030609f - 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 Ex-presidential advisers Brzezinski, Scowcroft urge Obama to talk to Iran

U.S. STRATEGY REGARDING IRAN Dr. Zbigniew Brzezinski General Brent Scowcroft, USAF (Ret.)

The Economist America and Iraq Take them home responsibly Obama is right to be flexible about the pace of America’s departure from Iraq

IHT TRANS-ATLANTIC TIES Pondering NATO's future By STANLEY R. SLOAN When NATO leaders meet in April, they should reconsider many long-held assumptions about the trans-Atlantic alliance.

Ha’aretz – Reconsidering Israel's nuclear ambiguity Israel's nuclear ambiguity has succeeded in keeping the country's enemies from mounting existential attacks. But certain changes in strategic doctrine could be necessary.

Lieberman demanding 'full autonomy' as foreign minister

Anshel Pfeffer / Jews may be caught between Obama and Netanyahu

Yedioth Ahronoth The easier choice: Syria/ Bergman Israeli-Syrian peace easier objective for US, but is it the right move?

• 'The Syrian-Israeli Relationship as a U.S. Policy Issue' by Itamar Rabinovich, Saban Center, Brookings Institution

Guardian Game on in the Middle East Simon Tisdall: During her tour, Hillary Clinton has made clear that the grand US-Iran battle for strategic control of the region has been joined

To put justice before peace spells disaster for Sudan Julie Flint and Alex de Waal: The overzealous pursuit of Omar al-Bashir could ruin years of diplomatic progress. The human cost will be massive

Report condemns Afghan coalition Analysis of counterinsurgency in Iraq and Afghanistan raises serious questions about intelligence

Intelligence failures cripple fight against Afghan insurgents

Book-length report is damning of US military often unwilling to share information among military allies

Clinton vows Russian Nato thaw

US secretary of state tells Nato foreign ministers Washington wants 'fresh start' with Moscow

Those cabinet minutes, at last

David Clark: In the public interest, and for the first time, I am making the information on the decision to invade Iraq exclusively available

The Times The Politics of Printing Money The Bank of England's dramatic easing of monetary policy is testimony to the failure of the financial system that Gordon Brown created

Nato Needs Russia

A sensible resumption of dialogue should not ignore concern on the rule of law

Obama bets the farm in $4tr game

The President believes he can change US politics for a generation. He could bankrupt his country Tim Reid

US Mideast Dominance a Costly Myth

Daily Telegraph If we win the war in Afghanistan, we could lose a battle in Pakistan The Taliban now have more support from their restless neighbours than ever before, says Con Coughlin.

Washington Post Recovery: A Job for China and the U.S. By Robert B. Zoellick and Justin Yifu Lin There is a mutual interest for China and the United States to readjust saving and consumption.

Obama's Radical Agenda Obama's program is intellectually dishonest to the core. The Sleight of Hand Behind Obama's Agenda By Charles Krauthammer,

Clinton Presses for Iran to Be Included in Conference on Afghanistan Suggests Inclusion in Afghanistan Parley

The Obama Team Should Rein in Russia's Expectations By David J. Kramer The chief problem in securing cooperation with Iran, among other things, lies with Moscow, not Washington.

PAUL KRUGMAN The Big Dither When it comes to dealing with banks, the Obama administration is dithering. And the result could be an economy that sputters along for a very long time.

Time Can Obama Avoid a Quagmire in Afghanistan? Afghanistan and Pakistan are teetering on the brink. And Obama's margin for error is minuscule

Obama Risks Cabinet Clashes to Expand National Security Council Bloomberg

POLITICS-US: Intel Council Head Draws Ire of Israel Lobby

Jacques Attali: PRINCIPLES OF MICROFINANCE CAN HELP SOLVE GLOBAL FINANCIAL CRISIS

Jerusalem Post Toward a shared defensive posture
Although nuclear threat is probably greater than during Cold War, there is still no common strategy.

Christian Science Monitor

Clinton pushes NATO allies for united strategy on Afghanistan The Secretary of State also calls for a 'fresh start' with Russia.

Russia and US poised to relaunch nuclear reduction treaty Hillary Clinton on Russia: 'It's time to explore a fresh start.' The overtures are being greeted warmly in Russia. Is a massive arsenal cut on the horizon?

