| H1 “Tactics in Counterinsurgency” (pdf), a new U.S. Army Field Manual, expands upon the Counterinsurgency doctrine of the best-selling December 2006 manual (pdf) on that subject. “At its heart, a counterinsurgency is an armed struggle for the support of the population,” the manual declares. “This support can be achieved or lost through information engagement, strong representative government, access to goods and services, fear, or violence. This armed struggle also involves eliminating insurgents who threaten the safety and security of the population.” “However, military units alone cannot defeat an insurgency. Most of the work involves discovering and solving the population’s underlying issues, that is, the root causes of their dissatisfaction with the current arrangement of political power. Dealing with diverse issues such as land reform, unemployment, oppressive leadership, or ethical tensions places a premium on tactical leaders who can not only close with the enemy, but also negotiate agreements, operate with nonmilitary agencies and other nations, restore basic services, speak the native (a foreign) language, orchestrate political deals, and get ‘the word’ on the street.”See “Tactics in Counterinsurgency,” Field Manual 3-24.2, April 21, 2009 (300 pages, 10 MB PDF). The Idiot's Guide to Pakistan: Everyone in Washington is talking about Pakistan, but few understand it — here’s how to dazzle the crowd at your next Georgetown cocktail party. National Interest A Thousand Envoys Bloom by David Rothkopf
Obama has assembled a crack national-security team, filled with sharp minds and even-sharper personalities. Our economic wise men too may be sharp, but with a groupthink typical of a team of neophytes. Finger-pointing and leaks are likely to ensue in both appointment-heavy teams. In the face of a changing international environment, the costs of our reliance on the old national-security apparatus and White House–centric decision making may be too great. Contra Rothkopf by Christopher Lamb and James Douglas Orton David Rothkopf’s belief that the national-security structure is sound—articulated in his article in the May/June National Interest—is mistaken. We need to reform the system to make sure that good people aren’t held back by bad bureaucracies Obama hints at tougher line on Israel Vice-President says Jewish State must work towards Palestinian nation as dismay grows over Netanyahu's hardline stance Ban Ki-moon opts not to use prerogative to order his own inquiry into allegations of rights abuses Full summary of the UN report Pentagon to launch investigation into raid that could have caused highest civilian toll since invasion MI5 attempted to recruit prison camp inmates by promising to protect them from their American captors, The Independent has learnt. Time A War No Longer on Autopilot: What if Iraq Unravels? Washington Post OBAMA'S WAR A New Approach to Karzai Skeptical Administration Keeping Karzai at Arm's Length Skepticism of Afghan Leader Shapes Policy Gates Assures Mideast Allies on U.S. Overtures to Iran The Case for Just
Justifiable War Richard N. Haass | A just war theory is too impractical for today's threats. Editorial Difficult Friends President Obama may not like working with the presidents of Pakistan and Afghanistan -- but does he have a choice? Commentary Seven Existential Threats by Michael B. Oren Ha’aretz – U.S. urges Israel to sign anti-nuclear arms treaty State Department calls universal adherence to NPT 'a fundamental objective of the United States. Aluf Benn: Obama will have to scare Netanyahu to advance peace process Netanyahu began his second term with a stance of having his cake and eating it too - having America deal with the Iranian threat while Israel holds on to all the settlements. Netanyahu, listen to Obama Netanyahu must heed Obama's message and see it as an opportunity to advance the peace process with the help of an active and involved American president. BBC Hard man to beat Rivals may struggle to unseat Iran's embattled leader WSJ EU Pipeline Gets Boost Amid Slump The economic downturn is giving glimmers of hope to EU efforts to build a supply route for natural gas from the Caspian Sea. An EU summit Friday in Prague will for the first time bring together all the players needed to build pipelines from the Caspian and the Middle East.
