| H1 New York Times Fed Cuts Key Rate to a Record Low Having reduced its key rate to a record low, the Fed said that it would use “all available tools” to fight the recession and downward pressure on prices. Text of Fed Statement THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN The Great Unraveling Our banking crisis has made it increasingly clear that the U.S. and China are becoming two countries, one system. But they appear to be on very different historical trajectories FT ‘Helicopter Ben’ confronts the challenge of a lifetime Central banks may resort to their most powerful weapons against deflation: the printing press and the ‘helicopter drop’ of money. Will this work? Yes. But returning to normality will prove far more elusive, writes Martin Wolf Boston Globe Playing power politics with Iran (By Ray Takeyh) It is time to approach the Iranian conundrum from a power-politics perspective: Allow the Islamic Republic to be a leading regional state so long as it tempers its nuclear ambitions and restrains its destructive regional policies. Daily Star A neoconservative view on talking to Iran By Joshua Muravchik Washington Post U.S. Hegemony May Be in Decline, but Only to a Degree By Robert D. Kaplan, The American military remains a force for good, a fact that will become self-evident in the crises to come. From Open Democracy, after Iraq and Afghanistan, amid China's rise and Russia's challenge, can western democracy any longer offer a universal model? Financial Times Fed slashes rates to near zero The US Federal Reserve moved deeper into uncharted water heralding a raft of dramatic and unconventional measures to support the economy as it slashed interest rates from 1 per cent, virtually to zero Fed dips into toolbox to fix long-term rates The Federal Reserve made clear that it had not run out of ammunition to support growth and ward off deflation, even as it cut the fed funds rate virtually to zero Middle East needs Obama’s touch Richard Haass and Martin Indyk on allies Heat rises in Russia-Ukraine gas talks Tension is high in annual negotiations because of Moscow’s intervention in Georgia, a political power vacuum in Kiev and the global economic crisis, which is increasing pressure on Gazprom to extract a big price rise The tricky road to US dialogue with Tehran The Obama administration will have to tread carefully as domestic politics threaten to unsettle negotiators in Iran, says Roula Khalaf Analysis Trouble in China’s manufacturing heartland Businesses are closing as falling western demand brings fears that Beijing will stifle the dynamism needed to adapt The broken promise of Doha Stop press: global trade talks fail to make progress. The world might be forgiven for regarding such tidings as somewhat less than dramatic news Guardian An accord with the entire Arab world would be a prize worth Israel's effort Jonathan Freedland: With a four-state problem impeding any two-state solution, the best hope for peace may be to make the stakes higher Hiding from Kirkuk Ranj Alaaldin: The city of Kirkuk remains a dangerous flashpoint in Iraq. But who will grasp the nettle? Focus on Kashmir Stephen Kinzer: In order to achieve peace along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, the US should help resolve the dispute over Kashmir Round and round again Simon Tisdall: The latest Middle East peace efforts are part of a familiar diplomatic dance that never quite seems to end Christian Science Monitor As Iraq calms, Mosul still a battle front US forces may stay in the volatile northern city beyond the June deadline for Americans to pull back to bases. Mideast awaits new leaders, direction in 2009 Former President Jimmy Carter urged new focus on Israeli-Palestinian peace last week. But other accords may be more feasible. A global trade decline? In a rare alignment, most of the world's big economies are expected to shrink Japan quietly seeks global leadership niches The island nation seeks to carve out a bigger role in world affairs as a 'soft power.' Global Insights: Gates' Pentagon War By: Richard Weitz | World Politics Review Earlier this month, the Pentagon issued a directive raising "irregular warfare" (IW) to the same level of importance as conventional battles. Containment policy doesn't work
GulfNews - By Amir Taheri, Los Angeles Times Bush's Bluster By: Max Boot | Perhaps the most irksome characteristic of the Bush administration has been the Rio Grande-wide gap between rhetoric and action. The president's actual foreign policy has not matched his rhetoric. Asia Times Sons of Iraq a test for Baghdad The transition of 25,000 "Sons of Iraq" volunteers in parts of the Sunni Triangle from United States to Iraqi control will be a stern test for the Shi'ite-dominated government. Despite their success in battling extremists, the volunteers fear betrayal by an administration they see as a proxy of Iran, and al-Qaeda will be only too happy to capitalize on any security void created by the transition Jonathan Karl / ABCNEWS: Exclusive: Cheney Says He's Changed Geopolitical Diary: Restarting US-Russian Arms-Control Talks?