Russia outmaneuvered U.S. over air base, analysts say When Kyrgyzstan announced last month that it was expelling a U.S. air base after Russia promised it $2 billion-plus in aid and loans, American officials said the decision wasn't final and a U.S. presence was still under discussion

Armenia: Currency Devaluation Leaves Consumers Feeling Uneasy Two days after Armenia’s Central Bank let the dram float against the dollar, an uneasy calm has returned to Yerevan after a round of panic buying cleaned many stores out of basic food items.

Why China could be more dangerous than terrorism BY TOM RICKS

Taliban force a China switch China's regional allies, especially Pakistan, that have traditionally policed Uyghur militants on its behalf, are in danger of being marginalized by a powerful and assertive Taliban movement apparently less willing to defer to Beijing. As a result, China is upgrading its direct contacts with non-Taliban sectors, including Islamist political parties and intelligence forces. - Peter Lee

Los Angeles Times Refusing to forget the Iraq war On the media: Journalist Thomas E. Ricks provides little solace to those who want to believe in a U.S. victory. But those who want to pull out now won't find comfort either.

Sudan president says he'll fight war crimes charges 'We are at war,' says Omar Hassan Ahmed Bashir, likening the International Criminal Court arrest warrant over the Darfur bloodshed to Western colonialism. Foreign aid agencies are to be expelled.

H2

The Economist The enduring popularity of Recep Tayyip Erdogan But will popularity blunt the reforming zeal of Turkey’s prime minister?

Bloomberg Kurds Seize Iraq Land Past Borders in Blow to US Pullout Plan

Ha'aretz Livni, Turkish FM hold reconciliation talks in Brussels

US Prefers to Leave Iraq Through Jordan and Kuwait, Rather than Turkey Huffington Post

FT ‘Genocide’ law threatens US ties with Turkey The US Congress is renewing a push on legislation that Turkey has warned could devastate Washington’s ties with one of its staunchest Nato allies

Israeli, Turkish envoys meet in bid to repair ties Reuters

No conflict is an island Ha'aretz

Turkey and Israel to patch it up (quietly)

Speaking in two voices Egypt and Saudi Arabia do not approve of Turkey's involvement in the Mideast conflict, because they see Turkey as an important part of the Syrian-Iranian-Turkish troika competing for Palestinian hearts.

Official: No Turkish Offensive Planned Inside Iraqi Kurdistan

US Expert: Turkey will 'rule' former Ottoman territories by 2040

Israeli, Turkish Foreign Ministers Meet Secretly

Turkey looks positively to US pullout from Iraq

Israel, Turkey bury hatchet after Gaza spat AFP

Sudan plays Turkey card at criminal court

İç Basında Türk Dış Politikası Dış Basında Türkiye – BBC Türkçe 0700 1800 – VOA Türkçe 0630 1345 2130 DW - (UTC) 0830 1130 1530 Turkish Press Review Google News Turkey TurcoPundit ASAM

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

More cultural rights for Kurds argues think tank

Turkey, Iran, Pakistan to launch container train service

Cevdet Aşkın

RIGHTS-TURKEY: Freedom of Expression Under Attack

Identity Politics: A Litmus Test for Turkey's DTP

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

Cyprus Greek, Turkish Leaders End Property Talks Without Accord

Black Sea: Pentagon's Gateway to Three Continents and the Middle East

No conflict is an island Ha'aretz

Ekren: Turkey expects to strengthen relations with new US ...

Turkey awaits US congressional OK for armed UAVs

Turkey wants clear European position on Nabucco

Turkish FM Babacan courts Russia, questions missile defense system

Ankara says new NATO chief must be favored by all

Turkish-Armenian issue: Not this time

Russian- Turkish “wedding” is fraught with Armenian “funeral”

