010609f - 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 Ending the War in Gaza International Crisis Group

Foreign Policy launches its new look and rolls out its new A-list of bloggers - January/February 2009

Financial Times Israel’s self-defeating Gaza offensive

Ending the blockade in return for a ceasefire remains the best option for both humanitarian and strategic reasons. But the longer the bloodshed goes on, the more both sides in the conflict will be sucked into a logic of revenge and retaliation, writes Gideon Rachman

There is only one alternative to the dollar That would be gold, says David Hale

Guardian · This brutality will never break our will to be freeAs Operation Cast Lead enters its eleventh
day,Khalid Mish'al, a Hamas leader, writes

Israel looks to drive Hamas out of Gaza Push for assault to continue amid assertions action has crippled Hamas's ability to govern

Ha’aretz – ANALYSIS / Israel is on its way to reoccupying all of the Gaza Strip If it pulls out now from Gaza, it will appear to have cut and run at the first sign of trouble in battling Hamas

ANALYSIS / The unspoken goal of bringing down Hamas in Gaza Under the current circumstances, Israel is dependent on the mercy of Hamas to allow it to declare victory.

Observers in Israel, Lebanon suspect Hezbollah may escalate tensions on border Hezbollah has raised its military preparedness, but faces opposition to action against Israel.

Counterinsurgency Field Manual: Afghanistan Edition by Nathaniel Fick and John Nagl in the January / February 2009 issue of Foreign Policy.

A conversation with John Nagl and Nathaniel Fick

The FP Debate: Samuel Huntington’s Legacy

Stephen Walt What if Egypt, Jordan, and Syria had won the Six Day War?

Independent Robert Fisk: Bring in the peacekeepers? It's not as easy as it sounds

New York Times DAVID BROOKS The Confidence War

This isn’t a war of attrition between Israelis and Palestinians. It’s a series of psychological exchanges designed to shift the balance of morale.

Israel Deepens Gaza Incursion as Toll Mounts As European diplomats sought a cease-fire, Israeli troops poured into Gaza City, expelling residents and shooting militants

Washington Post A War Hamas Caused By Richard Cohen, It took no genius to see the imminence of the Israel-Gaza war. It takes real stupidity to blame it on Israel.

Fighting to the End By Anne Applebaum, The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is not a peace process; it's a war.

Israel's Moral High Ground

Saul Singer | By taking on Hamas, Israelis deserve the gratitude of decent people everywhere

Salon The Israel rules America's support of the Gaza attack proves once again that our mythical image of Israel has blinded us to its faults -- a myopia with devastating consequences for both countries. By Gary Kamiya

Why Israelis support the Gaza offensive Israel's post-traumatic war is not just about stopping Hamas rockets, but about repairing reputations -- and erasing the stain of failure.
By Aluf Benn

Christian Science Monitor

A rush to broker peace in Gaza

Absent more forceful US role, others make frantic bid to halt fighting

After Gaza, how Obama can pick up the pieces The conflict gives him critical leverage to prod long-needed concessions from both Palestinians and Israelis.

Europe begins to feel gas pipeline pinch The Russia-Ukraine gas war has left some downstream nations with only a mild shortfall, but has incited debate on how to secure energy reserves amid regional instability.

Obama Should Consider Inviting Arab Nations to Help Solve Israeli ... - Council on Foreign Relations

National Security Archive "Riveting" Account of U.S. Presidents and the Middle East Details Inconsistent Policies and influence of Foreign Leaders New Patrick Tyler book narrates "A World of Trouble"; Documentary highlights posted on Archive Web site

The top-secret channel opened by the Nixon White House with the Shah of Iran to discuss "contingency" planning by the Iranian leader to seize Saudi Arabia and its oil resources in the event of a coup or an external assault on the Saudi kingdom. (two documents)

Israel's Gaza Strategy - Martin Kramer (Adelson Institute for Strategic Studies-Shalem Center)

Guardian Central Asia's waking giant Marcel de Haas: Most people in the west have never heard of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, but it's time they did

Geopolitical Diary: The French Window of Opportunity

France will use most of 2009 to prove itself as Europe's heavyweight.

SPIEGEL Interview with Boutros Boutros-Ghali: 'Israel Has a Habit of Closing its Eyes to Hard Facts'

• 'Battling Toward the Collapse of the Hamas Regime' by Martin Kramer, Jerusalem Post

IHT Begetting violence By RAMI G. KHOURI It is a victory for Hamas simply to be able to keep firing rockets at southern Israel.

Obama's Afghan challenge: Build a new alliance There is little chance for peace in Afghanistan until a crucial majority of its neighbors act on a common interest in Afghan stability

H2

Jerusalem Post Editorial Turkey chooses sides

Erdogan Ruptures Turkish-Israel Relations DEBKA file

Erdoğan telefonlarını İsrail’e kapattı

Turkey could use troops to backup its diplomacy

Güler: Gaz akışı tamamen kesildi

· Gaza Erisis Spurs Turkish Diplomacy BY: Iason Athanasiadis | The Washington Times Israel's Gaza offensive may have benefits for Turkey, bolstering its diplomatic profile in what some commentators call "neo-Ottomanism" and a Turkish newspaper hailed as a "golden age" for Turkish diplomacy.

