| H1 Jonathan Steele / Guardian: Israel asked US for green light to bomb nuclear sites in Iran — US president told Israeli prime minister he would not back attack on Iran, senior European diplomatic sources tell Guardian — Israel gave serious thought this spring to launching a military strike on Iran's nuclear sites … A target too far Editorial: We have come too close to igniting a fresh firestorm in the Middle East Washington Post Negotiations Falter on Bailout Deal White House Summit Fails to Yield Accord as House GOP Floats New Plan FROM THE ACADEMICS Away from Wall Street, Economists Question Basis of Paulson's Plan Editorial Another Iraq Benchmark Legislators approve a crucial deal on provincial elections 8 Questions About the Debates By Dan Balz Pakistanis, U.S.-Afghan Patrol Exchange Fire Near Frontier A Bailout for All Our Bad Decisions? By Mark Sanford, We should worry about the precedent being set Ha’aretz – Mossad chief fights Iran nuclear program his own way Under Meir Dagan, the Mossad has used creativity and daring to strike Israel's enemies NYT DAVID BROOKS Thinking About McCain What disappoints me about the McCain campaign is it has no central argument. His proposals don’t add up to more than the sum of their parts. What the World Wants to Know By ASIF ALI ZARDARI, MICHELLE BACHELET, BERNARD-HENRI LÉVY, HU SHULI, RORY STEWART, LILIA SHEVTSOVA, ENRIQUE KRAUZE, YOICHI FUNABASHI, PAUL MARTIN, VICENTE FOX, RAMACHANDRA GUHA and IVAN KRASTEV - Leaders and writers from around the world pose questions they’d like to the presidential candidates to answer at the debate in Oxford, Miss. Stratfor McCain's Foreign Policy Stance (Open Access) Christian Science Monitor Russia-West crisis enters 'breathing period' Contradictory messages are rampant as the EU and US reconsider security pledges to Georgia while new players such as Iran and Turkey enter the game. Iraq election law marks progress, opens political season Provincial polls are now expected early next year and could bring about a political realignment across Iraq Politico Wild day, no deal Late-night meeting ends without House Republicans or signs of progress Los Angeles Times Obama, McCain aren't worlds apart on foreign policy In fact, as the pressure increases to win over undecided voters, each has edged closer to the center. U.S. blames Iran for delay in Iraq pact With no breakthrough in negotiations on extending the American military mandate in Iraq, which expires Dec. 31, Ambassador Ryan Crocker alleges Tehran is trying to derail the talks Damascus Fears Deviation on Peace Road By: Sami Moubayed | Asia Times As Israeli premier-in-waiting Tzipi Livni battles to form a government, Syria is preparing for the possibility she will call off the indirect talks with Damascus Asia Times CHINA'S DOLLAR MILLSTONE History of monetary imperialism
Given US dollar hegenomy, China and Japan have little choice but to invest their export earnings in US Treasuries or other dollar-denominated assets. In consequence, China now lends to the US more than double the vast sums Washington lent to war-torn Europe in 1947 under the Marshall Plan. And the US is anything but war-torn. - Henry C K Liu This is the third part of a continuing series.
Part 1: Breaking free from dollar hegemony Part 2: Developing China with sovereign credit NPQ Jacques Attali: WALL STREET MELTDOWN: THE FIRST AUTHENTIC GLOBAL CRISIS The Economist America's bail-out plan I want your money No government bail-out of the banking system was ever going to be pretty. This one deserves support America’s bail-out plan The doctors' bill 'More Freedom, Less Terror? Liberalization and Political Violence in the Arab World' by Dalia Dassa Kaye, Frederic Wehrey, Audra K. Grant, Dale Stahl, RAND Financial Times Wrangling holds up US bail-out An unprecedented White House emergency meeting broke up after failing to reach full agreement on the Bush administration’s financial rescue package after another day of intense stress on the money markets US ‘will lose financial superpower status’ The US is poised to lose its role as a global financial ‘superpower’ in the wake of the financial crisis, Peer Steinbrück, German finance minister, said as he called for a regulatory crackdown on financial markets China after the Olympics; a great but hesitant power Each time I visit China I am struck by the hesitation. The world watches in awe and, if truth be told, with considerable apprehension, as China reclaims a place as a great power. Yet those steering the country’s rise betray a strange ambivalence, writes Philip Stephens Sarkozy sets out bigger state role The French president has delivered a ringing endorsement of global capitalism but says its values and practices must be fundamentally rethought in the face of the biggest financial crisis since the 1930s Politics as usual The US financial crisis has eclipsed the presidential election but, bad as the current emergency is, the state of the polls means striving for electoral advantage has come first Make the world safe from crusaders Samuel Brittan on the limits of military intervention. We could be always at war against cruelty if we did not judge whether our intervention might not add to the sum of misery, writes Samuel Brittan We need a new Global Monetary Authority Jeffrey Garten on need for far-reaching reform Time McCain in Crisis Mode: Statesman or Politician? Follow the Money: Why the U.S. Is Losing the War in Afghanistan
