| H1 McClatchy Unofficial Translation of U.S.-Iraq Troop Agreement from the Arabic Text McClatchy Under Iraq troop pact, U.S. can't leave any forces behind The status of forces of agreement between the United States and Iraq goes further than most people in the United States realize. It contains no provisions for the U.S. to leave behind a residual force recently mentioned by Barack Obama or the trainers that have long been part of the withdrawal discussions in the United States WINEP The Future of the Middle East Listen as Thomas Fingar, chairman of the National Intelligence Council, discusses the intelligence community's vision of the trends and phenomena that will shape the Middle East, and U.S. interests in the region, over the next two decades. Washington Post Naming National Security Team Will Be a Priority for Obama Candidates for Obama's National Security Adviser Editorial -- Secretary of State Hillary Clinton? Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton should get fair consideration, but Bill Clinton's role would have to change. David S. Broder -- Clinton for Secretary of State? By David S. Broder, Making Hillary Rodham Clinton the secretary of state in Barack Obama's administration would be a mistake. Will China's Miracle Train Derail? Pomfret's China | China's smooth rise to superpower status may be a little bumpier than planned. New York Times Iraqi Premier Defends Security Accord U.S.-Iraqi Agreement Is Getting Mixed Reviews in Iran THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN Madam Secretary? Is Barack Obama considering Hillary Clinton for secretary of state in order to get her off his back or as a prelude to protecting her back? Stratfor Middle East: How the Region Views the SOFA Iraq’s neighbors are going to have to start adjusting to a new reality in which U.S. forces will be departing Iraq in three years Geopolitical Diary: Military Intelligence Chief Shifts Israel's Iran Policy A statement from the head of Israeli military intelligence shows a shift in Israeli thinking on the subject of U.S. talks with Iran Ends, Ways, and Means in Iraq: 10 Issues for the Obama Administration By: Brian Burton and John Paul Schnapper-Casteras | World Politics Review President-elect Barack Obama will inherit an Iraq that has experienced substantial improvements in security, but remains rife with unresolved internal issues Ha’aretz – Peres: Obama told me he was 'very impressed' with Arab peace plan However, president denies report claiming Obama said Israel would be 'crazy' to reject the Arab initiative LA Times Down with 'Team of Rivals' Abraham Lincoln’s cabinet, which was named the “Team of Rivals” by Doris Kearns Goodwin, is frequently cited as a model for Barack Obama, especially as he considers Hillary Clinton for Secretary of State. But what if Goodwin was wrong? Guardian In praise of... Team of Rivals Editorial: Doris Kearns Goodwin's account of the way Abraham Lincoln held the union together by bringing his rivals into his cabinet has become a soaring success Doris Kearns Goodwin on Charlie Rose Show An old army in a new war The Pakistani army is engaged in a gritty battle with Afghan militants in a border area where it has never had authority. Jason Burke reports from Loesam A western armada is not the way to sink Somalia's pirates Peter Lehr: These fishermen-turned-hijackers are best tackled by local fleets - and by targeting poachers of the stock they used to catch The fallacy of the fixWill Hutton: Reform just won't cut it. We need nothing less than an overhaul of the way we do capitalism The errors of Iraq are being repeated - and magnified Simon Jenkins: The awful prospect is of Obama and Brown, no fans of the 2003 invasion, blundering on in a more perilous war: Afghanistan McClatchy Islamists poised to seize Somalia again in setback to U.S. Forward A Record Number of Jews to be Part of Next Congress When the new Congress debuts in January 2009, a record 45 Jews will take the oath of office: 32 in the House of Representatives and — regardless of the outcome in the still-contested Minnesota election — 13 Jews in the Senate Jerusalem Post When lip service meets reality By EMILY B. LANDAU