· A Turkish 'I Apologize' Campaign to Armenians BY: Esra Özyürek | Los Angeles Times To those long frustrated by Turkey's intractability on the issue, this campaign may appear an inadequate gesture. But it has immense value, educating many Turks about the violence done to Armenians.

Turkey rehabilitates poet Hikmet

Turkey is to restore the citizenship of one of its most illustrious writers, the late Nazim Hikmet.

Üçlü zirvede üç karar

Asker için yeşil ışık

Erhan Başyurt Askeri işbirliği askıya alınsın!

Turkey, Iran bombard Kurdish rebels in Iraq: PKK

Gas supplies halted to Turkey, Bulgaria, Greece and Macedonia

Talks over new IMF loan deal to resume

No change in US-Turkey ties with Obama

DEBKAfile: Erdoğan, İsrail karşıtı bir Arap cephesinin liderliğini ele almaya başladı!

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

Tunceli'de ilginç ittifak

Türk Jetleri Kandil'i Vurdu

Türkiye'den Yoğun Diplomasi

Sami Kohen Ateşkes nasıl sağlanır?

Obama korkusu İsrail’i çıldırttı

Şahin Alpay İsrail ile ilişkilerde idealizm ve realizm

Bilal Çetin Türkiye’nin arabulucuk misyonu ve Hamas gerçeği...

Cevdet Aşkın İsrail'in amacı örnek oluşturmak

İsrail'i kim durduracak?

Artık yoksulluğun dili değil -

Connecting people in Istanbul and Kirkuk overland

MELİHA OKUR
TOBB'un Filistin projesi işe yarar mı?

TAMER KORKMAZ İsrail Terörü

İsrail’e savaş mı ilan etsek?

TÜRKER ALKAN

Yüreğimiz kan ağlıyor ama...

HASAN CELAL GÜZEL

İsrail terörü, Hamas terörü

ORAL ÇALIŞLAR

İnsanlık bölünmesin!

NURAY MERT

Ergin YıldızoğluAnlaması Zor Bir Savaş...

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

Brüksel'deki AB gözlemcileri:2009 AB ve Türkiye için ya hep ya hiç yılı olacak

AB uzmanından tavsiye: Hemen vites büyütün

KÜRŞAT BUMİN Avrupa Birliği'ne alışmadığımız türden bir bakış

Kıbrıs'ta Görüşmeler Yeniden Başladı

Stefanos Stefanu: Hakemliğe kapı açmayacağız

Ot yemiş, kimi anasını kimi babasını kaybetmiş

Beyrut ve Şam’a müfettiş olarak giden Halide Edip, Maliye Nazırı Cavid Bey’e yazdığı mektupta tehcir nedeniyle gelen Ermenileri şöyle anlatıyor: “Çöllerde ot yiyerek karınları şiştikten sonra kimi anasını, kimi babasını, birçokları da çocuklarını kaybettikten sonra buraya düşmüşler.”

Hedo Okur Tuncay Nihat Altintop

Eğitim sorunu: Geleceği okumak ÖMER KANAT

Andrew Finkel Byzantium

Turkey Restores Citizenship of Celebrated Poet

Talimat Başbakan’dan

Hızlı tren şubatta

Global kriz, Türk medyasını sarsıyor -

H3

Gazetelerde Bugün

Akif Beki görevinden ayrıldı

Ankara anketi sonucu

Çerkezler de yayın istedi

Güney, üç ayda dokuz kez girmiş

Kılıçdaroğlu İstanbul için işareti verdi

Güney’in giriş çıkış kayıtları mahkemede

Güney'in ifade kasetleri mahkemede

Ergenekon koğusunda tekme-tokat kavga

Erdoğan’ın ‘Saadet’ korkusu!

İzmir'de büyük gözaltı İzmir'de, aralarında Güzelbahçe Belediye Başkanı, bazı meclis ve encümen üyelerinin de bulunduğu 100'ün üzerinde kişi gözaltında

Gökçek'e bir darbe daha!

'Angaralı Melih'in hikâyesi

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 Derdimiz Hamas mı, Filistin halkı mı

Ahmet Taşgetiren Gazze ve halksız yönetimler Coğrafya bilinci

Ruşen - Çakır Ahmet Davutoğlu bir kez daha haklı çıktı

Taha Akyol Amerika ve İsrail

Fikret Bila İsrail’i kim durduracak?

Hasan Cemal İnsanın yüreğini parçalayan İsrail saldırılarıyla güvenlik ve barışı unutun!

Murat Yetkin Ankara’da Gazze yangını

İsmet Berkan Kanlı seçim kampanyaları

Lale Sarıibrahimoğlu Intelligence wars in Ankara

Fehmi Koru Kılıçdaroğlu'nun 'belgeleri'

Taha Kıvanç Vicdan ve medya

Şamil Tayyar

Ali Bayramoğlu Kürtçe meselesi: Küçük devrim, büyük değişim…

2008'den 2009'a: Uzlaşı ve çatışma arasında bir başbakan

Yasemin Çongar

Ertuğrul Özkök Yüzde 47 artı 1 felaketi

Hasan Ünal

Ahmet Hakan ’Hamas kışkırttı’ diyene tek soru

M Ali Birand İsrail ve ABD cinayet işliyorlar

Cüneyt Ülsever Obama’nın ilk sınavı: Gazze

Enis Berberoğlu Baykal: Polise değil telekulağa güven yok

Oktay Ekşi Resmin öteki yüzü

Özdemir İnce Azınlıklar, haklar ve gerçekler

Mehmet Y Yılmaz Bir siyasi ahlak dersi

MUHARREM SARIKAYA 'Kürt sorununa' üçlü çözüm

İhsan Dağı 'Uzlaşarak' iktidar mümkün mü?