Source: Center for Strategic International Studies Full Report (PDF; 950 KB) McClatchy Despite U.S. support, Ukraine far from ready to join NATO The Bush White House has been pressing its European allies to accept Ukraine into NATO — over Russia's bitter opposition — but Ukriane's continuing political crisis raises serious questions about whether it's ready to join. EurasiaNet Georgia: Some Members of US Congress Question Bush Administration Policy Toward Tbilisi BY JOSHUA KUCERA Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili, seeking to retain the backing of the United States, is vowing to carry out a "second Rose Revolution" that would hasten the democratization pace in the Caucasus country. While the Bush administration continues to offer strong support for the Georgian leader, some influential members of the US Congress have started to question Washington’s policy stance toward Georgia Financing Demographic Shifts: Pension and Healthcare Scenarios to 2030 Source: World Economic Forum International Crisis Group Kosovo’s Fragile Transition Failure by the international community to support Kosovo could lead to a destabilizing partition - Major violence has been avoided but the calm is deceptive in newly independent Kosovo. Divisions between Albanian and Serb areas have widened. If de facto partition continues, pressure will mount to redraw borders on ethnic lines throughout the states of the former Yugoslavia, and EU membership prospects for them will fade. International supporters have not kept pledges, largely because of Serbian and Russian opposition, but also because of insufficient political will and weak coordination. Iran Keeps China in a Chokehold By: Yitzhak Shichor | Asia Times
Heavily dependent on Persian Gulf energy imports, China takes seriously Iran's threats to block the crucial oil chokepoint of the Strait of Hormuz, which bristles with Chinese-made anti-ship cruise missiles, attack craft and mines A bailout and a new world
While the US is trying to implement its US$700 billion financial bail-out plan, Sarkozy talks of "rebuilding" capitalism. In the corridors of the United Nations, there is talk of another kind of rebuilding, of a new multipolar world that would get rid of imperialism and colonialism. Call it the revenge of the developing world. - Pepe Escobar The Times The election you wouldn't want to win November's victor could be a one-term disaster but a great president may follow him Gerard Baker Two false steps towards a debate on a topic that doesn’t matter (yet) What was John McCain thinking when he suggested delaying his first debate with Barack Obama? MESH Anthropology and strategic studies A Conversation with Sergey Lavrov - Council on Foreign Relations Wall Street Journal Peggy Noonan: Party of One Review & Outlook Iraq Political Progress Bailout Proposal
Hits a Stalemate Political wrangling threw the $700 billion bailout plan into disarray, despite a day of negotiations that seemed to promise a deal. Talks broke off with no agreement and with plans to reconvene in the morning, without House Republicans. Text of Lawmakers' Agreement on Principles Mr. McCain Goes Back to Washington POTOMAC WATCH By Kimberley A. Strassel He risks undermining his experience and judgment. | H2 Türk jetleri Kandil'i bombalıyor Gül: Türk halkı ABD politikalarına tepkili The Economist Turkey and Armenia Friends and neighbours Rising hopes of better relations between two historic enemies Nükleerle birlikte enerjide tüm ipler Rusya'ya verilecek Christian Science Monitor Russia-West crisis enters 'breathing period' Contradictory messages are rampant as the EU and US reconsider security pledges to Georgia while new players such as Iran and Turkey enter the game.
ABD’li askeri öğrenciler ‘Laikliğe nasıl bakıyorsunuz?, Laik Türkiye, Ortadoğu için model olabilir mi?’ diye sordu EDM MORE SPEED, LESS HASTE RESULTS IN TURKISH NUCLEAR TENDER FIASCO Armenian President Praises Progress on Turkey Talks EU on tenterhooks over domestic tenison in Turkey Cyprus should remain a single country, say Obama and Biden GREECE & CYPRUS, AND THE ELECTION OF 2008
Hellenic News of America Turkish Delight for Middle East
Khaleej Times Burying a bitter legacy in the Caucasus By Hugh Pope Karzai and Zardari to meet in Turkey to follow up on trilateral talks Yalçın Doğan New York’ta bizimkiler kuleye çarptı Türkiye, Azerbaycan ve Ermenistan zirvesi
Erdoğan, Asya steplerinde 'tarihî' açılışlar yapacak ABD'nin yeni Ankara büyükelçisi adayına 'soykırım' dedirtemediler İç Basında Türk Dış Politikası Dış Basında Türkiye - BBC Turkish 0700 VOA Turkish Press Review Google News Turkey TurcoPundit ASAM Google News Fırat News Agency KurdishMedia Kurdish Kurdish Aspect Dış Basında Irak BBC Monitoring Inter-national PKK-DTP-ETA-ANV-PCTV