No serious differences between Turkey, IMF, talks continue - min

Cyprus leaders move on to 'EU matters' following latest meeting

65% of Turkish Society Support Turkey's EU Membership Process

Kyprianou's optimism for Cyprus

Hedo Okur Tuncay Nihat Altintop

The voice of Turkish anxiety mutes his own

H3

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

Ruşen - Çakır

Taha Akyol

Fikret Bila

Hasan Cemal

Murat Yetkin

İsmet Berkan

Fehmi Koru

Taha Kıvanç

Şamil Tayyar

Ali Bayramoğlu

Yasemin Çongar

Ertuğrul Özkök

Hasan Ünal

Ahmet Hakan

M Ali Birand

Cüneyt Ülsever

Enis Berberoğlu

Oktay Ekşi

Özdemir İnce

Mehmet Y Yılmaz

MUHARREM SARIKAYA

ERDAL ŞAFAK

ENGİN ARDIÇ

ERGUN BABAHAN

EMRE AKÖZ

Umur Talu

HASAN BÜLENT KAHRAMAN

NAZLI ILICAK

MEHMET BARLAS

MAHMUT ÖVÜR

YAVUZ DONAT

Ekonomi

ABDURRAHMAN YILDIRIM

Ercan Kumcu

Erdal Sağlam

H5 Washington Post Recovery: A Job for China and the U.S. By Robert B. Zoellick and Justin Yifu Lin

There is a mutual interest for China and the United States to readjust saving and consumption.

Obama's Radical Agenda Obama's program is intellectually dishonest to the core. The Sleight of Hand Behind Obama's Agenda By Charles Krauthammer,

Clinton Presses for Iran to Be Included in Conference on Afghanistan Suggests Inclusion in Afghanistan Parley

The Obama Team Should Rein in Russia's Expectations By David J. Kramer The chief problem in securing cooperation with Iran, among other things, lies with Moscow, not Washington.

Caught in the Financial Downdraft

Markets Resume Month-Long Sell-Off As Investors Brace for More Bad News

Israeli Spurns Criticism From Clinton Jerusalem Mayor Calls Comment on Park Imperiling Palestinian Homes 'a Lot of Air'

Afghan Supply Chain a Weak Point

With Troop Buildup Coming, U.S. Is Challenged on the Ground and in the Air

Sudan's Bashir Rails Against West

President Decries Arrest Warrant as Imperialist Move

Prosecuting Terrorist Trials in U.S. Courts Poses Tremendous Hurdles

Wither Conservatives as Obama Tries to Fix the the Economy?

Will the Party Face FDR, Clinton or Carter? By Michael Gerson,

What Obama's fiscal policies could mean to the future of conservatism.

Bailing Out Organized Crime

By Michael Kinsley, Page A15

The treasury has a gun to its head.

Corporate America's Icons Crumbling Under Global Recession

U.S. to Invite The Wealthy To Invest in The Bailout

Europe Advises U.S. Officials on Climate

H6 Guardian Game on in the Middle East Simon Tisdall: During her tour, Hillary Clinton has made clear that the grand US-Iran battle for strategic control of the region has been joined

To put justice before peace spells disaster for Sudan Julie Flint and Alex de Waal: The overzealous pursuit of Omar al-Bashir could ruin years of diplomatic progress. The human cost will be massive

Report condemns Afghan coalition

Analysis of counterinsurgency in Iraq and Afghanistan raises serious questions about intelligence

Intelligence failures cripple fight against Afghan insurgents

Book-length report is damning of US military often unwilling to share information among military allies

Clinton vows Russian Nato thaw

US secretary of state tells Nato foreign ministers Washington wants 'fresh start' with Moscow

Those cabinet minutes, at last

David Clark: In the public interest, and for the first time, I am making the information on the decision to invade Iraq exclusively available

In defence of Pakistan Sultana Rizvi: Depicting the country as a failing state is doing more harm than good in the fight against terrorism

The developing world is too big to fail Kevin Gallagher: Developing nations are vital to global economic recovery – and the world's rich countries should start acting like it

Brown's finest hour won't change the political weather Martin Kettle: Engaging with the global crisis in Washington and the G20 wins plaudits. But only honesty about errors can win back voters

Questions over arrest warrant for Bashir Letters: What is the ICC's moral and political right to claim that Sudan, and the entire world potentially, is under its jurisdiction?