[Yorum - Herkül Millas] Baskı raporunun baskısı

ERDAL ŞAFAK Türkiye'ye yarayan kriz

ENGİN ARDIÇ

ERGUN BABAHAN

EMRE AKÖZ TRT 6 kimin 'stratejisi'?

Umur Talu Bölmeye karşı çarpma!

HASAN BÜLENT KAHRAMAN

NAZLI ILICAK Ankara'da hedef şaştı

MEHMET BARLAS Bu coğrafya bu ağırlığı nereye kadar taşıyabilecek?

MAHMUT ÖVÜR CHP'nin İstanbul adayı Gürsel Tekin!

YAVUZ DONAT Yağmur altında siyaset

Oray Eğin

İlber Ortaylı-Murat Bardakçı ilişkisi

Ekonomi

ABDURRAHMAN YILDIRIM

Osman Ulagay Ekonomide dikiz aynası tuzağı

Güngör Uras Adamlarınızı kapı önüne koymadan lütfen iyice düşününüz

Ercan Kumcu

Erdal Sağlam BOTAŞ, MKEK ancak halka açılabilir

MELİKŞAH UTKU

2009'a girerken görünüm

İBRAHİM KAHVECİ

İşçiyi at; hayır işle!

Güven Sak Dünün güzel göstergeleri artık müjdeli haber vermiyor

Seyfettin Gürsel Merkez Bankası haklı çıktı

Deniz Gökçe Merkez dalgalı kuru savunuyor!

Bu kimin krizi MAHFİ EĞİLMEZ

Türkiye’nin krizi KORKMAZ İLKORUR

Asaf Savaş Akat 2008’de enflasyon

H4 New York Times DAVID BROOKS The Confidence War

This isn’t a war of attrition between Israelis and Palestinians. It’s a series of psychological exchanges designed to shift the balance of morale.

Israel Deepens Gaza Incursion as Toll Mounts As European diplomats sought a cease-fire, Israeli troops poured into Gaza City, expelling residents and shooting militants

Editorial Incursion Into Gaza Israel must try to end this conflict as soon as possible and in a way that increases the chances for negotiating a broad regional peace.

BOB HERBERT The Afghan Quagmire The time to go all out in Afghanistan was in the immediate aftermath of the 2001 terror attacks. That time has passed.

Panetta Chosen as C.I.A. Chief in Surprise Step The choice of Leon E. Panetta, a former White House chief of staff, to head the intelligence agency raised questions about his relevant experience.

In Fatah-Governed West Bank, Solidarity With Hamas

Gazprom Reduces Deliveries of Gas Through Ukraine

India Seeks Extraditions in Mumbai Siege

For Vatican, Spain Is a Key Front in Church-State Battle

Warnings Not Enough for Gaza Families

Arrests Increased in Chinese Region

Where Is Our Ferdinand Pecora?

By RON CHERNOW Congress should conduct an inquest into the economic crisis. For inspiration, it can turn to Ferdinand Pecora’s questioning in Senate hearings that demystified the 1929 crash.

Ex-Detainee of U.S. Describes a 6-Year Ordeal — LAHORE, Pakistan — When Muhammad Saad Iqbal arrived home here in August after more than six years in American custody, including five at the military prison at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, he had difficulty walking, his left ear was severely infected Though never charged with a crime, Muhammad Saad Iqbal spent six years in American custody, during which he says he was secretly taken to Egypt and tortured.

H5 Washington Post A War Hamas Caused By Richard Cohen, It took no genius to see the imminence of the Israel-Gaza war. It takes real stupidity to blame it on Israel.

Fighting to the End By Anne Applebaum, The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is not a peace process; it's a war.

Israel's Moral High Ground

Saul Singer | By taking on Hamas, Israelis deserve the gratitude of decent people everywhere

Power Barometer: Israel's Goals for Gaza

At Main Gaza Hospital, a Scene of Chaotic Desperation Israel's Strategy Of Dividing the Strip Hinders Relief Efforts

Obama Picks Panetta as CIA Director

Some Question Intelligence Experienc

Israel Rejects Intensified Push for Cease-Fire

On the Tigris, America's Monument to Humility

Putin Orders Reduction in Gas Sent to Europe Through Ukraine

India Gives Pakistan Findings From Mumbai Probe, Urges Action Against Suspects

The Party of Tomorrow By E. J. Dionne Jr., It turns out to be much easier for Democrats than Republicans to reach out to moderates.

Obama's Chance for a Blue Legacy

By Vikki Spruill, Obama needs to strengthen ocean protections that ensure the health of our planet.