Stratfor - FT Foreign policy: Good intentions fail to fill diplomatic void Where is Egypt? The question surfaces with awkward regularity, with every new crisis in the Middle East and every new diplomatic initiative. Whether it is the US occupation of Iraq, the tensions over Iran’s nuclear programme or Lebanon’s factional fighting, Cairo has not been seizing the diplomatic centre stage, leaving it to a host of new regional players to try to fix Arab problems IHT Did Sarkozy's stint change the EU for good? For the six months that France held the European Union presidency, President Nicolas Sarkozy dominated the European stage. But has he fundamentally changed the EU, or simply burnished his image? WSJ Output Drop In Russia Signals Gloom Russia's industrial output fell 8.7% in November from a year earlier on cash shortages and lower export demand. The Times Nato: more than a military force Divided in Afghanistan, hamstrung in Europe, the alliance must find a political voice or collapse Michael Evans Fed stuns the world with rate cut to 'virtually zero' US rates were cut to a historic low as America resorted to drastic action in its battle to stave off recession and deflation Analysts say Fed has 'shot all its armoury' Britons caught in the Pakistan web British Muslims who remain entangled in their forefathers' politics will be susceptible to extremism Anatol Lieven US Basra role as British troops prepare for exit The Stars and Stripes flies alongside the Union Flag in a symbolic demonstration that the British era is coming to an end NYT Electoral Rot Nearby? The Russians Don’t See It The Kremlin’s efforts to bolster authoritarian regimes in neighboring states reveal how far Russia goes to create the illusion of democracy. A Habsburg Plan for Brussels: A review of “Empire by Devolution: What Today’s EU Can Learn From Franz Josef I’s Empire” U.S. Military to Launch Pilot Program to Recruit New Local Afghan Militias - Anna Mulrine, U.S. News and World Report Ha’aretz – Israeli diplomat: No more talks with Syria at this time Officials in Damascus, Jerusalem say talks at this stage are pointless due to impending general election Where's the Israeli initiative? The lack of an Israeli peace initiative will turn the Saudi document in its present form into ?the only game in town.? Daily TelegraphMiddle East peace must wait Telegraph view: Progress in the Middle East will have to wait until at least February Darfur civilians 'seized as slaves by Sudan military' Sudan's army and government-backed militia have abducted 'thousands' of civilians from Darfur, including children, to be used as sex slaves or for forced labour, according to a new report. Iran Remains Unimpressed by Sanctions The trade restrictions against Iran have disappointed the Israelis, angered the German business community and made the Iranians even more defiant. The government in Berlin is now preparing to encourage President-elect Barack Obama to impose a fresh round of sanctions against Tehran THE TANGLED US-IRAN KNOT, Part 3 Economy, ties with West key to polls The main issue in Iran's June 2009 presidential election will be the country's dire economic woes and President Mahmud Ahmadinejad's role in them. The challenger - expected to emerge from the moderate camp - will also charge that Ahmadinejad has mismanaged relations with Europe, while Ahmadinejad will accuse his foe of conspiring with the West. Therein lies the deep rift within the country. - Gareth Porter A peek into Iran's nuclear Pandora's box If Moscow's combined intelligence agencies are in agreement that Iran does not have nuclear-weapons capability, it calls for serious rethinking about whether the "crisis" built up over Tehran going nuclear was nothing but the neo-conservatives' bogey to roll back Iran's rise as the impresario of a Shi'ite resurgence in the Middle East. - Sreeram Chaulia WINEP The Challenges of Israeli Military Action in Gaza If Israel is to succeed in any post-ceasefire military operation in Gaza after the nominal December 19 expiration of the Hamas ceasefire, its operations must be rapid; inflict limited civilian casualties; and begin with a clear exit strategy for establishing the political and military conditions of withdrawal NPQ Tony Blair: VALUES KEY TO MAKING GLOBALIZATION WORK, AND FAITH MUST PLAY ITS PART | H2 Turkey: Iran, Iraq could supply gas for Nabucco Overhauling the Iran Sanctions Act By: Peter Doran | World Politics Review As President-elect Barack Obama prepares to take office, the Turkish government is readying to outflank the U.S.'s Iran policy on a vast scale, having signed a milestone agreement in November to invest $12 billion in Iran's energy sector Ermeni taşınmazları için iade veya tazminat Amerikalılar her şeyi bilmezmiş meğer