A Muslim Davos

Asim Siddiqui: The World Islamic Economic Forum provides a vital opportunity for innovative thinking to get us out of the global recession

H7 Ex-presidential advisers Brzezinski, Scowcroft urge Obama to talk to Iran

Iran: Tehran Still an Important Player in Iraq BY KAMAL NAZER YASIN
Iran’s current diplomatic mission to Iraq, led by former president Ayatollah Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, aims to bury the mutual hostility that was generated by the 1980-88 war between the two neighboring states. If successful, Iran will retain its influence in Iraq as the United States moves forward with the withdrawal of American forces

The Economist Hillary Clinton in the Middle East All charm and smiles With just that faint hint of menace

Iran's Nuclear Program: The Risk of the 'Known Unknown' BY: Peter Crail | World Politics Review The activities that we know of, such as Iran's uranium enrichment progress, are certainly of serious concern. But what will pose the biggest risk, and provide Iran with its most likely path to a weapons capability, is everything that we know we don't know.

A Free Man? by Jacob Heilbrunn

Failure Is Not Realism BY: Masood Aziz | Foreign Policy Even as the United States ramps up its military presence in Afghanistan, a political debate has already begun over how low to set expectations. Some skeptics in Washington, such as former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, are now making the case that it's time to abandon the project of nation-building and focus instead on narrow security goals.

US' Scowcroft warns of proliferation from Iran

Darfur and the Hunt for General Al-Bashir : Amir Taheri

Ready or not Iraqis are divided over the US withdrawal, afraid it might mean the country unravels, writes Saif Nasrawi

Iran and Israel Threaten Reconciliation
Dar Al-Hayat –

Stand tough for once

Al-Ahram Weekly In particular, Egyptian-Syrian-Saudi relations must be smoothed out while as a region we need to maintain well-balanced relations with both Iran and Turkey.

Friends in need The National

Syria is easier to talk to than Iran because the Syrian government very much wants to engage.

New stage in US-Syria relations GulfNews

The worst crimes, the law and the UN Security Council

Braced for the aftershock

Obama Must Withdraw Carefully Out of Unjust War BY: Dennis Jett | Miami Herald

New Iran report reeks of stale ideas
A recently released report from an influential Washington think-tank designed to aid President Barack Obama is thick on familiar accusations and rather thin on specifics of a much-needed new policy toward Iran. The report's main value may be in revealing the hands of vested interests seeking to obviate Obama's search for new ways to engage with Tehran. - Kaveh L Afrasiabi

US Courts Syria as Linchpin - Christian Science Monitor

Syria is Key - Washington Times opinion

Don't let Syria out of the doghouse

BY TONY BADRAN

Sick: Give Obama a Chance!

Profile: Omar Al Bashir

Does leaving Iraq mean genocide?

BY TOM RICKS

STEPHEN WALT

Chas Freeman's critics are calling me names now

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

A surer Assad reaches out to US to aid needy Syria

Iran Looms Over Clinton’s Mideast Trip - Mark Landler, New York Times

Report: Iran Can Get Material to Make 50 Nukes FOXNews

H9 Ha’aretz – Reconsidering Israel's nuclear ambiguity Israel's nuclear ambiguity has succeeded in keeping the country's enemies from mounting existential attacks. But certain changes in strategic doctrine could be necessary.

Lieberman demanding 'full autonomy' as foreign minister

Anshel Pfeffer / Jews may be caught between Obama and Netanyahu

Brent Scowcroft: Iran could trigger nuclear arms race in MideastEx-NSA chief: Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Turkey may seek to build own nukes to keep up with Iran

Slow boil in Gaza It is in Hamas' interest to keep the conflict alive and to survive until the tide turns against Israel, which may or may not happen in the foreseeable future.

Clinton to press Russia on Iran nuclear program, arms deals

Livni, Turkish FM hold reconciliation talks in Brussels

Kadima to democracy's rescueIf something can be learned from the European experience, it is the fact that beyond the deep cultural reasons, at the immediate political level the collapse of democracy was not the result of force majeure, but rather primarily the result of blindness in understanding the needs of the hour.

Israeli envoy to U.S. announces resignation after Netanyahu snub

Proposal in Congress: No Gilad Shalit, no Gaza aid

Barak is on the way out

Jerusalem Post Toward a shared defensive posture
Although nuclear threat is probably greater than during Cold War, there is still no common strategy.

