112608f - FOREIGN PRESS REVIEW (FPR) - ‘Relevant news, views, comments and analyses for informed debate’ Compiled by Şanlı Bahadır Koç U.S. / Britain / Turkey / Magazines / Think-tanks / Blogs / Misc /Books / Quickread / Numbers / Reports - Subscribe to FPR FPR Table - H4 NYT WP GU H7 ME Isr H10 CSM IHT Eur FSU Asia H13 Times WSJ FT LAT H16 USP DT Ind H19 Mil Int Ter Wonk H21 Misc

H1 Wall Street Journal Vote on Withdrawal Bares Tensions in Iraq As parliament prepares to vote on a U.S.-Baghdad security pact, tension is building over how Iraq's ethnicities will live together once U.S. troops withdraw

 Al Qaeda Shifts Focus to Pakistan Al Qaeda has shifted its focus from Iraq to Pakistan and has stepped up efforts to destabilize that nation, a top U.S. military commander said.

McClatchy U.S. staying silent on its view of Iraq pact until after vote U.S. officials disagree with the Iraqi interpretation of key elements of the Iraq-U.S. agreement that sets a deadline for U.S. troops to withdraw from Iraq. But they've kept silent about those disagreements for fear of upsetting the likely approval Wednesday of the accord in the Iraqi parliament. Among the points of contention: Whether the U.S. could launch an attack on Iraq's neighbors from Iraqi territory, a provision that has been critical to easing Iranian objections to the pact.

Christian Science Monitor

Discontent over Maliki threatens US-Iraqi security pact Wednesday's vote on a security pact to allow US troops to remain in Iraq for three more years is being seen as a referendum on Prime Minister Maliki's performance.

Obama's Foreign Policy: Buying in at the Bottom - Robert Kaplan, Atlantic

New York Times U.S. Plans $800 Billion in Lending to Ease Crisis The Fed and the Treasury signaled that they would print as much money as needed to revive the banking system. CNBC Video: Paulson News Conference - Remarks | Q&A Part 1 | Q&A Part 2

Obama Plans to Retain Gates at Defense Department President-elect Barack Obama will keep Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates as a show of continuity in a time of war, Democrats close to the transition said.

For Biden, No Portfolio but the Role of a Counselor

Ex-Diplomat Says Georgia Started War With Russia

U.S. Presses NATO on Georgia and Ukraine

Backers of Iraq-U.S. Pact Seek Votes in Parliament

THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN

All Fall Down After a near total breakdown of responsibility at every link in our financial chain, now we either bail out the people who brought us here or risk a systemic crash. These are the wages of our sins

Washington Post For Obama, a Syria Solution First A Middle East Deal Obama Could Build On

By Aaron David Miller, It is the best way to approach Arab-Israeli peacemaking

MESH Solving the Iranian dilemma

Los Angeles Times Iraq lawmakers make demands before security pact vote Sunnis want concerns including political reforms and amnesty for prisoners addressed before lending support to a deal on the fate of U.S. forces in Iraq

Pakistan spy agency dissolves its 'political wing'The unit has been linked to rigged elections and intimidation of opponents. Some commentators are skeptical that the move means real change

Foreign Policy Seven Questions: Gilles Kepel

Financial Times Fed adds $800bn to boost borrowing Mortgage-backed assets to be bought up

OECD forecasts four quarters of contraction The US and eurozone are poised to suffer four consecutive quarters of contracting output that will not end until the middle of 2009, according to the Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development’s latest forecast

The vision thing Even the most bearish economic forecasters failed to foresee the full ramifications of the financial crisis

Why fairly valued stock markets are an opportunity Alongside the possibility of the most damaging slowdown since the second world war, there is good news: stock markets are attractively priced. This should have enticing implications for audacious governments, writes Martin Wolf

How Europe can respond to Obama Chris Patten on mulitilateralism

The right focus for Obama’s fiscal plan Besides identifying measures that stand the best chance of leading the way to recovery, being clear about how these will be

Guardian  Obama's choice of a team of rivals says much about the president he will be Jonathan Freedland: Tough, unsentimental, no naive liberal: the next leader has picked people to carry out his vision. But will Hillary play ball?

Ha’aretz – Israel asks Bush to explain its 'special relationship' with U.S. to ObamaIsraeli officials concerned Obama may push arms control that could weaken Israel's strategic deterrence

Aluf Benn: Obama's challenge will be to persuade Netanyahu to advance peace

Boston Globe US-Iraq agreement needs work

The former prime minister of Iraq isn't sold on the Status of Forces Agreement that could be voted on this week. (By Ayad Allawi, Boston Globe)

Bush should include Congress

President Bush's go-it-alone approach to the Iraq agreement sets a dangerous precedent. (By Bill Delahunt and Oona Hathaway, Boston Globe)

William Pfaff Bush’s Follies Will Destroy Obama If He Lets Them

Independent Hamish McRae: Will the world economy really start to grow next year?

