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H1

Zakaria: Behind Mumbai's Terrorist Attacks

Guardian  Only a strategic partnership with China will keep this new dawn bright Timothy Garton Ash:This hard-nosed power does not share the west's enthusiasms. Deep engagement is the best way to fend off conflict

 This is no sop. It is a vote to end the occupation of Iraq Jonathan Steele: The total defeat of the US plan to install a supine ally in the Middle East is likely to be confirmed today in Baghdad

Weak states are major threat to British security, report warns

Commission identifies 20 ungoverned areas that could be source of terror attacks

Iraq strife shows up those scared of Sofa
GulfNews, By Amir Taheri

McClatchy Iraqi parliament delays troop pact vote over unrelated issues The security pact, which sets the end of 2011 for U.S. withdrawal, likely has enough pledged votes to pass, but the government is trying to come up with policy pledges that will persuade a bloc of Sunni Muslim lawmakers to vote for the pact. Sunni backing would demonstrate national support for the agreement

Los Angeles Times Referendum on Iraq security pact gains Lawmakers say a popular vote on the pact governing U.S. forces will take place next year. The addition to the accord has been a key Sunni Arab demand

Colin Powell for Middle East Envoy -- Dennis Ross for US Ambassador to Israel?

How Not to Negotiate with Syria - Itamar Rabinovich, Jerusalem Post

Iran's Game-Changing Long-Range Missile - Uzi Rubin

Clinton Appointment a Serious Strategic Error by Jim Lobe

Forward In Iraq, Mind a Pullout’s Consequences
Yossi Alpher

Washington Post Coordinated Attacks Kill Dozens in India's Financial Capital Hotels Under Siege; Gunmen Said to Target Americans, Britons

Iraq's Parliament Postpones Vote on Security Pact With U.S.

Condoleezza Rice's Future Plans

By David Ignatius, In a town full of workaholics, Condoleezza Rice has outdone them all. So what's next?

A Good Time for a Smart President By David S. Broder, We are lucky that the we have someone with Obama's intelligence as our next president.

Iraq Winds Down By: Frederick W. Kagan | International Herald Tribune Iraq offers the Obama administration an extraordinary opportunity. Overall violence and American casualties have dropped remarkably since the surge began last year

Stratfor Red Alert: Possible Geopolitical Consequences of the Mumbai Attacks (Open Access) The Nov. 26 attacks in Mumbai appear likely to lead to a confrontation between India and Pakistan that could draw in the United States as well

The Times Intelligence chiefs were expecting Al-Qaeda spectacular

ANALYSIS: a new tactic by Islamist militants Al Qaeda has repeatedly threatened to attack India in revenge for its policies in Kashmir

'Free our Muhajideen' demand Bombay terrorists Gunmen inside the Oberoi hotel have demanded the release of Indian Muhajideen in return for their prisoners' freedom

Independent 'Nobody supports the Taliban, but people hate the government' As he leaves Afghanistan, Robert Fisk reflects on a failed state cursed by brutal fundamentalism and rampant corruption

Keeping Robert Gates is an Excellent Decision - Fred Kaplan, Slate

MESH ‘The View from Damascus’

Bomb, Negotiate, Repeat By: Matthias Gebauer, Susanne Koelbl and Cordula Meyer | Der Spiegel The West's strategy is about to change in Afghanistan. Barack Obama intends to follow David Petraeus' formula in Iraq -- a show of strength coupled with outreach on the ground, to convince ordinary citizens that NATO is not the enemy. But will Afghans listen?

Listen to Sensible U.S. Voices on Iran By: Rami G. Khouri | The Daily Star The most interesting case to watch these days in the American power transition is Iran. Not the "threat" of Iran or the "puzzle" of Iran -- as the most wild-headed in Washington and Israel refer to it -- but simply Iran, which is developing a full uranium enrichment fuel cycle

Georgia: The Risks of Winter Crisis Group Without immediate reforms, the ongoing crisis in Georgia could lead to a collapse of the country, This 20-page briefing argues that although President Mikhail Saakashvili’s position is secure for the moment, his administration will be severely tested politically and economically in the winter and spring ahead

IHT OBAMA'S AGENDA

Getting right with Israel

By AARON DAVID MILLER

Of all the foreign policy issues confronting Obama, one of the most challenging will be how to deal with Israel.

Merkel under pressure from within and without Chancellor Angela Merkel, who has shown little leadership during the financial crisis, will have to give an outstanding speech Monday if she wishes to retain her reputation as a disciplined, calculating and determined leader

Der Spiegel Ukraine and Georgia: German Foreign Minister Wary of NATO Expansion

Christian Science Monitor

On brink of vote, Iraqi parliament makes new demands Landmark agreement on US troops is delayed as lawmakers seek more checks on Shiite-led government

Continuity in wartime behind Obama’s decision on Gates

Keeping the Defense secretary allows Obama's team to move quickly on a foreign-policy challenges.

