serious, in the first military trial at Guantánamo Bay. Guilty as Ordered In a democracy, trials must be governed by fair rules, and judges must be guided by the law and the evidence, not pressure from the government. NICHOLAS D. KRISTOF An Olive Branch From the Dalai Lama With the Tibet question casting a shadow over the Olympics, the Dalai Lama has expressed an unprecedented willingness to compromise and accept Communist Party rule in Tibet. Looking for Any Signs at Obama-Bayh Meeting World Briefing | Middle East: Iran: Dispute With Russia on Sanctions As a Gesture to Abbas, Israel Says It Will Release About 150 Palestinian Prisoners Britain Debates Army’s Delay at Basra Bush Presses North Korea on Weapons GAIL COLLINS The Energy Drill While John McCain was never violently opposed to offshore drilling, he has now embraced it as if it is not only the solution to our energy problems, but also the key to eternal salvation | H5 Washington Post Gates's Next Mission By David Ignatius, As Defense Secretary, Robert Gates has gotten results. He could be useful to the next president. Russia Asks That Iran Be Given More Time No Deadline on Incentives, Envoy Says The White House's Weak Denials By Dan Froomkin Pivoting to Populism By Ruth Marcus Obama argues his rhetoric is aimed not at big business but at dysfunctional government. A Way Back to the High Road? By David S. Broder, How McCain and Obama think the tone of the campaign can change. Obama Hits Back, Too Softly For Some Democratic strategists worry candidate hasn't hit back hard enough in response to McCain's attacks. An Olympic Battle to Watch Pomfret's China | Think the Olympics are one grand clash between China and the West? You're wrong. Candidates Paint Each Other as 'Celebrity' Obama and 'More of the Same' McCain Elected Leaders Ousted in Mauritania Military Coup Followed Firing of Four Generals U.S. in 'Firm Opposition' to Chinese Human Rights Policies, Bush Says Editorial The Case Against Bruce Ivins The evidence that he was the anthrax killer is compelling, but an independent review is still needed. Evidence Against Scientist Detailed Government Says Ivins Acted Alone Blinded By the Firewall Why the Chinese Think The World Loves China By John Kamm Hamdan Guilty of Terror Support Former Bin Laden Driver Acquitted Of Aiding Attacks | H6 Guardian Political games Editorial: President Pervez Musharraf faces threat of impeachment in Pakistan but decides to attend Olympics US seeks tougher action in Iran nuclear standoff Warning follows Tehran's failure to give clear answer to demands that it halt all nuclear activities Prepare for global rise of 4C, warns top scientist Exclusive: Defra's chief adviser says we need strategy to adapt to potentially catastrophic increase in temperature Planning for the worst Editorial: China is now the world's biggest emitter, so no meaningful deal can exclude it Secret EU security draft risks uproar Call to pool policing and give US personal data included in high-level confidential security report Impeaching rumours dog Musharraf Pakistani president wakes up to banner headlines in press suggesting he would be impeached Capitalism lies in shambles, and the left has gone awol Aditya Chakrabortty: It should be the moment for progressives to proffer remedies, and yet a year into the credit crunch they remain largely silent Violence runs through this 'stable' India, built on poverty and injustice Pankaj Mishra: The country the west loves to call a peaceful, capitalist success has a terrorism death toll second only to Iraq Kafkaesque rendition Richard Norton-Taylor: The government is once again using national security to hide the truth about torture US convicts Bin Laden driver First suspect found guilty by the much-condemned legal regime at Guantánamo faces life in prison |
| H7 A Glossary of Iraq Euphemisms
by Spencer Ackerman 'We Were Basically Hiring Terrorists' A Deadly Love Triangle By: Jonathan Schanzer | The Weekly Standard Iran and Hamas like to cast themselves as defenders of "resistance." Indeed, both claim to fight for justice and the downtrodden. How can they defend mass murder? From PUP, the introduction to After Anarchy: Legitimacy and Power in the United Nations Security Council by Ian Hurd Forging the Missing Case for War by Louis Bayard Cracks under Lebanon's patchwork
The ruling March 14 coalition in Lebanon - an alliance of rival warlords and political factions - has failed to deliver on its promise of uniting people in the cause of nation-building. Crucially, it misjudged Hezbollah and failed to develop long-term policie Daily Star Flying high again with Hizbullah