American Conservative Planet Obama By Theodore Dalrymple
The world is enraptured with the new president, but his election is not the end of history

Dan Drezner Battle of the All-Star Cabinets

“A New U.S. Policy For Syria,” by Seth Kaplan

H2 Obama’nın güvenlik ekibi Türkiye’ye yakın

Başbakan’la Avrupalı parlamenterler arasında azınlık tartışması

Erdoğan: AB için halka soracağız

Dire Consequences May Await Kurds When American Troops Exit Iraq Kurdish Aspect

Ferment and Fetters in the Study of Kurdish Nationalism Monthly Review

AP:2009 yılında da reform yapılmazsa müzakerelerin bir anlamı kalmaz

A Turan Alkan Tırnak içindeki 'Kürdistan'

Diyasporadan köstek

Turkish Ambassador Admonishes Pres. Obama on Armenian Issues, By H Sassounian

Mehmet Kamış Batı'nın Ermeni ikiyüzlülüğü

Cyprus President Condemns Turkey Oil 'Provocation'

Sami Kohen Erivan ile normal ilişkilere doğru...

Üçüncü temas Helsinki’de

Independent Germany says 'Yes We Cem' as first Turk takes charge of mainstream political party

İç Basında Türk Dış Politikası Dış Basında Türkiye - BBC Turkish 0700 VOA TSİ 06:30 Turkish Press Review Google News Turkey TurcoPundit ASAM

Google News Fırat News Agency KurdishMedia Kurdish Kurdish Aspect Dış Basında Irak BBC Monitoring Inter-national

Dire Consequences May Await Kurds When American Troops Exit Iraq Kurdish Aspect

İran ve Suriye, PKK'nın etrafındaki çemberi daraltıyor

Ferment and Fetters in the Study of Kurdish Nationalism
Monthly Review

Northern Iraq knows it needs Turkey, says AK Party deputy

Cevdet Aşkın

A Turan Alkan Tırnak içindeki 'Kürdistan'

Yalçın Doğan Apo son olarak Marx, Lenin ve Kürtleri aşmış

Bu ülkede bazen çileden çıkıyorum

Kuzey Irak’ta tarihi boru hattı anlaşması Türkiye’nin Irak’la ilgili kırmızı çizgilerinden biri tarih oluyor. Irak, Kürt bölgesinde üretilen petrolü Kerkük, Yumurtalık boru hattından taşıyacak

PKK, Veli Küçük'le bağlantısını kabul etti -

YÖK’ten Kürtçe için sıcak mesaj

Sadi Somuncuoğlu Türkiye'nin temel sorunu nedir? Kararı siz verin

İBRAHİM KARAGÜL

'İşkence gemileri' Somali kıyılarında

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

AP:2009 yılında da reform yapılmazsa müzakerelerin bir anlamı kalmaz

Cyprus President Condemns Turkey Oil 'Provocation'

Diyasporadan köstek

Turkish Ambassador Admonishes Pres. Obama on Armenian Issues, By H Sassounian

Bahçeli'den Lagendijk'a: Anayasa değişikliği için CHP ikna edilmeli

ABHaber-Analiz:Hristofyas müzakerelere yoğunlaşmaktan başka her şeyi yapıyor !

Kıbrıs müzakerelerinde ilk ciddi gerilim

Türkiye’den Rum petrol arama gemisine engel

Talat-Hristofyas görüşmesinde Türkiye gerginliği

"Raporum Türkiye'yi yansıtan bir ayna olacak"

Erdoğan: AB için halka soracağız

Lagendijk: Akreditasyon iptali korkunç bir şey

Siyah bir başkan seçebileceğimizi hiç düşünmemiştim

Ankara'dan Ermeni bakana protokol jesti

AP’den Erdoğan’a özgür basın vurgusu

Hope prevails on Armenian border

Sami Kohen Erivan ile normal ilişkilere doğru...

Bakan Yazıcıoğlu, Almanya'nın camileri dinlemesini şikâyet etti

Yağmur Atsız AK Parti’nin fincancı katırları

Independent Germany says 'Yes We Cem' as first Turk takes charge of mainstream political party

Alman okullarında Türkçe fırtınası

'Türk liderin hayatı büyük tehlikede'

Hedo Okur Tuncay Nihat Altintop

Ulaştırma Bakanı Yıldırım YouTube'a el attı

Türk medyasında aşk birinci, seks ikinci sırada

İstanbul için proje çok anafikir yok

Genç Siviller'e ABD daveti

H3 Gazetelerde Bugün

Tuncay Güney MİT'in İpek'iydi

TSK, Gül’ü sindiremedi
Mehmet Ali Kışlalı

Erdoğan'ın askerle 'işi' var!