Ha’aretz – Ari Shavit: While the Palestinian track fails, let's focus on Syria

Obama’s Middle East Choices by Shmuel Rosner

Commentary Memo to the New President Amir Taheri Memo to the New President

H2

Jamestown Foundation The Georgia Crisis and Russia-Turkey Relations Torbakov_Russia_Turkey.pdf

Turkey’s Gendarmerie: Reforming a Frontline Unit in the War on Terrorism

TSK'da Karadeniz endişesi

200 PKK'lı firar etti

Obama’nın başdanışmanı Türkiye için kazanç

VOA News - Tensions Flair Between Cyprus and Turkey

Mete Çubukçu Türkiye'in Irak'taki B planında Kürtler var

Alman Axel Doğan Yayın'a da ortak oldu

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

Nasuhi Güngör Kürt sorunu bizi rehin mi aldı?

200 PKK'lı firar etti

Report: AQI dividing Erbil and Baghdad he Kurdistan government in Iraq and the Baghdad central government need a coordinated effort to diminish al-Qaida capabilities in the north, an analysis says

the Kurdistan region begin exporting oil for the first time early 2009

Cevdet Aşkın

PKK’lı hacker, TSK’nın bilgilerine virüsle ulaştı

KRG Prime Minister and Iraqi Oil Minister agree on several oil issues

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

Beyaz Saray’da tanıdık bir general

Diaspora baskısı

Lale Sarıibrahimoğlu A new paradigm required in Turkish-Armenian relations

Mustafa Akyol Deluding the Americans about the anti-Americanism

No quick solution in Azerbaijan

Erivan-Ankara uzlaşması bölgeye iyi bir ders verir

Barçın Yinanç Dışişleri koridorlarında soğuk rüzgarlar esiyor

HRW'den Ankara ve Atina'ya suçlama

Ermeniler ‘soykırım’ için geri adım atıyor

Armenia Debates Elusive Peace With Azerbaijan By: Emil Danielyan | Eurasia Daily Monitor
Faced with a growing outcry from nationalist groups opposed to major concessions to Azerbaijan, Armenia’s leadership is scrambling to clarify its policy on the unresolved Karabakh conflict to the domestic political elite and the broader public

Euro-Caspian energy
plans inch forward Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan have agreed on the main principles that will allow Kazakh oil to be pumped via Baku to southern Turkey to supply European and other markets, bypassing Russia. Georgia is also to benefit from Caspian energy suppliers striking out from Moscow's embrace. - Robert M Cutler

İBRAHİM KARAGÜL

'Lozan Masası', Türkiye sevdası, yeni sürprizler

Hedo Okur Tuncay Nihat Altintop

Fighting Hate In Berlin’s Turkish Quarter
New York Jewish Week

H3 Gazetelerde Bugün

O MiT’çi iddiası deprem yarattı..

MİT'ten Güney açıklaması

Bu da derin dalga

‘Hangi Alparslan’ düğümü çözülüyor

Mehmet Eymür’ün muhbiri miydi?

[Haber Yorum - Ali Akkuş] Tuncay Güney devlet görevlisi ise...

 Ergenekon soruşturması için iki yeni savcı daha

 MİT'ten çok ilginç Tuncay Güney açıklaması

Seçimde 48.3 milyon kişi oy kullanacak

BIR TAŞLA İKİ ANAHTAR

Desteklemeyi sürdüreceğim

Kılıçdaroğlu'nun arabasındaki PKK'lılar!

AKP ve CHP’nin Büyükşehir hesapları...

Akman’a MASAK incelemesi

Kütükler nüfus kayıtlarına göre yapılınca seçmen sayısı 6 milyon arttı

Zokayı fena yemişsiniz

Çarşaf açılımı günlüğü

MASAK, ‘Deniz Feneri’ne bakıyor

Zahid Akman’ın mal varlığına inceleme

İşte işkenceyle mücadele raporu

Danıştay davasının temyiz duruşması başladı

AK Parti’nin İstanbul adayı TOKİ Başkanı mı?

Aydınlar tartışıyor... Değişen Türkiye-5
Hilmi Yavuz’a göre, AKP’nin ‘devletçi’ politikası ya da CHP’nin ‘çarşaf açılımı’ ‘değişim’in değil,

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

Ahmet Taşgetiren İkili dil zorluğu

Ruşen - Çakır Alevi açılımı çok zor ilerliyor

Taha Akyol Şeytan nasıl melek oldu?

Fikret Bila Siyasi simge tartışması

Hasan Cemal Mesele türban değil Baykal!

Murat Yetkin ‘Ergenekon’ İmralı’da sakıncalı

İsmet BerkanSusurluk’tan Ergenekon’a

Fehmi KoruOlan 'iyi şeyler'

Taha Kıvanç

Şamil Tayyar

Sabahattin Önkibar Tayyip Erdoğan gerçekten saf değiştirdi mi?