By Michael Young | H8 IraqSlogger Google News Iraq Iran Syria Mideastwire.com - NPR Iraq BBC World powers mull Iran sanctions The US calls for 'punitive' measures over Iran's nuclear programme, after Tehran's response to an incentives offer. Q&A: Iran and the nuclear issue Mehdi Army 'stops carrying arms'
A spokesman tells the BBC that, for the time being, the militia loyal to Iraqi cleric Moqtada Sadr will not carry arms. Iraqi Army Is Willing, but Not Ready, to Fight By: Campbell Robertson | The New York Times While Americans and Iraqi civilians alike are increasingly eager to see combat operations turned over to the Iraqi Army, interviews with more than a dozen Iraqi soldiers and officers in Diyala Province, at the outset of a large-scale operation against insurgents led by Iraqis but backed by Americans, reveal a military confident of its progress but unsure of its readiness. Iraqi Militia Leader to Order Followers to Lay Down Their Arms By: Ewan MacAskill | The Guardian The leader of one of the most powerful militias in Iraq, Moqtada al-Sadr, is to order his followers to disarm and transform themselves into a purely social and political organisation, according to a new strategy document published yesterday Rice says Iran's response to nuclear standoff 'not adequate' U.S. figures do not equal Iraqi progress Iraq's Provincial Elections Law Despite US Pressure, Iraqi Parliament Adjourns With No Election Law Set US Military: Iranian-Made Munitions Seized in Iraq Iran Rejects US Charge of Aiding Iraqi Insurgents Roadside Bombs Now Less Sophisticated, More Vexing British ponder long-term Iraq presence Iraqi election bill falls to ethnic rivalry (View Article) Iraqi Parliament Adjourns Without Setting Elections (View Article) Iraqi parliament fails to agree on election law (View Article) Iraqi election bill falls to ethnic rivalry (View Article) No Action Taken on Iraqi Election Law (View Article) Iraqi parliament fails to agree on elections law (View Article) US Military Works to Keep Out Iraq Militia Leaders Britain Debates Army's Delay at Basra Terror rejected Frank Gardner on the backlash to al-Qaeda Troops Remain Ill-Prepared to Interact With Iraqis Iraqi Premier Gives One Month Ultimatum for Displaced Houses' Occupiers Russia Asks That Iran Be Given More Time Death of Syrian General Escalates Tensions - Martin Chulov, The Australian | H9 Ha’aretz – Israel warns Hezbollah: We won't tolerate arms smuggling Benn Why Netanyahu is ahead Netanyahu is popular with the public because he is perceived as a leader with a message, ready to fight for his views ANALYSIS / If the public fell for Hezbollah swap scheme, why not with Hamas? The timing of two good-will gestures on Israel's part appears to be more than just coincidence Israel Can Shoot Down Dozens of Missiles Simultaneously Hamas and Jordan Restoring Ties - Jerusalem Post US calls for 'punitive' measures following Iranian response Six world powers agree to pursue new UN sanctions; Mofaz: Iran "biding their time;" Israeli officials: sanctions not likely until 2009 Internalizing Hamastan - Editorial Yedioth Ahronoth Beware the Syrians/ Peri Domestic Syrian killings remind us not to expect genuine normalization with Damascus What happened to Israel? Instead of compassion and solidarity, we adopted American indifference Part 2: A warning to Hamas Army Chief Ashkenazi’s words an incisive message to Gilad Shalit’s captors Commander to be dismissed
Crime and punishment: Chief military prosecutor decides to dismiss armored corps lieutenant colonel after IDF soldier was filmed shooting handcuffed Palestinian; commander, shooter to face criminal charges US to help develop Arrow-3 Missile Defense Agency head to recommend financing new version of anti-ballistic system Shaul Mofaz: Full frontal In focus: Former IDF chief of staff ready to take Kadima, the government and Israel by storm Israel Warns Syria Against Setting Up Advanced Anti-Aircraft System in Lebanon Daily Alert.org – Hebrew Press Editorials (2008) - Middle East Progress - EJC Israeli Press Review – Google News Israel - Palestine Israel mulls military option for Iran nukes American Chips and Syria by Shmuel Rosner Video: IDF Trains for Simultaneous Hizbullah, Iran, Syria Missile Strikes – Peace Push With Syria Should Go On: Israel's Mofaz Occupation has only corrupted Israel's democracy
By Avraham B. Yehoshua Syrian Official Says Progress Reached in Talks With Israel Why Did They [the Jews] Succeed and We Failed? by Abd al-Munim Said [in Arabic] |