U.S. Engagement of Iran Is Futile - Mustafa Hijri, RealClearWorld
Transcript: Interview With Khaled Meshal of Hamas New York Times Christian Science Monitor Afghanistan's divided opposition boosts Karzai's election bid Though unpopular, the president has more national reach than the shrinking pool of contenders Seeing Red: Georgia blames Russia for 'mutiny' Russia, furious over NATO war games set to begin Wednesday in Georgia, says recent turmoil is evidence of Saakashvili's instability. Armenia withdraws from war games. Georgia: An 'Attempted Coup' A number of military troops staged a mutiny at a military base in Mukhrovani, Georgia, on May 5. Sino-Russian Military Exercises Conceived as a Show of Unity MESH • The China-Iran comparison by Jacqueline Newmyer A GEOINT Analysis of Terrorism in Afghanistan --- “Afghanistan — Geospatial Analysis Reveals Patterns in Terrorist Incidents 2004-2008,” Open Source Center, April 20, 2009 (in a very large 19 MB PDF file) By analyzing parameters such as location, timing, frequency, lethality and other such characteristics, the OSC study identified “hotspots” for terrorist activity and changes over time. It also provided data for evaluating an OSC predictive model of terrorism in Afghanistan. Daily Star A moment of reckoning in the Mideast By Rami G. Khouri The relationship between the United States and Israel is one of the strongest and most stable bilateral links in the history of modern statehood Foreign Policy Pakistan Has Already Failed How Pakistan Can Fix Itself When will Pakistan's leaders wake up and do what's needed to save their country from ruin? BY AYESHA AND PARAG KHANNA What happens if Lebanon elects Hezbollah? BY ELIAS MUHANNA Financial Times Gideon Rachman Time for US to get on with ‘AfPak’ heads White House should resist the urge to meddle Over almost three decades, policymakers became ever more confident they had found, in inflation targeting, the holy grail of fiat (or man-made) money. Today, they are struggling with the deepest recession since the 1930s and the danger of deflation. How can it have gone so wrong, asks Martin Wolf Gates pessimistic on chance of Tehran accord Robert Gates, US defence secretary, on Tuesday said Tehran’s response to Washington’s overtures had not been encouraging and played down the prospects for improved relations with Iran National Interest Manchurian Paradox by Stephen S. Roach
The America-China symbiosis cannot be overstated. Beijing’s willingness to buy U.S. debt allowed us to live on credit, while our purchase of Chinese goods propelled their meteoric rise. But as the financial markets have soured, some in the United States are questioning the wisdom of this mutual dependence. With China heckling us over our fiscal policies and its U.S. debt holdings, America is threatening protectionism. Just as we both rise, so may we both fall: together. Two-Part Czar by Peter Reddaway
The Russian leadership lives in a tension-ridden house. Putin and Medvedev’s tandem system is beginning to falter. The recession has exposed frictions between the two men and revealed Putin’s inadequacies at rectifying the state’s deep economic flaws. It has also led to growing popular protest, ruling-class dissent and greater regional autonomy. As Russian elites begin to lose confidence in the tandem leadership, the state’s future looks increasingly uncertain. The Pentagon’s Papers by Lawrence J. Korb The Defense Department is about to conduct its quadrennial policy review. But instead of being a funding wish list, the exercise should force the Pentagon to make hard choices about which programs to keep and which ones to axe. | H2 Le Monde: 'İncirlik Irak'tan Çekilme Öncesi Hareketleniyor' McClatchy U.S. fears violence ahead of Kurdistan regional elections Cyprus’s Last Best Chance Desmond Tutu , Jimmy Carter and Lakhdar Brahimi Why was al-Sadr in Turkey? Asharq Alawsat Newspaper (English) The picture remains unclear regarding the reasons behind Moqtada al-Sadr's surprise appearance in Turkey after an almost two year absence in Iran, even if it was [officially] announced that al-Sadr was in Turkey to attend a conference called "The al-Sadr movement and future challenges." Iran takes a stand over Kurds
Asia Times By Kaveh L Afrasiabi Kurdish leaders in Iraq face tough decisions with respect to the central government in Baghdad and powerful neighbors Iran and Turkey. Iran's hot pursuit of Kurdish rebels from Iraq, and the subsequent bombing of border villages, has sent a signal to the semi-autonomous Kurdish Regional Administration about Tehran's unhappiness with Kurdish inflexibility in post-occupation Iraq. Looming over the recent conflict is how to settle Kirkuk French president says EU-Turkey need common forum EU Pipeline Gets Boost Amid Slump Wall Street Journal The Times 44 killed in Turkish engagement massacre Officials blame blood feud as gunmen slaughter engagement party guests - but others say it is the work of paramilitaries 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 Press Freedom on Decline in Iraqi Kurdistan by Michael Rubin Turkey: new foreign minister, new politics