Soner Çağaptay Lessons from the Annals of Counterterrorism ** İç Basında Türk Dış Politikası Dış Basında Türkiye – BBC Türkçe 0700 1800 – VOA Türkçe 0630 1345 2130 Turkish Press Review Google News Turkey TurcoPundit ASAM Google News Fırat News Agency KurdishMedia Kurdish Kurdish Aspect Dış Basında Irak BBC Monitoring Inter-national Apo'nun açıklaması PKK'yı karıştırdı Cevdet Aşkın Guardian Hiding from Kirkuk Ranj Alaaldin: The city of Kirkuk remains a dangerous flashpoint in Iraq. But who will grasp the nettle? De Mistura in Kirkuk on elections talks (UPI) -- The U.N. special envoy to Iraq arrived in Kirkuk Tuesday to discuss the provincial elections in the disputed territories, the United Nations said. Christian Science Monitor As Iraq calms, Mosul still a battle front US forces may stay in the volatile northern city beyond the June deadline for Americans to pull back to bases. Baskın Oran’a ölüm tehdidi Irak’ın Kerkük kentinde 55 kişinin öldüğü, 120 kişinin yaralandığı restoran saldırısını üstlenen Türk İntikam Birliği Teşkilatı (TİBT) isimli örgüt, insan hakları, demokrasi ve azınlıklar konularında yazılar yazan Prof. Dr. Baskın Oran’ı ölümle tehdit etti Turkey not living up to its Ilısu promises: report Gül gidemiyor Haşimi geliyor Erdoğan'dan DTP'ye 'Nazizmi hortlattınız' Mustafa Ünal Erdoğan DTP'ye yüklendi HAKAN ALBAYRAK Hepimiz Zeydi'yiz! Google News Greece Cyprus Turkish Cypriot Press ABHaber Dış Basında Türkiye-AB İlişkileri Günlük Haftalık Ermeni taşınmazları için iade veya tazminat
AİHM, Surp Kevork Ermeni Kilisesi ile Surp Pırgiç Ermeni Hastanesi Vakfı’nın açtığı davalarda, mülkiyet hakkını ihlal gerekçesiyle, Türkiye’yi 875 bin euro tazminat ödemeye mahkûm etti FM warns Europe on lack of trust Fransız Büyükelçisi'nden AB üyeliği şartları "Sonunda Fransa da 'katılım' dedi duyduk" I DO NOT APOLOGIZE ‘AİHM kararı 2008’de yaşananlar için de emsal’ Alper Görmüş Bütün Türk basınını alın, Herkül Millas’ın yazısını verin! Türkiye’de bütün bunlar tartışılabilir Bülent Keneş Yes, but who are to apologize to my grandmother and grandfather? Yavuz Baydar Public apology stirs controversy, angers, breaks new ground Doğu Ergil The Fuller story Beril Dedeoğlu Türkiye-Avrupa Forumu (II) Rusya'da Türkiye'yi şikâyet eden akademisyenlere büyükelçiden ders Sami Kohen Farklı bir Sarkozy Hristofyas: "Dikenli konular var" Greek riots and Turkish democratic sensibilities by KOSTAS PIKRAMENOS* Babacan'dan AB'ye Sert Mesaj Dışişleri Bakanı Ali Babacan, AB'nin Türkiye'ye verdiği taahhütleri yerine getirmesini istedi Buenos Aires, İstanbul'a iki çeker... Serdar Turgut İçinde özlediğiniz kelime geçen bir yazıdır bu Somalili korsanlar bir Türk kargo gemisini kaçırdı Hızlı tren yılbaşına hazır Ankara-Eskişehir 30 YTL Why does the West show an interest in Mevlana? by İBRAHİM ÖZDEMİR* Tandoğan, babası Hirsch’i anlatacak | H3 Yargıtay: Danıştay davası Ergenekon’la birleştirilsin Kanlı Danıştay da Ergenekon'a girdi Yargıtay: Ergenekon’la birleştirin Danıştay davasına Silivri yolu gözüktü Danıştay sanıkları Silivri yolcusu Baykal, Erdoğan’a 4 soru yöneltti Danıştay davası Ergenekon'la birleştiriliyor Veli Küçük’e faili meçhuller neden sorulmadı? Garih cinayetiyle ilgili Savcılık'tan şok incelemeHasdal Kışlası'ndaki akıl almaz bağlantılar... Garih'i öldür 5 milyon $ hesabında AKP beş büyük ilde aynı isimlerle seçime gidiyor Küçük’ün notları bile devlet sırrıymış AKP binası Alevi tekkesi üzerine mi yapıldı? Kaçak Paşa'nın korku imparatorluğu Çapraz sorgu uzadı Veli Küçük sinirlendi AK Parti’li rakibinden Melih Gökçek’e eleştiri Büyükersen’e adaylık teklifi yaptık
GİTTİ GEMİ GELDİ TERSANE JİTEM'i inkâr eden Küçük'e maaş bordrolu yalanlama YSK Başkanı: İddialar doğru değil, belgesi olan getirsin 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 Bu kadar özür yetmez! Ruşen - Çakır Taha Akyol AKP’ye alternatif Fikret Bila Erdoğan-Bahçeli yakınlaşması Hasan Cemal Murat Yetkin Ergenekon davasında bugüne dek en önemli gelişme İsmet Berkan Geçiyordum, uğradım! Fehmi Koru Devlet olmanın raconu Taha Kıvanç Elif'in gözleri... Şamil Tayyar Silivri’ye Danıştay bombası [Haber Yorum - Ali Akkuş] Ergenekon iddianamesine Yargıtay onayı Ali Bayramoğlu Özür kampanyası: Tarih, gerçek ve vicdan Yasemin Çongar Ertuğrul Özkök Oh o var, ben rahatladım Garih cinayetinde Ergenekon izleri... ORAL ÇALIŞLAR Hasan Ünal Ahmet Hakan Aferin Cem Yılmaz M Ali Birand Cüneyt Ülsever Ekonomik olmayan bir kriz yazısı Enis Berberoğlu Yalçın Doğan Seçimden sonra IMF’ye canımız feda Adem Yavuz Arslan Küçük Paşa susarak ne dedi? Oktay Ekşi Özdemir İnce Mehmet Y Yılmaz Bir rüşvet hikáyesi! Muhalefet partileri nerede? Sabahattin Önkibar Taksit taksit Ergenekon'da Üzeyir Garih dezenformasyonu! Mustafa Akyol Sorun şeriatta değil, şeriat devletinde Aziz Üstel Veli Küçük paşamız Jitem ve Amiral C. İnandırıcı olmak MEHMET ALİ KIŞLALI
Erdoğan ve AKP AVNİ ÖZGÜREL MUHARREM SARIKAYA Bütçenin ruhu ERDAL ŞAFAK Sarı Gelin'i ağlatmayın ENGİN ARDIÇ ERGUN BABAHAN EMRE AKÖZ Kendi ülkesinde 'turist' olanlar Umur Talu Ne yapar ne yapmaz HASAN BÜLENT KAHRAMAN İki dev'e bir ağıt NAZLI ILICAK Pabuç tepkisi MEHMET BARLAS Parayı veya oyu artırmak değil mevcudu korumak bile zor... MAHMUT ÖVÜR YAVUZ DONAT KÜRŞAT BUMİN İlk soru: İnsan hayatını önemsiyor musun? Ekonomi ABDURRAHMAN YILDIRIM Ercan Kumcu Erdal Sağlam Hurşit Güneş Laf olsun diye bir bütçe Pembe kalemle yazılan 2009 bütçesine revizyon garanti Merkez Bankası 2009'a yeni tedbirlerle giriyor Türkiye-IMF ilişkileri Neden’de tartışıldı Güngör Uras ‘B planlarının’ işlemesi reel sektörün ayakta kalmasına bağlı Ege Cansen Sendika tavize yanaşmıyorsa şirket iflas etsin daha iyi Ekonomik bunalımın sonu MUSTAFA AYSAN Aydın Ayaydın Ekonomik göstergeler tehlike sinyali veriyor Bilal Çetin Bütçe krizi yok sayıyor... ABD’de arabanın lastiği patladı METİN ERCAN Servet Yıldırım MB'nin başarısı İMF kaynak girişine bağlı mı? |