Atılgan Bayar
CHP İmam Maturidi’ye dönüyor

Ali BayramoğluBaykal'ın çarşaf harekâtı…

Yasemin Çongar Ergenekon’da ‘askerî derinlik’ ve yurtdışı bağlantılar

Ertuğrul ÖzkökÇarşaf açılımı nasıl karşılandı

Soli Özel Popülizmin sınırı

Hasan Ünal

Ahmet HakanBir erkek köşe yazarının itirafları

M Ali Birand Siyasi simge tartışması

Güneri Civaoğlu Casus, günah çıkarıyor

Cüneyt ÜlseverBir taşla üç kuş vurabiliriz

Enis Berberoğlu

Şükrü Küçükşahin Gül iyi, Erdoğan kötü polis mi?

Kadri Gürsel Gazeteciyi öldürmek

YASİN DOĞAN CHP'nin normalleşmesi, Türkiye'nin normalleşmesidir

Seçmen kütüklerinin ilkesi değişiyor TARHAN ERDEM

Muhammet Çetin Georgetown University conference: the Gülen movement (2)

Suat Kınıklıoğlu Turkish media and its flaws

Semih İdiz Hükümet onaylı dine küfür dersi

Meral Tamer Prof. İnsel: Bu kriz bizi “azami ücret”le tanıştıracak

Oktay Ekşi MİT

Özdemir İnce

RTÜK Başkanı direniyor ama ne kadar dayanabilecek?

Mehmet Y YılmazKafanın içi ve dışı meselesi

Yalçın Doğan ’Bu koltuklar bizim’, mesele yok

MUHARREM SARIKAYA

ERDAL ŞAFAK Sahi, bir BOP-GOP vardı, değil mi?

ENGİN ARDIÇ

ERGUN BABAHAN

EMRE AKÖZ Lagendijk şaşırmasın!

Bülent Korucu Ergenekon'da Atatürk istismarı

Hüseyin Gülerce Fotoğraftan öte bir şey...

Mümtazer Türköne Sosyal demokrat cemaatler

Umur Talu
Sosyalist, enternasyonalist, solcu, sosyal demokrat, cumhuriyetçi, halk..

Oray Eğin
Baykal çarşafa gir!

Mehmet Altan Başbakanla

Mustafa Karaalioğlu Bu adımlar tarihe not düşürecek

Mustafa Erdoğan CHP ne kadar açılabilir?

HASAN BÜLENT KAHRAMAN 'Ahlakın ödülü' Amerika'da

NAZLI ILICAK Efkan Ala'ya iftira

MEHMET BARLAS "Risk"leri biliyoruz... Bilmediğimiz şey "Belirsizlik"lerdir

MAHMUT ÖVÜR Topluma açılan CHP'nin "tepesi" atarsa...

YAVUZ DONAT Erol Tuncer ve... "1946 seçimleri"

Ekonomi

Güngör Uras Kriz paketleri ‘cin fikirler’le dolup taştı

ABDURRAHMAN YILDIRIM

Ercan Kumcu

Erdal SağlamDaha IMF gelmeden büyüme yüzde 2’ye iniyor

Seygettin Gürsel Yoğun gündem, kriz paketi ve AB

Dünya ikinci paketleri açtı, Türkiye hala kafayı kuma gömüyor

Eyüp Can AK Parti Hükümeti'nin paketi nerde

İBRAHİM KAHVECİ

Müjde “Krizden çıktık”

İbrahim Öztürk IMF'den önce 'paketi' geliyor...

Küresel krizde son durum

MAHFİ EĞİLMEZ

Krizde rafa kaldırılan disiplinler...

KORKMAZ İLKORUR

Deniz Gökçe
Robert Mundell İstanbul’da!

Şirketler ve dış kredi kullanımı

FATİH ÖZATAY

Erinç Yeldan|Ekonomi Politik

Yabancı sermayeli bankalarımız gayrimenkul rehininde sıkıntılı

IMF’le anlaşma (3)

H4 New York Times Common Ground for Defense Chief and Obama

ROGER COHEN A Command of the Law I am thankful that the next commander in chief is a constitutional law expert, since what defines the United States is that it is a nation of laws.

At Least 82 Dead in India Terror Attacks The coordinated terrorist attacks, which were particularly brazen, struck at least two five-star hotels, the city’s largest train station, a movie theater and a hospital.

Iraq Delays Vote on Security Pact

Israel Prepares to Indict Its Premier in Double-Billing

China Postpones European Summit

Afghan Leader, Showing Impatience With War, Demands Timetable From NATO

Editorial Save the Economy, and the Planet If Barack Obama follows through on his commitments, this country will provide global leadership for addressing the dangers of climate change.

Window Into Soviet Past Closes as Archives Shut The Kremlin in the Putin era has stoked a nationalism that glorifies Soviet triumphs while playing down or even whitewashing the system’s horrors.

Obama Describes Team as Experienced Yet Fresh

Beijing’s Blind Spot

It is in Beijing’s interest to pursue serious negotiations with the Dalai Lama about Tibetan autonomy.