MEHMET ALİ KIŞLALI Nasuhi Güngör Gülen Cemaati, Kürt Sorunu ve ‘Tek Türkiye’ Kirkuk "Committee" at Center of Election Accord Bird flu hits northern Iraq Cevdet Aşkın Ankara, Kürt sorununda yeni inisiyatif arayışında Embers under the ashes Al-Ahram Weekly A Syrian military court has sentenced 50 Kurds to prison. With other Kurdish leaders awaiting trial, tensions are running high. Since the Barzani revolt in Iraq and the emergence of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), Kurdish Syrians have been clamouring for recognition A new divide Arab-Kurd strife might shape future Iraqi politics, writes Saif Nasrawi ‘Kandil’e 40 bin YTL South Korea, Iraq's Kurdish region sign oil pact The Jews of Kurdistan (1 cent) Google News Greece Cyprus Turkish Cypriot Press ABHaber Dış Basında Türkiye-AB İlişkileri Günlük Haftalık İKV:AB haksız olarak Türkiye menşeli bazı ürünlere anti-damping uyguluyor Batı Trakya Türkleri eğitim hakkı için yürüdü EU ombudsman urges Turkey to review its secularism Türkiye'ye Rus füzesi Atina-Moskova hattını gerdi Kornet - E füzeleri Atina-Moskova’yı gerdi
Yavuz Baydar Turkey should support EU integration of S. Caucasus Fransalı Yahudilerden Sarkozy'ye 'Türklere vefa borcu' hatırlatması 'Avrupa'daki en katı laiklik Türkiye'de' Rıza Türmen Uygarlıklar buluşması ‘Group of Friends of Alliance of Civilizations growing’ Avrupa Parlamentosu Medya raporu (ingilizce) ABGS Genel Sekreteri Büyükelçi Oğuz Demiralp: “AB ile Türkiye’nin kaderleri birdir” Event fosters ties between Turkey, Japan Küresel sohbet Guardian 'Neglect and disrepair' leads Corfu dissidents to seek split from Greece Disgruntlement mirrors mounting disillusionment with mainstream parties in Greece
Artist acquitted of insulting Turkish leader A vital warning: Extreme events that have become visible in Turkey (2) Durmuş Hocaoğlu Mitolojik Müslümanlık ve İlim Zihniyeti ... 'Düello maratonu' Ahmet Taşgetiren Ah bir de salatı ümmiye olsa... Tuzla tersaneleri gözaltında | H3 İddialar sert uslup yumuşak Kılıç yarası Seviyeli tartıştılar, Meclis'in itibarı zedelenmedi
Bu düello burada bitmez! Baykal’ın sorusu Toptan’ı şaşırttı! Hürriyet jürisine göre CHP’li Kılıçdaroğlu galip Tuncay Özkan’ın deposu arandı Başbuğ, Meclis ambargosunu kaldıracak mı Sekizinci dalganın ipuçları Ergenekon iddianamesinde Şeffaf dönemi başlatıyor Abdüllatif Şener: Dürüst vekilin AKP'de işi olamaz
Ergenekon'da şok detay Kılıçdaroğlu hayali ihracatı kanıtladı Belgeler Fırat'ı zor durumda bıraktı Çankaya Belediye Başkanı: CHP'lilere rüşvet dağıtmaktan iş yapamıyorum Saçan'da şok belgeler... Gül, Gülen'in iftarına katıldı
AKP’den istifa O gazeteleri boykot farz, almak haram
Köşk'te 500 dolara Cadillac operasyonu CHP'li başkanın rüşvet itirafları [Haber İzlenim - Ömer Şahin] Ağır iddialara rağmen siyasi nezaketi korudular Dink Ailesi’nden 3 hâkim için suç duyurusu
Medya üzerinden 'yoksulluk' oyunu Son dalgada iki gün ek gözaltı süresi
‘Fener’in noteri disiplinde Gökçek'in 'gurur' tablosu Ankara'da 400 bin kişi yardımla yaşıyor Tolon'un avukatı: Sağlıklı ama tahliyesini istiyoruz Eruygur uyandırıldı sağlık durumu iyi Mahir Akkar, Ecevit'e karşı darbe yapılmasını istemişti Sisi: Ergenekon'da dalgalar devam edecek Tuncay Özkan, vergi borçlarını Kerimcan Kamal'a bırakmış Karaman'a vekaletname veren noter, disiplin kuruluna sevk edildi JİTEM'ci emekli Albay Arif Doğan da hastanede Arınç: Toptan, Meclis'teki tartışmaya izin vermemeliydi Son Dakika Milliyet Hürriyet Zaman GH Türkiye Cengiz Çandar Gül, Bağdat'ta beklenirken New York'ta Talabani ile Ruşen - Çakır Taha Akyol Yine Başbakan’a notlar Fikret Bila Milletvekili siyasetle ticareti ayırmalı Hasan Cemal İktidar-muhalefet mücadelesine evet, küfürleşmeye hayır! Murat Yetkin CHP, AK Parti’yi sarsmaya başladı İsmet Berkan Kim kazandı? Fehmi Koru Türkiye üyelik peşinde Taha Kıvanç Saldırılar güçlendirir Şamil Tayyar Maç 7-1 bitti Hüseyin Gülerce Aydın Doğan'dan cevap Ali Bayramoğlu Gayri meşrunun tarihi Yasemin Çongar Ertuğrul Özkök Ahmet Hakan Anlatılan ’ramazan’ ile ’şeker’in hikáyesidir M Ali Birand Ergenekon, ya dönüm noktası olacak, veya... Sabahattin Önkibar üyükanıt Paşa, Şener Paşa’dan intikam mı aldı? Cüneyt Ülsever Enis Berberoğlu Otorite TÜRKER ALKAN Boğaziçi Rektörü ne yapmış oldu?
ORAL ÇALIŞLAR Siyasetçi ile gazeteciyi karşı karşıya getiren fark
HAKKI DEVRİM Sorumluluk taşımak...
HASAN CELAL GÜZEL Bütün kelimeler kirlenirken
HALUK ŞAHİN
Güngör Mengi Dengir yenildi ama Deniz Feneri kazandı Yiğit Bulut ‘Uyuşturucu baronları’ için cesaretimiz var mı? Oktay Ekşi Meclis’te düello Özdemir İnce Solun kanlı serüveni Mehmet Y Yılmaz Dilerim Başbakan da izlemiştir! Tufan Türenç Erdoğan’ın belediye oyunu Metin Münir Doğru mu, yanlış mı Sayın Hilmi Güler? Derya Sazak Kırmızı hat Yalçın Bayer Deniz Feneri de TV’de sorgulanmalı Bekir Coşkun Dalgalar... Ece Temelkuran Solun ölçülerini sağcılar belirleyemez Nagehan Alçı Kılıçdaroğlu’nu Sevenler Kulübü (KSK) Hakan Aygün Kılıçdaroğlu az farkla önde... [Yorum - Mazhar Bağlı] Komutanını bile fişleyebilme pervasızlığı Güngör Uras Yardım kurumlarında ‘şeffaflık’ ve ‘denetim’ önemli
Mehmet Altan Tartışmayı siz de izlediniz mi? Eser Karakaş Medya ve siyaset sınıfta kalıyor Mustafa Ünal Kim kaybetti? Mehmet Yılmaz Enfeksiyon! İhsan Dağı Emeğe saygı ve vicdan meselesi Etyen Mahçupyan Loser’s strategy MUHARREM SARIKAYASiyaset sıkışması ERDAL ŞAFAKYalta bitti mi?