TSK, meşruiyet için hükûmete muhtaç -

O köstebek astsubay çıktı

Varoşta kimse sultan değil

Çarşaf siyasi simge değil

Paşa'nın dönme planı

İŞTE O KOĞUŞ

Ergün Poyraz’dan Ergenekon incileri

Tuncay Güney kaseti savcılıktan istendi

Deniz Feneri e.V. paravan, paralar Türkiye’de

Akman'ın mal varlığı araştırılıyor

Siyasette büyük uzlaşma

Kadınların yüzde 70'i başını örtüyor, çarşaf Anadolu geleneği

Yazıcı:Fişleme iddiası senaryo

Türbanla başörtüsüyle hasım değiliz

Başbakan Erdoğan'dan 'puslu hava' mesajıAKP’nin Meclis’teki grup toplantısında konuşan Başbakan Erdoğan ‘Krizi fırsata dönüştürecek primi kimseye vermeye niyetli değiliz’ dedi

Danıştay davasında 'Ergenekon' görmezden gelindi

Ergenekon sanığı: Kapatma davasında iddianameyi YARSAV başkanı hazırladı

Kılıçdaroğlu: Yolsuzluk dosyaları sürecek

‘Bizi de mi dinliyorsun Ramazan’

Yargının ağır sorunlarını Başbakan’a anlattı

Her işsize 150 YTL maaş müjdesi

Yüksek Hegemonya: HSYK

"Ergenekon'da Atatürkçüler sindirilmeye çalışılıyor"

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

Cengiz Çandar Obama'ya dair ipuçları; 'restorasyon' ya da 'transformasyon'

Ahmet Taşgetiren Farkındalık farkı

Ruşen - Çakır

Taha Akyol Sosyalist ekonomi

Fikret Bila Çiçek: Demokratik tövbe gerekiyor

Hasan Cemal Bravo Baykal, sakın ola yolundan sapma!..

Murat Yetkin Rozetler savaşı

İsmet Berkan CHP kalesi düşer mi?

Fehmi Koru Evet, şimdi

Taha Kıvanç Kriz mi, kimin krizi?

Şamil Tayyar İmralı’ya yeni paket mi var?

Eser Karakaş Alevi ve Kürt meseleleri

Mustafa Akyol Türk medyasından utanmak

Ali Bayramoğlu Kuvvet virüsü…

Yasemin Çongar

Ertuğrul Özkök Tanrı yazar dönemi kapandı

Hasan Ünal

Ahmet Hakan Bravo Erdoğan bravo Baykal

M Ali Birand Ankara'nın tuzu kuru...

Cüneyt Ülsever Olumlu gelişmeler eşiğinde

Sabahattin Önkibar İstanbul'u kaybederse AKP'de çöküş başlar!

Enis Berberoğlu

Oktay Ekşi Unutulan husus

Özdemir İnce Anayasa tiyatrosunda ortaoyunu (2)

Mehmet Y Yılmaz

MUHARREM SARIKAYA Reel sektöre 36 milyar 711 milyonluk kaynak

Nuray Başaran AKP Ankara'da derin kriz

Oray Eğin Cemaat’e katıl, 700 bin dolar kazan

ERDAL ŞAFAK KDV kimin umurunda

Atılgan Bayar
Necla Arat ile Fehmi Koru nasıl aynı safa düştü?

ENGİN ARDIÇ

ERGUN BABAHAN Başörtüsünü kim çözebilir?

EMRE AKÖZ

Umur Talu

Baykal ve ‘derin’ hesaplar...

Erhan BAŞYURT

Gülay Göktürk

Cumhurbaşkanı Gül'ün bizi şaşırtmasını bekliyoruz

[Yorum - M.Naci Bostancı] Toplumun mahrem siyasetindeki AKP

[Yorum - Herkül Millas] Sözlü dalaşma üzerine

Mehmet Altan 2009’da bize kaç para lazım?

Mustafa Karaalioğlu Rating işinden anlaşılan: sistem değişmeli

Hayırlı tartışma’: Çarşaf...

ORAL ÇALIŞLAR

Vahim ama ciddi değil

HALUK ŞAHİN

Gereken yapılıyor mu?

MEHMET ALİ KIŞLALI

Baykal ne yapmamalı?

AVNİ ÖZGÜREL

HASAN BÜLENT KAHRAMAN Öteki Amerika: Yaratıcılık ve özgürlük

NAZLI ILICAK Atatürk çarşafa karşı değildi

MEHMET BARLAS Türkiye'nin yarını daima dününden daha iyi ve daha ileri olmuştur...

Etyen Mahçupyan Değiştirilemeyen Cumhuriyetle demokrasi olur mu?

Mustafa Ünal Rozet yarışında son durum

Ali Bulaç Aleviler ve Sünniler

MAHMUT ÖVÜR

YAVUZ DONAT Atatürk çarşafa karşı değildi

Ekonomi

Ege Cansen Yüksek faiz brokoli değildir

Güngör Uras Dokunmayın çiçeklere (bankalara), yazık olur emeklere

ABDURRAHMAN YILDIRIM

Ercan Kumcu

Erdal Sağlam

Ekonomik pakette mucize yok

IMF ile pazarlık tasarrufta yoğunlaşıyor

İhracatta kırmızı alarm

Hurşit Güneş Amerikalının morali bozulunca Türklerin de bozuluyor

Turkey is tied to global economy

Fin Pan-European Enstitüsü'nden Türkiye ekonomisi raporu

Bankalarımız

MUSTAFA AYSAN

Citigroup operasyonu

METİN ERCAN

Kamu harcaması çözer mi?

