| H1 Financial Times: China calls for new reserve currency — China's central bank on Monday proposed replacing the US dollar as the international reserve currency with a new global system controlled by the International Monetary Fund. New York Times U.S. Expands Plan to Buy Banks’ Troubled Assets The Treasury presented its plan to draw private investors into partnership with a new federal entity to buy up risky assets CNBC Video of Geithner on Bank Rescue: Part 1 | Part 2 Sunni Fighters Say Iraq Didn’t Keep Job Promises China Urges New Money Reserve to Replace Dollar DAVID BROOKS Combat and Community When you put more boots on the ground in Afghanistan, you not only augment your army’s firing power, you give it the capacity to experiment. Guardian uncovers claims of civilians killed by drones and children used as human shields Editorial: Evidence that Israel committed war crimes in its 23-day operation in Gaza mounts by the week Seumas Milne: Will Israel be brought to book? The evidence of war crimes in Gaza is a challenge to universal justice: will western-backed perpetrators ever stand trial? Who wants an Afghan 'prime minister'? Jason Burke: Appointing a prime minister to bypass the corrupt presidency of Hamid Karzai might suit the Americans – but would it help Afghanistan? Timothy Geithner / Wall Street Journal: My Plan for Bad Bank Assets United States - Department of The Treasury: Treasury Department Releases Details on Public Private Partnership Investment Program Geithner's Plan Will Almost Surely Fail - Paul Krugman, New York Times Détente without deterrence? You call that "realism"? Foreign Policy DAVID ROTHKOPF When negotiating with Iran, don't forget the sticks Time Obama's Overture to Iran: Why Khamenei Won't Budge Stephen Walt Thoughts on the Obama-Khamenei exchange An interview with Martin Jacques, former editor of Marxism Today. Daily Telegraph The financial crisis has a Conservative solution The combined effects of globalisation and the financial crisis have left parties of the Right with a three-way choice, says Niall Ferguson. Evaluating Climate Change Institutions: Justice or Legitimacy? Robert O. Keohane Stratfor Part 7: The Obama Administration and the Former Soviet Union This is the seventh piece in a series that explores how key countries in various regions have interacted with the United States in the past, and how their relationships with Washington will likely be defined during the administration of U.S. President Barack Obama. (With STRATFOR maps) [more] After the Fall: Re-asserting the IMF in the Face of Global Crisis Domenico Lombardi, The Brookings Institution Middle East Challenges to the Obama Administration David Makovsky Dreaming of President Petraeus and an American Surge IHT Barack Obama: A time for global action The United States is ready to lead, and we call upon our partners to join us. A circumspect Sarkozy ponders the economy The signs suggest that President Nicolas Sarkozy of France realizes he can't wait or stonewall his way out of this crisis Ha’aretz – With Obama to Iran Significant changes are taking place . The most significant recent change in our strategic sphere was the public message U.S. President Barack Obama sent to the people and government of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Bradley Burston: Why does the world media love to hate Israel? Moshe Arens: Israel paid high price for little achievement in Gaza The operation in Gaza didn't stop Hamas from rocketing Israeli towns, nor did it bring about the release of kidnapped soldier Gilad Shalit. Jerusalem Post Poll: Majority of US Jews back Obama's active ME engagement US Jews would also like US to change policy and deal with Palestinian unity gov't that includes Hamas Christian Science Monitor Global trade slump hits Asian labor Many factory workers in export-heavy economies like Thailand's have lost their jobs. With agricultural demand also down, farming has become a less reliable Plan B. · One Way to Stop Bear Raids By George Soros Credit default swaps need much stricter regulation. China Takes Aim at Dollar | H2 Stratfor Turkey: Keeping Iraq's Kurds in Check No matter which way Iraq's Kurds look, they will be dealing with the Turks. • 'The New Wave of Foreign Policy Activism in Turkey' by Ziya Öniş, Danish Institute for International Studies FT Turkey urges Iraqi crackdown on PKK Turkey’s President Abdullah Gul has urged Iraq to crack down on Kurdish separatist rebels during a visit to Baghdad, adding that Iraq would only then see ”100 percent cooperation” from its neighbours PKK issued with Iraqi ultimatum NYT U.S. Backs Dane for NATO Post Amid Turkey’s Objections A symbolic trip, pragmatic agenda President Talabani: We are determined to expand our relations with Turkey (Updated) Iraq warns Kurd rebels during Turkish visit Washington Post Turkish President Visits Iraq as Bombings Kill 34 Gül lands in Baghdad for historic visit with high hopes 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 Disarm or Leave, Iraq's Talabani Tells PKK Cevdet Aşkın String of deadly Iraq bombings reflects Kurdish-Arab tensions A suicide bomber attacked mourners at a Kurdish funeral in a town north of Baghdad, killing at least 25 and injuring at least 45 in the worst of a series of four bombings around Iraq