ENGİN ARDIÇSizi işletiyorlar ERGUN BABAHANSiyasetin işlevi EMRE AKÖZ Umur TaluVefa soruları HASAN BÜLENT KAHRAMAN NAZLI ILICAKBalina'dan, Örümcek Ağı ve Ergenekon'a HINCAL ULUÇ
Recep Tayyip Erdoğan'ın dönen talihi.. MEHMET BARLASAçık oturumun galibi demokrasi ve şeffaflıktı... MAHMUT ÖVÜRSiyaset neden 'sığ' tartışmalar yapıyor? ŞEREF OĞUZ
Enerjisiz Türkiye YAVUZ DONATİletişim uzmanı Manisa köylüsü Okay Gönensin Zenginleşme aracı olarak iktidar Mehmet Tezkan Politik maçta kırılma anları! Bülnet Keneş The high cost of anti-democratic fantasies Bülent Korucu Tuncay Özkan'a ayıp edildi(!) Mustafa Mutlu Yaralı var, ölü yok! TAMER KORKMAZ YASİN DOĞAN Kumpas kurmak… Oray Eğin Bu sanatçılar ne kadar korkakmış Ekonomi ABDURRAHMAN YILDIRIM Ercan Kumcu Dış finansmanda zorlanacağız Erdal Sağlam Güven Sak Amerika'da bankacılık krizinden demokrasi dersleri çıkarmak gerekir Hasan Ersel Dış ticarette miktar ve birim değer endeksleri ne gösteriyor Haluk Bürümcekçi Türkiye ekonomisinde resesyon Erinç Yeldan Küresel Krizden Somut Dersler Ödevi yapmayalım, fırsat bekleyelim!
UĞUR GÜRSES Asaf Savaş Akat Krizin basit hikâyesi İBRAHİM KAHVECİ Salih Neftçi İki haftadır olan bitene bir bakın Ferai Tınç ABD’nin mali 11 Eylül’ü bize vız gelmez The high cost of anti-democratic fantasies in Turkey
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| H4 New York Times Talks Implode During Day of Chaos; Fate of Bailout Plan Remains Unresolved Partisan presidential politics appeared to trample what had been exceedingly delicate Congressional negotiations over the $700 billion bailout package. Credit Enters a Lockdown Without a mechanism to shed the bad loans on their books, financial institutions and lenders may continue to hoard their dollars and starve the economy of capital DAVID BROOKS Thinking About McCain What disappoints me about the McCain campaign is it has no central argument. His proposals don’t add up to more than the sum of their parts. By ASIF ALI ZARDARI, MICHELLE BACHELET, BERNARD-HENRI LÉVY, HU SHULI, RORY STEWART, LILIA SHEVTSOVA, ENRIQUE KRAUZE, YOICHI FUNABASHI, PAUL MARTIN, VICENTE FOX, RAMACHANDRA GUHA and IVAN KRASTEV Leaders and writers from around the world pose questions they’d like to the presidential candidates to answer at the debate in Oxford, Miss. Pakistani and American Troops Exchange Fire Iran’s Leader Criticizes U.S. Policies Around World Political theater delayed the passing of the $700 billion bailout package, but the wait will be worth it if keeps Americans in their homes If the Senate does not extend a waiver allowing NASA to buy seats on Russia’s space vehicles, the United States could lose access to the International Space Station PAUL KRUGMAN The grown-up thing to do is to rescue the financial system. If Henry Paulson isn’t the grown-up we need, are Congressional leaders able to fill the role? U.N. Receives New Pledges of Aid Totaling $16 Billion World Briefing | Europe: Georgia: Bomb Strikes Abkhaz Capital Radical Settlers Take on Israel China Launches Space Walk Mission McCain Leaps Into a Thicket The day’s events raised questions about why Senator John McCain had called for postponing the first debate — and what his own views were about the bailout plan. Dubious Claims in Obama’s Ads Against McCain Despite a vow of truth, Barack Obama’s latest ads match the misleading nature of some of John McCain’s spots Poll Finds McCain Edge on Security Government Seizes WaMu and Sells Some Assets The government on Thursday made the largest bank seizure in American history, taking over Washington Mutual and selling pieces of it to J.P. Morgan Chase. | H5 Washington Post Negotiations Falter on Bailout Deal White House Summit Fails to Yield Accord as House GOP Floats New Plan FROM THE ACADEMICS Away from Wall Street, Economists Question Basis of Paulson's Plan Editorial Another Iraq Benchmark Legislators approve a crucial deal on provincial elections 8 Questions About the Debates By Dan Balz Pakistanis, U.S.-Afghan Patrol Exchange Fire Near Frontier A Bailout for All Our Bad Decisions? By Mark Sanford, We should worry about the precedent being set Debate Still in Limbo as Democrats Blame McCain For Interrupting Process French President Nicolas Sarkozy warns Europe it cannot escape the U.S. economic woes and says the region must take the lead in rewriting worldwide banking rules Drama King to the Rescue By Eugene Robinson, McCain succeeded in focusing attention on himself, but not necessarily in a good way Stakes of Presidential Nominees' First Debate May Now Be Higher Questionnaires Stir Unease in a Baghdad Enclave Residents Wary Of Bid to Undo Cleansing by Sect An Elated China Launches Rocket, Prepares for Nation's 1st Spacewalk How to Spend That $700 Billion Paulson and Bernanke Would Do Better to Put Capital Directly Into the Banks By Sebastian Mallaby Carbon Is Building Up in Atmosphere Faster Than Predicted Catharsis, Then Common Sense By Charles Krauthammer, Part of Congress's reaction has everything to do with assuaging the rage of constituents U.S. Has Achieved 'Victory' in Iraq, Palin Tells Couric The Photo McCain Wanted By E. J. Dionne Jr., John McCain's sudden intervention could not have been more out of sync with what was actually happening. Far-Reaching U.S. Plan Impaired N. Korea Deal Demands Began to Undo Nuclear Accord Sarkozy Advocates Systemic Change After Crisis WaMu Sold In Biggest U.S. Bank Failure Government Arranges Deal With J.P. Morgan Shelby Plays Role of Contrarian Alabama Senator Calls Plan 'Flawed From the Beginning' What Bush Left Out By Dan Froomkin World Leaders Embrace Goal of Ending Malaria Deaths by 2015 | H6 Guardian Israel sought US go-ahead to bomb Iran nuclear sites Exclusive: Bush told Israeli PM he would not back attack, diplomatic sources tell Guardian A target too far Editorial: We have come too close to igniting a fresh firestorm in the