UĞUR GÜRSES

İ.Hüseyin Yıldız
Herkes gider Mersin’e biz gideriz tersine

Deniz Gökçe
Dünyanın hali dalgalı...

İBRAHİM KAHVECİ

Faizci cenneti Türkiye'm ve “üçüncü yol”

Servet Yıldırım Amerika'da yanıldık acaba Çin dünyayı kurtarır mı

Durgunluk Uyarılarına OECD de Katıldı

OECD Türkiye'de ekonomik büyümenin yüzde 2'nin altına ineceğini hesaplıyor

H4 New York Times U.S. Plans $800 Billion in Lending to Ease Crisis The Fed and the Treasury signaled that they would print as much money as needed to revive the banking system. CNBC Video: Paulson News Conference - Remarks | Q&A Part 1 | Q&A Part 2

Obama Plans to Retain Gates at Defense Department President-elect Barack Obama will keep Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates as a show of continuity in a time of war, Democrats close to the transition said.

For Biden, No Portfolio but the Role of a Counselor

Ex-Diplomat Says Georgia Started War With Russia

U.S. Presses NATO on Georgia and Ukraine

Backers of Iraq-U.S. Pact Seek Votes in Parliament

THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN

All Fall Down After a near total breakdown of responsibility at every link in our financial chain, now we either bail out the people who brought us here or risk a systemic crash. These are the wages of our sins.

Monetary Fund Approves $7.6 Billion Loan to Pakistan

Palestinian Forces Dilute Hebron’s Volatile Brew

Iran Arrests 3 Militia Volunteers as Israeli Spies

To Soldiers, Bush Describes Wide Benefits From 2 Wars

H5 Washington Post For Obama, a Syria Solution First A Middle East Deal Obama Could Build On

By Aaron David Miller, It is the best way to approach Arab-Israeli peacemaking

U.S. Moves to Revive Consumer Lending New $800 Billion Effort Seeks to Lower Rates on Mortgages and Other Loans

Agreement Near for Gates to Stay On as Defense Secretary Move Would Offer Wartime Stability

Editorial Buying Time Meet your new mortgage banker: Fed Chairman Ben S. Bernanke.

Name Those Cuts Barack Obama needs to show what fiscal sacrifice looks like.

No New Torture Probes

By Jack Goldsmith, Simply let the many current investigations run their course.

In Sea Exercises, A Sign for Obama

Chávez to Remain a Challenge for U.S.

Restore TARP to Its Original Purpose By Peter Ackerman and John Vogelstein, Buying distressed mortgage assets is the best way for the market to understand the losses that banks face.

H6 Guardian  Obama's choice of a team of rivals says much about the president he will be Jonathan Freedland: Tough, unsentimental, no naive liberal: the next leader has picked people to carry out his vision. But will Hillary play ball?

US pumps extra $800bn into system Record house price fall overshadows attempt by Federal Reserve to free up mortgage and loan lending

 Obama supplants Bush to set out spending plan Barack Obama defends shift to centre stage on the economic crisis during second press conference in two days

What dividend from detente? Simon Tisdall: Any stability Pakistan might gain by a relaxation of tension with India over Kashmir is threatened by a US 'surge' in Afghanistan

A future we must build together

Jo Littler: The progressive future: Grassroots organisations, community groups, NGOs and unions – these are the places from which hope for the left springs

Mr President: spend, spend, spend

John Maynard Keynes: The United States is ready to roll towards prosperity, if a good hard shove can be given in the next six months

Europe and the global food crisis

Michel Barnier: EU food production levels must be held steady – for the sake of Europeans and of people in the world's poorest countries

A sterling idea John Stevens: For Britain, joining the euro would soften the blow of the recession and preserve the advances of the last decade

 Locked out This financial crisis began with housing, and any hope of its ending must lie with housing



Battle Royal Editorial: Never before has the sight of Socialists tearing themselves apart given so much succour to the French right

 Politkovskaya killing ordered by politician, lawyers claim

Motive for murder was revenge for her critical reporting, said defence lawyer, Murat Musayev

A telling reminder of our enduring captivity to myth Madeleine Bunting: From all the stories of Babylon, our culture fixed on the idea that diversity of people and language can bring only disaster

H7 William Pfaff Bush’s Follies Will Destroy Obama If He Lets Them

American Conservative Planet Obama By Theodore Dalrymple
The world is enraptured with the new president, but his election is not the end of history

Hedge Fund Historian PDF
By Philip Delves Broughton
The Ascent of Money: A Financial History of the World by Niall Ferguson

Bush comfortable on the SOFA
When Iraqi parliamentarians vote on Wednesday on whether or not to endorse a security pact with the United States, many of them will not have had the opportunity to study the finer points. Perhaps all they need to know is that the Pentagon and President George W Bush are very comfortable with it. - Pepe Escoba

Global Insights: Charting the Global Future By: Richard Weitz | World Politics Review
The National Intelligence Council released Global Trends 2025 last week, deliberately timed to inform the thinking of the incoming Obama administration about the broader strategic challenges and opportunities it will confront upon assuming office on Jan. 20, 2009 -- and before it becomes overwhelmed by daily duties.