| H4 New York Times Fed Cuts Key Rate to a Record Low Having reduced its key rate to a record low, the Fed said that it would use “all available tools” to fight the recession and downward pressure on prices. Text of Fed Statement THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN The Great Unraveling Our banking crisis has made it increasingly clear that the U.S. and China are becoming two countries, one system. But they appear to be on very different historical trajectories Electoral Rot Nearby? The Russians Don’t See It The Kremlin’s efforts to bolster authoritarian regimes in neighboring states reveal how far Russia goes to create the illusion of democracy. Explosives Found at Paris Department Store China Is Said to Restore Blocks on Web Sites Memo From Berlin: Allies See Germany Trying Bailout With a Thimble Iraqi Shoe-Hurling Journalist to Face Judge on Wednesday U.N. Council Shows Support for U.S. Plan Against Piracy Russia Says It May Buy Remotely Piloted Spy Planes From Israel Italian Police Arrest Dozens in Sweep Aimed at Mafia Bosses By JOHN KENNEY On the heels of this week’s shoe-throwing incident, a look at other forms of insults from around the world. Bush Prepares Crisis Briefings to Aid Obama The White House has created more than a dozen contingency plans to help President-elect Barack Obama in the event of an early international crisis. Obama’s $10 Billion Promise Stirs Hope in Early Education President-elect Barack Obama’s pledge for preschoolers would amount to the largest new initiative for young children since Head Start began in 1965. | H5 Washington Post U.S. Hegemony May Be in Decline, but Only to a Degree By Robert D. Kaplan, The American military remains a force for good, a fact that will become self-evident in the crises to come. Fed Cuts Key Rate to Record Low Bank Pledges New Tactics With 'All Available Tools' to Boost Economy With Strikes, China's New Middle Class Increasingly Expressing Discontent Editorial Reviving an Economic Engine Can Barack Obama clear up his party's mixed signals and get trade liberalization moving? The Enduring Worth of Compassionate Conservatism By Michael Gerson, The moral commitments that underlie compassionate conservatism will not fade. OPEC's Gamble Steven Mufson | Why OPEC's emergency meeting to buoy oil prices might, or might not, work. Cheney Beckons Obama to the Dark Side By Dan Froomkin China's Charter A new movement offers a democratic alternative to the regime of the Beijing Olympics. More Americans Hurt by Recession, Poll Finds Nearly two-thirds of Americans say they have been harmed by the downturn and that the nation has entered a long-term economic decline. Dynamite Found at Paris Department Store Unknown Group Tips Off Police United Nations Authorizes Military Raids on Somali Pirates International Effort to Secure Sea Route May Stumble Amid Political Disarray in East African Nation For Obama, Job First By Emanuel Cleaver II, African Americans need to lower their expectations for Obama The United Auto Workers as the Architect of U.S. Prosperity By Harold Meyerson, The UAW built the American middle class and much, much more Jesse Jackson Jr. Told Investigators Blagojevich Sought Gift in Exchange for a Job for Jackson's Wife | H6 Guardian An accord with the entire Arab world would be a prize worth Israel's effort Jonathan Freedland: With a four-state problem impeding any two-state solution, the best hope for peace may be to make the stakes higher Hiding from Kirkuk Ranj Alaaldin: The city of Kirkuk remains a dangerous flashpoint in Iraq. But who will grasp the nettle? Focus on Kashmir Stephen Kinzer: In order to achieve peace along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, the US should help resolve the dispute over Kashmir Round and round again Simon Tisdall: The latest Middle East peace efforts are part of a familiar diplomatic dance that never quite seems to end Fed drops key rate to historic low US central bank lowers target range for federal funds rate to between zero and 0.25% Precedent for the shoe-throwing protest Jonathan Steele: Al-Zaidi may have been beaten for his outburst at George Bush, but Iraqi journalists are entitled to righteous indignation Emine Saner: How to insult George Bush, wherever you are in the world 'I think we've done pretty well' Dick Cheney has no regrets about eight years in office and stands by Iraq and Guantánamo Bay Dick Cheney's fantasy world Scott Ritter: Despite the facts, the vice-president still insists that Saddam Hussein could have produced weapons of mass destruction The shoes we longed for Sami Ramadani: The young journalist who took on Bush has become a unifying Iraqi symbol Conservative poll lead cut to just five points Exclusive: Support for Tories falls by seven points in ICM poll, while Brown leads Cameron by 11 points on economic ability Narrowing gap gives Brown option of 2009 poll MI5 tracked Glasgow airport bomber Bilal Abdulla may have been on MI5 watchlist for 13 months due to potentially suspicious travel patterns |