H5 Washington Post Coordinated Attacks Kill Dozens in India's Financial Capital Hotels Under Siege; Gunmen Said to Target Americans, Britons

Iraq's Parliament Postpones Vote on Security Pact With U.S.

Condoleezza Rice's Future Plans

By David Ignatius, In a town full of workaholics, Condoleezza Rice has outdone them all. So what's next?

A Good Time for a Smart President

By David S. Broder, We are lucky that the we have someone with Obama's intelligence as our next president.

Managing Economic Team Will Be a Challenge for Obama

Afghan Leader Demands Plan for Foreign Forces' Departure

China Cuts Key Lending and Deposit Rates in Effort to Stimulate Spending

Obama's Wish List
For Europe Next Europe | Eupho ia may fade if Obama presents real demands for NATO action. | Romania's Elections

FBI, Homeland Security Warn of Possible Threat to New York, Washington Transit Systems

Editorial Guantanamo Justice

The Bush administration will finally release Salim Ahmed Hamdan. The Uighurs should be next.

Stanley Fish's Book Goes Easy on College Professors By George F. Will, A new book on the liberalism of college professors lets them off much too easily.

Volcker's Tough Approach As Fed Chief Upset Many

Today Economist Is Credited With Defeating Inflation

In Washington, You Never Know Who's Going to End Up Being Very Important

H6 Guardian  Only a strategic partnership with China will keep this new dawn bright Timothy Garton Ash:This hard-nosed power does not share the west's enthusiasms. Deep engagement is the best way to fend off conflict

 This is no sop. It is a vote to end the occupation of Iraq Jonathan Steele: The total defeat of the US plan to install a supine ally in the Middle East is likely to be confirmed today in Baghdad

Dozens dead as terrorists run amok in Mumbai Foreign nationals taken hostage and at least 80 killed in attack on India's financial capital

Survivors tell of how gunmen opened fire

Nature of attack points to shadowy Islamist group

 Weak states are major threat to British security, report warns

Commission identifies 20 ungoverned areas that could be source of terror attacks

 Economy may force Obama to cut back on green pledge John Kerry warns that US may be limited in the incentives it can offer to countries such as India and China

 Russian leader follows warships to Venezuela in boost to alliance

Dmitry Medvedev will meet Hugo Chávez to deepen economic and military links between the countries

 Brussels proposes £170bn spending plan European recovery package unveiled as the EU's answer to the swelling financial and economic crisis

 Obama to visit Britain in April

Gordon Brown announced the April 2 meeting, part of the next round of talks of the G20 nations

China cancels EU summit Talks shelved for first time in 11 years following Nicholas Sarkozy's decision to meet Dalai Lama

 France to pay damages to nuclear victims Defence minister says radiation illnesses of those who worked on notorious tests must be recognised

Afghanistan Looms for Obama - Robert Fox, The Guardian

H7 Iran's Game-Changing Long-Range Missile - Uzi Rubin

Listen to Sensible U.S. Voices on Iran By: Rami G. Khouri | The Daily Star
The most interesting case to watch these days in the American power transition is Iran. Not the "threat" of Iran or the "puzzle" of Iran -- as the most wild-headed in Washington and Israel refer to it -- but simply Iran, which is developing a full uranium enrichment fuel cycle

War Is Boring: Good News, Bad News in Somali Islamists' Return By: David Axe | World Politics Review The number of Somalis depending on international food aid for their survival has grown by three-quarters in 2008, reaching 3.25 million in November. This in a country with only around 8 million people, according to the most reliable estimates

Courting Syria - Rime Allaf, Middle East Times

Daily Star Is the UN leading the Lebanese on? By Michael Young

Morals, the meltdown and monstrous conceit By Robert Skidelsky

WINEP Back To Basics

Pakistani sources suggest that closing that country's powerful intelligence community's political arm will have little effect on foreign policy or the ISI's role in counterterrorism. But the change comes as Washington has been privately urging Islamabad to rein in ISI elements with alleged links to Islamic militants

Martin Kramer What do the financial crisis and U.S. Middle East policy have in common?

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

Iraqi parliament delays troop pact vote over unrelated issues The security pact, which sets the end of 2011 for U.S. withdrawal, likely has enough pledged votes to pass, but the government is trying to come up with policy pledges that will persuade a bloc of Sunni Muslim lawmakers to vote for the pact. Sunni backing would demonstrate national support for the agreement

Delay May Lead to Iraq Referendum on US Troops

Iran Says It Now Runs More Than 5,000 Centrifuges

Key Parts of US-Iraq Pact Could Be Lost in Translation: Officials

Iran 'fires second space rocket'

Iran says it has launched its second space rocket this year, part of plans to put an Iranian-made satellite in orbit

Iran's Khamenei claims hegemony

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei praised God Wednesday for the ability of the Islamic Republic to emerge as a regional power.