Likud cut deal with Shas last year to thwart Livni, 'Post' learns

Yishai was promised NIS 2b and Interior Ministry to force elections; coalition partners' demands now total nearly NIS 10b. Netanyahu meets Lieberman.

US Afghan parley likely to include Iran

Former US national security adviser Brzezinski tells Congress: Don't listen to Israel on Teheran.

Optimism in Teheran

Obama administration suasion won't make Khamenei modify his worldview.

Yedioth Ahronoth The easier choice: Syria/ Bergman Israeli-Syrian peace easier objective for US, but is it the right move?

'Ties with US will stay firm'
Resigning Ambassador to Washington Sallai Meridor estimates Israel's relations with US will remain stable during Netanyahu era. 'It's in the State's best interest that the new gov't appoints its own person for this job,' he says

Can Jews live in Europe?

For increasingly helpless European Jews Israel is the solution, not problem, Guy Bechor says

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

Jordan Could be Part of Two-state Deal - The Australian

Palestinians Ask How Much will Change - Christian Science Monitor

US to Press Netanyahu to Curb Settler Activity - Wall Street Journal

Gaza Aid Con: Ignoring Hamas?
TIME -

Was Hamas the work of the Israeli Mossad? Asia Times

Netanyahu and Revived Anticipation for the Neocons

Obama and Israel's Military:
Still Arm-in-Arm by Stephen Zunes

Why Did Netanyahu Kick Israel's US Envoy Out of Meeting With Clinton?

Why did Israel's U.S. ambassador just resign?

Obama's spy ruffles hawks' feathers
Israeli lobbyists have launched a massive campaign against the appointment of a vocal critic of Israel to a key US intelligence post, pointing to Charles Freeman's ties to Saudi Arabia and views on human rights in China. His defenders, however, say the hawks simply can't stomach anyone who might question the wisdom of unconditional support for Israel. - Jim Lobe and Daniel Luban

Was Hamas the work of the Israeli Mossad?
The accusation that the Palestinian movement Hamas was the brainchild of Israeli intelligence has become so commonplace it often requires no substantiation. The claim is hogwash, of course, and sullies the history of a popular movement that has given many occupied Palestinians a sense of empowerment and self-respect. - Ramzy Baroud

Dealing with Hamas: Can the U.S. Avoid It Much Longer?

H10 Christian Science Monitor

Clinton pushes NATO allies for united strategy on Afghanistan The Secretary of State also calls for a 'fresh start' with Russia.

Russia and US poised to relaunch nuclear reduction treaty Hillary Clinton on Russia: 'It's time to explore a fresh start.' The overtures are being greeted warmly in Russia. Is a massive arsenal cut on the horizon?

Obama cites fiscal, moral imperatives for healthcare reform His goal of accomplishing it this year poses a challenge.

How US 'war on terror' emboldened Sri Lanka's The Army appears on verge of crushing Tiger rebels.

Obama's mixed signals on terror policy The White House is seeking to protect at least some of its Bush-era privileges.

Briefing: A rocky start for war crimes world court The arrest warrant for Sudan's president is indicative of the mounting pressure on the International Criminal Court to show results.

The Patriot Act isn't broken Its abuse must stop. Proper protection is key.

Want a better, safer world? Volunteer. Employment, education, and peace are interlinked.

Time is 'running out' to save US automakers As auditors question GM's viability, creditors and labor unions must negotiate, analysts say.

ASIA

Why China could be more dangerous than terrorism BY TOM RICKS

Taliban force a China switch China's regional allies, especially Pakistan, that have traditionally policed Uyghur militants on its behalf, are in danger of being marginalized by a powerful and assertive Taliban movement apparently less willing to defer to Beijing. As a result, China is upgrading its direct contacts with non-Taliban sectors, including Islamist political parties and intelligence forces. - Peter Lee

The state of the Chinese nation Yes, prime minister

War in Sri Lanka Trading danger for captivity

Terrorism in Pakistan State of denial

Bangladesh after the rebellion

Bad or mad?