Middle East Interactive guide: Iran's nuclear programme Explainer: Relations between Iran and Israel Background: Hizbullah - enemy of Israel Timeline: Iran nuclear standoff $700bn Wall Street bail-out stalls White House summit fails to clinch deal as Democrats criticise McCain for intervention in crisis John McCain 'undermining' bail-out to lift campaign Tomasky talk: House Republicans stall bail-out plan Q&A: The US banking bail-out Tide of foreclosures ends American dream FAQ: Will this end Wall Street's woes? Brokering the bail-out Editorial: After the collapse of one bank and the fire-sale of others, the real delusion turns out to be blind faith in laissez-faire The $700bn question Robert Reich: Never before in the history of US capitalism has so much been asked of so many for so few Too much of a good thing Adam Davidson: It's a weird idea, but consider this: the roots of the financial crisis lie in the fact that there was simply too much money in the world 90 minutes that will make or break Debate, set to attract a record television audience, could settle doubts about Obama and McCain McCain 'undermining' bail-out to lift campaign Simon Tisdall: The maverick rides again By putting himself forward as America's economic champion, John McCain has once again upset the Democrats' agenda The phoney war on poverty John Hilary: Aid is not enough. Global poverty will not be beaten until Europe and the US radically rethink their failing strategies $3bn ploughed into fight against malaria World leaders announce plan to end all malaria deaths by 2015 with introduction of vaccine Bitter rival of Chechnya's leader is shot dead in Russian capital Russia launches investigation into assassination of Ruslan Yamadayev, rival of president Ramzan Kadyrov |
| H7 Damascus Fears Deviation on Peace Road By: Sami Moubayed | Asia Times As Israeli premier-in-waiting Tzipi Livni battles to form a government, Syria is preparing for the possibility she will call off the indirect talks with Damascus Sexual Cleansing in Iraq By: Peter Tatchell | The Guardian Islamist deaths squads are hunting down gay Iraqis and summarily executing them Hubris With Comeuppance By: Arnaud de Borchgrave | The Washington Times The United States, as seen by the media in the rest in the world, is sobering up at the Just Deserts Cafe. Syria Pushes the Envelope in the North By: Michael Young | The Daily Star Of all the ridiculous reasons explaining the deployment of thousands of Syrian troops along the northern Lebanese border, surely the most ridiculous is that this was done to thwart smuggling UAE Plans Canal to Bypass Iran The Media Line Iranian threats to close down the Hormuz Strait in the Gulf in case of a military attack are being taken seriously by the neighboring United Arab Emirates (UAE). Strategically located in the Gulf between Iran and the UAE, the Hormuz Strait is the only sea passage to the open ocean for oil-rich exporters such as Iran, Iraq, Kuwait and the UAE Mubarak&King Abdullah II of Jordan Review Developments of the Palestinian Dialogue, the Peace Process&Livni's Accession America's loss of value TO JUSTIFY his bailout of wayward financial companies, President Bush told the United Nations Tuesday that he was acting to avert an economic crisis that "would have a devastating effect on other economies around the world." It is true that the embrace of risky leveraged debt by improperly regulated investment banks may cause ripples of pain in foreign economies. But ... (Boston Globe) Does Hijacked Iranian Ship Contain Chemical Weapons? - Nick Grace (Long War Journal) An Iranian merchant vessel hijacked last month by pirates may have been heading to Eritrea to deliver small arms and chemical weapons to Somalia's Islamist insurgents. EU: Iran Closer to Nuclear Arms Capacity Saving the UN from itself
A despairing mood of inaction and even paralysis grips the United Nations in the face of the world's multiple economic and other problems. There are many root causes for this atrophy, chief among them the UN's penchant for chasing unrealistic goals. A leaner, smarter UN is what is needed. - Kaveh L Afrasiabi The Pentagon's thinking, Mary Kaldor The war on terror: seven years on , Paul Rogers | H8 IraqSlogger Google News Iraq Iran Syria Mideastwire.com - NPR Iraq Questionnaires Stir Unease in a Baghdad Enclave Dems Bury Iran Blockade Resolution, for Now Iraq OKs Elections – Except in Oil-Rich Kirkuk Sunni elders aim for political fight RAMADI, Iraq, Sept. 25 (UPI) -- Al-Qaida in Iraq is finished and the remaining battles will be fought among the political parties at the ballot box, a Sunni tribal leader said. Sons of Iraq Get a New Boss Diplomats: Assad Aide Killing Hurts UN Probe in Syria The unbalanced Iraqi Army
Kurdish Globe | H9 Ha’aretz – Mossad chief fights Iran nuclear program his own way Under Meir Dagan, the Mossad has used creativity and daring to strike Israel's enemies Aluf Benn: Olmert is from Mars, Abbas is from Venus Report: U.S. said no to Israeli strike on Iran The Guardian quotes European officials who say Bush 'would not support it' and did not expect to revise that view Peres: U.S. has no choice but to save world from Ahmadinejad Ari Shavit: Netanyahu behaving like a petty man rather than a statesman Bill Clinton: I'll only stump for Obama after Jewish holidays ANALYSIS / Why did the attack on a well-known leftist professor happen now? Attack may be an attempt to intimidate new Kadima Head Tzipi Livni out of trying to cut a deal with the PA Ahmadinejad and the cityWhat has become clear beyond all doubt this week, if there had been any doubt, is that Ahmadinejad, petty or not, cruel or not, is above all a world-class celebrity of the sort that a New York backdrop only flatters Jerusalem Post 'US refused to support Israeli strike on Iran's nuclear sites' Guardian, quoting senior European officials, reports