The scenario of US-Iran talks is arousing concern within Europe, Arab ME states, and Iran itself. [ MICHAEL FREUND IHT A GROWING MENACE Pirates of the Gulf By DENNIS W. SAMPSON AND NIKOLAS K. GVOSDEV Piracy in East African waters is no longer an annoyance; it is a threat to the economic well-being of the world. Financial Times Ahmadi-Nejad ally appointed interior minister Iran’s parliament has narrowly approved one of President Mahmoud Ahmadi-Nejad’s closest allies as interior minister ahead of elections in June Oil groups expect $40 barrel – CNOOC head More than 60% of investment projects face cancellation The Times Hillary is not right for the job Obama should resist the temptation of Clinton as Secretary of State. He could never sack herBronwen Maddox Britain strikes spy-deal with Syrians Syria has one of the best intelligence systems in the region specialising in tracking the movements of Islamists into Iraq | H2 Beklenen telefon geldi Obama ve Türk Amerikan İlişkileri Türkiye'nin eski Washington Büyükelçisi Faruk Loğoğlu, Obama döneminde Türk Amerikan ilişkilerini değerlendirdi New Humanist Deep trouble Will Turkey take the Yugoslavia option? Kerem Oktem on a country caught between Islam and ultra-nationalism Turkey Nears Deal With IMF To Gird Against Slowdown Wall Street Journal Türkiye'nin kendini savunma hakkı var Turkey to ask permission of Baghdad for possible air operations PJAK Militanları Arasında Türk Vatandaşları Analysts: Turkey should adapt to new equation in Iraq Iran and Turkey sign deal for natural gas Daily Star Pakistan and Turkey are at a crossroads on religion in politics
By Ozlem Gemici A green light for a German of color By Rami G. Khouri İspanyol enstitü Türkiye'nin ilerleme raporunu değerlendirdi (ingilizce) Erdoğan, Cheney’le de nükleer silahı tartışmış Turkey sets upon a new track EDM ALEVIS HIGHLIGHT THEIR DEMANDS IN ANKARA 'Obama Türkiye'nin AB Üyeliğini Desteklemeli' Garanti, Akbank of Turkey Curb Borrowing Amid Credit Crisis Peres: Turkey, Iran offer differing models
Jerusalem Post 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 PJAK Militanları Arasında Türk Vatandaşları İran'dan PKK ve PJAK'a ağır darbe ‘Çocuklara ceza vererek mi PKK'yı önleyeceksiniz?’ Türkiye - İran Arasında Doğalgaz Anlaşması Several Turkish Kurdish Rebels Killed In Iran - Report Iraq Sets Date for Elections Turkey in Deep Trouble
By Jenny White Kurds roll out red carpet for Hollywood Cevdet Aşkın Google News Greece Cyprus Turkish Cypriot Press ABHaber Dış Basında Türkiye-AB İlişkileri Günlük Haftalık Russian defense minister visits Turkey Cypriot president visits Russia to cement ties AZERBAIJAN-GEORGIA CORRIDOR: GROWING TRANSIT VOLUMES BOLSTER SECURITY Germany's 'Green Obama' Breaks New Ground For Minorities
RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty Germany has its own Obama Beril Dedeoğlu Cem Özdemir’i Türkiye’den tartışmak | H3 Limited Turkish pres coverage today Liberal olacağına mutaassıp olsun Kıyafetiyle kimseyi yargılamayalım MHP lideri Bahçeli’den Alevi açılımı Tekin’in çapraz sorgusu yeni Danıştay kanıtı gibi TBMM Komisyonu Akyürek’i 2 haftadır dinleyemiyor AK Parti'yi itmek ya da çekmek Bahçeli’den Alevi açılımı Akademisyenler cezaevinde birbirine girdi Son Dakika Milliyet Hürriyet Zaman GH Türkiye Birinci Sayfalar Akşam Birgün Bugün Cumhuriyet Dünya Hürriyet Milli Gazete Milliyet Posta Radikal Referans Sabah Star Taraf Tercüman Türkiye Vakit Vatan Yeni Şafak Zaman Arşiv Video NTV CNNTürk Milliyet Ahmet Taşgetiren Çarşaflı CHP Genel Başkanı!!! Ruşen - Çakır Bahçeli şaşırtmaya devam ediyor, iyi de yapıyor Taha Akyol AKP’nin rakibi CHP mi? Fikret Bila ABD’nin çekilmesi Türkiye’yi nasıl etkiler? Hasan Cemal Baykal'la siyasal inandırıcılık çok zor... Murat Yetkin Baykal türbanla ezber bozarken İsmet Berkan Fehmi Koru Bahçeli’den hükümete Alevi desteği Taha KıvançHoş ama boş senaryolar Bilal Çetin IMF ile anlaşma “ihtiyati” mi olacak paralı mı? Şamil Tayyar Baykal’a kim ‘dur’ diyecek? Mustafa Akyol Dogmalarla savaşan Atatürk nasıl dogma oldu? Ali Bayramoğlu Yasemin Çongar Ertuğrul Özkök Başbakan salona nasıl girer Hasan Ünal Ahmet Hakan Aldırma Baykal aldırma Mustafa Karaalioğlu Baykal’ın yapmaya çalıştığı şeyi destekliyorum Yeni hedef ne? MEHMET ALİ KIŞLALI CHP, değişim ve Alevi meselesi AVNİ ÖZGÜREL AKP nereye? HALUK ŞAHİN Gülay Göktürk AK Parti'yi itmek ya da çekmek M Ali Birand Almanya, Aydın Doğan’ı alkışladı Cüneyt Ülsever Taşlar yerinden oynadı Enis Berberoğlu Oktay Ekşi Rektör seçimi Bekir Coşkun İşsiz... Özdemir İnce Mehmet Y Yılmaz Müslüman Alman Türkiyeli Alman MUHARREM SARIKAYA ERDAL ŞAFAK ENGİN ARDIÇ ERGUN BABAHAN EMRE AKÖZ Umur Talu HASAN BÜLENT KAHRAMAN NAZLI ILICAK MEHMET BARLAS MAHMUT ÖVÜR YAVUZ DONAT Atatürk ve İslam NAMIK KEMAL ZEYBEK Bir kısım CHP’li Baykal’a kızdı... ORAL ÇALIŞLAR Ekonomi Ege Cansen IMF ile müzakereyi özel sektör götürmelidir Garanti, Akbank of Turkey Curb Borrowing Amid Credit Crisis Bankaların kredileri geri çağırmaması zor ABDURRAHMAN YILDIRIM Ercan Kumcu Büyüme haberleri iyi değil Hurşit Güneş Baykal'la siyasal inandırıcılık çok zor... Güngör Uras Denize düşen IMF’ye sarılır Erdal Sağlam Bunalımı dizginlemek MUSTAFA AYSAN Risk ortamı ve ‘ısmarlama’ reyting METİN ERCAN Krizin ‘T cetveli’ UĞUR GÜRSES |