Obama Pitches Stimulus Plan

GOP Asked to Help Design Bill; $300 Billion in Tax Cuts Sought

Our Stake in the Bailouts

By Michael Brownrigg,

We would be making a blunder if we did not demand a strong financial return for all this capital.

H6 Guardian · This brutality will never break our will to be freeAs Operation Cast Lead enters its eleventh day, Khalid Mish'al, a Hamas leader, writes

Israel looks to drive Hamas out of Gaza Push for assault to continue amid assertions action has crippled Hamas's ability to govern

Sarkozy leads international pressure French president says 'guns must fall silent' before Tel Aviv can strike deal on new border terms

Gaza needs new peace brokers

Oliver McTernan: Israel and Hamas need political friends who understand the compromises necessary for peace, unlike the US and Egypt

· Gazans need to choose peace over extremism

As Operation Cast Lead enters its eleventh day, Shai Hermesh, a member of the Israeli parliament, writes

· Lessons of Lebanon may have been learned, but even sophisticated arms kill civilians as risks of urban warfare loom Israeli air strikes designed to destroy Hamas's central military structures and fuel a climate of shock and fear

· Israelis deny using phosphorus

Israel has not said what kind of munitions are used, other than that they are permitted under international law

· Civilian toll soars as troops and tanks press into Gaza

UN says at least 94 Palestinians have been killed since the ground offensive began on Saturday night

Deal to admit journalists aborted

Israel argues that excluding international media is helpful as foreign reporters are unethical and biase

Time for Tony to talk

Mark Seddon: The Middle East Quartet's special representative lobbied hard for the role. But how much does he have to say about Gaza?

The will to peace Mick Fealty: If Northern Ireland has any lesson for Gaza, it is that finally both sides have to choose a political rather than a military solution

My Palestinian problem

Michael Tomasky: I believe the Palestinian liberation movement has been deeply flawed and destructive

One of the more shocking sentences I've read lately Michael Tomasky: My jaw hit the floor after reading an essay on Israeli settlements

· It will take more than goodwill and greenwash to save the biosphere George Monbiot: Shell may boast about tackling climate change, but companies tend always to sacrifice good intentions for hard cash

Life, liberty and connectivity for all

Sascha Meinrath: Internet access is more than a commodity – it's a public good. The US should seize the opportunity to invest in broadband

H7 Bill Kristol's Saber Rattling on Iran - Joe Klein, Tim

Iran's Postmodern Beast in Gaza - Robert Kaplan, The Atlantic

Where is the World Headed in 2009? - RealClearWorld

Office of the Historian, Bureau of Public Affairs Release of Foreign Relations, 1969-1976, Volume E-14, Part 1, Documents on the United Nations, 1973-1976
Source: U.S. Department of Stat

Cuba’s Castro Offers to Meet Obama, Downplays Hope for Progress

Obama's Opportunity
by Rep. Ron Paul

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

PMOI fate uncertain

BAGHDAD, Jan. 5 (UPI) -- The fate of the dissident People's Mujahedin of Iran based in Iraq's Diyala province hangs in balance following American security transfers, a review suggests.

Iraqi order of battle takes shape

BAGHDAD, Jan. 5 (UPI) -- The Iraqi military and police forces made significant developments in training and equipment purchases, securing an order of battle for 2009, a report says.

Jan 5 SD# 2174 - Arab Media Attacks Egypt

New US embassy opens in Baghdad

The new US embassy in Baghdad - one of the largest and most expensive ever built - is officially opened Iraq's capital.

Mammoth new U.S. Embassy marks new stage for Iraq

Tehran offers to 'protect' Ebadi

Iran says it will provide security for Nobel Peace Prize-winning lawyer Shirin Ebadi, amid global concern for her safety.

Food aid in Iraq may be revamped

BAGHDAD, Jan. 5 (UPI) -- The Iraqi Planning Ministry said 95 percent of Iraqi families prefer free food over government financial aid as the country struggles with its 2009 budget

H9 Ha’aretz – ANALYSIS / Israel is on its way to reoccupying all of the Gaza Strip If it pulls out now from Gaza, it will appear to have cut and run at the first sign of trouble in battling Hamas

ANALYSIS / The unspoken goal of bringing down Hamas in Gaza Under the current circumstances, Israel is dependent on the mercy of Hamas to allow it to declare victory.

Observers in Israel, Lebanon suspect Hezbollah may escalate tensions on border Hezbollah has raised its military preparedness, but faces opposition to action against Israel.

Bradley Burston / Gaza War Diary III: If Mexico shelled Texas, like Hamas shells Israel

Egypt's Mubarak to EU: Hamas must not be allowed to win Comment made as Hamas sent representatives to Cairo to discuss cease-fire with Israel.

· U.S. Seeks to Formulate Ceasefire Agreement

Hamas puts Gazans in danger by drawing IDF into urban warfare 120 Palestinians have been killed since the ground operation began, the vast majority of them civilians

ANALYSIS / Dead troops is price of stubbornness over Gaza exit IDF troops are advancing through booby-trapped Gaza - exactly as Hamas is expecting them to

Sarkozy: Hamas to blame for suffering of Palestinians in Gaza

Amira Hass: Wounded Gaza family lay bleeding for 20 hours

Three IDF soldiers killed, one critically wounded in Gaza blast Friendly fire from IDF tank caused deaths; IDF Colonel, 20 other soldiers wounded in incident.