Bush refused to give Olmert green light for attack during May visit to Israel. EU assessment: IDF can't stop Iran alone Diplomats predict a regional conflagration of unknown proportions as a result of any strike Pentagon team in Israel for F-35 talks IAF hopes to sign Joint Strike Fighter contract in coming months, with aim of receiving aircraft in 2014 Poll: Obama leads among US Jews But presidential candidate significantly trails Jewish vote for recent Democratic candidates Time and negotiations By DAOUD KUTTAB The lack of resolution has nothing to do with time and everything to do with absence of political will. Appease Iran? [ DANIEL PIPES Kadima-Labor talks fly, then falter Labor's demand to raise state budget's framework by 2.5% stalls progress; Barak: We're far from deal Moscow takes part in Quartet talks today Despite tensions with the West, Russia will meet with representatives from the US, UN and EU Yedioth Ahronoth 'US denied request to strike'
The Guardian quotes diplomatic sources as saying Israel seriously considered attack on Iran's nuclear sites this spring but was told by Bush he would not back it for fear of retaliation; Olmert spokesman denies report 'Longtime friend of Israel' Friendly encounter in US between Republican VP nominee Palin, Israeli President Peres En route to another Intifada? Palestinians heading for collapse, which will surely affect Israel as well Daily Alert.org – Hebrew Press Editorials (2008) - Middle East Progress - EJC Israeli Press Review – Google News Israel - Palestine Bush still 'hopeful' on Mid-East President Bush tells Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas he is still "hopeful" of a Middle East peace deal before he leaves office. CSM The Islamization of East Jerusalem In Arab East Jerusalem, Islamist groups are gaining more of a foothold through charity, such as free iftar meals during Ramadan, opening schools, and offering services. Israel: The Iranian People Are Not Our Enemies - President Shimon Peres (Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs) Hostility and fear Palestinian and settler tensions breed hatred McCartney turns to Hebrew for Tel Aviv gig Former Beatle spends day studying in bid to woo 50,000 Israeli fans with ancient language Israeli peace advocate attacked Pipe bomb wounds academic Zeev Sternhell in suspected attack by right-wing Jewish extremists |
| H10 Christian Science Monitor Russia-West crisis enters 'breathing period' Contradictory messages are rampant as the EU and US reconsider security pledges to Georgia while new players such as Iran and Turkey enter the game. Iraq election law marks progress, opens political season Provincial polls are now expected early next year and could bring about a political realignment across Iraq. Lincoln's lesson for today's culture wars Democracy must be more than two wolves and a lamb voting on what's for lunch. India faced with home-grown terrorism Police have arrested the head of Indian Mujahideen, which claims responsibility for recent bombings ASIA Iran Keeps China in a Chokehold By: Yitzhak Shichor | Asia Times
Heavily dependent on Persian Gulf energy imports, China takes seriously Iran's threats to block the crucial oil chokepoint of the Strait of Hormuz, which bristles with Chinese-made anti-ship cruise missiles, attack craft and mines Shots fired in US-Pakistan clash The US military says its troops have exchanged gunfire with Pakistani forces across the border with Afghanistan. It's time for the United States to get smart on Pakistan By Robert M. Hathaway Bush, Zardari Meet as U.S.-Pakistan Relations Deteriorate By: Richard Weitz | World Politics Review When Pakistan's new president, Asif Ali Zardari, met privately with U.S. President George W. Bush on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in New York Tuesday, the deteriorating security situation along the Afghan-Pakistani border was certainly a central topic of discussion The Economist A special report on the Koreas The odd couple Koreans want their international standing to match the south’s economic success. They may have to wait until the peninsula is unified Pakistani forces Thursday fired at U.S. helicopters and traded shots with U.S. troops and Afghan police on the Afghan-Pakistan border in the latest blow to cooperation between Washington and Islamabad, U.S. officials said. Neither side reported casualties in the incident, which occurred when the helicopters crossed into the Pakistani tribal agency of North Waziristan, the Pakistan army said India, Pakistan Say Peace Process `Under Strain,' Pledge Talks By: Ed Johnson | Bloomberg News
Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh acknowledged the peace process between their nuclear-armed nations has been ``under strain'' and pledged new talks to get it back on track India Military Faces Manpower Crunch as Economy Booms By: Jay Shankar | Bloomberg News
Ashok Gowda quit India's army three years ago to build a software business. The reason: The country's economic boom may allow him to earn six times as much in the private sector as he got as a military engineer Terrorism in Pakistan Friends like these China's space programme Shooting the moon | H11 IHT EU treaty opponent faces scrutiny over U.S. ties A deputy in the European Parliament suggested that the leading Irish no campaigner, Declan Ganley, might have ties to the CIA. But no evidence of a link has emerged. For French Muslims, a Catholic education 10 percent of students celebrate Ramadan near a crucifix because Muslim schools are few and the public sector is shunned Chechen wrestlers retake heritage from wars' wreckage Like the story of Chechnya's long and often bitter relationship with Russia, the history of Chechen wrestling is filled with frustration, betrayal and loss EUROPE European press review The Economist Charlemagne Transatlantic model wars What Wall Street’s woes reveal about European and American views of markets Europe's economies Struggling to keep moving The financial meltdown may be happening mainly in America, but Europe is starting to feel the heat Echoes of the Balkans in the Georgia Crisis. By Tim Judah in Tbilisi Mobility in Europe: Why it is low, the bottlenecks, and the policy solutions