| H4 New York Times Iraqi Premier Defends Security Accord U.S.-Iraqi Agreement Is Getting Mixed Reviews in Iran THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN Madam Secretary? Is Barack Obama considering Hillary Clinton for secretary of state in order to get her off his back or as a prelude to protecting her back? MAUREEN DOWD Two for the Price of Two If Hillary Clinton gets to be the Mistress of Foggy Bottom, Bill Clinton’s guilt over his primary tirades would be alleviated. Iraqi Premier Defends Security Accord U.S.-Iraqi Agreement Is Getting Mixed Reviews in Iran The New Team Rand Beers Let Detroit Go Bankrupt By MITT ROMNEY A managed bankruptcy may be the only path to the fundamental restructuring the auto industry needs. Britain Grapples With Role for Islamic Justice Conservatives and liberals alike have repeatedly denounced Islamic courts as poor substitutes for British jurisprudence Hijacked Supertanker Anchors Off Somalia Foreign Reporters’ Group Fights Israeli Prohibition on Entering Gaza Court in Egypt Annuls Deal With Israel on Gas Supply Iran Replaces Interior Minister After a Scandal Detroit Chiefs Plead for Aid, to Little Avail The heads of the Big Three automakers pleaded for emergency government aid to stave off potential collapse, but it appeared they had not persuaded enough lawmakers to move quickly on a bailout Editorial Getting to Yes If Treasury Secretary Henry M. Paulson Jr. wants to persist in withholding bailout funds for foreclosure relief, he will have to come up with a new set of justifications. Holder Seen as Pick for Justice Post as Obama Begins to Settle on His Team Democrats Gain as Stevens Loses His Senate Race | H5 Washington Post Naming National Security Team Will Be a Priority for Obama Candidates for Obama's National Security Adviser Editorial -- Secretary of State Hillary Clinton? Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton should get fair consideration, but Bill Clinton's role would have to change. David S. Broder -- Clinton for Secretary of State? By David S. Broder, Making Hillary Rodham Clinton the secretary of state in Barack Obama's administration would be a mistake. Will China's Miracle Train Derail? Pomfret's China | China's smooth rise to superpower status may be a little bumpier than planned. Jim Hoagland -- For Bush, No New Diplomacy on Iran, Cuba By Jim Hoagland, Better never than late seems to be Bush's motto in diplomacy. This time he is right. Iraq's Prime Minister Defends U.S. Security Pact in Public Address United Nations Official Warns of Social Strife in Asia A senior U.N. official warned Tuesday of the prospect of social unrest as the export-driven economies of Asia start to slow in response to the fallout from the global financial crisis. After Oil Tanker Hijacking, Saudi Arabia to Join Anti-Piracy Efforts Aide to Ahmadinejad Approved as Interior Minister in Iran High-Stakes Plea for Aid Lawmakers Greet CEOs' Request With Skepticism Lawmakers Blast Paulson's Management of Bailout In House Hearing, Paulson Defends Response to Fast-Moving Crisis George Will - Let the Automakers Go Bankrupt Rather than propping them up, we should let them try to devise plausible business models. Should GM Be Allowed to Fail? By Michael Gerson, Page A21 The coming bailout will be a major challenge for Obama. U.S. Seeks New Supply Routes Into Afghanistan Trucks From Pakistan Increasingly Attacked An Outsider Becomes 'General' Henry Paulson has gone from reluctant Treasury secretary to wielding enormous power in a crisis. Editorial -- Keep TARP Focused on Bank Solvency Keep the bailout focused on job one: restoring bank solvency. The Burrowing of the Bushies By Dan Froomkin Ruth Marcus -- Barack Obama and the BlackBerry Solution Obama should cling to e-mail as a way to pierce the White House bubble. Former Prosecutor Eric Holder Called Obama's Top Pick for Attorney General He Would Be the First Black Attorney General Senate Democrats Allow Lieberman to Retain Key Chairmanship | H6 Guardian In praise of... Team of Rivals Editorial: Doris Kearns Goodwin's account of the way Abraham Lincoln held the union together by bringing his rivals into his cabinet has become a soaring success Russia to build reactor for Chávez Deal between Moscow and Caracas presents Barack Obama with early foreign policy challenge Georgia calls for EU inquiry into war Move follows Kremlin's claims that western media now accepts Georgia was aggressor in conflict An old army in a new war The Pakistani army is engaged in a gritty battle with Afghan militants in a border area where it has never had authority. Jason Burke reports from Loesam A western armada is not the way to sink Somalia's pirates Peter Lehr: These fishermen-turned-hijackers are best tackled by local fleets - and by targeting poachers of the stock they used to catch The fallacy of the fixWill Hutton: Reform just won't cut it. We need nothing less than an overhaul of the way we do capitalism Obama opens new green chapter for US US president-elect promises to break with Bush-era environmental policies The errors of Iraq are being repeated - and magnified Simon Jenkins: The awful prospect is of Obama and Brown, no fans of the 2003 invasion, blundering on in a more perilous war: Afghanistan The bear growls at Obama – quietly Roger McDermott: Dmitry Medvedev is overstating a resentful Russia's strength in a bid to make Washington wobble Hillary Clinton would be a gift to the right Simon Tisdall: She carries tremendous political baggage, and would give Republicans a familiar target if Obama makes her secretary of state Russia fires Obama a dilemma Robert Farley: By deploying missiles to the Polish border, Russia is making it hard for Obama to scale back on missile defence Somali pirates strike again Hijacking of Hong Kong cargo vessel is seventh successful seizure in 12 days The risky business of ransom payments Life is sweet in piracy capital of the world Q&A: 21st-century pirates Democrats line up first black attorney general Barack Obama's administration begins to take shape after he chooses former Clinton official as attorney general Tories drop spending plan as poll shows lead collapse Speculation about early election as business leaders back Labour tax cut plan Obama's team of rivals James Crabtree: The presidency of Abraham Lincoln casts a long shadow on Barack Obama's choices for his administration's top positions |
| H7 Ends, Ways, and Means in Iraq: 10 Issues for the Obama Administration By: Brian Burton and John Paul Schnapper-Casteras | World Politics Review
President-elect Barack Obama will inherit an Iraq that has experienced substantial improvements in security, but remains rife with unresolved internal issues Daily Star It's much too early to write Obama off as another warmonger Islamists poised to seize Somalia again in setback to U.S. ANALYSIS-Piracy crisis exposes need for Somalia solution A 'Grand Bargain' Might Unlock Kirkuk By: Michael Wahid Hanna and Joost R. Hiltermann | The Daily Star
The struggle for oil-rich Kirkuk threatens to paralyze Iraq's legislative agenda and block political accommodation, destabilizing fragile security gains that have put the issue of troop withdrawals on the American and the Iraqi political agenda. An Iranian in Kuwait By: Tariq Alhomayed | Asharq Alawsat
The controversy surrounding the visit of the Iranian cleric Mohamed Baqer al-Fali, to Kuwait has escalated into a political crisis, albeit a postponed one, that is threatening the Kuwait Prime Minister with a grilling from three Sunni Muslim Salafist MP' Obama's arrival has provoked concern in Israel
By Aluf Benn | H8 IraqSlogger Google News Iraq Iran Syria Mideastwire.com - NPR Iraq Iran’s Nuclear Plant Set for 2009 Launch Mullen: U.S. Would Need More Than 2 Years for Iraq Withdrawal By: Ann Scott Tyson | The Washington Post The U.S. military would require two to three years to remove its roughly 150,000 troops and equipment from Iraq safely, and the timing of that withdrawal should be based on security conditions on the ground, the nation's top military officer said today Iraq leader defends US troop deal
Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki defends a deal on the presence of US forces in Iraq, saying it preserves Iraqi sovereignty. Returning sons Awakening Council move hailed as a success in Iraq Iraqi Cleric Defers on US Pact - Voice of America
Iraq Leader Defends US Troop Deal - BBC News
SOFA opposition prelude to violence?