Abdullah's U.N. Ploy By: David Keyes | National Review
King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia deserves a medal. In mid-November, he inaugurated a two-day conference at the U.N. aimed at promoting dialogue. Abdullah should be awarded a medal not because he called for plurality, tolerance, and moderation, but because he did so with a straight face.

The Mosque and the Imam By: Stephen Schwartz | The Weekly Standard The Islamic Center in Washington, D.C., is among the most prominent and opulent Muslim prayer houses in America. It displays the national flags of Muslim countries out front and makes obvious to thousands of passing motorists that the faith of Muhammad has a place in America

Obama's Next Arab Headache - Ginny Hill, Slate

An Inside Look at Islamic Militants - Los Angeles Times

Enemy of Our Enemy PDF
By Neil Clark Syria is a natural ally in the war on terror.

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

Iraqis negotiate on security pact

Analysts said the pact under discussion goes far beyond a typical status-of-forces agreement in giving significant oversight powers for U.S. military activity to the Iraqis.

Sunni Arab Support Key to US-Iraq Security Deal

Iraq Leaders Press Lawmakers to Approve Security Pact With US

Iraq's international 'Contact group' becoming stronger?

Iraq jails 'terribly overcrowded'

The BBC uncovers evidence of serious overcrowding and poor living conditions in one of Iraq's prisons.

Kuwait government 'to step down'
The government of Kuwait tenders its resignation, in an effort to stop MPs questioning the prime minister, reports say

H9 Ha’aretz – Israel asks Bush to explain its 'special relationship' with U.S. to ObamaIsraeli officials concerned Obama may push arms control that could weaken Israel's strategic deterrence

Aluf Benn: Obama's challenge will be to persuade Netanyahu to advance peace

Documents show IDF killed wanted men against court guidelines

Jerusalem PostOlmert: Peace agreement with Palestinians is possible soon

PM says "in principle nothing prevents us from reaching agreement;" says US has "not tied Israel's hands" on Iran or Gaza

How not to negotiate with Syria

Whoever leaked defense establishment document has weakened our hand.

Arab peace or Durban war?

[ GERALD M. STEINBERG

Yedioth Ahronoth

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

Israeli Hawks Ready to Fly on Iran - Paul Sheehan, Sydney Morning Herald

Clip and Save: Amos Gilad interview shows mindset driving Israeli policy today

Wishful Thinking and Iran: New Governments in Israel and the U.S.

Israel bans press in the Gaza Strip

For nearly three weeks Israel has blocked access to the Gaza Strip. Foreign journalists are challenging the Gaza ban in court, calling it a 'blow' to freedom of the press.

CSM In the name of peace, Israelis and Palestinians should become European Membership in the EU would be a win-win-win.

Gaza power cut blamed on blockade
The only power plant in the Gaza Strip is shut by energy authorities who say Israel will not allow the urgent delivery of spare parts

H10 Christian Science Monitor

Discontent over Maliki threatens US-Iraqi security pact Wednesday's vote on a security pact to allow US troops to remain in Iraq for three more years is being seen as a referendum on Prime Minister Maliki's performance.

US unveils new $800 billion plan to loosen credit The money will go to unfreeze mortgage and consumer lending.

Obama's nimble economics

In the name of peace, Israelis and Palestinians should become European

Membership in the EU would be a win-win-win.

Signs of thaw in bitter South Asian dispute

Trade reopens after 60 years along Kashmir's 'Berlin Wall.'

In switch, Obama emphasizes belt-tightening

Once the economy starts growing again, he wants to cut programs that have 'outlived their usefulness.'

ASIA

Room for Asian Influence in G-20 Structure By: Michael Richardson | The Japan Times
The rotating chairmanship of the G20, taken from regional groups of countries, gives Asia plenty of opportunity to increase its influence in managing the world economy

Islamabad tries to Take Military Out of Politics By: Farhan Bokhar and James Lamont | Financial Times
Pakistan’s government has disbanded the political wing of the Inter-Services Intelligence, the notorious military-run spy agency, in a bold move intended to reduce sharply the military’s influence in politics.

Philip Bowring: China can't help

Pakistani Feelers to India - Financial Times

What dividend from detente? Simon Tisdall: Any stability Pakistan might gain by a relaxation of tension with India over Kashmir is threatened by a US 'surge' in Afghanistan

 India's urban poor are being squeezed for living space 55% of urban population live in just 5.5 sq m - the minimum specified for US prisoners

Financial Crisis May Worsen Poverty in China, India CFR

India Should Trust President Zardari - Amit Baruah, Hindustan Times

Military Intelligence: In an editorial, the paper comments on an official statement that the political wing of Pakistan's military intelligence service, the ISI, has been disbanded. There is hardly any leading politician in the country who will mourn this alleged demise, it judges.