Source: European Commission - Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities Independent Haider is back. Just don't mention the war Last time he was in power, his nation became a pariah state. These days, Jörg Haider is more likely to praise the EU than the Nazis, although he and his party still hold controversial views about immigrants. Belarus hopes poll will thaw ties with West With opposition leaders already denouncing the upcoming elections as fraudulent, the EU and US must rule whether the vote is fair enough to warrant an easing of sanctions Frugal French France is resisting the credit crunch better than most | H12 RFE/RL The Bush White House has been pressing its European allies to accept Ukraine into NATO — over Russia's bitter opposition — but Ukriane's continuing political crisis raises serious questions about whether it's ready to join EurasiaNet Georgia: Some Members of US Congress Question Bush Administration Policy Toward Tbilisi BY JOSHUA KUCERA Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili, seeking to retain the backing of the United States, is vowing to carry out a "second Rose Revolution" that would hasten the democratization pace in the Caucasus country. While the Bush administration continues to offer strong support for the Georgian leader, some influential members of the US Congress have started to question Washington’s policy stance toward Georgia Amir Taheri Russian Roulette : Amir Taheri 'Dangerous Gulf' Opens Between Russia and West Google News Azerbaijan Putin, Not Just Paulson, Setting Decade's Course By: Amity Shlaes | Bloomberg News When Hank Paulson powers over like a battleship to Capitol Hill from the Treasury, the eyes of the entire world are on him. That's too bad because there is a real battleship that also requires monitoring as it powers toward the Atlantic Ukraine's European Future By: James Marson | The Guardian
The voices clamouring for a Crimean union with Russia largely emanate from Moscow. In Sevastopol, it's a different story. Sep 25 ANNOUNCEMENT# 84 - From the MEMRI Blog: Georgia Affairs in the Arabic, Iranian, and Turkish Media Chavez tours Russia to boost ties Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez travels to the southern Russian city of Orenburg to meet President Dmitry Medvedev EDM RUSSIA NEUTERING THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE AFTER INVASION OF GEORGIA
- RUSSIA'S GLOBAL WAR GAMES
Amid conflict in Georgia, no one remembers civilians By Angelika Arutyunova Stratfor Geopolitical Diary: Russia's Dalliance With Venezuela Russia promised to loan Venezuela $1 billion to implement a military cooperation program and offered to help build nuclear energy technology in the South American country Uzbekistan: Authorities Tighten Grip on Religion During Ramadan
Uzbek authorities have stepped up surveillance of mosques and tightened control on religious activity since the start of the holy month of Ramadan. Although designed to keep a lid on Islamic radicalism, the government measures are causing friction with mainstream believers. |
| H13 The Times The election you wouldn't want to win November's victor could be a one-term disaster but a great president may follow him Gerard Baker Two false steps towards a debate on a topic that doesn’t matter (yet) What was John McCain thinking when he suggested delaying his first debate with Barack Obama? Pakistan and US troops exchange fire The five minute ground battle is the first serious exchange between the countries that has been acknowledged by the US McCain and Obama strive to disguise their ambition US critics gloat over 'crumblingcapitalism' US banking rescue package hovers on brink Republicans and Democrats are blaming each other for the stalemate after talks ended with no resolution in sight What Price Foreign Aid? In straitened times, development budgets inevitably come under greater pressure; there are grounds for maintaining them, despite past failures Wall Street Journal Peggy Noonan: Party of One Review & Outlook Iraq Political Progress Bailout Proposal
Hits a Stalemate Political wrangling threw the $700 billion bailout plan into disarray, despite a day of negotiations that seemed to promise a deal. Talks broke off with no agreement and with plans to reconvene in the morning, without House Republicans. Text of Lawmakers' Agreement on Principles Mr. McCain Goes Back to Washington POTOMAC WATCH By Kimberley A. Strassel
He risks undermining his experience and judgment. Fate of First Debate Unclear The first presidential debate remained up in the air as lawmakers struggled to reach an agreement on a bailout package Fixing the Paulson Plan By Douglas Diamond, Steve Kaplan, Anil Kashyap, Raghuram Rajan and Richard Thaler. Above all else, making it fairer to U.S. taxpayers. · Pakistan and Afghanistan Unite Against Terrorism By Husain Haqqani and Said T. Jawad The U.S. can foster peace with a trade agreement. The Public Deserves a Better Deal · Main Street Needs the Treasury Plan By Kenneth D. Lewis