Iraq PM Tries to Rally Support for Security Pact - Associated Press
Pentagon Wants to Tie Withdrawal to Conditions - Agence France-Presse
US-Iraq Pact Getting Mixed Reviews in Iran - New York Times
Troops Disrupt Terrorist Leadership, Bombing Networks in Iraq - AFPS
Leaders Seek Ways to Boost Iraq’s Agricultural System - AFPS Islamists Say Damascus Backed Lebanon Attack Iran Hires a New Interior Minister - New York Times | H9 Ha’aretz – Peres: Obama told me he was 'very impressed' with Arab peace plan However, president denies report claiming Obama said Israel would be 'crazy' to reject the Arab initiative Hamas: We're prepared to cease-fire and confront Israel Benn The vacillator versus the braggart The polls give Tzipi Livni an edge on the question of character, while Benjamin Netanyahu has the upper hand when it comes to substance. U.S. Fears Opening Tehran Mission Will Aid Ahmadinejad - Jerusalem Post When lip service meets reality By EMILY B. LANDAU
The scenario of US-Iran talks is arousing concern within Europe, Arab ME states, and Iran itself. [ MICHAEL FREUND Former FADC head warns that with new Dolphin-class submarines, Cairo will be able to covertly collect intelligence against Israel. Yedioth Ahronoth 'Britian, Syria cooperating' UK reestablished high-level intelligence links with Damascus authorities, The Times reports Wake up, Israel/ Robert D. OnleyTime has come for dramatic reassertion of Israeli sovereignty Daily Alert.org – Hebrew Press Editorials (2008) - Middle East Progress - EJC Israeli Press Review – Google News Israel - Palestine John Spritzler: A New Path For Israel? A Record Number of Jews to be Part of Next Congress When the new Congress debuts in January 2009, a record 45 Jews will take the oath of office: 32 in the House of Representatives and — regardless of the outcome in the still-contested Minnesota election — 13 Jews in the Senate Obama's arrival has provoked concern in Israel By Aluf Benn Palestinians will need Barack Obama's helping hand By Yasser Abed Rabbo Gaza: The Calm Before the Storm - Neri Zilber, Middle East Times Israel 'Occupies' No Arab Territories - Lois Rene Beres, Jerusalem Post Disinvestment From West Bank Settlements Gains Momentum By: Cherrie Heywood | The Middle East Times In an endeavor to breathe some life back into the moribund Israeli-Palestinian conflict the British government is taking steps to encourage disinvestment from illegal Israeli settlements in the Palestinian West Bank by labeling all produce manufactured and produced by settlers OBAMA'S TOP NSA AND CIA PICKS: HARSH ON ISRAEL, SYMPATHETIC TO IRAN AND HEZBOLLAH Do Not Compare Israel's Security Fence to Nazi Ghettoes - Deborah Lipstadt (Emory Wheel) Why Is Israel Missing from the G20? - Adam Hanft |
| H10 Christian Science Monitor Oil capture spotlights Somali pirates' reach A supertanker hijacking helped boost the price of oil early this week. Quiet rise of Latin America's center Pragmatism gains over ideology, but some freedoms wane, new reports indicate. Auto giants up against bailout fatigue For many lawmakers of both parties, it may be one costly bailout too many A road map for Detroit Don't scrap the US auto industry. Overhaul it. Here's how. Afghan Air Force takes off, slowly The US is helping rebuild an air force that is badly needed in the vast country US colleges regain luster for foreigners After a post-9/11 drop-off, the State Department has taken steps to ease foreigners' concerns. ASIA Will China's Miracle Train Derail? Pomfret's China | China's smooth rise to superpower status may be a little bumpier than planned. Don't Negotiate With the Taliban By: Ann Marlowe | The Wall Street Journal
The British have been muttering in recent weeks about talking with the Taliban to end the Afghan insurgency. And Afghan President Hamid Karzai has recently offered amnesty to Taliban leader Mullah Omar if he would return to Afghanistan for peace talks. How Global Crisis Could Bring Down China - Joshua Kurlantzick, TNR Flight Path to Disaster in Afghanistan - Tariq Ali, Mother Jones Partnership for Progress: Advancing a New Strategy for Prosperity and Stability in Pakistan and the Region
Source: Center for American Progress Can Karzai Reach the Taliban? - Fred Kaplan, Slate United Nations Official Warns of Social Strife in Asia A senior U.N. official warned Tuesday of the prospect of social unrest as the export-driven economies of Asia start to slow in response to the fallout from the global financial crisis. From Coherent Policy to Coordinated Practice: Are We Delivering Coherently in Afghanistan? NUPI This 12-page Norwegian background paper on Afghanistan discusses three issues: - the relationship between the Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs), UNAMA and Afghan authorities - donor coordination - transfer of authority to civilian actors in insecure areas Scarred Forts and Sandbagged Pubs By: Don Duncan | International Herald Tribune
There are two Afghanistans. There's the one at war, to the south, particularly in the provinces of Helmand and Kandahar. And there's the one at peace, with varying levels of stability from jittery, paranoid Kabul to the carefree Mazar-i-Sharif in the north Shaking Things Up in China By: Bruce Gilley | The Wall Street Journal Six months after China's Great Earthquake, the political aftershocks are becoming clearer. In a year in which the Beijing Olympics were expected to be the main political event in China, the Sichuan earthquake has proven to be of much greater importance Time for Japanese to Rent 'Groundhog Day' Again By: William Pesek | Bloomberg News