| H10 Christian Science Monitor U.S. shifts 'hearts and minds' fight Instead of trying to explain America, it promotes alternatives to extremism. Can Pakistan clean up its intelligence agency? The US, India, and Afghanistan are pressuring the government to root out pro-Taliban agents. Olmert pushes ahead on Palestinian, Syrian peace tracks Israel to release up to 150 Palestinian prisoners later this month. In Iraq, troops balance fighting and lending a hand Counterinsurgency efforts require US soldiers to shift from fighting to peacekeeping, but many feel ill-prepared to conduct investigations and interact with Iraqis. Verdict in bin Laden driver war crimes trial The jury in the Hamdan case gives a mixed result, but it's seen as a victory for Bush administration. France rejects Rwanda's genocide accusations Rwandan investigators issued a report Wednesday that implicates French soldiers – and top French officials – in the 1994 genocide. FBI: Ivins held identical anthrax strain The scientist was the sole custodian of anthrax spores genetically identical to the powder used in 2001 attacks, say documents unsealed Wednesday Congress's unsound fury over Big Oil Movie theaters capture more windfall profit than oil companies. ASIA President Musharraf Cancels Trip to China as Impeachment Looms By: Zahid Hussein | The London Times Pakistan’s embattled president Musharraf has abruptly cancelled his planned visit to China, as opponents in the ruling coalition move to impeach him. Can Pakistan Clean Up Its Intelligence Agency? Key Asian Currencies Still Substantially Undervalued with Respect to Dollar Source: Peterson Institute for International Economics Full Report (PDF; 252 KB) Conversation with Husain Haqqani and Farahnaz Ispahani Pakistan Puts Move to Rein in Spies on Ice Pakistan's Problems Spill Into India By: Sudha Ramachandran | Asia Times
India-Pakistan relations touched a new low last week when the Nowgam sector of the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir that divides the two countries resounded to the rattle of intermittent gunfire over a period of 16 hours. Bush chides China over freedoms The US president uses a keynote speech in Asia to criticise China's human-rights record on the eve of the Beijing Olympics. WP Breaking Norms in India As Affluence Spreads, Nontraditional Professions Gain Popularity A Dangerous Neighbor By: Daveed Gartenstein-Ross and Bill Roggio | The Weekly Standard
A critical factor behind Afghanistan's deteriorating state is the turn of events in Pakistan, where the Taliban and al Qaeda have found a safe haven in recent years. After the October 2001 U.S. invasion of Afghanistan felled the Taliban, most of al Qaeda's senior leadership relocated to Pakistan's federally administered tribal areas. China wary of a 'normal' Japan
Japan's ongoing discourse over so-called "normalization" is central to the debate over the country's security policy. To critics, a "normal" Japan could lead to military buildup, overseas deployment and a revision of its pacifist constitution. Beijing is watching uneasily Pakistan's problems spill into India
Pakistan's recent incursion into Indian territory - the first since 1999 - has placed the five-year-old ceasefire between the countries in jeopardy. All the same, Delhi is aware that Pakistan's compulsions possibly have more to do with its problems with Taliban militants and al-Qaeda in its tribal areas than with antagonism towards India. - Sudha Ramachandran China's political Games ALTHOUGH the motto "faster, higher, stronger" expresses an ideal of athleticism that transcends borders, the Olympic Games have long been an exercise in politics by other means. The International Olympic Committee routinely deplores efforts to use the quadrennial Summer Games as an occasion to protest a host country's policies. (Boston Globe) Triumph of the Totalitarian Will in Beijing By: Nina L. Khrushcheva | The Japan Times
Like the Berlin Games of 1936, Beijing's Olympics -- planned by the son of Hitler's architect -- were conceived as a coming-out party for a totalitarian regime. Violence runs through this 'stable' India, built on poverty and injustice Olympics mark China's second coming Pundits are wrong to call the Summer Olympic Games China's coming-out party. The house that Mao Zedong built made its global debut in 1997. Now China and the world are taking the next step. - Muhammad Cohen China's New Frontier By: Richard Lloyd Parry | The London Times
Ethnically, Uighurs are a Turkic race whose homeland is at the meeting point of Asia and Europe. The area now called Xinjiang was annexed by the Chinese Empire in the 19th century, although it achieved independence briefly in the late 1940s before the Communist victory in China in 1949 Western Menace The Economist