PKK leader: We want bloodshed to end Turkey: Massacre Puts Government on Defensive on Support for Paramilitaries Nicholas Birch: How war on the Kurds put guns in the wrong hands CSM Turkey: massacre reflects ancient traditions and volatile politics "İncirlik'ten Çekilmiyoruz" Kurdish oil may degrade export quality United Press International -- Crude oil from the northern Iraqi city of Kirkuk could be degraded if Kurdish oil exports reach 100000 barrels per day Dialogue the answer, says PKK Cevdet Aşkın Google News Greece Cyprus Turkish Cypriot Press ABHaber Dış Basında Türkiye-AB İlişkileri Günlük Haftalık United Press International RFERL EU Seems To Be Getting Serious About Southern Energy The EU's energy summit in Prague on May 8 -- with leaders of key Central Asian and South Caucasian states, as well as Turkey -- will mark a milestone in the bloc's effort to lessen its dependence on Russian fossil energy reserves, key among them natural gas. Senior EU officials briefing journalists in Brussels ahead of the summit said the bloc is prepared to give "whatever" political, economic, and financial support needed to pipeline projects needed to forge direct links with countries around the Caspian Sea guardian.co.uk Turkey balances Azeri, Armenian links Finally the ARF Has Resumed Its Traditional Role Armenian Weekly Raytheon picks Roketsan in Turkey as Patriot missile partner US discusses multiyear F-35 buys with partners Gülen teachings to be examined in Berlin Turkey's youtube blackout enters year two | 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 Soli Özel Yasemin Çongar Ertuğrul Özkök Hasan Ünal Ahmet Hakan M Ali Birand Cüneyt Ülsever Enis Berberoğlu Oktay Ekşi Özdemir İnce Mehmet Y Yılmaz ERDAL ŞAFAK ENGİN ARDIÇ 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 If there is any hope of defeating the Taliban, Congress must support President Obama’s plan to deal with Pakistan and Afghanistan as an integrated regional problem. Pakistani Army Poised for New Push Into Swat Residents were flooding out of the Swat Valley by the thousands as the government prepared to mount a new military operation against Taliban militants there. Fighting protectionism and climate change can be done at the same time by unilaterally eliminating tariffs on clean technology products. Pope Benedict XVI could use his advantage over politicians to flourish in the “theopolitics” of the Middle East. Torture Memos: Inquiry Suggests No Prosecutions A draft of a Justice Department report found serious errors of judgment in secret memos authorizing brutal interrogations, but opposed prosecuting the authors. By DAVID LEONHARDT After a stretch of unrelenting bad news, the economic signals have been more mixed lately, leading those who have been pessimistic to reassess. Pakistani Army Poised for New Push Into Swat Iraqi Report on Corruption Cites Prosecutors’ Barriers Afghans Say U.S. Raids Killed 30 Civilians Leaders of Iran and Syria Vow to Back ‘Palestinian Resistance’ Pakistani President Tries to Assure U.S. on Taliban Britain Identifies 16 Recently Barred From Entering the Country Obama Seeks a Global Health Plan Broader Than Bush’s AIDS Effort On Eve of NATO Exercise, Georgia Says It Foiled Mutiny Socialist Leader Vows to Confront ETA U.S. May Set a Debt Test for Banks The Treasury is expected to announce as early as Wednesday that banks must show that they can issue debt without government subsidies before they are allowed to exit TARP. | H5 Washington Post OBAMA'S WAR A New Approach to Karzai Skeptical Administration Keeping Karzai at Arm's Length Skepticism of Afghan Leader Shapes Policy Gates Assures Mideast Allies on U.S. Overtures to Iran The Case for Just
Justifiable War Richard N. Haass | A just war theory is too impractical for today's threats. Editorial Difficult Friends President Obama may not like working with the presidents of Pakistan and Afghanistan -- but does he have a choice? United Nations Inquiry Finds Israel Purposely Fired on U.N.-Run School in Gaza Strip Thousands Flee Swat Ahead of Expected Fighting Face-Off Between Taliban, Pakistani Army Appears Imminent U.S. Stresses Support For Pakistan's Zardari Looking for Drones, Zardari Went to CNN Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari has a problem. His government is near collapse, hundreds of thousands of people are fleeing the Taliban in northwest Pakistan, and militants are within 60 miles of the capital, Islamabad. Cyber-Command May Help Protect Civilian Networks The Pentagon is considering whether to create a new cyber-command that would oversee government efforts to protect the military's computer networks and would also assist in protecting the civilian government networks, the head of the National Security Agency said yesterday. Britain Bans 16 for 'Fostering Extremism' The list includes Muslim extremists, a former Ku Klux Klan grand wizard and U.S. conservative radio talk show host Michael Savage. Payments, Apologies For Victims of Civil War Since President Álvaro Colom took office last year, Guatemala has stepped up payments to survivors of the estimated 200,000 people who died