Jerusalem PostAnalysis: Gaza will not be Stalingrad By AMIR MIZROCH The IDF currently has the time to decide where and what in the Strip to strike.

· Our World: Iran's Gazan diversion? [ CAROLINE GLICK

]

· Candidly Speaking: End the cant and hypocrisy [ ISI LEIBLER,]

· Straight Talk: Overwhelming force is the only way to fight terrorists

[ SHMULEY BOTEACH,

An open letter to the world: Sorry, no apologies

[ DAVID BREAKSTONE

Weren't there other ways to induce Hamas to stop the...

Two-state illusion: The Sderot perspective [ NOAM BEDEIN,

Yedioth Ahronoth Next Stage of Gaza Operation: "Root Canal" for Terror - Hanan Greenberg

'We won’t topple Hamas rule'

PM assures French president ending Hamas' regime in Strip not one of Gaza offensive's goals

Blood on our hands/ Aloni

Price of disengagement

Gaza war shows that luckily for Tel Aviv, there was no West Bank pullout, Elyakim Haetzni says

Daily Alert.org – Hebrew Press Editorials (2008) - Middle East Progress - EJC Israeli Press Review – Goo

BBC Fighting flares outside Gaza City Militants engage Israeli forces near Gaza City as "friendly fire" kills three soldiers on the third night of the ground offensive.

Humanitarian crisis deepens

Bowen diary: Deluge of envoys

Who is a civilian?

No comment Why Obama has stayed silent over the Gaza crisis

Gaza propaganda Paul Reynolds on whether we can trust what we see

Could Have Seen This War Coming - Richard Cohen, Washington Post

What Gaza Could Have Been - Christopher Hitchens, Slate

Daily Star Israeli politicians should examine their own support for enemies of peace

Hamas must step down as Gaza's keeper
By Sultan Al-Qassemi

Mythical Image of Israel Blinds Us - Gary Kamiya, Salon

Walt Israel's Ticking Clock

Israel Closing Eyes to Hard Facts - Boutros Boutros-Ghali, Der Spiegel

Israel's Global Support in Good Shape - Barry Rubin, Jerusalem Post

Getting Over the Lebanon Syndrome - Shmuel Rosner, New Republic

Tony Karon Oren, Historian Armed

Why Tehran Stokes Violence in Gaza - Walid Phares, Washington Times

WINEP Jihadist Groups in Gaza: A Developing Threat

The Roots of Middle East Violence - Rami Khouri, Int'l Herald Tribune

A New Middle East Cold War - Michael Young, Forbes

There is No Middle Way with Hamas - David Warren, Ottawa Citizen

Israel's Obligation - New York Post

Gaza is not Lebanon; Hamas is not Hezbollah...

Israel Must Learn the Limits of Bombing and Violence in Palestine - Council on Foreign Relations

Analysis: War is a cruel business

WASHINGTON, Jan. 5 (UPI) -- War is a cruel business and needs to be looked at accordingly. All the hype of trying to ensure minimum civilian casualties is good for public relations and added headaches for those who plan wars. If civilian casualties truly have to be stopped and "collateral damage" (the military euphemism for civilians who get in the way of its bullets, bombs, rockets, missiles and airplanes) is to be avoided, there exists a far simpler way: Avoid going to war.

Commentary: Israel's endgame

WASHINGTON, Jan. 5 (UPI) -- Since neither Hamas nor Hezbollah can be eliminated, what is Israel's endgame? Two of the three principal candidates to become Israel's next prime minister in the Feb. 10 elections are demonstrating they can be just as tough as the third challenger. The geopolitical can named "Palestinian state" has been kicked down the road one more time.

Operation Cast Lead – Update No. 5 IICC The fifth (15-page) Israeli update on the military attack on Hamas target in Gaza

Operation Cast Lead: Update No. 4

IICC A fourth (16-page) Israeli update on the military attack on Hamas targets in Gaza

Summary of Rocket Fire and Mortar Shelling in 2008

IICC A 12-page Israeli report on rocket attacks on Israel by Hamas and other terrorist organisations during 2008

Operation Cast Lead: Update No. 3

IICC A third (12-page) Israeli update on the military attack on Hamas targets in Gaza

Hamas’s Military Buildup in the Gaza Strip IICC A 51-page Israeli report on Hamas\' military buildup published April 2008

· The Problem with Hamas

BY: Petra Marquardt-Bigman | World Politics Review Israel is simply too small a country to leave its southern towns and villages -- and the almost one million citizens who live there -- exposed to the constant threat of rockets.

· The War in Gaza: Can Israel Have Military Success?

BY: Hampton Stephens | World Politics ReviewBeyond the dilemma that is at the heart of any asymmetric fight against a non-traditional force such as Hamas, it appears Israel is better position to achieve its military objectives in this campaign against Hamas than it was vis-à-vis Hezbollah in 2006.

· Invasion of Gaza by Israel Comes at Delicate Time for Washington BY: Paul Richter | Los Angeles Times Israel's ground invasion of the Gaza Strip has abruptly increased the stakes for Washington at an awkward moment when President Bush's power is ebbing and his successor is choosing to remain on the sidelines.