The authorities in China suspect that terrorists were behind one of the bloodiest attacks in recent years on members of the security forces. The incident occurred in the far western region of Xinjiang four days before the start of the Olympic games in Beijing. A senior official had earlier said that Xinjiang terrorists posed the main security threat to the games. Could he have been right? | H11 IHT France rejects Rwanda's charge of links to '94 genocide The French Foreign Ministry dismissed the report by a Rwandan commission which accused former President François Mitterrand and other leading French politicians of involvement in the killing of up to 800,000 people. Russian gang suspected of hijacking computers for personal data The new method indicates that little progress has been made in ending the threat of networks of infected computers that criminals use to send spam, steal passwords and do other damage. Two major European banks post better-than-expected profit The profit reported by BNP Paribas and Commerzbank for the second quarter is a further sign European banks are weathering the subprime crisis that hit a year ago. EUROPE European press review Spain, Italy: Two tactics for tackling illegal immigration Italy is using state of emergency powers, while Spain has introduced measures that include paying jobless immigrants to go home. Non-Interference, U.S. Election Law and Germany's Obama Contribution By: John Rosenthal | World Politics Review The excitement of Barack Obama's speech in Berlin is now passed. What remains are some serious questions: notably, for German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier and the Mayor of Berlin, Klaus Wowereit. | H12 RFE/RL Google News Azerbaijan Russia Vows to Defend South Ossetia Russia Takes Control of Turkmen (World?) Gas Justice According to Kadyrov By: Yulia Latynina | The Moscow Times News agencies reported last week that Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov was the target of an assassination attempt. What really happened? It is difficult to be sure since those who know the facts remain silent, which is a clear demonstration of how much control Kadyrov has over Chechnya and how much Chechens fear him. Ex-Chechen Rebel Tours Europe for Returnees By: Nabi Abdullaev | The Moscow Times
The former defense minister of Chechnya's separatist government has embarked on a European tour to encourage senior rebel figures to return to the North Caucasus republic. Armenia: Push for Kocharian Trial -- A Push for PR? In a move that could very well hamper rather than promote political reconciliation in Armenia, the country’s leading opposition politician, Levon Ter-Petrosian, is mounting a campaign to have former president Robert Kocharian tried for "heavy crimes" against the Armenian people |
| H13 The Times Time for Musharraf to stand down Pakistan's President and Government are failing to provide effective leadership Violence spreads after Kashmir shrine siege Indian Prime Minister holds emergency talks as revenge violence spreads after siege at Amarnath shrine in Kashmir UK troops 'itched to join' US fight for Basra British troops encamped at the airport were powerless to help in the attack on al-Mahdi Shia extremists in the city Suddenly being green is no longer cool The chilly economic climate means espousing the green life is increasingly being seen as a luxury Alice Thomson Haig shaped the year of victory The role of Field Marshal Haig in the Great War has been greatly underestimated Dwin Bramall Bin Laden's driver weeps after terror verdict Wall Street Journal The New Southern Strategy Spurred by the souring economy and a newfound willingness to embrace conservative candidates, the Democratic Party is running its most competitive campaign across the South in 40 years, fielding potential winners along a rib of states stretching from Louisiana to Virginia, the heart of the Old Confederacy. • At a Glance: Running Closer in the South We Need a New Think Tank for the War on Terror By Jonathan Stevenson The early Rand Corporation provides a model.
FBI Paints Chilling Portrait of Ivins The FBI released documents that it says prove that Army scientist Bruce Ivins was solely responsible for the 2001 anthrax mailings. The microbiologist sent emails with language that closely match the letters sent to victims and had access to the strain of anthrax used in the crime, the investigators maintained. (Documents) An al Qaeda Conviction
Bin Laden's bodyguard gets a fair trial. Stalinism Was Just as Bad as Nazism
By Mart Laar
Russia was wrong to attack Bush on "captive nations." Don't Forget About China's Dissidents By Ellen Bork
If anything, the Olympics have expanded the scope of Communist control.