in the 36-year civil war. Obama's Prosecutions by Proxy By John R. Bolton, Obama's passivity is opening a pathway for other countries to put the U.S. on trial. The Cost of Climate Change Inaction By Kristen Sheeran and Mindy Lubber, Two activists respond to Robert Samuelson, arguing that inaction on climate change is the costliest option. Court in Iran to Review Conviction of U.S. Journalist Roxana Saberi Party Switch Costs Specter His Seniority on Senate Committees Former Bush Officials Work to Soften Ethics Report on Interrogations What's Good for Chrysler: A Restructuring That Wall Street Could Use By Harold Meyerson, Bankers could use a little of Chrysler's medicine Behind the Judicial Blindfold By Ruth Marcus, The hostile reaction to the president's criteria for a high court nominee is unfair. | Ban Ki-moon opts not to use prerogative to order his own inquiry into allegations of rights abuses Full summary of the UN report Pentagon to launch investigation into raid that could have caused highest civilian toll since invasion Jonathan Steele: Only a dramatic break from previous US policy on Israel can end the Middle East deadlock Basque country: Nation building, not nationalism Editorial: If Eta stops the violence, maybe Basque nationalists can enjoy the autonomy they so crave Pakistan's doomsday scenario Robert Fox: There is a real risk Taliban militias could seize nuclear assets if the US and UK pursue wornout, vainglorious policies in Pakistan Nushin Arbabzadah: Afghanistan didn't get excited about Gordon Brown's visit either, but his shift in focus away from Pakistan is broadly welcomed Petra Marquardt-Bigman: Though there is speculation of a clash with Netanyahu, Obama's good-faith gestures could mark a turning point with Israel Ian Bancroft: The international community has failed to ensure the safe return of hundreds of thousands of people expelled from their homes Gordon Brown: Defining problem Editorial: Unless he starts to spell out his vision soon, it will not be long before Gordon Brown gives his power away Gandhi heir claims power for the poor Rahul Gandhi and his Congress party are recast as the electoral hope for India's impoverished masses Massoumeh Torfeh: The wife of presidential candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi is taking an unprecedented role in his campaign in a bid for women's vote |
| H7 BBC Hard man to beat Rivals may struggle to unseat Iran's embattled leader Daily Star A moment of reckoning in the Mideast By Rami G. Khouri The relationship between the United States and Israel is one of the strongest and most stable bilateral links in the history of modern statehood Obama's message to Iran represented a turning point
By Sadegh Zibakalam
Can U.S. Respond to 'Mortal Threat'? - Tony Blankley, Washington Times
U.S. Engagement of Iran Is Futile - Mustafa Hijri, RealClearWorld
An interview with Ian Bremmer, author of The Fat Tail: The Power of Political Knowledge for Strategic Investing (and more) Foreign Policy The List: Five Disease Outbreaks That Are Worse Than Swine Flu Can the Middle East states rise to Obama’s challenge? Emile Hokayem, Political Editor: The US has a tactical advantage as the source of fresh ideas, which will test the strength of the various regional alliances · MARC LYNCH Robert Gates drops the ball in Egypt | H8 Iraq Updates IraqSlogger Google News Iraq Iran Syria Mideastwire.com - NPR Iraq May 5 IA# 513 - Iran Foreign Minister: The Japanese Nuclear Model Applies To Us Too Iraq: No Extension of US Withdrawal Date from Cities - Voice of America Iraq Committed to June 30 Withdrawal for American Troops - Nuclear talks not election issue in Iran (UPI) -- The June 12 presidential elections in Iran play no role in ongoing talks on its controversial nuclear program, a Foreign Ministry spokesman said. U.S. Rejects Syria's Call for Dialogue with Hamas, Hizbullah Basra Residents Safer, But Looking for Work - Jane Arraf, Christian Science Monitor Massoumeh Torfeh: The wife of presidential candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi is taking an unprecedented role in his campaign in a bid for women's vote Deadly bombing in Baghdad market An explosion at a market in the south of the Iraqi capital Baghdad kills at least 10 people, say reports. | H9 Ha’aretz – U.S. urges Israel to sign anti-nuclear arms treaty State Department calls universal adherence to NPT 'a fundamental objective of the United States. Aluf Benn: Obama will have to scare Netanyahu to advance peace process Netanyahu began his second term with a stance of having his cake and eating it too - having America deal with the Iranian threat while Israel holds on to all the settlements. Netanyahu, listen to Obama Netanyahu must heed Obama's message and see it as an opportunity to advance the peace process with the help of an active and involved American president. Mossad officials jostle for top intelligence agency post Netanyahu reportedly chose to extend chief's tenure until end of 2010 so as not to impair decisions on Iran Peres to Obama: No choice but to compare Iran to Nazis President says Israel ready for peace talks with Palestinians, it should back U.S. overtures to Iran Assad: Syria-Iran ties serve stability and strength of Mideast Ahmadinejad: Syria, Iran united behind Palestinians; Iran president plans to meet Hamas, Jihad leaders Israel: Syria Arms Hizbullah While Courting U.S. – Biden: U.S. wants two-state solution Assistant Secretary of State won't say if Washington will press J'lem to sign pact; Weisglass: This may be most worrisome development in years. In apparent change of policy, FM takes credit for torpedoing Iranian President's visit to continent. Yedioth Ahronoth 'We'll back Obama on Iran'