The Toughest Q’s Answered in the Briefest Tweets BY: Noam Cohen

The Israel Defense Forces, recognizing that success in neutralizing the Hamas movement in Gaza is as much a public relations challenge as a military one, has enlisted an arsenal of Internet tools to take their message directly to a global audience

H10 Christian Science Monitor

A rush to broker peace in Gaza

Absent more forceful US role, others make frantic bid to halt fighting

After Gaza, how Obama can pick up the pieces The conflict gives him critical leverage to prod long-needed concessions from both Palestinians and Israelis.

Europe begins to feel gas pipeline pinch The Russia-Ukraine gas war has left some downstream nations with only a mild shortfall, but has incited debate on how to secure energy reserves amid regional instability.

History as Obama's imperfect guide

Comparisons are made to the Depression and other events, but history has its limits.

A stimulus that won't sink the US

Three keys: A package has to be tough, temporary, and self-reversing.

US opens world's largest foreign mission in Iraq The $592 million, 104-acre compound that was dedicated in Baghdad's fortified Green Zone on Monday is meant to symbolize a long-term commitment to Iraq.

Extremist group in Greece attacks police The shooting by Revolutionary Struggle raises concern over a resurgence of domestic terrorism

Credit crunch shows little sign of easing Most banks have tightened lending, choking off needed credit for some US businesses.

Piracy raises pressure for new international tack on Somalia

The world is not willing to allow this strategic nation to remain ungoverned. Can a coordinated effort create a stable government?

ASIA

5 Reasons India Can't 'Do a Gaza' - Tunku Varadarajan, Forbes

26/11 and India's Pakistan Dilemma - Happymon Jacob, The Hindu

Voters Snub Kashmir Separatists - Sudha Ramachandran, Asia Times

Tamil Tigers' Last Stand - The Economist

Reynolds' China

Awake or asleep? Second picture shows difference

Jan 5 IA# 489 - Pakistan's Army Thwarts a Historic Opportunity for Peace in Baluchistan

· Indo-U.S. Defense Lockstep BY: Siddharth Srivastava | Asia SentinelWhile focus usually rests on the Indo-US civilian nuclear deal as the one example of growing ties between India and the United States, defense is another important arena where the cementing is progressing at an increasing pace after US Defense Secretary Robert Gates visited India last year and made it plain that the US regards India as a strategic partner.

· China cracks down on 'vulgar' online searches Censorship linked to year of sensitive anniversaries as Google and others told to regulate content

In an increasingly wired China, rehab for Internet addicts

A Beijing treatment center for Web-addicted youths includes counseling, group games like laser tag, and physical exercise.

H11 IHT Begetting violence By RAMI G. KHOURI It is a victory for Hamas simply to be able to keep firing rockets at southern Israel.

Obama's Afghan challenge: Build a new alliance There is little chance for peace in Afghanistan until a crucial majority of its neighbors act on a common interest in Afghan stability

Gazprom reduces deliveries of gas through Ukraine

By ANDREW E. KRAMER

The announcement by the Russian gas monopoly, which said it is trying to make up for gas stolen by Ukraine, was essentially a partial fuel embargo of Europe.

For Vatican, Spain is a key front in church-state battle

By RACHEL DONADIO

When a judge recently ruled that a public school must remove the crucifixes from classroom walls, it was the latest blow to the Catholic Church's once mighty grip on Spain

EUROPE European press review

EU: Sarkozy Steals Prague's Thunder French President Nicolas Sarkozy's visit to the Middle East shows a lack of confidence in Czech Republic as president of the European Union.

· Berlusconi Plan Saps Pensions With Private Funds Bush Promoted Italy did for retirement financing what President George W. Bush couldn’t do in the U.S.: It privatized part of its social security system. The timing couldn’t have been worse.

Dangerous turn

Police shooting fuels fears of Greek terror revival

Sudden halt Romania's runaway economy hits the buffers

H12 RFE/RL

Russia cuts transit gas by fifth

Russia's Gazprom cuts gas transiting Ukraine by a fifth, accusing Kiev of stealing gas intended for EU states.

Energy enigma

What's behind Russia's decision to cut gas to Ukraine?

Central Asia's Waking Giant - Marcel de Haas, RealClearWorld

Google News Azerbaijan

H13 The Times Hamas: it's not black and white

Good and bad, victim and murderer, Jew or Palestinian - we can't afford simplistic arguments

• David Aaronovitch

Hamas: Israel has legitimised killing its children

Hamas leader Mahmoud Zahar broke cover to warn they would kill Jewish children anywhere in the world in revenge for Gaza

Memo: don't rely on the Brits in battle

Never mind our colonial past. The Armed Forces are the biggest threat to the special relationship

• Rachel Sylvester

Obama gets to work on 'very sick' US economy

Barack Obama has been out twisting arms and stroking egos in Congress hoping to secure a deal over his recovery plan

Germany ready for economic stimulus U-turn

Angela Merkel prepares to agree €50bn package for German economy, weeks after dismissing Gordon Brown's similar plan

EU fears gas cuts as Russian row heats up

Payment dispute and theft accusations threaten to squeeze gas flows out of Ukraine as Vladimir Putin orders cuts to supply

Credibility Freeze

Russia’s gas cut-off will damage further its credibility as a supplier

Advisers Advise

Inquiry rather than diplomacy characterised the public service of Alan Walters

Wall Street Journal Natan Sharansky: How the U.N. Perpetuates the 'Refugee' Problem

Bret Stephens: An Endgame for Israel

China at Sea

By Hugo Restall
A carrier project would shift the balance of power.
From today's Wall Street Journal Asia

· Gazprom's Lessons

REVIEW & OUTLOOK
Europe has failed to learn them.
From today's Wall Street Journal Europe

· Balkan Troubles

· Eradicating the 'Little Satan'

By Ze'ev Maghen
From Commentary: The West should take Iran's threats to Israel seriously.