Monday. Altogether, 37 people were killed and 60 were wounded in the attacks. The violence reflects rising tensions between Iraq's Kurds and Sunni Muslim Arabs. Encountering peace: Olmert's scorecard - failure! Jerusalem Post Israel's allies like Turkey responded with disdain. Now we even understand that the Turkish Prime Minister on the eve of the Gaza war was on the verge of ... Interview - Sheikh Jafar, Minister of Peshmarga Affairs Erdoğan open to considering US withdrawal through Turkey Analysis: Controversy surrounds Turkey's Ilisu Dam - UPI.com UNDP WATCH: Candidate for UN's #2 Afghan Post Dismissed Chapter VI ... -- The controversy surrounding the reported nomination of American diplomat Peter Galbraith to the UN's second-highest post in the UN Mission in Afghanistan, UNAMA, was directly raised to UNAMA chief Kai Eide on Thursday, without it being resolved. ... A problem with Galbraith re-becoming a U.S. official, sources say, is a series of allegations that he lobbied for the Kurdistan Regional Government without filing a registration. ’Turkey wants to use water to build peace’ Iran's Reluctance On Turkey's Mediation British Council Israel Initiates Energy Exchange With Turkish Experts Google News Greece Cyprus Turkish Cypriot Press ABHaber Dış Basında Türkiye-AB İlişkileri Günlük Haftalık More Ethnic Turks Becoming German Citizens, Study Shows Russia gears up to foster ties of education with Turkey A Turkmen solution to Turkey’s energy problem Powerful operation for the prevention of the Talat-Clinton meeting Turkey to Northern Cyprus Water Pipeline by 2012 Washington Times But the president flies off to Turkey next month to "Respect Islam" by paying tribute to the Islamist government in Istanbul and to participate in the ... Deferring Nabucco Is Win-Lose for Gazprom Frank Gaffney Plays to Neo-Cons on the Middle East and Turkey Issues Tbilisi to host joint Georgia-Turkey coastguard commission meeting Slight fall expected in number of tourists to Turkey in 2009 Sir Edwin Pears | Crawshay in Constantinople | 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 |
| H4 New York Times U.S. Expands Plan to Buy Banks’ Troubled Assets The Treasury presented its plan to draw private investors into partnership with a new federal entity to buy up risky assets CNBC Video of Geithner on Bank Rescue: Part 1 | Part 2 Sunni Fighters Say Iraq Didn’t Keep Job Promises China Urges New Money Reserve to Replace Dollar DAVID BROOKS Combat and Community When you put more boots on the ground in Afghanistan, you not only augment your army’s firing power, you give it the capacity to experiment. TELEVISION REVIEW | 'FRONTLINE: TEN TRILLION AND COUNTING'; That Big Hole in the Economy, and Who Dug It Sudan’s President Makes Trip Abroad Palestinian Official Killed in Lebanon Netanyahu’s Party Tries to Enlist Labor NATO Says Top Taliban Leader Slain At Least 32 Die in a Wave of Violence Across Iraq Georgian Opposition Members Held on Arms Charges U.S. Backs Dane for NATO Post Amid Turkey’s Objections Rescue Plan, With Some Fine Print, Dazzles Wall Street Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner staged a comeback on Monday after the first presentation of the bank recovery plan fizzled six weeks ago. Editorial The Bank Rescue In the absence of good-faith measurement of the banking system, taxpayer-financed purchases of bad assets could court huge unnecessary risks. Paul Krugman: Geithner plan arithmetic — Leave on one side the question of whether the Geither plan is a good idea or not. One thing is clearly false in the way it's being presented: administration officials keep saying that there's no subsidy involved, that investors would share in the downside. That's just wrong. The Mexican Evolution By ENRIQUE KRAUZE While we bear responsibility for our problems, the caricature of Mexico being propagated in the United States only increases the despair on both sides of the Rio Grande. Nominate and Wait By PAUL C. LIGHT The Senate has done virtually nothing to address the glacial pace of confirmations that often leads presidents to expand the White House staff and the number of appointees who serve without approval. | H5 Washington Post U.S. to Help Investors Buy Bank Assets Stocks Soar 7% in Response to Plan Aiming to Shore Up Lenders' Books Some Experts Say Rescue Program Might Not Work Several Alternative Plans Proposed The Russia Reset Button Doesn't Work By Anne Applebaum, Why the U.S. can't simply 'press the reset button' on relations with Russia. 9 in Opposition Party Arrested in Georgia Bloc Plans Protest Against President April 9 An Ancient Culture, Bulldozed Away China's Attempts to Modernize Ethnic Uighurs' Housing Creates Discord Pomfret's China: Hillary, Human Rights, Tibet The End of the Experimental Nation-State Era The Toxic Assets We Elected By George F. Will, Bailouts, NAFTA and other things the Democrats are mishandling. The Repairman's Burden By Eugene Robinson, The Treasury secretary may not be an impressive performer, but he has a vision for the economy. TOPIC A : Tackling Toxic Assets John Irons, Adam S. Posen and others weigh in. Obama and Pelosi - With Friends Like These... By Richard Cohen, Can Obama's image withstand his supposed political allies and their noxious legislation? State Department to Boost Presence