Morgan Stanley Global Support for US Growth Is Ending | H14 Financial Times Hawk vs talk: America’s foreign policy choice Obama would shift perceptions further, both in Europe and in the poorest parts of the world, where threats coalesce, writes Michael Fullilove Russia can play a vital role in the west’s security Maurizio Massari says that Georgia’s and Ukraine’s aspiration to join Nato next year could turn a potential spoiler into a win-win situation Why a bust is boom time for happynomics Jonathan Guthrie on wages and well-being Russia denies sanctions deal after Iran snub Moscow dismisses reports of agreeing with the US and UK for more economic restrictions after Tehran sidestepped an initiative for negotiations over its nuclear programme Arrests in Syria follow murder of general The assassination on Friday of Mohammed Suleiman, a senior military adviser to the president, has rekindled talk of splits in Damascus’s ruling circle The Big Freeze: Part 4 - Policy Response There is scope for fiscal measures to boost demand; for the financial sector capital is the priority, writes Lawrence Summers A senior adviser to Barack Obama has blamed recent attack advertisements comparing the Democratic presidential hopeful to celebrities Britney Spears and Paris Hilton for a dip in Mr Obama’s polls with voters Bush to take China to task on abuses President George W. Bush was expected to criticise China’s record on human rights and religious freedom on Thursday as he prepared to travel to Beijing to attend the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games Rwanda points a finger at Paris There is substance to Rwanda’s claim that France allowed the conditions for genocide to develop by supporting a regime that had carried out war crimes Germany wobbles Germany has strong fundamentals but it should be no surprise that the world’s largest exporter has imported a global slowdown Bush warned on risks to India nuclear deal A Democratic congressman said the landmark deal could be jeopardised by pushing an international nuclear regulatory body to give India exemptions that would breach US law Russia bids to find new elite breed The Kremlin is scrambling to recruit fresh talent after President Dmitry Medvedev complained of a ‘famine’ of rising stars in government and business Big banks seek to limit their own risks In the wake of the credit crisis, the world’s largest banks are calling for dramatic revisions to the securitisation and derivatives industries Top US official sees ‘no alternative’ to Doha Warren Maruyama, a senior US trade official, defended the World Trade Organisation and the multilateral trading system in the wake of the latest collapse of negotiations for a new round of tariff cuts in a broad range of industries The US Justice department said there was “compelling” evidence that Bruce Ivins, a former government bioweapons expert who reportedly commited suicide last week, was responsible for the 2001 anthrax attacks | H15 Los Angeles Times Iraq parliament fails to pass elections bill Iraq lawmakers break for vacation, unable to agree on oil-rich Kirkuk, which the Kurds want to annex to the semiautonomous Kurdish region Bush says U.S. firmly opposed to China's repression With all eyes on Beijing, President Bush bluntly told China that America stands in "firm opposition" to the way the communist government represses its own people, a rebuke delivered from the heart of Asia on the cusp of the Olympic Games EditorialObama's energy boost The Democrat doesn't have all the answers, but he shows why the issue must be a national priority. Obama and black America Does Barack Obama's candidacy signify a turning point in the history of the American civil rights movement? Book clubbed Tim Rutten: Important works of political journalism suffer when wrapped in the publicity campaign of a tell-all Not the FBI's proudest moment By Gabriel Schoenfeld The anthrax case may be the latest botched investigation by the bureau VP wanted: No future presidents, please By Thomas Schwartz Why Obama and McCain should pass over potential running mates who have their eyes on 2016. |
| H16 American Politics WSJ What McCain Should Do Next By Karl Rove
It's not enough just to feed voters' doubts about Obama Massimo Calabresi / Time: Poll: Trouble Signs in Obama's Lead After two weeks of sharpened attacks between the campaigns, Barack Obama is maintaining a narrow 5% lead over John McCain CBS Poll: Obama Holding Off McCain — New CBS News Poll Shows Obama Overseas Trip, McCain Ads Failed To Alter Still-Fluid Race — (CBS) Barack Obama leads John McCain 45 percent to 39 percent in the latest CBS News poll Gallup Daily: Obama 46%, McCain 44% Obama's Obstacles Ahead - Clarence Page, Chicago Tribune David Paul Kuhn / The Politico: Obama stalls in public polling Just when you thought it was safe, Nader's coming back Pew Research Center:
Obama Fatigue - 48% Hearing Too Much About Him Time Hillary STILL Skeptical Obama Can Win In the Fall... Turning nasty The pros and cons of negative election campaigning WSJ The McCain Veepstakes