What Congress Knew About 'Torture'

· Iran's Nobel Laureate Has Become a Target of the Regime

By Azadeh Moaveni
Ahmadinejad hopes to dispirit moderates by bullying Shirin Ebadi.

Frugal Families Aggravate Nation's Economic Woes

As layoffs and store closures grip the U.S., families are hoping frugality will see them through the downturn. But thriftiness is a major reason the downturn may not soon end.

Putin Cuts Gas Flows
Bound for Europe

Putin ordered reductions in natural gas bound for the EU via Ukraine, which he said was siphoning supplies, as a price dispute worsened

How Madoff Got Away With It

Madoff: Cheat, Pray and Love - James Surowiecki, The New Yorker

Obama 'planning $800bn stimulus'

US President-elect Barack Obama is seeing Congressional leaders to discuss his stimulus plan, which reports say could total $800bn

H14 Financial Times Israel’s self-defeating Gaza offensive

Ending the blockade in return for a ceasefire remains the best option for both humanitarian and strategic reasons. But the longer the bloodshed goes on, the more both sides in the conflict will be sucked into a logic of revenge and retaliation, writes Gideon Rachman

Why it would be wrong to write off the Brics They will lead global growth, says Jim O’Neill

Central banks must be the debt watchdogs We need an early warning system, says Andrew Large

There is only one alternative to the dollar That would be gold, says David Hale

Reinventing the European left

Enterprise, environment and Europe are the three Es needed for the left’s revival after we have emerged from this economic downturn

Saving the savers is not the priority

Politicians must turn attention back to the financial crisis. This is surely the right time to encourage the British people to spend, spend, spend

Hamas faces a share of the blame

The group, which faces one of the sternest tests since its founding, has missed repeated opportunities to calm the spiral of violence and prevent an Israeli offensive against its Gaza stronghold

EU intensifies efforts to solve energy strife A delegation led by Martin Riman, the Czech Republic’s industry minister, flew to Kiev for talks with Ukrainian officials, while another EU team of experts was due to confer with executives of Gazprom, the Russian gas monopoly

Obama choice for CIA to mend ties with Congress

Barack Obama appointed Leon Panetta, the former congressman and chief of staff to Bill Clinton, as the next director of the Central Intelligence Agency in a move that caught many in the intelligence community by surprise

Obama seeks Congress backing for plan Barack Obama started pushing his economic stimulus plan on Capitol Hill, including about $300bn of tax cuts that could soften Republican resistance

Sarkozy keeps Paris centre stage

French move in parallel with visit led by new Czech EU presidency

Oil tips above $48 on violence in Middle East

H15 Los Angeles Times Editorial Kennan, Huntington and the power of intellectuals

America's leaders are often guided by 'pointy-headed intellectuals.'

Obama wants Panetta at CIA; Feinstein wary

The incoming chair of the Intelligence Committee indicates she might oppose the pick.

Missiles aimed at Hamas figure kill family in Gaza

By Ashraf Khalil and Rushdi abu Alouf

The local Hamas commander survives, but his younger brother and that man's wives and children are slain. Many of Hamas' leaders and facilities are in urban areas, intermingled with civilians

Diplomatic efforts to halt Gaza offensive make little progress

By Borzou Daragahi

The U.S. vetoes a cease-fire deal that doesn't include guarantees sought by Israel, and Europe and even some Arab states hold back from strongly pressing for an end to the attack on Hamas

Israeli forces reach outskirts of Gaza City

By Richard Boudreaux

Airstrikes, shelling and artillery fire are said to kill 16 children. Israel rejects calls for a cease-fire, and Hamas vows to keep fighting as the conflict enters its 11th da

Greek riot police officer is shot; extremist group suspected

By Gina Kalovirna and Sebastian Rotella

The officer is wounded in a barrage of 30 bullets in the Athens area where nationwide youth rioting began. One of the guns used is linked to a 2007 attack by a far-left militant organization

Israel grapples with a mafia gang war

Car bombings and occasional rocket attacks have laid bare the shortcomings of Israel's formidable security apparatus in dealing with the crime wave.

At the Rafah crossing, a stream of injured Palestinians and an Arab dilemma

By Jeffrey Fleishman

Egypt is keeping its gates closed to all but the wounded from Gaza. There's sympathy for the Palestinians, but also a desire to stay out of the conflict with Israel.

H16 American Politics

Right nation no more David Weigel: The Republican party can no longer fool itself into thinking that the US electorate is naturally slanted towards it

Opinion Poll: States of the Union Before and After Bush

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 Europe faces energy crisis as Putin cuts gas

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin orders state-run gas company to cut supplies 20 per cent "starting today".