in Afghan Regional Capitals Hope for Mideast Peace Tony Blair: Jordan's new baptism center for evangelicals a model for interfaith cooperation. State Department to Boost Presence in Afghan Regional Capitals U.S. Seeks Expanded Power to Seize Firms Goal Is to Limit Risk to Broader Economy Obama Makes Senior Picks at Treasury Dept. | Guardian uncovers claims of civilians killed by drones and children used as human shields Editorial: Evidence that Israel committed war crimes in its 23-day operation in Gaza mounts by the week Seumas Milne: Will Israel be brought to book? The evidence of war crimes in Gaza is a challenge to universal justice: will western-backed perpetrators ever stand trial? Who wants an Afghan 'prime minister'? Jason Burke: Appointing a prime minister to bypass the corrupt presidency of Hamid Karzai might suit the Americans – but would it help Afghanistan? US treasury secretary Timothy Geithner wins a burst of approval from markets for $1tn debt bailout More than 20 killed in the attack in the town of Jalula 80 miles north-east of Baghdad China responsible for almost three-quarters of cases, while Iran has second highest figure worldwide Tata says landmark 'comparable to Moonshot' and believes world's car could sell a million a year Shamit Saggar: The problem in Britain goes deeper than this latest strategy implies. Communities are the key Taming the financial casino John Kay: Global crisis: We need to restore narrow banking – to ensure that risky bets cannot again jeopardise the utility · This is an emergency. Act now, or local news will die Polly Toynbee: Papers around Britain are following US titles to the grave. The government needs to step in, for the sake of democracy Tim Fernholz: The Treasury secretary's toxic assets plan takes aim not only at the economy, but at his critics. Can he tackle both? Howard Davies: Global crisis: More regulation is crucial, but not costless. The economic crisis demands a careful evaluation of where to draw the line Simon Tisdall: The US president inherited a mess in Afghanistan, but he needs to bring some order to his mish-mash of policies for the country |
| H7 DAVID ROTHKOPF When negotiating with Iran, don't forget the sticks Another Arab summit hits the skids BY MARC LYNCH
Making Peace With Enemies - Lee Hamilton, Indianapolis Star Why Iran Wants Russia in OPEC - Meir Javedanfar, Pajamas Media Analyst: Obama's Iran policy best in years (UPI) -- The effort by U.S. President Barack Obama to engage Iran may be the most distinct and well-informed of any administration in decades, an analyst said. Financial Times The importance of empty words It will be tempting to laugh, if and when the communiqué from the London G20 summit contains the familiar pledges to avoid protectionism. But it is probably important that world leaders at least promise to follow the path of virtue – even if they know that they may sin, writes Gideon Rachman At stake in Monday’s presentation of the US bank rescue plan was not only Treasury secretary Tim Geithner’s authority but that of the administration as a whole The White House is to stress the need for tackling extremists operating inside Pakistan, reconciliation efforts with some Taliban, and a lowering of expectations for what can be achieved in the war-torn country Tim Geithner, Treasury secretary, said that his toxic asset purchase plan was ‘completely different’ from his predecessor Hank Paulson’s Troubled Asset Relief Program (Tarp) asset purchase plan America’s Intelligence Assessment on the Iranian Nuclear Issue INSS An Israeli article on the ramifications of a recent American intelligence report dealing with (inter al.) the Iranian nuclear issue Sustainable Security in the Middle East and North Africa ORG The 10-page UK report of a conference exploring the implications of a sustainable security framework for the region U.S. Institute of Peace Report on “Mapping Peace Between Syria and Israel” Outlines Framework for a Possible Deal on the Golan Heights Source: U.S. Institute of Peace (repeat) The Political Risks From Washington - Ian Bremmer, RealClearPolitics Foreign Policy's survey of international relations professors reveals they’re worried about climate change, Russia’s rise, and their own irrelevance. The 13 People Having the Worst Month Ever US Lawmaker: Missile Threat From Iran Exaggerated Noninterventionists Need Not Apply
by Michael Scheuer Henry Kissinger, once accused of war crimes, is back and working for the Obama adminstration — is this a sign of American desperation or another example of what Hillary Clinton calls smart power? Mexico Rises on the U.S. Agenda Mexico offered rewards in the millions of dollars for information leading to the capture of 37 drug lords, ahead of Hillary Clinton's visit to the country | H8 Iraq Updates IraqSlogger Google News Iraq Iran Syria Mideastwire.com - NPR Iraq Sunni Militia Say Iraq Didn't Keep Jobs Promises A suicide bomber attacked mourners at a Kurdish funeral in a town north of Baghdad, killing at least 25 and injuring at least 45 in the worst of a series of four bombings around Iraq Monday. Altogether, 37 people were killed and 60 were wounded in the attacks. The violence reflects rising tensions between Iraq's Kurds and Sunni Muslim Arabs. Suicide attack on Iraqi funeral At least 25 