Peres meets with Obama in Washington, says Israel will be 'loyal supporter' of efforts to engage Tehran through diplomacy. Hours earlier VP Biden said Israel must accept the two-state solution, freeze all settlement construction Unique Jewish model/ WeissglassDov Weissglass offers words of praise, gratitude to American pro-Israel lobby group Daily Alert.org – Hebrew Press Editorials (2008) - Middle East Progress - EJC Israeli Press Review – Google News Israel - Palestine Is It Clinton vs. Jones? The Nation UN rebukes Israel over Gaza raids A UN inquiry into attacks by Israeli forces on its property in the Gaza conflict this year is heavily critical of Israel's militar Daily Star A moment of reckoning in the Mideast By Rami G. Khouri The relationship between the United States and Israel is one of the strongest and most stable bilateral links in the history of modern statehood Why nobody cares about AIPAC this year · 'Popeophobia' Hits Holy Land Ahead of Tour BY: Matt Beynon Rees | Global Post If you happen to be in the Holy Land next week and you have a beef with the pope, get to the back of the line. Israel: UN Report Ignores Truth on Installations Damaged in Gaza War (Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs) · Prime Minister Netanyahu at AIPAC: Text, Video · Israel: Build Palestinian Institutions Before Statehood Banning Jewish Works in Arab World - H.D.S. Greenway, Global Post Hamas Officials Supportive of Syrian-Israeli Talks |
| H10 Christian Science Monitor Afghanistan's divided opposition boosts Karzai's election bid Though unpopular, the president has more national reach than the shrinking pool of contenders Seeing Red: Georgia blames Russia for 'mutiny' Russia, furious over NATO war games set to begin Wednesday in Georgia, says recent turmoil is evidence of Saakashvili's instability. Armenia withdraws from war games. Washington has been increasingly critical of the Afghan president. But with Karzai likely to win reelection this year, both sides will want to dial back the recriminations. The small number of successful pirate attacks, an increase in military patrols, and legal concerns have kept many firms from hiring security ASIA The Idiot's Guide to Pakistan: Everyone in Washington is talking about Pakistan, but few understand it — here’s how to dazzle the crowd at your next Georgetown cocktail party. By Randy Pollock Its emphasis on math and science has certainly fueled its rapid economic growth, but its lack of creative thinking could rob it of an innovative edge. Japan: Birthrate report shows it's not getting any younger A report says Japan's ratio of children is now down to 13%, boding ill for the labor pool and pension funds Stratfor U.S., Pakistan, Afghanistan: Seeking a Trilateral Solution Pakistan urged over Taleban fight US envoy Richard Holbrooke says Washington must put maximum pressure on Pakistan to ensure it fights the Taleban effectively. Pakistan may overshadow Afghanistan in Washington talks With nuclear-armed Pakistan increasingly threatened by Islamist militants, President Barack Obama will urge the country's leader on Wednesday to confront the threat head-on, while offering promises of long-term U.S. support, senior U.S. officials said Tuesday. Thousands flee as Taliban take control of Pakistan's Swat Armed Taliban insurgents seized control of the main town in Pakistan's Swat valley, sending thousands of residents fleeing in advance of a possible showdown between the Islamic militants and the army that could help decide the future of nuclear-armed Pakistan. Pakistan Has Already FailedBY AYESHA AND PARAG KHANNA Chinese carriers - let them have them It's only a matter of time before China develops and deploys its first aircraft carrier. But rather than protest, worried nations like Japan could keep in mind that such a project will take Beijing decades, and at considerable cost. In any event, a Chinese carrier strike group will be no match for the United States. A GEOINT Analysis of Terrorism in Afghanistan --- “Afghanistan — Geospatial Analysis Reveals Patterns in Terrorist Incidents 2004-2008,” Open Source Center, April 20, 2009 (in a very large 19 MB PDF file) By analyzing parameters such as location, timing, frequency, lethality and other such characteristics, the OSC study identified “hotspots” for terrorist activity and changes over time. It also provided data for evaluating an OSC predictive model of terrorism in Afghanistan. Rahul Gandhi and his Congress party are recast as the electoral hope for India's impoverished masses Separating the Af from the Pak BY DAN TWINING U.S. officials warn of "existential" crisis in Pakistan Nicholas Stern and Haruhiko Kuroda: South-east Asia has the most to lose from global warming but could gain much by developing a low-carbon future State Building in Afpak - Andrew Bast, World Politics Review