Afghanistan's presidential elections Better than the alternative

Afghanistan's northern neighbours Road blocks

Japan's opposition A bruiser bruised

Balkanization of Pakistan BY: Shahid R. Siddiqi | Middle East Times Re-mapping of the Muslim world is under the spotlight of American strategists, working on redrawing its borders along ethnic lines and creating new political entities in the name of justice for 'oppressed Muslim minorities.'

No Surprise if US Requests More Australian Troops - The Australian

The Journal's Real Time Economics blog has compiled analysis from several different economists parsing China's existing stimulus package.

CFR's Elizabeth Economy and Adam Segal, in an expert brief from late 2008, explained many of the challenges facing China's economy.

Beyond "Af-Pak"BY: Michael Moran | Global Post Focusing solely on what goes in Afghanistan and the largely ungoverned lands south of its border misses a larger, even more difficult reality. After seven years of virtual stalemate in Afghanistan, and with Pakistan looking shaky at best, other, larger powers in the region are placing their bets — and not necessarily on America and its NATO allies. Russia, Iran, China, and India all have vital interests at stake, and all have moved in different ways to hedge their bets.

India And Pakistan Trade Accusations, Spin

As Pakistan reels from the attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore, its government has already begun trading thinly veiled accusations with India. Critical observers see each side playing the incident to its advantage, with Islamabad portraying the country as a victim of terrorism, as New Delhi strengthens its calls for Pakistan to be reined in

China 'Ready to Talk' to Taiwan BY: Jane Macartney | The London Times The spectre of war between China and the island of Taiwan, which it claims as a renegade province, receded a step further today when the Chinese Premier underscored Beijing’s readiness to reach a peace agreement to end six decades of hostility.

China Sees Smaller Defense Boost Amid Economy Woes - Associated Press

Suspicions Grow that Attack Was 'Inside Job' BY: Omar Waraich | The Independent The numerous failings fuelled speculation that the attack might have been, at least in part, an "inside job". In previous terror attacks in Pakistan, the perpetrators appeared to have considerable intelligence about their targets. Car bombers have struck at army and anti-terror police headquarters in the past two years without the slightest hindrance.

H11 IHT TRANS-ATLANTIC TIES Pondering NATO's future

By STANLEY R. SLOAN When NATO leaders meet in April, they should reconsider many long-held assumptions about the trans-Atlantic alliance.

Ukraine averts new shutoff of Russian gas Ukraine's energy company paid its February bill for Russian gas in full, hours after Prime Minister Vladimir Putin warned that Russia would halt supplies if payment was not made by Saturday.

Afghan summit could bring U.S. and Iran to table ,The U.S. has proposed to include Iran in a conference on Afghanistan, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said at a meeting, marked by NATO's resumption of high-level ties with Russia.

Averting a catastrophe in the developing world Industrial nations must develop a plan to provide large-scale financial assistance to the developing world.

No crime more brutal By BAN KI MOON Women weave the fabric of our societies. Violence against them is an attack on all of us.

EUROPE European press review

The Financial Crisis in Germany

The Economist Charlemagne Extremist nightmares

Understanding Bosnia, Part Two BY: Anes Alic and Vildana Skocajic | ISN Security Watch What to do when schizophrenic voters pressure for change but vote status quo and a weak state gives way to the force of savvier leaders who use ethnic intolerance to their advantage?

H12 RFE/RL

Russia outmaneuvered U.S. over air base, analysts say When Kyrgyzstan announced last month that it was expelling a U.S. air base after Russia promised it $2 billion-plus in aid and loans, American officials said the decision wasn't final and a U.S. presence was still under discussion

Armenia: Currency Devaluation Leaves Consumers Feeling Uneasy
BY HAROUTIUN KHACHATRIAN
Two days after Armenia’s Central Bank let the dram float against the dollar, an uneasy calm has returned to Yerevan after a round of panic buying cleaned many stores out of basic food items.

Georgia: Ex-PM Goes "Radical" to Promote President Saakashvili’s Departure As Georgia’s opposition warms up for spring protests, a former prime minister’s corruption accusations against President Mikheil Saakashvili signal that a period of post-war political calm in Tbilisi is drawing to a close. The accusations -- to date, unsubstantiated -- reflect the soap-opera-like nature of the infighting among Georgia’s political elite.