people have been killed by a suicide bomb attack on a Kurdish funeral in the Iraqi province of Diyala, police say. · Iraq Freeze on Police Hires Won’t Harm Pullout, Minister Says Iraq’s interior minister has frozen the hiring of 66,000 new members of the security forces because of falling oil prices, a cutback that he said won’t endanger U.S. plans to withdraw troops as the insurgency is in its “final throes.” ANALYSIS-Iraq's wounds healing but big hurdles remain Turkish President Visits Iraq as Bombings Kill 34 Basra airport Revamped airport eagerly awaits new passengers Basra Airport Ready for Takeoff Lebanese poll to secure national identity (UPI) -- The June legislative elections in Lebanon will secure the nation's identity as it struggles to recover from decades of bitter civil war, lawmakers said. Reformist unity urged amid Khatami move (UPI) -- An Iranian political party called for unity in the Reformist camp following a move by former President Mohammad Khatami to pull out of the presidential race. Iran, Syria talk water | H9 Ha’aretz – With Obama to Iran Significant changes are taking place . The most significant recent change in our strategic sphere was the public message U.S. President Barack Obama sent to the people and government of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Bradley Burston: Why does the world media love to hate Israel? Moshe Arens: Israel paid high price for little achievement in Gaza The operation in Gaza didn't stop Hamas from rocketing Israeli towns, nor did it bring about the release of kidnapped soldier Gilad Shalit. ANALYSIS / 'It's natural for Barak to join a rightist government' If Laborites question Barak's reliability, how can foreigners be expected to believe the defense minister? Barak's flip-flop If Barak joins Bibi's government as defense minister, in the process splitting or rupturing Labor, he will become a professional minister, an under-minister or a senior Bibi official, not to say a mercenary. Amira Hass: Time to believe Gaza war crimes allegations Barak & Bibi Deserve Each Other - Amir Oren, Haaretz Jerusalem Post Poll: Majority of US Jews back Obama's active ME engagement US Jews would also like US to change policy and deal with Palestinian unity gov't that includes Hamas U.S. Is Iran's Real Target - Yoram Ettinger, Jerusalem Post Both US and Israel benefit from military action against rogue threats. [ GERSHON BASKIN, Yedioth Ahronoth 'Committed to all peace deals'
Ahead of Labor's Central Committee meeting on joining Likud-led government, Netanyahu and Barak meet to try and bridge differences. PM-designate says defense minister will be involved in all significant processes Tzipi still believes Kadima leader among the few who still believe in two-state solution, Elyakim Haetzni writes Daily Alert.org – Hebrew Press Editorials (2008) - Middle East Progress - EJC Israeli Press Review – Google News Israel - Palestine Guardian uncovers claims of civilians killed by drones and children used as human shields Analysis: Why the Middle East stagnates (UPI) -- One question that keeps resurfacing whenever anyone talks about the Middle East crisis is why, despite the apparent willingness of all parties concerned and the international community to settle the six-decade dispute, no progress is reached, peace is still far from being a reality and the conflict keeps getting more complex by the day. The West is tiring of Israel Tony Karon Israel’s Apartheid Anxiety
Jewish American opinion evolving on Palestine
How Ehud Barak May Save Israel - Shmuel Rosner, New Republic UN report says Israel used boy as human shield From Tikkun, a look at what Christians think about the Jews and the Holy Land: Beware "supporters" of Israel who don't wish Jews well; and where is Israel?: Is it an outpost of Europe, the U.S., or global Judaism, or is it a Middle Eastern country? · Egypt Threatens to Ignore New Israeli Foreign Minister The Telegraph The country's leaders are demanding he apologise for comments last year in which he told president Hosni Mubarak to "go to hell". Mr Lieberman has been selected by Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel's prime minister designate to be the next foreign minister although his appointment depends on the outcome of coalition negotiations. The Difference Between Israel & Its Enemies - Jonathan Kay, National Post Message to the Iranian People from the President of Israel (Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs) Report: India Buys Israeli Spy Satellite Lebanon bomb kills PLO official
A powerful roadside bomb in Lebanon kills a senior Palestinian official and three others, close to a refugee camp. |