The Long War in Afghanistan - M. Gebauer, S. Koelbl & C. Meyer, Der Spiege

IMF's double-edged rescue for Pakistan
The International Monetary Fund's US$7.6 billion credit line will help Pakistan avert an economic meltdown caused by the government's "trust deficit", but analysts are afraid the harsh conditions linked to the deal could convert the financial mess into a political crisis. - Syed Fazl-e-Haider

Border control

US and Pakistan strategies on the Afghan frontier

Afghan progress

On patrol with the marines fighting UK's ongoing war

For China and Taiwan, a Welcome Thaw By: Syd Goldsmith | The Christian Science Monitor
We are witnessing a maturing relationship in which the antagonists have agreed to put aside the issue that has divided them for 60 years in favor of getting practical benefits

Did Britain Just Sell Tibet? By: Robert Barnett | The New York Times
As Western powers struggle with the huge scale of the measures needed to revive their economies, they have turned increasingly to China.

Karzai Demands 'Timeline' for End of Occupation

Put Up or Shut Up Time for U.S. in Pakistan By: Thomas Houlahan | The Middle East Times
The U.S. government has been quick to lecture our Pakistani allies about their duty to fight terrorists and to constantly demand that they do more. However, so far, the United States has not been willing to give Pakistan the aid it needs to successfully wage that war

Russia-Japan Relations Remain 'Stunted' Despite Growing Economic Ties By: Jason Miks | World Politics Review
At last week's Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, Japan and Russia had been expected to announce plans for a visit by Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin to Japan by the end of this year. But the decision to instead postpone the visit until early next year is a fair reflection of the state of political relations between the two nations -- technically still at war -- in recent years

U.S. to Boost Presence Near Kabul By: Candace Rondeaux | The Washington Post
As the United States and NATO attempt to stamp out an increasingly potent insurgency on the doorstep of the Afghan capital, the senior U.S. Army commander in eastern Afghanistan said he plans to send hundreds of troops to two volatile provinces immediately south of Kabul that have traditionally lacked Western forces.

Pakistan army, Afghanistan war , Shaun Gregory

Japan and the Global Financial Meltdown - Council on Foreign Relations

Geithner a balm for Japan's Clinton trauma
Japan's experiences of dealing with Democratic presidents has given them cause to be wary of the latest change in the White House. The appointment of Japanese-speaking Timothy Geithner as the next Treasury secretary will go some way to easing their concerns. - Kosuke Takahashi

Spark of Hope for Afghans - Hamid Karzai, The Australian opinion

H11 IHT U.S. starts diplomatic offensive on NATO membership for Georgia and Ukraine NATO envoys are already divided over the U.S. initiative and up to 10 countries, including France and Germany, opposed the proposal to allow the countries to bypass normal procedures.

Citing graft, EU cancels €220 million subsidy to Bulgaria By STEPHEN CASTLE

The European Union took the unprecedented step Tuesday, effectively declaring that the Balkan country was too corrupt and prone to fraud to receive the subsidies.

EUROPE European press review

American Prospect How to Repair Our Relationship With Europe

Transatlantic Trends : Immigration German Marshall Fund

The Czech Republic's highest court delayed a ruling (Deutsche-Welle) on whether the European Union's constitutional reform treaty can coexist with the Czech constitution.

Bulgaria loses €220m of EU funding over corruption The persistent failure to tackle corruption and organised crime in Bulgaria punished with the withdrawal of funds

Europe to set out economic plans

EU member states are being urged to sign up to an economic recovery plan proposed by the European Commission.

Spending spree Can the EU manage a stimulus package across 27 nations?

Der Spiegel 'False Labeling' in Brussels: EU Ready to Present Stimulus Package

German Spy Scandal: Kosovo Claims to Have Video of 'Terrorism'

Greenland votes for more autonomy
A referendum shows 75% of people in Greenland back a new deal giving more autonomy from Denmark.

H12 RFE/RL

Former Saakashvili Ally Enters Opposition By: Rikard Jozwiak | European Voice
Nino Burjanadze, a key figure in the Rose Revolution, sets up a new party, attacks the Georgian president over the conflict with Russia and promises to be a ‘predictable' partner of the West

Geopolitical Diary: High-Stakes Talks Between Kiev and Moscow

Russia says US mercenaries, others fought for Georgia

Russia's Weakness: In an editorial, the paper comments on Russia's continuing problems in the Caucasus region. History has shown that when Russia is weak, the Chechen separatists become strongest and in between, never go away, it says.

Google News Azerbaijan

A New Ukranian Gas Crisis By: Roman Kupchinsky | Eurasia Daily Monitor
Just when the outlook for normalization in the Ukrainian-Russian gas relationship appeared on the horizon, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and Gazprom head Alexei Miller have upset the gas cart.