Iraq politicians question Shell gas deal transparency

Why Iraq should reject the US security pact PRESS TV – Tehran

Report: AQI dividing Erbil and Baghdad

Khamenei Meets Iran Army Brass Amid War Threats

H9 Ha’aretz – Ari Shavit: While the Palestinian track fails, let's focus on Syria

ANALYSIS / What it means: the path to indicting Olmert For first time in Israel's history, the probe of a PM has reached a stage where the AG may indict him

Israel Harel: Defense establishment gives enemy hope that Israel's end is near Iran, Arab countries do not have to work hard when it comes to obtaining quality intelligence from Israe

At least eight Israelis held hostage in Mumbai, as 101 killed across city

This is Gaza Gaza is people's constant attempt to cling to a normal life, although Israel foists on them abnormal terms of imprisonment.

Jerusalem Post Analysis: Tripped up in the dash to the wire By HERB KEINON
Olmert is trying with all his might to reach a declaration that would bind the next government.

Why Zionism matters

[ ELI KAVON,

American carrots for Syrian sticks?

[ MATTHEW RJ BRODSKY

Candidly Speaking: 'Islamophobia'

[ ISI LEIBLE

Yedioth Ahronoth Negotiations to nowhere/ Taub History shows that Palestinians will never agree to two-state solution

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

Progress with the Palestinians: Doing What Is Doable - Uzi Arad (bitterlemons.org)

Senior Israelis back Arab push for peace

Forward On Farewell Tour, Olmert Fails To Convince Even His Own Community

Nathan Guttman | Outgoing Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, who just made his final round of farewells in Washington, is leaving unfinished the task of convincing American Jewry to rally behind his call for the establishment of a Palestinian state.

Daily Star Has Barak considered the sweeping implications of his threats?

Start With Syria By: Aaron David Miller | The Washington Post
President-elect Barack Obama will be bombarded with recommendations about how to approach Arab-Israeli peacemaking. One piece of advice he should not take is to make Israeli-Palestinian peace his top priority

Path to peace Glimmers of hope on Golan Heights over possible deal

The Emptiness of Netanyahu's 'Economic Peace' Plan By: Yossi Alpher | The Daily Star Likud leader Benjamin Netanyahu is "spot on" in some of his criticism of the peace process. Annapolis was indeed stillborn, without a chance of success.

Neocon Lobby Group Loses Its Angel

In the Name of Peace, Isrealis and Palestinians Should Become European By: Richard N. Rosecrance and Ehud Eiran | The Christian Science Monitor
Scratch just a bit under the hope generated by the coming electoral changes in Washington, Jerusalem, and maybe Ramallah, and you discover deep despair about the possibility of an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal

Foreign Media Takes Israel to Court as Israeli Military Weighs Gaza Invasion By: Cherrie Heywood | The Middle East Times
The Israeli Foreign Press Association (FPA), which represents foreign journalists in Israel, is taking the Israeli government to court. Israel has refused to allow the foreign media into Gaza to report first hand on the escalating humanitarian crisis there as Israel continues to keep the coastal territory sealed from the outside world for the third consecutive week

Israeli court rebukes state over illegal outposts

The Supreme Court gave the government 45 days to explain why it hasn't taken down the illegal outpost of Migron in accord with the 'road map' peace plan

H10 Christian Science Monitor On brink of vote, Iraqi parliament makes new demands Landmark agreement on US troops is delayed as lawmakers seek more checks on Shiite-led government

Continuity in wartime behind Obama’s decision on Gates

Keeping the Defense secretary allows Obama's team to move quickly on a foreign-policy challenges.

Ukraine's stalled revolution

The global economic crisis could actually help Kiev's bogged-down government.

'Made in America' must make a comeback There is value in working with your hands.

Israeli court rebukes state over illegal outposts The Supreme Court gave the government 45 days to explain why it hasn't taken down the illegal outpost of Migron in accord with the 'road map' peace plan

London warms to Islamic finance

ASIA

Bomb, Negotiate, Repeat By: Matthias Gebauer, Susanne Koelbl and Cordula Meyer | Der Spiegel The West's strategy is about to change in Afghanistan. Barack Obama intends to follow David Petraeus' formula in Iraq -- a show of strength coupled with outreach on the ground, to convince ordinary citizens that NATO is not the enemy. But will Afghans listen?

Dusty Relics of Yalta By: Sidik Haji Rozi | The Washington Times Oppressed Uighurs in East Turkestan (China's Xinjiang Province) are neglected relics of the "big power" politics that informed the 1945 Yalta Conference's cynical division of Europe and Asia

In Afghanistan, Don’t Count on Europe
Eric Frey

Back To Basics

Pakistani sources suggest that closing that country's powerful intelligence community's political arm will have little effect on foreign policy or the ISI's role in counterterrorism. But the change comes as Washington has been privately urging Islamabad to rein in ISI elements with alleged links to Islamic militants

'Nobody supports the Taliban, but people hate the government' As he leaves Afghanistan, Robert Fisk reflects on a failed state cursed by brutal fundamentalism and rampant corruption.