| H10 Christian Science Monitor Global trade slump hits Asian labor Many factory workers in export-heavy economies like Thailand's have lost their jobs. With agricultural demand also down, farming has become a less reliable Plan B. Russia: Unclenching its fist? Improved Polish-Russian ties bode well for the US. Geithner's plan aims to use public and private money to clean up $500 billion to $1 trillion in bad loans Sudan bombs Darfur rebels – and civilians – amid calls for a 'no-fly' zone. A Dutch journalist and photographer traveled with rebel forces in Darfur in February. They were pinned down by government forces for weeks, before escaping across the border into Chad. Roundup: Other countries' efforts to develop and support teachers A recent study identified teaching-related areas in which nations with high student achievement tend to have an advantage over the US. As Mexico goes, so goes the US Congress and Obama finally wake up to Calderón's bold war on drug cartels. ASIA US to outline new Afghan strategy The White House is to stress the need for tackling extremists operating inside Pakistan, reconciliation efforts with some Taliban, and a lowering of expectations for what can be achieved in the war-torn country Dollar's status under attack from China US Troops Confront Disciplined, Wily, Mobile Afghan Insurgents Richard Holbrooke: We cannot treat Afghanistan in isolation from Pakistan China’s Future: The Economist v.s. Stratfor NATO Says Top Taliban Leader Slain - Abdul Waheed Wafa and Mark McDonald, New York Times Tata says landmark 'comparable to Moonshot' and believes world's car could sell a million a year Global trade slump hits Asian labor Many factory workers in export-heavy economies like Thailand's have lost their jobs. With agricultural demand also down, farming has become a less reliable Plan B. STEPHEN WALT Scenes from Asia's economic meltdown · DANIEL DREZNER India is underwhelmed with Obama What does the Muslim world think about Afghanistan? BY BRIAN KATULIS Afghanistan is on the brink of chaos: That is the stark message from local leaders, the US military and development workers in the troubled country. The elected government, they warn, can no longer compete with the Taliban. Pakistan's peace deals offer US a pointer United States President Barack Obama is now talking openly of an exit strategy for foreign troops from Afghanistan, even as his best and brightest military brains wrestle with a new strategy for the troubled region. The US's often unwilling partner, Pakistan, could provide a valuable lesson with the peace deals it has negotiated with militants in its tribal areas. - Syed Saleem Shahzad Petraeus hands over a 'political hot potato'
United States Central Command chief General David Petraeus has quietly shifted the "tactical control" of US special operations forces in Afghanistan to his subordinate, General David McKiernan. Petraeus apparently prefers to have McKiernan bear the responsibility for raids and airstrikes that are likely to generate even greater Afghan and international outrage over the continued killing of civilians. - Gareth Porter US allays India's defense fears
Much to New Delhi's relief, the administration of President Barack Obama is sticking to its guns where matters of defense sales are concerned, evident by the approval of its biggest arms sale to India to date. - Siddharth Srivastava Spencer Ackerman: Holbrooke's bureaucratic switches. An Ancient Culture, Bulldozed Away China's Attempts to Modernize Ethnic Uighurs' Housing Creates Discord Afghan Geopolitical Psychiatry - Arnaud de Borchgrave, Washington Times
China Unfazed by North Korea Launch - Antoaneta Bezlova, Asia Times
The Truth about South China Sea - Joe Hung, China Post
India May Be Better Off with Ineptitude - Aravind Adiga, The Times
Too Many Parties Spoiling India's Democracy? - Jug Suraiya, Times of India
Pakistan Is Crumbling - Times of India U.S.-China Cooperation on Climate Changw - Carnegie Endowment Report: India Buys Israeli Spy Satellite Rice Crisis Forensics: How Asian Governments Carelessly Set the World Rice Market on Fire CGD This 43-page US working paper describes how the global rice market became enflamed in 2008 and provides pointers to help policymakers in these countries avoid a repeat of the disastrous price spike of 2008. The realignment of U.S. forces in Japan, including the relocation of marines from Okinawa to Guam, can wait until after the Japan-U.S. security treaty has been reviewed. Chinese prisons: Horror and reform
Countless deaths take place in China’s prisons every year, but it was the outlandish claim that an inmate died during a game of hide-and-seek that sparked public outrage. In response, Beijing has promised to reform its penal system, though the proposals will have to go beyond monitoring and inspections for lasting change to be made. - Kent Ewing Debt headache for China's leaders
As China's leaders look ahead to what will continue to be a troubled year in the global financial crisis, the value of the country's holdings of US debt figures high in their list of concerns. | H11 IHT Barack Obama: A time for global action The United States is ready to lead, and we call upon our partners to join us. A circumspect Sarkozy ponders the economy The signs suggest that President Nicolas Sarkozy of France realizes he can't wait or stonewall his way out of this crisis Syria’s very special court Obama should deal with Assad, but without illusion about the state of human rights in Syria. Paul Krugman: Financial policy despair By PAUL KRUGMAN By the time Obama realizes that he needs to change course, his political capital may be gone. EUROPE European press review EU, Ukraine in Gas-Pipeline Deal The EU agreed to help upgrade Ukraine's network of gas pipelines in exchange for changes in the country's energy management. FACTBOX-How gas flows to Europe · France and NATO: Why It Matters BY: Soeren Kern | World Politics Review Sarkozy has responded to critics of his decision to return France fully to NATO by downplaying the significance of the plan. But there is probably far more to the move than he is letting on. A gruesome anniversary in Serbia Ian Williams: Ten years after Nato's bombing campaign against Serbia, Slobodan Milosevic's horrors still linger David Cameron Will Need a Hatchet - Julian Glover, The Guardian