| H7 . Daily Star Outwitting a hostile West may be about to get harder for Iran INTELLIGENCE: Israel And Iran Scramble In The Shadows An Iraqi Freedom Milestone - Ralph Peters, New York Post Iran's Regional Power Rooted in Shia Ties Balance Trade With Healthcare By: C. Fred Bergsten and Raymond C. Offenheiser | Miami Herald Polls show half the voters believed trade was a threat to the U.S. economy. As a result trade agreements negotiated by the Bush administration with Colombia, Panama and South Korea remain stalled Dubai Will Not Fall By: Abdul Rahman Al-Rashed | Asharq Alawsat
I listened to the opinions of people who have been quick to judge Dubai, one of the United Arab Emirates that has been the subject of much admiration, envy, and doubt, even before the financial crisis occurred Condi Rice Roundtable With Associated Press | Sons of Iraq a test for Baghdad
The transition of 25,000 "Sons of Iraq" volunteers in parts of the Sunni Triangle from United States to Iraqi control will be a stern test for the Shi'ite-dominated government. Despite their success in battling extremists, the volunteers fear betrayal by an administration they see as a proxy of Iran, and al-Qaeda will be only too happy to capitalize on any security void created by the transition Iraq Wants All Non-US Troops Out by July OSC: Sadrists Applaud al-Zaidi's Shoe-Throwing Cole on Lehrer News Hour & Bush Legacy in Iraq MEMRI Dec 16 IA# 482 - Recent Rise in Sunni–Shi'ite Tension (Part III): Sectarian Strife in Saudi Arabia Dec 16 IA# 481 - Recent Rise in Sunni–Shi'ite Tension (Part II): Anti-Shi'ite Statements by Sheikh Al-Qaradhawi Dec 16 IA# 480 - Recent Rise in Sunni–Shi'ite Tension (Part I): Sunni – Shi'ite Hacker War on the Internet Dec 15 SD# 2154 - Former Lebanese President Amin Gemayel: It's Time For Hizbullah's Weapons to Return to the Control of the Lebanese State Syria: Embassy in Beirut by year's end | H9 Ha’aretz – Israeli diplomat: No more talks with Syria at this time Officials in Damascus, Jerusalem say talks at this stage are pointless due to impending general election Where's the Israeli initiative? The lack of an Israeli peace initiative will turn the Saudi document in its present form into ?the only game in town.? Not built for surprises As a religious movement, Hamas is in no rush; the future belongs to Islam, even if only the great-grandchildren, or their grandchildren, will see it. Editorial / The flourishing State of Judea The State of Judea is also the Wild West, whose residents hold the law in contempt IDF mustn't fire artillery at Gaza population centers, jurist warns Barak Not built for surprises Opposition MKs say Olmert's lame-duck government has no authority to make peace deal with Syria Yedioth Ahronoth 'Error hurt entire nation'
President Peres speaks to Russian counterpart Medvedev, expresses sorrow on behalf of Israeli people for terrible bus crash that left 25 Russian citizens dead. Olmert 'shocked' by crash; Livni conveys condolences to Russians Low-intensity clash/ Ben-Yishai Gaza Strip truce ended weeks ago, replaced by low-intensity warfare Daily Alert.org – Hebrew Press Editorials (2008) - Middle East Progress - EJC Israeli Press Review – Google News Israel - Palestine Daily Star All Hamas demands is Israeli respect By Rami G. Khouri The settlers' presence is a time bomb waiting to happen By Saed Shukhy Not the Center of the World by Barry Rubin UN adopts Middle East resolution
The UN Security Council passes its first resolution on the Middle East for five years, in a bid to boost the peace process. Avraham Burg & Gershom Gorenberg: How To Remember The Six Million |
| H10 Christian Science Monitor As Iraq calms, Mosul still a battle front US forces may stay in the volatile northern city beyond the June deadline for Americans to pull back to bases. Mideast awaits new leaders, direction in 2009 Former President Jimmy Carter urged new focus on Israeli-Palestinian peace last week. But other accords may be more feasible. A global trade decline? In a rare alignment, most of the world's big economies are expected to shrink Japan quietly seeks global leadership niches The island nation seeks to carve out a bigger role in world affairs as a 'soft power.' Should ground troops hunt pirates in Somalia? A Bush administration proposal to allow foreign forces to go ashore in Somalia to hunt the country's notorious pirates is getting a cool reception from US military leaders, regional analysts, and some Somali officials. Paris bomb scare raises question: jihadis, or not? The note announcing the explosives lacked references to Islam, jihad, or the Taliban. Madoff scam saps confidence in Wall Street Angry investors blame US regulators for one of the investment world's biggest scandals. Two big China stories you missed this year The brief yet radical shift of patriotic fervor into criticism of the government after the Sichuan earthquake and the official revival of Confucius were crucial moments in a pivotal year Big victory against global bribery A record fine against Siemens hints at success in the US and Europe in curbing payoffs. ASIA U.S. Military to Launch Pilot Program to Recruit New Local Afghan Militias - Anna Mulrine, U.S. News and World Report In a new expert brief, CFR's Daniel Markey says as long as Pakistan is perceived to be avoiding serious action against terrorists based in its territory, "tensions with India will remain high." AFGHANISTAN: NPR reports Taliban courts are filling in a "justice vacuum" in many parts of Afghanistan that aren't under control of the Afghan government Rogue Elephants The Economist