The Battle for Control of Pakistan - S. Koelbl & G. Steingart, Der Spiegel
Obama could learn from Karzai There is supreme irony in the suggestion that what is helping Afghan President Hamid Karzai more than anything else to wrap up his re-election on August 20 is that Western politicians were so quick to distance themselves from him. Without the opprobrium of their company, Karzai gained some key alliances and a new credibility - even respectability - in Afghan eyes. It all reads like a morality play. - M K Bhadrakumar The world melts,
China growsAs Western economies shrink under the impact of the global financial crisis, China's continues to grow, its currency is becoming more international, and the confidence of the government is strengthening. Leaders in Washington will soon have to concede that financial power is shifting towards the world's thriving regions, the foremost of which is China.- Dilip Hiro What's at Stake in Afghanistan - Brookings Institution
Money & Training Alone Won't Save Pakistan - Center for Am. Progress
WSJ Washington Asserts Loyalty to Zardari The White House said it fully backs Pakistan's president as Zardari and his Afghan counterpart arrived in Washington for talks with Obama. · One China, Two Parties BY: Michael Goldfarb | The Weekly Standard The 2000 election of Democratic Progressive Party leader Chen Shui-bian as president of Taiwan marked the first democratic transfer of power in Taiwanese history, but after two terms in office Chen is in prison and his party in shambles. Afghan diary Adrenalin rush as US troops deal with Taleban fire Karzai's Choice Of Running Mate Draws Criticism Afghan President Hamid Karzai registered to run for reelection on May 4 and named former Vice President and Defense Minister Mohammad Qasim Fahim to run with him as the senior of two vice presidents. Once Afghanistan's most powerful warlord, Fahim’s choice as Karzai running mate has drawn considerable criticism If the Japanese could choose for their next prime minister anyone in the world, they would undoubtedly pick US President Barack Obama or possibly Britain's young and charismatic Conservative Party leader David Cameron, anyone but the goofballs and retreads that are currently on offer. BY: Philip Bowring | International Herald Tribune Without bigger commitments to long term investments, and better governance, it is hard to see the Philippines breaking out of a 40-year pattern of relative decline. BY: Ahmed Rashid | The Washington Post Pakistan is on the brink of chaos, and Congress is in a critical position: U.S. lawmakers can hasten that fateful process, halt it or even help turn things around. In Preview of Surge, US Calms Afghan Valley but Peace Is Fragile - Michael M. Phillips, Wall Street Journal. Pakistan Poses a 'Mortal Threat' - Tony Blankley, Washington Times Strategic Focus Shifts to Afghanistan, Mullen Says - Jim Garamone, American Forces Press Service. | H11 IHT EUROPE European press review WSJ EU Pipeline Gets Boost Amid Slump The economic downturn is giving glimmers of hope to EU efforts to build a supply route for natural gas from the Caspian Sea. An EU summit Friday in Prague will for the first time bring together all the players needed to build pipelines from the Caspian and the Middle East. · ECB Is Expected to Cut Rate to 1% The ECB is widely expected to cut its main interest rate to a low of 1% and decide whether to use nonconventional policy measures to encourage lending. Editorial: If Eta stops the violence, maybe Basque nationalists can enjoy the autonomy they so crave Ian Bancroft: The international community has failed to ensure the safe return of hundreds of thousands of people expelled from their homes President tells voters, ahead of elections in June, that a strong French presence is vital if the European Union is to change Eurozone: The ECB’s rapid response to the crisis has been surpassed by those of the US and the UK, fuelling speculation that on Thursday Frankfurt, too, will embrace the unconventional, writes Ralph Atkins Lagarde presses European Union partners to impose strict rules on hedge funds, in spite of warnings that even the tightest regulation would be no guarantee against financial turmoil akin to that of the past two years The handling of the economic crisis will be on voters’ minds but the results will tell a broader tale on whether people believe the EU has a role to play In a massive secret operation, Berlin sent members of its elite GSG-9 police force to Somalia to free hostages and a German freighter captured by pirates there, but the commandos were called off before the rescue effort could begin. The scuppered operation reveals deficits in Germany's security forces Germany's Campaign of Empty Promises - Der Spiegel Business profit share and investment rate higher in