· EU Spring Summit: Merkel Dictates the EU Crisis Agenda
Europe Needs Better Bank Plan - Wolfgang Munchau, Financial Times
Europe's Lethargic & Uninspiring Democracy - Alexander Benard, NRO
NATO: Still Mission-Creeping at 60
by Alexander Cockburn Air Force Officer Proposes Move of F-16s from Italy to Poland The Energy Community of Southeast Europe: A neo-functionalist project of regional integration EIOP This 21-page paper explains the emergence of the Energy Community of Southeast Europe with (1) the European Union's external energy policy, (2) the specific regional approach of the EU at the Western Balkans and (3) the neo-functionalist ideas of those European Commission officials that were crucially involved in the process A 4-page French paper describing how the European Union (EU) is attempting to consolidate its trade relations with some partners by means of bilateral agreements. This Slovene article presents an overview of the current situation in the Slovenian-Croatian relations as well as in the region concerned, referring to its EU ambitions Scars of NATO Bombing Still Pain Serbs Awakening Fighters Rally Against Maliki Govt | H12 RFE/RL Stratfor Part 7: The Obama Administration and the Former Soviet Union This is the seventh piece in a series that explores how key countries in various regions have interacted with the United States in the past, and how their relationships with Washington will likely be defined during the administration of U.S. President Barack Obama. (With STRATFOR maps) [more] Google News Azerbaijan Medvedev Makes His Move By Ethan Burger and Mary Holland Dmitry Medvedev has been president of Russia for almost a year. Is he now planning to take power? From Dissent, Rafael Khachaturian on the specter of Russian nationalism. Russian Navy Looks to Tactical Nukes Georgian Opposition Members Arrested on Weapons Charges Central Asia now nuclear-weapon-free zone (UPI) -- Central Asia became the fifth nuclear-weapon-free zone in the world Saturday, drawing praise from the head of the United Nation Russia's Security Proposal and Its Motives – Stratfor Washington Post The Russia Reset Button Doesn't Work By Anne Applebaum, Why the U.S. can't simply 'press the reset button' on relations with Russia. Russia Is in Fear of Itself - Richard Lourie, Moscow Times Why Iran Wants Russia in OPEC - Meir Javedanfar, Pajamas Media · The East Goes West: Assessing the Future of CIS BY: Samantha Brietich | Diplomatic Courier As the former Soviet Republics become more integrated into Europe and NATO, the viability and the future of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) becomes more uncertain. A series of recent events has pointed to the decline of the association. · No Bipartisanship Here BY: David L. Stern | Global Post Ukraine's President Viktor Yushchenko and Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko — who stood shoulder-to-shoulder just four years ago as Orange Revolution allies — have spent the better part of the last year at each others' throats, in a vituperative, take-no-prisoners struggle that has split the government down the middle and paralyzed the country’s political process. Orlando Figes' The Whisperers: Private Life in Stalin’s Russia is the latest victim of the Kremlin’s attempts to rehabilitate the Soviet Union. Russia: Big Threat or Paper Bear? by Eric Margolis The North Worth Saving: We need a paradigm shift in the West that would pave the way for a genuine Northern Alliance of Russia, Europe, and North America. Russia, Iran Could Build Joint Nuclear Plants Moscow irked at Kiev’s EU overture Vladimir Putin, Russian premier, threatened to review Moscow’s ties with the EU after Ukraine held talks in Brussels about refurbishing its Soviet-era gas pipeline system A Kremlin critic running for mayor of Sochi, host of the 2014 Winter Olympics, blamed the Kremlin for an attack in which he was doused with ammonia. |
| H13 The Times MAD looks mad as we face doomsday Ministers and military are thinking the unthinkable - Britain should scrap its nuclear deterrent Rachel Sylvester Not the way to counter Islamic terror The lesson from Northern Ireland is that we must tackle extremist ideology as well as violence Charles Guthrie West plots to turn Karzai into figurehead leader Britain and United States consider forcing Afghanistan's leader to install a powerful chief of staff to run the Government The scheme to purge banks of up to $1tr of toxic assets sees Dow Jones up by 6.8 per cent and FTSE up by 2.9 per cent Allegations are latest claims against the Israeli military over its three-week campaign in Gaza at the start of the year US President sends a clear message to the Afghan government that it would be a mistake to take American support for granted US State Department chief scientist warns food shortages will be biggest world challenge as temperatures and population rise Central bank governor makes bold proposal to adopt IMF's Special Drawing Right the world’s main reserve currency The spectacle of Japan's lost decade has made too scary the option that might come most naturally - doing nothing · One Way to Stop Bear Raids By George Soros Credit default swaps need much stricter regulation. China Takes Aim at Dollar Toxic-Asset Plan