At Kremlin, Optimism on U.S. Ties Under Obama By: Clifford J. Levy | The New York Times
Russia’s leaders are emphasizing that they would like to improve ties with the United States under the administration of President-elect Barack Obama, expressing some optimism that agreements can be reached on contentious military issues

Russia's 'Natasha Syndrome' - Melik Kaylan, Forbes

H13 The Times Exclusive: Obama mentor warns over Clinton influence Abner Mikva told The Times Barack Obama’s choice of Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State 'worried' him

Iraqi parliament to vote on status of US troops The vote will decide whether to approve an agreement that would allow US forces to stay for another three years

Nato refuses to play Russian roulette Georgia and Ukraine have disqualified themselves from any real chance of joining the alliance for a long time

The politics of spending The State in Britain needs serious reform. The only possible silver lining of the dreadful state of the public finances is that this fact is now unavoidable

Shut it down Dealing with Guantánamo detainees may be hard, but the camp must be closed

Bush’s Defence Secretary to stay on at Pentagon The re-appointment of Robert Gates fulfils Barack Obama’s pledge to have at least one Republican in his Cabinet

Russian navy arrives in Venezuela to 21-gun saluteThe Kremlin has described its relationship with Venezuela as a 'counterweight to US influence' ahead of presidential visit

Analysis: Toyota's down-grade could undermine the world view

Wall Street Journal Vote on Withdrawal Bares Tensions in Iraq As parliament prepares to vote on a U.S.-Baghdad security pact, tension is building over how Iraq's ethnicities will live together once U.S. troops withdraw

 Al Qaeda Shifts Focus to Pakistan Al Qaeda has shifted its focus from Iraq to Pakistan and has stepped up efforts to destabilize that nation, a top U.S. military commander said.

 Olmert Expects Peace Deal Progress Outgoing Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Israel and the Palestinians could reach an agreement on the "core issues" of their century-old conflict very soon.

Obama's Rich Revelation

Obama to Retain Gates at Defense Obama's security team came into focus, with Gates staying on as defense secretary and retired Marine Gen. James Jones expected to become national security adviser.

Stratfor United States: Shifting Risk from the Treasury to the Fed The sticky parts of the U.S. bailout program have now been handed to the institution with the most capability for unfettered action

National Interest Leading by Appointment by Daniel W. Drezner Tim Geithner, Obama’s pick for Treasury, is smart and affable. But will he be able to fix the financial crisis?

The New Welfare State by Doug Bandow America should stop wasting money by providing defense resources for half the world. Instead, we need to focus on defending ourselves.

Obama not a ghost of Clinton past President-elect Barack Obama's economic team includes some familiar faces, attracting censure that too many come by way of experience with the governments of former president Bill Clinton. Yet the manner in which Obama has set out his intentions to remedy America's financial crisis should dispel any suggestion that this is a Clinton lll administration. - Julian Delasantellis

H14 Financial Times Fed adds $800bn to boost borrowing Mortgage-backed assets to be bought up

OECD forecasts four quarters of contraction The US and eurozone are poised to suffer four consecutive quarters of contracting output that will not end until the middle of 2009, according to the Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development’s latest forecast

The vision thing Even the most bearish economic forecasters failed to foresee the full ramifications of the financial crisis

Why fairly valued stock markets are an opportunity Alongside the possibility of the most damaging slowdown since the second world war, there is good news: stock markets are attractively priced. This should have enticing implications for audacious governments, writes Martin Wolf

How Europe can respond to Obama

Chris Patten on mulitilateralism

The right focus for Obama’s fiscal plan Besides identifying measures that stand the best chance of leading the way to recovery, being clear about how these will be financed in the long run is crucial

East as well as west needs shelter in this crisis It’s in the EU’s interest, says Yulia Tymoshenko

Gates reported to stay as US defense secretary

Iranian drivers fall for economical car

US contraction worse than initial estimates The US economy shrank at a faster rate than previously thought in the third quarter and home prices fell at a record pace in the year to September

Cabinet secrets - read all about it

China's stimulus

Obama is right: bigger is better

Paris to offer credit insurance of last resort Move to help companies amid bankruptcy fears

Scepticism greets EU’s fiscal package With the focus now on avoiding deep economic recessions across the European Union, it is proving hard to draw up an effective common response to the conomic crisis

Navies must ‘co-operate’ to fight piracy The head of the Suez Canal urged navies patrolling the pirate-ridden waters off the east coast of Africa to improve their co-ordination and consider measures such as forming convoys and providing escorts

Kuwait’s government resigns

The government of Kuwait has resigned to head off a parliamentary interrogation of the prime minister, putting a state-led rescue of the stock market and the future of democracy in the oil-rich Gulf state in doubt

H15 Los Angeles Times Iraq lawmakers make demands before security pact vote Sunnis want concerns including political reforms and amnesty for prisoners addressed before lending support to a deal on the fate of U.S. forces in Iraq

Pakistan spy agency dissolves its 'political wing'The unit has been linked to rigged elections and intimidation of opponents. Some commentators are skeptical that the move means real change

Secretary of Defense Gates to stay on in Obama Cabinet Meanwhile, retired Gen. James Jones has been picked as national security adviser.

EditorialChecklist for the economy Barack Obama's team must devise a plan that goes beyond...

Trial in Russian journalist's murder pits openness against secrecy

The judge in the Anna Politkovskaya case has changed course enough times to cause whiplash.