It's hard to get excited about Japan falling into recession -- again. It's a recurring experience for Asia's biggest economy for more than 15 years now China's Gruesome Organ Harvest By: Ethan Gutmann | The Weekly Standard
Falun Gong became wildly popular in China during the late 1990s. For various reasons -- perhaps because the membership of this movement was larger than that of the Chinese Communist party (and intersected with it), or because the legacy of Tiananmen was unresolved, or because 70 million people suddenly seemed to be looking for a way into heaven (other than money) -- the party decided to eliminate it Karzai's Bid for Negotiations with Taliban Roundly Rejected - CS Monitor | H11 IHT A GROWING MENACE Pirates of the Gulf By DENNIS W. SAMPSON AND NIKOLAS K. GVOSDEV Piracy in East African waters is no longer an annoyance; it is a threat to the economic well-being of the world. Gail Collins: Secretary of State Hillary Clinton? Barack Obama is talking about letting Hillary Clinton be the point person on foreign policy. What happened to the transformative change? Report finds that East European migrants don't harm economies Despite heavy currents of migration among East Europeans over the past decade, their increased presence in Western countries has done virtually nothing to alter local job prospects or wages. EUROPE European press review Der Spiegel A Blow against Basque Terror Group: Will ETA Now Become Even More Violent? Taking 'Constitutionalism' and 'Legitimacy' Seriously This 19-page discussion paper focuses on issues of constitutionalism and democracy with special reference to the European Unio Serbia 'genocide' case to proceed The UN's highest court rules that it can hear Croatia's complaint of genocide against Serbia from the 1990s war. Q&A: The ICJ Estonian Spy Scandal Shakes NATO and EU By: Holger Stark | Der Spiegel For years an Estonian government official has apparently been collecting the most intimate secrets of NATO and the EU -- and passing them on to the Russians. The case is a disaster for Brussels NATO defense chiefs to discuss operations | H12 RFE/RL From Dissent, in Putin's Russia, many intellectuals have turned toward a new emotionalism — one that has "rejected the worst aspects of postmodernism". Google News Azerbaijan Enlightened Realism in Ukraine By: Gwynne Dyer | The Japan Times Yulia Tymoshenko's position as a Ukrainian nationalist who is not anti-Russian may win her votes, but it has also unleashed two months of political chaos in Ukraine Moscow Gives Tashkent the Silent Treatment By: Sergei Blagov | Eurasianet Russian leaders publicly have downplayed the significance of Uzbekistan’s withdrawal from the Eurasian Economic Community. Yet, experts in Moscow say that Tashkent’s action delivered a considerable blow to the Kremlin’s strategic economic plans in Central Asia Ukraine: Russian Passports and Possible Future Intervention
Stratfor AZERBAIJAN-GEORGIA CORRIDOR: GROWING TRANSIT VOLUMES BOLSTER SECURITY Report Faults All Parties in War in Georgia By: Ellen Barry | The New York Times
Russian, Georgian and South Ossetian forces failed to protect civilians, and in some cases singled them out for attack, during the war in Georgia, according to a report released Tuesday by Amnesty International The bear growls at Obama – quietly Roger McDermott: Dmitry Medvedev is overstating a resentful Russia's strength in a bid to make Washington wobble U.S. Not a Threat After All By: Alexander Golts | The Moscow Times
Every year, the Russian Defense Ministry holds one of its most important conferences in which all generals are present and the president gives the key address. We usually learn details about new military reforms and weapons programs. But this year's meeting was unlike any of the previous ones Crisis Opens Door to Reprivatization By: Anna Smolochenko | The Moscow Times
The government denies that its bailout measures might lead to a broad redistribution of property or that it will end up owning private companies. But First Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov has acknowledged that the rescue package will likely be accompanied with abuse Russia To Cut Oil export Duty by Third By: Isabel Gorst | Financial Times
Russia plans to cut its oil export duties by a third next month, offering much-needed relief to companies that have been making a loss on their crude exports. Exporting oil from Russia, the world’s second biggest producer, has become unprofitable as a result of the fall in the price of crude and heavy taxation |
| H13 The Times Hillary is not right for the job Obama should resist the temptation of Clinton as Secretary of State. He could never sack herBronwen Maddox Britain strikes spy-deal with Syrians Syria has one of the best intelligence systems in the region specialising in tracking the movements of Islamists into Iraq Obama close to naming black attorney generalA series of reports claimed Eric Holder had accepted an offer from the president-elect to head the Justice Department Maritime terrorism Modern piracy finances extremism. It must be shown no mercy We must defend our high seas It is time for international action to control the precious ocean life beneath the waves as well as the dramas on the surface Frank Pope Grain ship seized as pirates hold world to ransom Alarm grows as governments and navies are rendered legally powerless to conduct security operations on the high seas Wall Street Journal Iraq Pact Strips Contractors' Immunity The new deal covering the U.S. military presence in Iraq strips private security contractors of legal protections. Pakistan's Bailout REVIEW & OUTLOOK