Obama has a much easier call. Beyond the Bush Years: the tough challenges facing the US in the early 21st century An interview with Walter Russell Mead on Jacksonian voters. Douthat and Salam's Grand New Party wants the GOP to stand up for families; it's a great idea—and Obama's already doing it. The Post-Rove Guru: How the Republican Party stopped dreaming about a permanent majority and learned to think like McCain strategist Steve Schmidt. Obama veepstakes: The medal round Obama appears unlikely to announce a running mate until the Olympics wind down. But waiting until the convention is close could be risky. By Walter Shapiro Thomas Frank on the Bush administration: Sabotage by design How conservative greed and corruption destroyed American politics realclearpolitics memeorandum ABC’s The Note – US News Political Bulletin Early Bird GovExec Swamp Gas The Swamp U.S. Minority Population Increases The minority population, most notably Hispanic, is surging in metropolitan areas across the U.S., outpacing growth among whites. Matt Bai / New York Times:
Is Obama the End of Black Politics? Clinton aims to soothe delegates at Democratic convention
Does the wrangling of interest groups corrupt politics—or constitute it? Nicholas Lemann investigates | H17 Daily Telegraph China: a power to be watched, not feared As Beijing prepares to take centre-stage with the Olympics, Malcolm Rifkind argues that there is no need to fear the rise of a new global superpower Russia threatens to move rockets to EU border Moscow threatens to deploy bombers and missiles on the Polish border if Warsaw agrees to US missile shield. US threatens 'punitive' Iran sanctions Tehran has failed to give the US a clear reply to an offer designed to break the impasse over the country's nuclear programme. Musharraf impeachment debated Pakistan's government coalition spent hours discussing whether to impeach the country's president, Pervez Musharraf. The politics of oil prices A classic combination of falling demand and growing supply has caused a dramatic fall in prices over the past few weeks; this has political as well as economic benefits. EU may force MI5 to share intelligence MI5 and MI6 could be forced to share their intelligence with the rest of Europe under new proposals from the EU. | H18 Independent Tiny rebel region brings Russia and Georgia to brink of war |
| H19 Military Intelligence Terrorism Institutionalizing Adaptation: U.S. Counterinsurgency Capabilities Must Improve By: John A. Nagl and Brian M. Burton | World Politics Review The recent clashes in eastern Afghanistan thrust the "forgotten war" back into the public eye. At a time when admittedly fragile stability is taking hold in Iraq, it is also an important reminder that the need for improved counterinsurgency capabilities neither began nor will end there Pentagon Funding? Bring It On. By: Peter D. Feaver | Foreign Policy Some academics working in the disciplines of social science and the humanities are howling like the proverbial dog that has caught the school bus. After haranguing the U.S. military establishment for being preoccupied with technology and ignoring the influence of cultural and social forces, they now confront a secretary of defense who agrees with them and has launched Project Minerva, which will invest as much as $50 million to promote basic research addressing issues of importance to U.S. national security. Social Science and the Pentagon Blackwater: The Real 'Vast Right-Wing Conspiracy'? By: Ali Gharib | Political Research Associates
Businessmen with ties to the G.O.P. and right-wing ideologies and pedigrees are not uncommon. What makes Erik Prince special is the confluence of his core beliefs—militarism, right-wing Christianity, and privatization—in his controversial mercenary business, Blackwater Worldwide Feds: Scientist 'only person responsible' for 2001 anthrax attack After suicide, prosecutors reveal circumstantial anthrax case Guantanamo jury gives mixed verdict on Bin Laden's driver | H20 Slate The Impact of Social Capital on Crime IZA This discussion paper investigates the relationship between social capital and crime Communication (and Coordination?) in a Modern, Complex Organization (PDF; 393 KB) Source: Harvard Business School Working Papers | H21 The dismal science is at last a real science, with tangible benefits, says Guy Sorman. What then does it teach? Here is the answer in ten points... more» Why I hate beauty: Men are barraged with images of extraordinarily beautiful and unobtainable women in the media, making it difficult for them to desire the ordinarily beautiful. The Innumeracy of Intellectuals: Why is it acceptable for professors outside the sciences to feel no shame or even to take pride in their lack of knowledge of math and science? Alexander Solzhenitsyn: reflections, Roger Scruton With the Kindle, Amazon has grabbed the market-leading position from Sony and established a stronger brand, which is what happened with the iPod and the Walkman. Sony never managed to recover, despite trying repeatedly to match Apple, writes John Gapper Shocked by the New
By Michael Dirda Bookshelf: Orwell and Waugh -- a man of the people and a would-be aristocrat -- shared a scathing view of the modern world. Americans Make Nearly Four Medical Visits a Year On Average |