Sends Stocks Soaring Stocks jumped across the board after the Treasury detailed its plan to relieve banks of soured assets. The S&P 500 jumped 7.1%. By Fred Krupp
Why taxing emissions is an inferior approach. When does a tax become an illegal 'taking'? A lesson in fiscal restraint. | Move to replace dollar with expanded IMF role It will be tempting to laugh, if and when the communiqué from the London G20 summit contains the familiar pledges to avoid protectionism. But it is probably important that world leaders at least promise to follow the path of virtue – even if they know that they may sin, writes Gideon Rachman At stake in Monday’s presentation of the US bank rescue plan was not only Treasury secretary Tim Geithner’s authority but that of the administration as a whole The White House is to stress the need for tackling extremists operating inside Pakistan, reconciliation efforts with some Taliban, and a lowering of expectations for what can be achieved in the war-torn country Tim Geithner, Treasury secretary, said that his toxic asset purchase plan was ‘completely different’ from his predecessor Hank Paulson’s Troubled Asset Relief Program (Tarp) asset purchase plan What makes Abu Dhabi unlike not just its sister and competitor emirates but pretty much everywhere in the Arab world is its devotion to manufacturing. Much of its oil wealth is being used to start industries from scratch Riyadh starts fund to oversee investment Saudi Arabia is establishing a new company to oversee the investment of the assets of the oil-rich kingdom’s largest state-run pension fund, in a significant break from tradition US fears Pakistan’s growing problems Washington has told its Nato allies that it is more concerned about the future of Pakistan than Afghanistan and suggested the US will change its approach on Afghan drug policy The US Treasury secretary’s plan aims to provide mechanisms to price the toxic residue from the bubble years and to remove some of them from bank balance sheets, reducing uncertainty about the solvency of financial institutions A vault unlocked The sudden adoption of global standards on tax transparency brings a big upheaval for Switzerland’s private banks Ron Paul: Believer in small government predicts 15-year depression Aims to have export model by 2011 German chancellor rejects opposition demands to go to the polls despite rapidly worsening relationship between the parties of the ruling grand coalition Vladimir Putin, Russian premier, threatened to review Moscow’s ties with the EU after Ukraine held talks in Brussels about refurbishing its Soviet-era gas pipeline system | H15 Los Angeles Times (No connection to the LA Times site) Editorial |
| H16 American Politics An except from So Damn Much Money: The Triumph of Lobbying and the Corrosion of American Government by Robert G. Kaiser (and an interview). When it comes to leading the factions of the Democratic Party, President Barack Obama is more like the supreme allied commander of NATO than the admiral of a fleet of ships. Myglesias / Matthew Yglesias: Inviting the Public to Play — As I've said before, I think there are at least three different dimensions along which you need to try to evaluate the Geithner Plan. One is political feasibility. Two is likely efficacy in terms of recapitalizing banks. And three is fairness/justice. Poll of change: Obama's job approval slipping to ‘50-50’ — + Recent Articles + Recent Blog Entries + Email + Bio — The honeymoon is over, a national poll will signal tomorrow as President Obama's job approval stumbles to about 50 percent over the lack of improvement with the crippled economy. Top AIG bosses 'to repay bonuses' Nine of the 10 executives paid top bonuses by US insurance giant AIG agree to return them, officials say. John Heilemann / New York Magazine: Inside Obama's Economic Brain Trust Geithner's Plan: Wall St Finally Cheers - Massimo Calabresi, Time
Will the Banks Take the Bait? - Colin Barr, Fortune
Ignore the Treasury Secty Behind the Curtain - Mike Madden, Salon
Political Malfeasance And The Financial Meltdown - George Will, WP
Looking Ahead: How to Improve Obama's Budget Plan - Jim Manzi, NRO
Why Geithner Must Go - Arianna Huffington, Huffington Post For Populism, a Return to Economic Roots - John Harwood, New York Times
GOP Isn't Doing Better--Dems Are Doing Worse - Michael Barone, US News
Our American Common Sense - Rick Perlstein, Newsweek
realclearpolitics memeorandum Daily Beast Cheat Sheet Politico ABC’s The Note – MSNBC FirstRead – Time ThePage Politico Playbook PoliticsHome fivethirtyeight US News Political Bulletin A Preliminary Analysis of the President’s Budget and an Update of CBO’s Budget and Economic Outlook (PDF; 1.7 MB)