The IMF plan isn't a substitute for reform. Has the worst of financial crisis passed? Paulson says yes Taking care not to declare victory, Secretary of the Treasury Henry Paulson told Congress on Tuesday that the unprecedented rescue efforts over the past eight weeks appear to have prevented the collapse of financial markets and returned them to a semblance of normalcy. He said he doesn't expect to spend the rest of the $700 billion bailout What the Bush Years Really Cost Us - Joseph Stiglitz, Mother Jones From Der Spiegel, Nobel Prize winners Edmund Phelps, Robert Lucas, Reinhard Selten, Joseph Stiglitz and Paul Samuelson share their views on what the future global finance order should look like. Time to Bail Out: Alternatives to the Bush-Paulson Plan
Source: Levy Economics Institute of Bard College US car firms ask for $25bn aid The bosses of the three biggest US carmakers, Ford, GM and Chrysler, ask Congress for a $25bn bail-out | H14 Financial Times Ahmadi-Nejad ally appointed interior minister Iran’s parliament has narrowly approved one of President Mahmoud Ahmadi-Nejad’s closest allies as interior minister ahead of elections in June Oil groups expect $40 barrel – CNOOC head More than 60% of investment projects face cancellation Obama in talks with Gates on Pentagon role President-elect Barack Obama and Robert Gates are negotiating terms under which the defence secretary would remain as Pentagon chief in his administration, the Financial Times has learned Senators cool to pleas by big three Republican senators attacked US car industry pleas for a bail-out, arguing that the Detroit-based companies should consider bankruptcy protection instead Obama focuses on results in cabinet selection Barack Obama is already contending with allegations that his administration is being colonised by ‘Clintonistas’, says Edward Luce John Kay: Obama is right to opt for pragmatism The ‘third way’ of Blair and Clinton degenerated into platitude and vacuity. Can the president-elect do better, asks John Kay UK urges Syria to resume Israel peace talks David Miliband, UK foreign secretary, said Syria had an ‘essential role’ to play in the stability of the Middle East and urged Damascus to press ahead with peace talks with Israe Superman wanted for US Treasury It is crucial the new secretary has the president’s confidence and can lead a high-calibre team to fight the most serious financial crisis since the 1930s Eurozone membership is still no answer for UK In an uncertain world, an economy needs mechanisms of adjustment. The exchange rate is the most powerful such mechanism. Today’s extreme circumstances have made the case for retaining exchange-rate flexibility not weaker, but stronger, writes Martin Wolf Regulation should be international Carmen Reinhart and Kenneth Rogoff on risk Detroit spinners? As cash dwindles for the big three US carmakers and rescue plans reach Congress, the costs of failure are large Call for navies to seek out pirates’ ships Another merchant vessel is captured Car companies request €40bn loan from EU bank Bulgaria brushes aside warning signs The European Union’s poorest member insists it can weather the global financial crisis in spite of being downgraded by rating agencies and having a drop of 48% in investment inflows Call to drop EU migrant curbsMember states should drop restrictions on workers from newer EU countries as evidence shows free movement helps satisfy labour and skills shortages, says Commission Scientists from poor countries need the west’s help Heather Ferguson on postgraduate training | H15 Los Angeles Times Iraq's Maliki defends security pact The revised plan calls for complete U.S. troop withdrawal by the end of 2011. Parliament factions who want immediate withdrawal and more U.S. concessions have doubts about the plan A guide to the U.S. security agreement with Iraq As Iraq's parliament plans to vote on a deal that would set Dec. 31, 2011, as the end date for U.S. occupation, The Times answers questions about the pact. EditorialIraq Withdrawal Plan Offers a Ray of Hope – IRAN: Tehran warily eyeing Iraq-US deal | Babylon & Beyond | Los ... Lincoln & the Myth of 'Team of Rivals' - Matthew Pinsker, Los Angeles Times By Borzou Daragahi and Edmund Sanders The Hong Kong-flagged cargo ship Delight and 25 people aboard are captured, just days after suspected Somali pirates commandeered the Saudi-owned oil tanker Sirius Sta By Julian E. Barnes Forces will continue pursuing extremists in the east despite the brutal weather, says Gen. David McKiernan |
| H16 American Politics The Case Against Hillary - David Ignatius, Washington Post Hillary could reject State offer — Hillary Rodham Clinton isn't certain she would accept the Secretary of State post even if Barack Obama offers it to her, several people close to the former first lady say Demetri Sevastopulo / Financial Times: Obama in talks with Gates on Pentagon role Cabinet post for Clinton roils Obamaland Paul Richter / Los Angeles Times:
Holbrooke lobbying to be secretary of State From TAP, Michael Lind reviews Constitutional Patriotism by Jan-Werner Muller; and Robert Borosage and Stanley Greenberg on the Emerging Center-Left Majority. Two for the Price of Two - Maureen Dowd, New York Times