Militant strikes wreak havoc on supplies in Pakistan’s wild west India's Greatest Ally: Pakistan The Drum Beating in Kashmir - H.D.S. Greenway, Boston Globe Obama vs. Osama: Is Afghanistan the right war, or will it become Obama's quagmire? Bangladesh lifts state of emergency Bangladesh's army-backed government has lifted a state of emergency, which has been in place for nearly two years, in preparation for parliamentary elections in 12 days. China on the verge of unemployment explosion Delhi's options on Pakistan still open The likelihood of India launching major punitive military operations across the border following the Mumbai attacks last month has diminished, but New Delhi has other means of applying pressure on Pakistan over militancy in that country, including a naval blockade. - Richard M Bennett ASEAN tightens up to ride China's rise China's rise as an economic superpower has been an incentive for the 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to integrate to remain competitive as well as an impetus for policies of nationalistic self-interest. The launch of a new charter on Monday strengthens ASEAN's collective bargaining power with Beijing, but China's one-on-one soft-power plays may undermine the emergence of any unified economic bloc. - Brian McCartan Japan to live with
its yen burden
Japan's currency has gained by almost a quarter against the US dollar this year and a third against the euro, making life even harder for the country's exporters, such as Sony and Toyota. Yet Tokyo is unlikely to halt the rise, out of concern over its relations with the United States, its key ally. - Kosuke Takahashi Crisis Brewing in the Himalayas By: James Brazier | Diplomatic Courier The Himalayas are moving inexorably towards crisis. China is advancing its claims over 30,000 square miles of Indian-held territory through economic, diplomatic, and even insurgent warfare. India has responded by militarising the border | H11 IHT Did Sarkozy's stint change the EU for good? For the six months that France held the European Union presidency, President Nicolas Sarkozy dominated the European stage. But has he fundamentally changed the EU, or simply burnished his image? Russia considers buying spy drones from Israel A Russian purchase of such aircraft from Israel would be a significant expansion of military business between the two countries. Creating the illusion of democracy in Russia's neighbors Election monitoring teams - part of the Kremlin's efforts to bolster authoritarian regimes - show how far Russia will go to create the illusion of democracy. Belarussian troops voted in Septembe Explosives found at Paris department store French police found a package of explosives at the Printemps department store in central Paris on Tuesday, a police spokeswoman said. The Low Oil Price Calls for a Fresh Set of Rules Six months ago when King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia convened an energy summit in Jeddah the mood between producers and consumers was of barely concealed hostility EUROPE European press review A Habsburg Plan for Brussels: A review of “Empire by Devolution: What Today’s EU Can Learn From Franz Josef I’s Empire” Surveillance culture sneaks up on Europe, despite resistance EULEX, For a New Kosovo By: Igor Jovanovic | ISN Security Watch
The EU launches its biggest ever civil mission and hope that its neutral status and focus on the rule of law in Kosovo will meet with more success than its UN predecessor EU voting on working week opt-out MEPs will vote later on the fate of Britain's opt-out from European laws limiting the working week to 48 hours. Mardell's Europe Sarkozy's elan has shaken up the EU's crisis management France Avoids Recession, Cites Reforms Subscriber Content Read PreviewFrance was one of the few big economies to grow in the third quarter, partly thanks to deregulation, bit it is unlikely to dodge recession, the finance minister said. | H12 RFE/RL Central Asia: Russian General Claims US Wants to Build Two Military Bases in Region The United States is planning to set up military bases in Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, Russia�s top general is claiming FT Between the Lines Quentin Peel on Russia’s economy WSJ Output Drop In Russia Signals Gloom Russia's industrial output fell 8.7% in November from a year earlier on cash shortages and lower export demand. Google News Azerbaijan Fighting Pirates Instead of the United States By: Rose Gottemoeller | The Moscow Times Dmitry Medvedev, who returned not long ago from Venezuela, has a serious choice to make. He can choose the Barbary pirates or the Monroe Doctrine. If I were him, I'd go with the pirates. RUSSIA-CUBA: The Miami Herald reports that Russia plans to reinvigorate its military relations with Cuba by docking Russian warships in Havana |