For the benefit of American businesses, consumers and the economy at large. McClatchy Bush's bailout meeting ends in disarray; McCain gets blame House and Senate Democrats and Senate Republicans thought they had a deal on the bailout that would limit the initial outlay to $250 billion, allow an additional $100 billion to be spent if the Treasury secretary says it's needed, and would allow Congress to cancel the final $350 billion. But then the congressional leaders met at the White House with President Bush, and the agreement quickly dissolved, with House Republicans proving the spoilers. All sides were holding meetings in an effort to determine what to do next. BBC Wall St rescue plan 'needs work' US political leaders say more work is needed on a $700bn bail-out plan for financial markets after White House talks. Bail-out debate: For and against | H14 Financial Times Wrangling holds up US bail-out An unprecedented White House emergency meeting broke up after failing to reach full agreement on the Bush administration’s financial rescue package after another day of intense stress on the money markets US ‘will lose financial superpower status’ The US is poised to lose its role as a global financial ‘superpower’ in the wake of the financial crisis, Peer Steinbrück, German finance minister, said as he called for a regulatory crackdown on financial markets China after the Olympics; a great but hesitant power Each time I visit China I am struck by the hesitation. The world watches in awe and, if truth be told, with considerable apprehension, as China reclaims a place as a great power. Yet those steering the country’s rise betray a strange ambivalence, writes Philip Stephens Sarkozy sets out bigger state role The French president has delivered a ringing endorsement of global capitalism but says its values and practices must be fundamentally rethought in the face of the biggest financial crisis since the 1930s Politics as usual The US financial crisis has eclipsed the presidential election but, bad as the current emergency is, the state of the polls means striving for electoral advantage has come first Make the world safe from crusaders Samuel Brittan on the limits of military intervention. We could be always at war against cruelty if we did not judge whether our intervention might not add to the sum of misery, writes Samuel Brittan We need a new Global Monetary Authority Jeffrey Garten on need for far-reaching reform The Global Reach IV: Loss of liquidity shatters Gulf faith The notion that the region’s economy is immune from Wall Street’s meltdown has been shattered amid analyst calls to divert more of its oil revenues into its own economies The Global Reach III: Brazil’s confidence stores up future problems The Global Reach II: Prudence guides China’s outlook The Global Reach I: France reforms its Anglo-Saxon attitudes Kremlin’s crisis management criticised Dmitry Medvedev has criticised the Kremlin’s overly centralised system of decision making, indicating the Russian president was dissatisfied with his government’s own crisis management skills UN urges clarity amid Syrian troop movement The UN calls for more clarity from Damascus on the reasons behind the stationing of thousands of troops on the Lebanese border, a move that has raised anxieties in Beirut Stage set for debate in spite of doubts Barack Obama, the Democrat, who was in Washington at the invitation of President George W. Bush, insisted his first one-on-one televised encounter with John McCain should proceed on schedule Ahmadi-Nejad opens coffers to shield poor The Iranian president’s populist economic policies include a plan to release billions of dollars in cash as subsidies get cut, but critics say the move will be used to shore up support for the government Plan reawakens Congress suspicions The saga of the bail-out underlines how, even with a tough and admired Treasury secretary, the decaying authority of the Bush administration and the parlous state of the public finances have deepened resistance in Congress to writing the White House a blank cheque McCain throws another desperate pass It is a tactic that John McCain has used more than once as he struggles to change the dynamic of a presidential race that again seems to be shifting in favour of Barack Obama Everyone is paying price for share buy-backs William Lazonick on dangers of repurchases Abundant stock options give executives an incentive to do buy-backs even if it undermines long-term value, writes William Lazonick A $700bn shot at the wrong financial target John Gapper’s blog: I cannot see why the market will become convinced that these securities are worth more simply because the US government buys them Way to local polls is cleared in Iraq A temp in Tokyo One feature of today’s Japan is the prevalence of contract workers in a once-stable labour market. Now even the prime minister holds a temporary job Canterbury tales The attack by Rowan Williams, the archbishop of Canterbury, has received popular support for his views on modern finance. But that does not mean that he is right | H15 Los Angeles Times Obama, McCain aren't worlds apart on foreign policy In fact, as the pressure increases to win over undecided voters, each has edged closer to the center. U.S. blames Iran for delay in Iraq pact With no breakthrough in negotiations on extending the American military mandate in Iraq, which expires Dec. 31, Ambassador Ryan Crocker alleges Tehran is trying to derail the talks After roller-coaster day, still no bailout White House meeting ends; no plan Conservatives denounce the $700-billion strategy as ill-conceived and Democrats accuse presidential candidate John McCain of encouraging the revolt. U.S., Pakistan troops exchange fire on Afghanistan border The Pentagon calls it a misunderstanding and denies that U.S. helicopters crossed the border into Pakistan's tribal regions Public isn't buying Wall Street bailoutIndignant Americans stage protests, deluge congressional offices. McCain's economics 180 Rosa Brooks: The '80s S&L scandal didn't slow his push for less regulation. Now, candidate McCain sings a different tune. JPMorgan Chase buys WaMu assets The country's largest savings and loan is seized late in the day by federal regulators, then sold Debate: On or off? For now, everyone seems to be assuming McCain will show up. Editorial |