the EU than in the USA (PDF; 338 KB) Source: Eurostat Hague triples Vukovar jail term A Hague court rules that an ex-Yugoslav officer jailed for crimes at Vukovar, Croatia, in 1991 should serve 17, not five years. Europe's biggest vote With only a month to go before tens of millions of people in 27 countries vote in EU elections, check out the BBC's comprehensive coverage | H12 RFE/RL Google News Azerbaijan Georgia: An 'Attempted Coup' A number of military troops staged a mutiny at a military base in Mukhrovani, Georgia, on May 5. Independent Russia accused after Georgia puts down 'attempted coup' Leading article: Unwise war games Nato to begin Georgia exercises Soldiers from 18 Nato countries begin a series of military exercises in Georgia described by Russia as a provocation. Georgian authorities put down an attempted mutiny at a military base outside the capital Tuesday as simmering political tensions erupted on the eve of the start of NATO exercises in the country. BY: Fraser Cameron | International Herald Tribune As Dmitri Medvedev enters his second year in the Kremlin, it seems that he is still more in office than in power. NATO's decision to expel two Russian diplomats on spying charges is only the latest espionage incident in a long line of such cases. The Western alliance was a natural target of Soviet espionage efforts during the Cold War, and Russia has evidently inherited that interest. And of course, the West has had its own agents working for the benefit of the alliance BY: Aleksander Kwasniewski | The Wall Street Journal Europe won't be 'whole and free' until Ukrainians can pursue their chosen path. Another financial crisis-induced headache for the country: ensuring economic difficulties today do not mean blackouts tomorrow Georgia: Saakashvili Administration Puts Down Alleged Anti-NATO Mutiny
BY GIORGI LOMSADZE
On the eve of controversial May 6 exercises to be held by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the Georgian government quickly suppressed a military rebellion that it claims was backed by Moscow. According to officials in Tbilisi, the revolt supposedly aimed to oust President Mikheil Saakashvili from power, and to redirect Georgia’s foreign policy orientation back toward Russia. Caucasus: Don’t Let the EU’s Eastern Neighborhood Initiative Become a Paper Tiger On May 7, the Czech Presidency of the European Union will host a summit of high-level representatives of six former Soviet republics: Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova, Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan. The purpose for the gathering is the kickoff of the EU’s new initiative called Eastern Partnership. Given the precarious position of these countries, the European Partnership is an urgently needed idea, although its current form is flawed.
A EurasiaNet partner post commentary by Vladimir D. Shkolnikov of Freedom House In a recent interview, S. Frederick Starr, a professor at Johns Hopkins, told CFR that Moscow appears inclined to establish a stronger presence in Russia's "near abroad." BY: Ellen Barry | The New York Times The top arms control negotiator for the United States said on Monday that the government was willing to agree to count both nuclear warheads and their delivery vehicles when renegotiating the 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, or Start — addressing one of Russia’s longstanding concerns. BY: Yuri Zarakhovich | Eurasia Daily Monitor Over the past decade, Vladimir Putin's policies, federal in name and unitary in substance, deprived units of the Russian Federation of their own money. Not unlike in the "good old" Soviet era, the federal center claimed all the collected revenues, and then decided on the allocation of subsidies. The Kremlin's Lawless Legality - Susanne Scholl, RealClearWorld Battalion Mutinies at Georgian Base, Officials Say Dan Kennedy: Kazakhstan's independent journalists are threatened by proposed laws to censor speech online Ukraine: opening of secret archives shines light on famine, repression President Yushchenko says his country must confront its past. But critics say deeper examination of authoritarianism and the starvation that killed millions could be dangerous. |
| Obama hints at tougher line on Israel Vice-President says Jewish State must work towards Palestinian nation as dismay grows over Netanyahu's hardline stance Israel accused by United Nations of 'reckless disregard' for human life in using white phosphorus on attack on school Taleban seizes Mingora in Swat Valley Pakistan scrambles to shelter 500,000 refugees as Taleban fighters seize Mingora, the main town of the Swat Valley Judicial review Barack Obama has an opportunity make the Supreme Court more like America Wall Street Journal The War for Pakistan Its leaders need U.S. aid and support, not public lectures. By Lindsey Graham and John McCain
Preventive detention will continue to have a place in the war on terror. By Michael T. Darda
The question is whether policy errors will cause another dip. Let's Move Their Cheese THE TILTING YARD
By Thomas Frank