| H13 The Times Nato: more than a military force Divided in Afghanistan, hamstrung in Europe, the alliance must find a political voice or collapse Michael Evans Fed stuns the world with rate cut to 'virtually zero' US rates were cut to a historic low as America resorted to drastic action in its battle to stave off recession and deflation Analysts say Fed has 'shot all its armoury' Britons caught in the Pakistan web British Muslims who remain entangled in their forefathers' politics will be susceptible to extremism Anatol Lieven Madoff fraud 'could have been averted years ago' The Securities and Exchange Commission has admitted it ignored repeated warnings about the financier's wrong-doing for 10 years Explosives found in Paris department store Five sticks of explosives found in famous Printemps-Haussmann store after warning from unknown Afghan group US Basra role as British troops prepare for exit The Stars and Stripes flies alongside the Union Flag in a symbolic demonstration that the British era is coming to an end Wall Street Journal Bernanke Goes All In John Steele Gordon: Pyramid Schemes Are as American as Apple Pie OPEC Eyes Cut of 2 Million Barrels Saudi Arabia opened the door for OPEC's most drastic output reduction in decades by calling for the group to slash world oil supplies by at least another 2 million barrels a day to keep abreast of faltering world demand. Cutting rates to near zero, Fed deploys unconventional tools Bloomberg: Fed Cuts Rate to as Low as Zero, Shifts Policy Focus Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System: For immediate release Regulators face Madoff grilling The top US financial watchdog is to investigate why its own staff failed to act early on warnings about Bernard Madoff. | H14 Financial Times ‘Helicopter Ben’ confronts the challenge of a lifetime Central banks may resort to their most powerful weapons against deflation: the printing press and the ‘helicopter drop’ of money. Will this work? Yes. But returning to normality will prove far more elusive, writes Martin Wolf Fed slashes rates to near zero The US Federal Reserve moved deeper into uncharted water heralding a raft of dramatic and unconventional measures to support the economy as it slashed interest rates from 1 per cent, virtually to zero Fed dips into toolbox to fix long-term rates The Federal Reserve made clear that it had not run out of ammunition to support growth and ward off deflation, even as it cut the fed funds rate virtually to zero Middle East needs Obama’s touch Richard Haass and Martin Indyk on allies Heat rises in Russia-Ukraine gas talks Tension is high in annual negotiations because of Moscow’s intervention in Georgia, a political power vacuum in Kiev and the global economic crisis, which is increasing pressure on Gazprom to extract a big price rise The tricky road to US dialogue with Tehran The Obama administration will have to tread carefully as domestic politics threaten to unsettle negotiators in Iran, says Roula Khalaf Analysis Trouble in China’s manufacturing heartland Businesses are closing as falling western demand brings fears that Beijing will stifle the dynamism needed to adapt The broken promise of Doha Stop press: global trade talks fail to make progress. The world might be forgiven for regarding such tidings as somewhat less than dramatic news Day of reckoning In times of crisis, governments can act while opposition parties can only talk. Frustrating though this is, it makes it even more important that they choose their words well Fat tax, fat chance There is a need for changed behaviour when it comes to eating choices and exercise. A modest, targeted tax on certain foods, with revenue invested in tackling child obesity, may yet see its day Between the Lines Quentin Peel on Russia’s economy France tightens security in bomb scare Afghan group’s Paris store threat sparks alert Eurozone slides further into recession Activity falls for seven straight month Saudis call for record cut in Opec output Riyadh’s oil minister called for cuts of about 2m barrels a day to offset the global slowdown’s effect on oil demand. Other ministers, including those of Venezuela and Iran, took a similar line, making it likely that Opec will agree Oil slide threatens bid to diversify The price collapse and the financial crisis could endanger plans to transform Gulf economies – a process deemed critical to providing private-sector jobs for growing young populations UN calls for lasting Mideast peace The security council passed a resolution seeking a lasting regional peace based on a two-state solution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict – by 14-0, with only Libya abstaining Chu appointment delights energy campaigners The appointment of Steven Chu as US energy secretary has been welcomed in the US and around the world by scientists and campaigners on climate change as presaging a dramatic change in the US approach to global warming Foreign policy: Good intentions fail to fill diplomatic void Where is Egypt? The question surfaces with awkward regularity, with every new crisis in the Middle East and every new diplomatic initiative. Whether it is the US occupation of Iraq, the tensions over Iran’s nuclear programme or Lebanon’s factional fighting, Cairo has not been seizing the diplomatic centre stage, leaving it to a host of new regional players to try to fix Arab problems. Iraq and GE sign $3bn power deal Goldman Sachs reports $2.12bn loss First quarterly deficit as public company The titans’ inability to say sorry John Kay says he’s not solely to blame for the crisis Eurozone slides further into recession The eurozone has plunged deeper