Britain is still too reliant on imported energy

Telegraph view: Britain has capacity to store only 15 days of gas

Israeli soldiers fight street battles in Gaza City Troops poured into the area and gun battles broke out at close quarters, as a new phase of Israel's war on Hamas began.

H18 Independent Hamas takes fight to the streets of Gaza

Up to nine Israeli soldiers were reported killed in heavy fighting in Gaza yesterday as Israel and the international community discussed a peace plan involving a 'robust' multi-national force along Gaza's borders.

Tunnels – the secret weapon for Hamas

Two strikes, and another family lay buried in rubble

Fares Akram: People are fleeing the north on donkey carts

Robert Fisk: Bring in the peacekeepers? It's not as easy as it sounds

H19 Military Intelligence Terrorism

Counterinsurgency Field Manual: Afghanistan Edition by Nathaniel Fick and John Nagl in the January / February 2009 issue of Foreign Policy.

Obama names Leon Panetta to head CIA

Obama's choice to lead CIA suggests shake-up is coming Leon Panetta, a former chief of staff to President Bill Clinton and a former congressman from California, is President-elect Barack Obama's choice to lead the Central Intelligence Agency, Democratic sources said Monday

A Smarter Intelligence Policy - Council on Foreign Relations

Panetta, Blair Tapped for Top Intel Posts

Los Angeles Times:
Panetta a surprise pick to run the CIA

00-Huh? Former intel officials react to Panetta CIA pick

A Conversation with Tom Ridge

HELP WANTED: FBI plans large hiring blitz of agents, experts...

Obama's Justice nominees signal end of Bush terror tactics

Today in The Nation: Israel's New War Ethic

H20 Slate Pointless Peace Proposals
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is a war, and it won't be over until someone wins.
Anne Applebaum

Robots, Not Roads
The Obama stimulus package should be spent on transformative investments, not bridges and buildings.
Eliot Spitzer

How Newspapers Tried to Invent the Web
But failed.

The Global Food Crisis: A Perfect Storm

H21 Obama has charisma, regarded as a feature you cannot ever really understand. No, say others, you can analyze charisma, break it down into parts... more»

Life’s modest pleasures: walking, cooking, fishing, napping, sitting in silence, and enjoying chocolate. All are legal... more»

Time was when a responsible person in the West was someone who entertained firm moral and political principles. But is moral relativism defensible as a principle?... more»

Google Hopes to Open a Trove of Little-Seen Books

Materialism, consumerism, owning things, is bad. Self-denial is good. So if I limit what I own to 100 objects, are my shoes one thing or two?... more»

Robinson Crusoe Diary Found

The Big Question: Why is Braille under threat, and would it really matter if it died out?

· In praise of ... braille Editorial: The digital revolution is celebrating its bicentenary - on 4 January 1809 Louis Braille was born

· All the news fit to print. (And a page 1 advert) New York Times starts to accept front page advertisements to help fight financial crisis

Car Sales Skid

If sociologists ignore the genetic components of human behavior and sociality, will other academics – and the wider world – ignore sociology?... more»

Democratic Citizens or Cogs in the Machine: political efficacy in an age of media interactivity

Herodotus: a historian for today

Mone was bored, so she pulled out her old diaries to write a novel about her life. She curled up in bed and began typing on her mobile phone... more»

Life, liberty and connectivity for all Sascha Meinrath: Internet access is more than a commodity – it's a public good. The US should seize the opportunity to invest in broadband

None of the above Heather McRobie: Why do prestigious US law schools insist on using a simplistic multiple-choice exam for making crucial admissions decisions?

Google News Slate Today's Papers SWJ Blog Media Roundup CFR Daily Brief CFR Daily Opinion Roundup memeorandum antiwar.com book forum FBIS University Channel DocuTicker Arts & Letters Daily PolicyPointers cursor raw story fora.tv realclearworld realclearpolitics PoliticsHome Drudge Report Current News Early Bird OpinionSource truthout Dayan Current Contents Blogometer Wikipedia technorati Slate's Today's Blogs ABC’s The Note eurointelligence The Page First Read Daily Beast Cheat Sheet

IraqSlogger Global Power Barometer Juan Cole - Kevin Drum - Gideon Rachman - Mark Kleiman - Belgravia Dispatch - washington realist - Tom Barnett - democracy arsenal - Josh Marshall - Daniel Drezner - Laura Rozen - the washington note - MondoWeiss - David Corn - SyriaComment - Israel-Syria Peace Society - William Arkin - Phil Carter - Ross Douhat Marc Ambinder Helena Cobban - MatthewYglesias - Oxblog - Brad DeLong - coming anarchy Rosner's Domain Wonkette Tom Hayden Paul Goble Abu Muqawama George Packer The Swamp

PostGlobal - AmericaAbroad -The Corner - Passport - huffingtonpost / Pajamas Media / Open University / CounterterrorismBlog Today in Iraq / OutSide the Beltway - InstaPundit - winds of change Kausfiles - Becker Posner-andrewsullivan.com - Registan - armscontrolwonk - IsraPundit Regime Change Iran – Martin Kramer - Dani Rodrik