H16 American Politics

Mike Allen / The Politico:

Gates agrees to stay on under Obama

U.S. Plans $800 Billion in Lending to Ease Crisis

Obama's Ahead of the Game, For Now - Michael Goodwin, NYDN

Borrowing from Lincoln's Genius - H.D.S. Greenway, Boston Globe

What the Next 4 Years Will Bring - Matthew Continetti, Weekly Standard

Obama Will Govern Above Politics - Richard Cohen, Washington Post

Increased Spending Will Make Things Worse - Arthur Laffer, Daily Beast

Duped by Wishful Thinking of Obama - William Greider, The Nation

Matthew Yglesias & Ross Douthat: Team of Blogging Rivals

Clinton Cabinet
By Kelley Beaucar Vlahos
Hillary’s people could hardly have done better if they had won the election.

realclearpolitics memeorandum

Daily Beast Cheat Sheet

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Is Clinton barred from State job? — Pete Williams of NBC raised the question on MSNBC this afternoon: Is Hillary Clinton barred by the Constitution from accepting the post of secretary of state?

The Anti-Obama Ad Campaign That Never Happened — What if the McCain campaign had run ads using footage of Barack Obama dancing with Ellen DeGeneres to show his coziness with celebrity?

H17 Daily TelegraphHizbollah arsenal 'triples' Israel has accused Lebanon's militant Shia group of tripling its arsenal to 42,000 rockets, many with a range long enough to reach beyond Tel Aviv.

H18 Independent Hamish McRae: Will the world economy really start to grow next year?

Germany says 'Yes We Cem' as first Turk takes charge of mainstream political party

World Focus: Guantanamo and Obama's human rights conundrum

Leading article: The world must hope that America gets it right

H19 Military Intelligence Terrorism

CAC CG Response to SWJ Blog Post “Afghanistan, What Lessons to Apply from Iraq”

Gates Said To Be Near A Deal to Keep Post - Washington Post

Obama Plans to Retain Gates at Defense Department - New York Times

Gates to Reportedly Stay on as Pentagon Chief - Voice of America

Official: Obama asks Gates to stay at Pentagon - Associated Press

Gates Staying on as Defense Chief - Boston Globe

Gates 'to Stay as Pentagon Chief' - BBC News

Gates Said to Stay on at Pentagon in Obama Presidency - Bloomberg

Gates to Stay as US Defense Secretary - Reuters

Rumsfeld Revisionism?

Glenn Greenwald / Salon:

Exceptional news: John Brennan won't be CIA Director or DNI

A brave new world awaits
Appointments by Barack Obama suggest the United States president-elect has a firm grasp on the potential future outlined in US intelligence's latest peek ahead to the year 2025. For one thing, his new economists seem well positioned to manage "the unprecedented transfer of wealth from West to East". - David Isenberg

Geopolitical Diary: Obama Asks Robert Gates to Remain There are sound reasons for U.S. President-elect Barack Obama to ask Robert Gates to stay on as defense secretary

Brennan out of running for top intel post

Islamabad tries to Take Military Out of Politics By: Farhan Bokhar and James Lamont | Financial Times Pakistan’s government has disbanded the political wing of the Inter-Services Intelligence, the notorious military-run spy agency, in a bold move intended to reduce sharply the military’s influence in politics.

Military Intelligence: In an editorial, the paper comments on an official statement that the political wing of Pakistan's military intelligence service, the ISI, has been disbanded. There is hardly any leading politician in the country who will mourn this alleged demise, it judges.

Why Don't We Hang Pirates Anymore? By: Bret Stephens | The Wall Street Journal
It's a safe bet, dear reader, that the title of this column has caused you to either (a) roll your eyes and wonder, What century do you think we're living in? or (b) scratch your head and ask, Yes, why don't we?

An Inside Look at Islamic Militants - Los Angeles Times

German Spy Scandal: Kosovo Claims to Have Video of 'Terrorism'

Germany Still Haunted By its Homegrown Terrorists

Homeland security choices await Obama

China slams US computer espionage accusations

Bell Helicopter abandons effort to win India military contract

Army uses video games in suicide prevention A new interactive video encourages soldiers to seek help to cope with the stress of war.

Who Rules the Pentagon?
by Frida Berrigan and Tom Engelhardt

H20 Slate Beware Rumsfeld's Snow Job
The former defense secretary's revisionist op-ed.
Fred Kaplan

Scientists urge caution on global warming — Climate change skeptics on Capitol Hill are quietly watching a growing accumulation of global cooling science and other findings that could signal that the science behind global warming may still be too shaky to warrant cap-and-trade legislation.

H21

How Much Do You Love Where you Live? Source: Gallup/Knight Foundation

 Background: The search for the elusive cure for Aids Since its was first discovered in 1981, scientists have made strenuous efforts to treat and prevent the disease

World Focus: Guantanamo and Obama's human rights conundrum

Sex for sale: The truth about prostitution in Britain

The Government wants to stamp out exploitation in the sex industry. But as Sophie Morris discovers, the inner workings of the oldest profession are infinitely more complicated than ministers would care to admit

A list of the best 100 films, without a single British movie - is there an anglophobic conspiracy?

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