Source: Congressional Budget Office | The combined effects of globalisation and the financial crisis have left parties of the Right with a three-way choice, says Niall Ferguson. Boris Johnson has some friendly advice for the crusty anti-capitalists soon to descend on his city. Barack Obama is going to have his work cut out coming up with a feasible exit strategy for Afghanistan, writes Con Coughlin. | Plan to aid US banking system triggers buying frenzy on stock markets worldwide. Geithner's gamble Leading article: A bold and risky plan to reverse the credit crunch Richard Holbrooke: We cannot treat Afghanistan in isolation from Pakistan Mary Dejevsky: Britain, not Europe, will be the outsider at the G20 summit Haider Al-Safi worked for the Baghdad bureau of 'The Independent' during the invasion of Iraq. In 2005, anxious about his safety, he came to Britain and studied journalism. Last week he went back to see his family. This is what he found there. |
| H19 Military Intelligence Terrorism Drone War's Rules: Shoot First, Ask Permission Later This study of the global illicit drugs market was carried out to provide a dispassionate overview of the true nature and extent of the problem today, and to assist policy makers at national and regional levels to deal with it Robbing Pentagon to Pay Foggy Bottom - Jamie Fly, Weekly Standard The Nuclear Renaissance: Nuclear Weapons Proliferation and Terrorism IPPR This 12-page UK report discusses some of the more serious security issues that will be associated with a nuclear renaissance, including:- The shortage of high-quality uranium for use as nuclear fuel; The consequences of the use of fast breeder reactors (FBRs) and the widespread use of plutonium to fuel them; The increased risk in a plutonium economy of the spread of nuclear weapons to both countries and terrorist groups Is It Time to Rethink U.S. Entry and Exit Processes?
Source: RAND Corporation The Challenge of Closing Guantanamo Whose military is it anyway? Our military may not yet be a foreign legion — but it's getting there. Two British High Court judges Monday revealed that U.S. military prosecutors tried to pressure a detainee at the Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, military prison into a plea bargain deal — on charges that hadn't been specified but would have given him another 10 years in prison. | H20 Slate Culture and the Dispute Resolution Process Who Owns Fairtrade? | H21 Does a Long-Term Relationship Kill Romantic Love? (PDF; 49 KB)
Source: Review of General Psychology press release Match Making through the Internet-Becker Internet Matching--Posner's Comment Europe’s richest football clubs would have to pay a luxury tax on star players that would be passed on to poorer teams under plans being considered by the sport’s ruling body India's car for cash-strapped drivers Tata says landmark moment of creation of world's cheapest car is 'comparable to Moonshot' If we continue to go on in the same way, our future is unsustainable. Of course, we never go on in the same way. Matt Ridley knows... more» From Harvard Magzine, the Internet, by allowing like-minded individuals to self-segregate, has had a polarizing effect on democracy, suggests Cass Sunstein From TLS, Joshua Cohen and Thomas Nagel on how Rawls's political philosophy was influenced by his religion. Theda Skocpol and Suzanne Mettler on the crisis in access to higher education, and a strategy for moving beyond elite handouts for the lucky few Roger Scruton on the defense of the West: How to respond to the Islamist challenge. From Tikkun, a review of The Stillborn God: Religion, Politics, and the Modern West by Mark Lilla The Spirit Level: why more equal societies almost always do better From TED, Barry Schwartz makes a passionate call for "practical wisdom" as an antidote to a society gone mad with bureaucracy Find out your brainsex Grammatical incompetence is no necessary bar to policy achievement Does nobody want to take money from the poor? Tim Harford wants to know. Half of women in England survive cancer Half of women and a third of men in England who suffer from cancer beat the disease, according to new study. Death penalty 'closer to demise'
The world is moving closer to becoming "death-penalty free", the rights group Amnesty International says. Are we dangerously dependent on Wikipedia? Grade inflation gone wild Most college kids spend more time drinking than studying. And they still get mostly A's. Last chance Should we still be trying Nazis, 65 years on? the new face of porn: A new generation of feminists are reclaiming porn, both as consumers and producers NPR Achieves Record Ratings While newspapers, magazines and TV news are all losing their audience, NPR's is growing 20th-Century U.S. Generations
Source: Population Reference Bureau Lessons from most successful schools abroad Education trends from other nations are gaining cachet as political and educational leaders strive to bring American schools in line with the demands of the 21st-century global economy. A review of Pessimism of the Intellect? A History of New Left Review by Duncan Thompson. A review of Vote for Caesar: How the Ancient Greeks and Romans Solved the Problems of Today by Peter Jones. Stimulus? U.S. to buy Chinese condoms, ending Alabama jobs The Vanishing Face of Gaia James Lovelock is the originator of the Gaia Hypothesis (now Gaia Theory) Daily Red Meat Raises Chances Of Dying Early Study Is First Large Analysis Of Link With Overall Health
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