The Great Right Hope: Hillary Clinton? - Noemie Emery, Weekly Standard
Michael Isikoff / Powering Up: Obama's Attorney General — President-elect Obama has decided to tap Eric Holder as his attorney general, putting the veteran Washington lawyer in place to become the first African-American to head the Justice Department, according to two legal sources close to the presidential transition Obama To Name Peter Orszag As Budget Director Vice president, former AG, state senator indicted — McALLEN, Texas — A South Texas grand jury has indicted Vice President Dick Cheney and former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales on charges related to the alleged abuse of prisoners in Willacy County's federal detention centers OBAMA'S TOP NSA AND CIA PICKS: HARSH ON ISRAEL, SYMPATHETIC TO IRAN AND HEZBOLLAH realclearpolitics memeorandum Daily Beast Cheat Sheet Politico ABC’s The Note – MSNBC FirstRead – Time ThePage Politico Playbook PoliticsHome fivethirtyeight US News Political Bulletin Democrats Gain as Stevens Loses His Senate Race — Hagel, Unrestrained, Lashes Into Bush, Rush And The GOP Jonah Goldberg / Los Angeles Times: ‘No’ to Obama's experimental government The Flying Spaghetti Monster: The American military space program in perpetual crisis. The Flying Spaghetti Monster: The American military space program in perpetual crisis. Analysis: Obama won as more minorities, fewer whites voted | | H18 Independent The Big Question: Why has piracy exploded off the coast of Somalia, and how can it be stopped? Leading article: The US car industry is stalled on a road to nowhere Leading article: The US car industry is stalled on a road to nowhere |
| H19 Military Intelligence Terrorism Mullen Issues Guidance Listing Priorities for Joint Staff – AFPS Guardian An old army in a new war The Pakistani army is engaged in a gritty battle with Afghan militants in a border area where it has never had authority. Jason Burke reports from Loesam A Blow against Basque Terror Group: Will ETA Now Become Even More Violent? The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen, released his guidance for 2008-2009 on 17 November. The Big Question: Why has piracy exploded off the coast of Somalia, and how can it be stopped? Leader of the Year: General Petraeus - Lisa DePaulo, GQ Magazine Pirates of the Gulf - Dennis Sampson & Nikolas Gvosdev, IHT Missile Defense: Stakes Rising on Obama's 1st Test - Peter Brookes, NY Post Words Won't Scare Al-Qaeda - Ralph Peters, New York Post The Flying Spaghetti Monster: The American military space program in perpetual crisis. Fact Sheet: General Aviation
Source: U.S. Department of Homeland Security Danger Room Debrief: Gang Threat Could Top Al Qaeda, Mr. President-Elect by Noah Shachtman at Wired Magazine's Danger Room US Admiral 'Stunned' by Pirates' Reach - Agence France-Presse US Admiral 'Stunned' by Pirates' Reach - Agence France-Presse Estonian Spy Scandal Shakes NATO and EU By: Holger Stark | Der Spiegel For years an Estonian government official has apparently been collecting the most intimate secrets of NATO and the EU -- and passing them on to the Russians. The case is a disaster for Brussels | H20 Slate Can We Really Negotiate With the Taliban?
We must reach out to willing factions. But first they must believe we can win.
Fred Kaplan Drone Ask, Drone Tell
How Pakistan learned to stop worrying and love the killing machines.
William Saleta An important new education report on 21st-century skills concludes that many students still don't graduate with the abilities today's jobs require. (By Scot Lehigh, Globe Columnist) Speculation a Major Contributor to Global Food Crisis, New Report (PDF; 155 KB) Source: Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy | H21 Life magazine photo collection goes online From Marilyn Monroe to Barack Obama, 10 million images to be made available on Google Study: Unhappy people watch more TV World's first transplant of lab-grown organ British doctors have helped to perform the world's first transplant of a whole organ grown from stem cells, signalling a significant medical breakthrough. From New Scientist, a look at how warfare shaped human evolution. Magicians manipulate focus and intensity of human attention, controlling what we are aware of and when. Their illusions are useful for grasping neuroscience... more» Barry Nalebuff on how game theory can save your relationship and everything else. An interview with Malcolm Gladwell, author of Outliers: The Story of Success (and more and more and more and more and more and more and an interview and an excerpt on why Asian children are better at maths). Kay Hymowitz on Love in the Time of Darwinism: A report from the chaotic postfeminist dating scene, where only the strong survive. Mark Steel: Why do people cling to the myth of the nuclear family? The discovery of a 4,600-year-old grave containing a mother, father, and two sons in Germany provides the first evidence that the nuclear family existed in the Stone Age, a rather happy discovery except for one thing: They were murdered. George Packer / New Yorker: AFTER KRISTOL … It's time for the newspaper to move on. For Pinch Sulzberger and Andy Rosenthal to renew Kristol's one-year contract, in 2009, would be for the Times to reward failure—and look where that got Wall Street and General Motors.
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