Walker's World: Fiscal woes roil Kremlin

Google News Azerbaijan

Medvedev: Russia Needs New Top People - Associated Press

Beware of Doing Deals With Putin - Wall Street Journal opinion

Ukraine's Gas Company Raided BY: John Pancake and Philip P. Pan | The Washington Post Masked state security officers armed with automatic weapons raided the headquarters of Ukraine's national gas company Wednesday in a dramatic escalation of the feud between the country's top leaders during a crippling financial crisis.

The Big Question: Who is Mikhail Khodorkovsky, and why is he on trial again?

Kyrgyzstan Waffles on Base Closure Kyrgyzstan is showing signs of waffling on its decision to close a U.S. air base that is a major supply hub for troops in Afghanistan.

Kyrgyzstan Says US Base Closure Is Final

U.S. Explores Nuclear Pact With Russia The Obama administration is reviewing whether to revive support for a U.S.-Russia nuclear-cooperation agreement that Bush pulled last year.

H13 The Times The Politics of Printing Money The Bank of England's dramatic easing of monetary policy is testimony to the failure of the financial system that Gordon Brown created

Nato Needs Russia

A sensible resumption of dialogue should not ignore concern on the rule of law

Obama bets the farm in $4tr game

The President believes he can change US politics for a generation. He could bankrupt his country Tim Reid

Nato agrees to resume ties with Russia Hillary Clinton used her first Nato meeting as Secretary of State to push for an Afghanistan summit, to which she invited Iran

'Al-Qaeda links' of Pakistan terror suspects Most of the two dozen detainees belonged to outlawed militant groups with close links to al-Qaeda, The Times has learnt

A million face starvation as Sudan shuts down Aid officials warn humanitarian emergency could turn into a disaster after Sudanese Government expelled aid workers

ANALYSIS: US can’t get fired up about Brown The Prime Minister’s speech to Congress gained respectful coverage, but there was acceptance that he was 'no Tony Blair'

Wall Street Journal Stage is Set For U.S. to Meet Iran

The U.S. proposed a UN-led conference on Afghanistan that would provide a forum for the first meeting between Obama's team and Iran's leadership.

A New NATO Bargain

The Syria Temptation

By Bret Stephens From Commentary: And why President Obama must resist it.

The Obama Economy, Cont.

More Misery for Sudan

Indictment as empty moral gesture.

What the Bashir Indictment Means By Bernard-Henri Lévy
Palestinians aren't the world's only victims.

More Misery for Darfur

REVIEW & OUTLOOK
The ICC's indictment of Bashir will increase the suffering.

China's Central Bank Governor Signals Confidence Zhou Xiaochuan struck a note of confidence about prospects for the Chinese economy, pointing to tentative signs that a turnaround may be in sight.

IMF Urges Global Financial Rules The IMF urged a new system of government oversight of big hedge funds, private-equity firms and other financial firms whose failure poses a major risk to the global economy.

It may be a decade before Dow's back to 12,000, oracle says

H14 Financial Times The change he believes in: Obama shrugs off storm

Last week US president Barack Obama unveiled his first budget. What leapt out was the fact that he had decided to honour his manifesto pledges. Just about all of them. This demonstrated a political purpose reaching well beyond the immediate storms, says Philip Stephens

Big risks for the insurer of last resort

Martin Wolf on the implications of bank bail-outs

Policy aims to engage Russia and Iran Recent diplomatic overtures by Washington convey the message that under Barack Obama’s presidency, the US is committed to multilateralism, engagement and realpolitik

Clinton scores highly on Nato

How the Fund can help save the world economy Allocate special drawing rights, urges Ted Truman

America must accept Iran as an equal partner Change of tone not enough, says Sadegh Kharrazi

US invites Iran to join Afghan talks

First public overture to Tehran

US heralds ‘fresh start’ with Russia

Hillary Clinton, US secretary of state, said Nato’s 26-member alliance ‘can and must find ways to work constructively with Russia where we share areas of common interest’

Global stock markets tumble

BofE, ECB cut rates by 50 basis points

Two central banks, only one answer

The UK central bank is acting in proportion to the severity of the crisis. The eurozone’s monetary authority is doing far too little