Infrastructure Alone Won't Boost China - Zhiwu Chen, Globe & Mail

Mumbai's night of terror In a series of attacks by small groups of heavily armed men, more than 80 people have been killed in Mumbai. The financial capital of India has experienced terror over the years, but nothing like this - pure and simple, it was urban warfare. Raja Murthy was caught up in the action, and relates some of the horror stories of foreigners who came under fire - they were the prime targets in the bloody orgy of violence

Tribal Chiefs Offered UK 'Bribes' to Fight Taliban By: Jerome Starkey | The Independent
Britain plans to pay tribal elders in Helmand province monthly cash "bribes" as part of a controversial "Afghan Awakening" scheme to raise the tribes against the Taliban.

Pirates Feel the Sting of India's Naval Muscle By: Ramesh Thakur | The Japan Times
Signs of India's rapid rise to international prominence are all over the map -- from troubleshooting global financial problems to launching lunar probes and battling pirates

The Risk of Piracy, Chechen-Style By: Yulia Latynina | The Moscow Times
The events in the Gulf of Aden seem to be a microcosm of the contemporary world. Located between Yemen and Somalia, the Gulf of Aden is a vital artery of global shipping that feeds the Suez Canal

Pacific Currents: The Responses of U.S. Allies and Security Partners in East Asia to China's Rise Rand Corporation

Thomas Joscelyn / Weekly Standard:
Is Pakistani Intelligence Involved in the Terrorist Attacks in India?

FT Grey-sky thinking An ageing society may be paying the price for Japan’s failure to tackle deep-rooted economic problems

China's virtual vigilantes: Civic action or cyber mobs?

Concerned citizens are targeting anyone from accused pedophiles to activists with 'human flesh search engines' that post people's personal information online.

Why China Wasn't a US Campaign Issue - Frank Ching, China Post

Corporate Japan's War Stories - W. Underwood & M. Kotler, FEER

Allying America and Asia - Jamie Metzl, Forbes

H11 IHT OBAMA'S AGENDA

Getting right with Israel

By AARON DAVID MILLER

Of all the foreign policy issues confronting Obama, one of the most challenging will be how to deal with Israel.

Merkel under pressure from within and without Chancellor Angela Merkel, who has shown little leadership during the financial crisis, will have to give an outstanding speech Monday if she wishes to retain her reputation as a disciplined, calculating and determined leader.

EU calls for €200 billion in spending to bolster growth The European Commission on Wednesday called for a stimulus package equivalent to about 1.5 percent of the EU's gross domestic product

Roger Cohen: A command of the law

'The deciding official in the U.S. has made a decision about what will happen to you.'

Thomas L. Friedman: All fall down

After a near total breakdown of responsibility at every link in America's financial chain, now we either bail out the people who brought us here or risk a systemic crash

EUROPE European press review

Kosovo Fights Serbia -- As Serbia Fights Everybody

The World from Berlin: Sarkozy Is 'True Winner' of Socialist Infighting

UN approval for EU Kosovo mission

The UN Security Council approves a plan for the European Union to take over policing in Kosovo from early December.

Europe announces 200bn euro plan
The European Commission unveils an economic recovery plan worth 200bn euros (£170bn) in an attempt to save millions of jobs

Romania: Voter disillusionment By: Cristina Viehmann | ISN Security Watch With public disenchantment with politics at a high and complex new electoral laws, expect a low voter turnout for Romania's landmark parliamentary poll

H12 RFE/RL

Armenia Debates Elusive Peace With Azerbaijan By: Emil Danielyan | Eurasia Daily Monitor
Faced with a growing outcry from nationalist groups opposed to major concessions to Azerbaijan, Armenia’s leadership is scrambling to clarify its policy on the unresolved Karabakh conflict to the domestic political elite and the broader public

Euro-Caspian energy
plans inch forward
Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan have agreed on the main principles that will allow Kazakh oil to be pumped via Baku to southern Turkey to supply European and other markets, bypassing Russia. Georgia is also to benefit from Caspian energy suppliers striking out from Moscow's embrace. - Robert M Cutler

Georgia: The Risks of Winter Crisis Group This 20-page briefing argues that although President Mikhail Saakashvili’s position is secure for the moment, his administration will be severely tested politically and economically in the winter and spring ahead

CSM Ukraine's stalled revolution

The global economic crisis could actually help Kiev's bogged-down government.

Rose Revolution Leader Joins Opposition, Establishes New Party Seven months after her abrupt decision to leave Georgia’s ruling party, former Parliamentary Speaker Nino Burjanadze has officially joined the opposition. Once a strong political ally of Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili, political analysts now believe she could be his biggest threat.

Former Georgian envoy to Moscow puts blame for war on his own country A parliamentary hearing on the origins of the war between Georgia and Russia in August ended in tumult after a former Georgian diplomat testified that the Georgian authorities were responsible for starting the conflict.