into recession, putting the 15-country region on course to report its worst quarter on record, while employment has also fallen Time to loosen the criteria for joining the euro Crisis has made this urgent, says Marcin Piatkowski Obama defies unions to pick school reform Barack Obama chose the reform-minded head of the Chicago school system as secretary of education and said teachers must accept greater accountability in return for more funds. ‘Falsified’ records hamper Madoff inquiry Madoff’s bail hearing delayed | H15 Los Angeles Times Fed cuts rates to record low: 0% to 0.25% The central bank also says it is considering the purchase of long-term Treasury bonds Dynamite found in bomb scare at French department store The dynamite at Printemps in Paris was not attached to a detonator. A group calling itself the Afghan Revolutionary Front had sent a warning letter demanding France's withdrawal from Afghanistan. EditorialBush's shoe toss In the history of footwear and politics, the protest of Bush in Baghdad was... Bush's Bluster By: Max Boot Perhaps the most irksome characteristic of the Bush administration has been the Rio Grande-wide gap between rhetoric and action. The president's actual foreign policy has not matched his rhetoric. It's no time to panic Jonah Goldberg Economic crisis is leading some to abandon time-honored wisdom. Egyptian Intellectuals Pay Price for Curiosity Rapprochement with Israel is a fraught issue. Most want to wait until Palestinians have a state, others support limited peace, and those who have done the unthinkable and visited Israel face ostracism. Egypt's sexually harassed women begin to speak out In a society where police are indifferent and relatives fear scandal, the abused have suffered the taunting and groping in silence. A landmark case may change that Iraq shoe thrower elicits mixed reaction among Arabs The journalist who threw a pair of shoes at President Bush is seen as both a hero and an embarrassment. Iraq's government faces a dilemma in deciding what to do with him. |
| H19 Military Intelligence Terrorism US arms sales seen booming in 2009 Global Insights: Gates' Pentagon War By: Richard Weitz | World Politics Review Earlier this month, the Pentagon issued a directive raising "irregular warfare" (IW) to the same level of importance as conventional battles. Irregular Warfare: Everything yet Nothing (Full PDF Article) India papers over its security cracks The Indian government plans a national security overhaul in the wake of last month's attacks on Mumbai. But these "quick-fix" solutions don't address a deep-seated rot in the security apparatus, particularly its understaffed, ill-equipped and poorly trained police force. - Sudha Ramachandran Procurement System Must Be More Responsive to Current Requirements – AFPS
What Next for Missile Defense? - Washington Times opinion
U.S. Military to Launch Pilot Program to Recruit New Local Afghan Militias - Anna Mulrine, U.S. News and World Report 'Terror' Is the Enemy By: Philip Bobbitt | International Herald Tribune
Our experience with 20th-century nation-based terrorists -- the IRA in Ireland, the PKK in the Kurdish areas of Turkey, ETA in Spain's Basque country, the FLN in Algeria and others -- still dominates much of our thinking about how to deal with 21st-century global terrorists. How Blackwater Serves America - Wall Street Journal opinion a review of The Bin Ladens: The Story of a Family and Its Fortune by Steve Coll (and more from Bookforum). The Men Who Spied on Nixon: New Details Reveal Extent of 'Moorer ...
FOXNews – The Middle East Times reports that a major Saudi intelligence operation foiled a plot by al-Qaeda militants to attack Muslims making the annual Hajj pilgrimage. | H20 Slate What Obama Could Learn From America's Greatest Unknown Nuclear Strategist
Get out of the hothouse from time to time.
Fred Kaplan The Green House
The recession is the best thing that could have happened to Barack Obama.
Christopher Beam | Our Fearless Politics
For now, fear is gone from Washington. What will happen when it returns?
John Dickerson Global Economic Prospects 2009: Commodities at the Crossroads World Bank This 196-page report on prospects for the global economy says that, along with the deepening crisis, commodity prices have plummeted, ending an historic five year boom. But the report, says the worst should be over by 2010 when growth is projected to pick up in developing countries Changes 'amplify Arctic warming' Scientists say they now have unambiguous evidence that the warming in the Arctic is accelerating. | H21 Microsoft Internet Explorer users told to switch browsers over 'zero-day' flaw Did Hollywood steal our hearts? Scientists claim that real-life relationships can't live up to those in the movies. They should try watching a few. From International Socialist Review, an article on the limits of identity politics Magic tricks reveal inner workings of the brain. A review of American Therapy: The Rise of Psychotherapy in the United States by Jonathan Engel. From Arts & Opinion, Wendy McElroy writes in defense of pornography 'Exciting, Realistic, Complex': Muted Praise for 'Valkyrie' From German Critics From Governing, in many cities, a big university is becoming the economic engine that a big corporation used to be |