ET – phone here We should applaud the launch of Nasa’s Kepler telescope, which brings us one step closer to knowing if there are other planets supporting life

A fog of war that China can ill afford

The time has passed when Beijing’s opacity mostly caused trouble for itself. Today it must spend more as well as also communicate better with the world

Punished supplicants China has a system of petitioning the state that is 3,000 years old – but the authorities’ response is often harsh

GM warns it may run out of cash

Fiat chief meets with Treasury over Chrysler proposal

Property prices fall across Europe

Homeowners across Europe saw the value of their properties slide last year as demand for new homes plummeted because of the impact of the credit crisis on mortgage supply in the major economies

Medvedev orders election probe

The Russian president calls for an inquiry into fraud allegations in the regional vote won overwhelmingly by the party headed by Vladimir Putin, fuelling speculation of an increasing rift between the two

Khartoum rejects warrant for Bashir

Sudan responded with defiance to an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court for Omar al-Bashir, its president, over accusations he orchestrated a campaign of rape and murder in Darfur

Obama says health reforms cannot wait The president pledged to ‘fulfil the promise of healthcare in our time’ as he launched a fresh push to overhaul the US health system

New data underline severity of recession Evidence of the severity of the US recession continued to pile up as data showed business spending was stalling, homeowners were falling further behind on their mortgages, and more workers were joining the unemployment lines

H15 Los Angeles Times Refusing to forget the Iraq war On the media: Journalist Thomas E. Ricks provides little solace to those who want to believe in a U.S. victory. But those who want to pull out now won't find comfort either.

Sudan president says he'll fight war crimes charges 'We are at war,' says Omar Hassan Ahmed Bashir, likening the International Criminal Court arrest warrant over the Darfur bloodshed to Western colonialism. Foreign aid agencies are to be expelled.

Clinton criticizes Israel plan to raze Palestinian homes In the West Bank, the secretary of State says Israeli demolition plans for an archaeological project in East Jerusalem would violate terms of the U.S.-backed 'road map' peace plan

Bush's big lies ,Rosa Brooks

Behind the sordid memos that purported to give legal justification for the war on terror.

U.S., Iran could meet at conference on Afghanistan Clinton proposes a U.N. meeting that would include 'key regional and strategic countries.

Islamic Sharia law expands in northwest Pakistan Pakistani officials agree to 17 steps as part of a peace deal with extremists in the Swat Valley, alarming rights groups and others. Also, a bomb explodes at a Sufi mausoleum in Peshawar

H16 American Politics

The Economist Barack Obama's budget Wishful, and dangerous, thinking The president has not explained to Americans that if they want bigger government, they will have to pay for it

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 If we win the war in Afghanistan, we could lose a battle in Pakistan The Taliban now have more support from their restless neighbours than ever before, says Con Coughlin.

£150 billion leap in the dark for Bank of England The Bank of England has taken an historic "step into the unknown" by pledging to create £150 billion of cash and pour it into Britain's stricken financial system.

H18 Independent China crisis as economy crumbles An 8 per cent growth rate sounds impressive, but the leadership fears social unrest in the countryside as it struggles to create jobs.

Clifford Coonan: Beijing looks close to home for answer to global meltdown

The Big Question: Who is Mikhail Khodorkovsky, and why is he on trial again?

H19 Military Intelligence Terrorism

CCO Interview with Bing West

Budget to Reflect Key Defense Priorities, OMB Director Says – AFPS

Obama vs. Pentagon Waste - Washington Times editorial

Foreign Ties of Intelligence Nominee Questioned - Washington Times

The Making of a Terrorist
How the lone surviving gunman of the Mumbai massacre made the long journey from a Pakistani village to a bloodstained railroad station

How US 'war on terror' emboldened Sri Lanka's

The Army appears on verge of crushing Tiger rebels.

Intelligence Failure - National Review editorial

TOP BRASS LAUNCH MANPOWER STUDY FOR CYBERSPACE OPERATIONS
InsideDefense

H20 Slate

Failed states and failed policies

How to stop the drug wars Prohibition has failed; legalisation is the least bad solution

H21

Why bluffing about books is a civilised art

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