Rice denies U.S. alters stance on Ukraine and Georgia's NATO membership Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice denied that the United States had altered its position on NATO membership for Ukraine and Georgia

Google News Azerbaijan

Russia Dragging Its Feet on Kyoto By: Oldag Kaspar | The Moscow Times
In the two first weeks of December, the Polish city of Poznan will host an international conferences to lay the groundwork for a successor to the Kyoto treaty, which aims at reducing greenhouse gases in the atmosphere

Russia-Venezuela nuclear accord
Russia and Venezuela agree to co-operate on nuclear energy, during a visit to Caracas by President Dmitry Medvedev.

H13 The Times Intelligence chiefs were expecting Al-Qaeda spectacular

ANALYSIS: a new tactic by Islamist militants Al Qaeda has repeatedly threatened to attack India in revenge for its policies in Kashmir

'Free our Muhajideen' demand Bombay terrorists Gunmen inside the Oberoi hotel have demanded the release of Indian Muhajideen in return for their prisoners' freedom

Israel PM Olmert 'to be charged' with corruption

Israel’s Attorney General Menachem Mazuz announced that he was planning to bring criminal charges against Ehud Olmert

Al-Qaeda threat to New York subway, says FBI FBI says it has 'plausible but unsubstantiated report' that al-Qaeda is plotting an attack over Thanksgiving weekend

A history of violence and astonishing growth

Bombay has always stood apart from the rest of India, by far its most cosmopolitan city with ferocious capitalist aspirations

Furious China calls off EU summit Nicolas Sarkozy's plans to meet the Dalai Lama have enraged Beijing which has called off its annual summit with the EU

Obama forced to deny abandoning 'change' promise The President-elect says handing senior posts to experienced Washington insiders does not damage his radical mandate

Stupid politics but good economics Claims that Britain is on the brink of bankruptcy are wrong. Every pound of savings is a pound borrowed

Anatole Kaletsky

Wall Street Journal Iraq Lawmakers Delay Security Vote

The Iraqi parliament on Wednesday postponed a crucial vote on a security pact between the U.S. and Iraq as political leaders continued to hammer out a deal to meet demands by Sunni lawmakers.

Obama Seeks 'Fresh Voices'

Obama said he is frustrated by government's failure to tackle long-term challenges and named Volcker to head a new advisory panel. (Remarks)

H14 Financial Times US gives way on Nato for Georgia and Ukraine Condoleezza Rice, the US secretary of state, pulled back from the goal of putting Kiev and Tbilisi in the alliance’s membership action plan after opposition from European members

Comment: Europe’s right finds excuses for the Kremlin It is in liberal, left and human rights circles that some criticism of Putin’s authoritarianism can be heard, writes Denis MacShane

Iraq agrees date for referendum on troops pact Iraqi lawmakers agreed yesterday to hold a referendum next July on a security pact that would see US troops withdraw from the country by the end of 2011.

Obama turns on ‘tone deaf’ business leaders US president-elect calls for a new ‘ethic of responsibility’ in society, saying it is wrong for bankers who had gambled away other people’s money to be rewarded with huge bonuses

Iraq delays parliament vote on US troops Iraq’s parliament has delayed a vote on a landmark pact setting a deadline for US troops to leave, after agreeing to Sunni Arab demands to make it dependent on a referendum but rejecting other conditions

Senior Israelis back Arab push for peace A group of former senior Israeli security officers has launched a campaign to promote the Saudi-sponsored Arab peace initiative, in a fresh effort to help end six...

At least 100 killed in Mumbai attacks

Explosions and shootings rock financial capital

Fresh data reinforce US economic gloom Home sales, consumer spending and durable goods orders slide

Merkel criticises US over crisis

German chancellor hits out at use of ‘cheap money’

Opec keeps a close eye on US

It is just another risk for Buffett

On the face of it, Warren Buffett’s deal to write $35bn of put options on equity markets looks both unwise and uncharacteristic. But we should not be shocked. For several decades he has proved to be exceptionally good at taking big financial risks, writes John Gapper

Nomura’s Ark must beware of the rocks David Pilling on the former Lehman bankers’ lifeline

Men have messed up. Let women sort it out Gillian Wilmot on the testosterone overdose

Peace, love and just a little material gain Jonathan Guthrie on social entrepreneurism

Grey-sky thinking An ageing society may be paying the price for Japan’s failure to tackle deep-rooted economic problems

China-EU relations hit new low

Beijing cancels summit in Dalai Lama row

Obama appoints ex-Fed chief to new panel Volcker to head Economic Recovery Advisory Board

H15 Los Angeles Times Referendum on Iraq security pact gains Lawmakers say a popular vote on the pact governing U.S. forces will take place next year. The addition to the accord has been a key Sunni Arab demand

Obama has a head start on working with Congress Efforts by key Obama aides to build sturdy bridges with Congress contrast with the approaches of Democratic predecessors

India terrorist attacks leave at least 101 dead in Mumbai

EditorialRussia's interest in South America should alert the U.S.

Moscow is sending Washington a none-too-subtle warning, but the bigger issue...

Car bomb in Kabul explodes near U.S. Embassy

H16 American Politics

Getting Involved with the Clintons

Liberals Split on Gates

The Never-ending Bailout

Where’s Joe Biden? Obama hasn’t given Biden much of anything to do, much less a portfolio of the kind Bill Clinton entrusted to Al Gore. So what’s Biden up to? Stuffing Christmas stockings for charity. Still refusing to talk to the media. And vetting appointees—even those like Hillary Clinton, whose promotion to Secretary of State will likely limit Biden’s role in foreign policy.

Spencer Ackerman / ATTACKERMAN:

Career Opportunities, The Ones That Never Knock — The other day I wondered what the reported ascendence of Jim Steinberg to deputy secretary of state meant for Richard Holbrooke's job prospects.

realclearpolitics memeorandum

Daily Beast Cheat Sheet

Politico ABC’s The Note – MSNBC FirstRead – Time ThePage Politico Playbook

PoliticsHome fivethirtyeight US News Political Bulletin

H17 Daily Telegraph Bombay terror attacks: Troops clash with gunmen Indian troops have surrounded two hotels in Bombay where dozens of people are believed to be trapped after a series of co-ordinated terror attacks that left 100 dead.

Obama plans 20,000 troop surge in Afghanistan Barack Obama is preparing a huge US deployment "surge" similar to that which contributed to security improvements in Iraq

Nato 'at risk' over Afghanistan

H18 Independent Massacre in Mumbai India's financial capital was rocked by a series of gun attacks and blasts last night that targeted luxury hotels and restaurants - and especially British and US visitors.

'Nobody supports the Taliban, but people hate the government' As he leaves Afghanistan, Robert Fisk reflects on a failed state cursed by brutal fundamentalism and rampant corruption.

Adrian Hamilton: Hillary would be Obama's first mistake

H19 Military Intelligence Terrorism

Iran's Game-Changing Long-Range Missile - Uzi Rubin

Gates to Oversee US Pivot From Iraq to Afghanistan

Potential CIA Chief Cites Critics in Ending Bid

Rethinking the Reserves
Source: RAND Corporation Summary (PDF; 171 KB)
+ Full Document (PDF; 599 KB)

Military reform 30 years on
America’s Defense Meltdown edited by Winslow T Wheeler
After reading this book one can only conclude that with the US military's budget at some trillion dollars annually, and mismanagement and bureaucracy at their highest levels since the Vietnam war, the time is ripe for major reform in the Pentagon and the military-industrial complex. But the authors don't just criticize, they also offer sober, detailed solutions. - David Isenberg

Deterrence: From Cold War to Long War Rand Corporation This 123-page US monograph is intended to encourage debate and discussion on howdeterrence can best be incorporated into U.S. strategy

Death Toll Rising in India in Coordinated Attacks —

Who Is Behind the Attacks?

Michael Evans / Times of London: Intelligence chiefs were expecting Al-Qaeda spectacular — Western intelligence services have been expecting an al-Qaeda spectacular terrorist attack in this crucial period between the end of President George Bush's administration and the succession of Barack Obama.

Deprogramming Jihadists - Katherine Zoepf

FBI: Al Qaeda Targeting New York

Sources: Al Qaeda Targets Amtrak N'east Corridor — Heightened Security Presence In Place At Penn Station; Attack Could Cripple Transit Between Boston, Washington — Cops, Feds Armed With M16s On Patrol For Forseeable Future

Defense Spending - Washington Times opinion

For Obama's National Security Team War Experience Trumps Change

China's cyber-warriors challenge India
A new wave of Chinese cyber-warriors, numbering in the millions across the globe, presents a threat to India's security. Chinese cyber-nationalism is a powerful and dangerous tool that could be used to demoralize the Indian psyche, giving China the opportunity to defeat India and redraw its borders according to strategic interests without the need for a ground war. - Abanti Bhattacharya

H20 Slate Clintons at State? Bad Idea.
By Christopher Hitchens

H21 When it comes to finding patterns of meaning in meaningless noise, human beings are incorrigible. Michael Shermer explains... more»

Gut Feelings: short cuts to better decision making

Thirty years since the revolution in Iran, and young Iranians burrow tunnels under the walls the regime uses to isolate them from the West. Consider sex... more»

Was the Wealth of Nations Determined in 1000 B.C.?
Source: Harvard Business School Working Papers Full Paper (PDF; 893 KB)

Black comedians adapt to Obama era. Is 'angry' out? With a black president, stand-ups may have to rethink some of their material

Paper or pixels? Craig Newmark on journalism's future

Kingsley Amis lamented the English village pub, where drink and tobacco brought people together in ways that respected and overcame their shyness... more»

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