We can get better bank management for a fraction of the cost. From The Economist, the IMF has been promised lots more money and has a new sense of purpose, but reform is still needed — especially if it is to win the trust of emerging economies The Fed chief said he sees the economy beginning to revive by year-end. | H14 Financial Times Gideon Rachman Time for US to get on with ‘AfPak’ heads White House should resist the urge to meddle Over almost three decades, policymakers became ever more confident they had found, in inflation targeting, the holy grail of fiat (or man-made) money. Today, they are struggling with the deepest recession since the 1930s and the danger of deflation. How can it have gone so wrong, asks Martin Wolf Robert Gates, US defence secretary, on Tuesday said Tehran’s response to Washington’s overtures had not been encouraging and played down the prospects for improved relations with Iran Libor rates fall to record low Moment of truth The ECB’s rapid response to the crisis has been surpassed by those of the US and the UK, fuelling speculation that on Thursday Frankfurt, too, will embrace the unconventional Mr Obama’s proposals will make the tax system a bit more neutral but they ignore the larger policy question: how can national jurisdictions achieve fair and efficient taxation in a global economy? Obama’s power As he contemplates his stronger position in the Senate and the opening on the Supreme Court, Mr Obama must remember that he needs the support of the middle of the US electorate Splenetic isolation It is in the UK’s interests to be at the centre of crucial European Union decisions and leadership in Europe - not a special relationship with America – should be Britain’s prime diplomatic goal Process may deter early repayment Lagarde says proposals too timid Politics must use the media, says Peter Bazalgette John Kay on how we were hit by a decade of ‘febezzlement’ Reform tax havens, says Sol Picciotto | H15 Los Angeles Times Georgia quells tank battalion mutiny The government accuses Russia of aiding the rebellion Biden urges Israel to work for a Palestinian state Speaking to the pro-Israel lobbying group AIPAC, Vice President Joe Biden also calls for a halt to the expansion of Jewish settlements Obama prepares for talks with presidents of Afghanistan, Pakistan The Taliban's recent gains in Pakistan have already left the leaders' recently crafted strategy outdated. Obama is expected to press Zardari to do more A sea of Pakistani civilians flees area of Taliban-army fighting Officials in North-West Frontier Province brace for hundreds of thousands. President Asif Ali Zardari and President Obama are expected to discuss the army's operation against Taliban militants Wednesday U.S. investigates claims of civilian deaths in Afghanistan clash Afghan officials say up to 70 people were killed in fighting between the Taliban and coalition forces. Civilian deaths have been a tense issue between the Afghan government and its Western allies. By Randy Pollock Its emphasis on math and science has certainly fueled its rapid economic growth, but its lack of creative thinking could rob it of an innovative edge. Japan: Birthrate report shows it's not getting any younger A report says Japan's ratio of children is now down to 13%, boding ill for the labor pool and pension funds Meet the new political bosses, worse than the old political bosses. Editorial |
| H19 Military Intelligence Terrorism “Tactics in Counterinsurgency” (pdf), a new U.S. Army Field Manual, expands upon the Counterinsurgency doctrine of the best-selling December 2006 manual (pdf) on that subject. “At its heart, a counterinsurgency is an armed struggle for the support of the population,” the manual declares. “This support can be achieved or lost through information engagement, strong representative government, access to goods and services, fear, or violence. This armed struggle also involves eliminating insurgents who threaten the safety and security of the population.” “However, military units alone cannot defeat an insurgency. Most of the work involves discovering and solving the population’s underlying issues, that is, the root causes of their dissatisfaction with the current arrangement of political power. Dealing with diverse issues such as land reform, unemployment, oppressive leadership, or ethical tensions places a premium on tactical leaders who can not only close with the enemy, but also negotiate agreements, operate with nonmilitary agencies and other nations, restore basic services, speak the native (a foreign) language, orchestrate political deals, and get ‘the word’ on the street.”See “Tactics in Counterinsurgency,” Field Manual 3-24.2, April 21, 2009 (300 pages, 10 MB PDF). Cyber-Command May Help Protect Civilian Networks The Pentagon is considering whether to create a new cyber-command that would oversee government efforts to protect the military's computer networks and would also assist in protecting the civilian government networks, the head of the National Security Agency said yesterday The first chapter from Spying Blind: The CIA, the FBI, and the Origins of 9/11 by Amy B. Zegart (and more on the CIA). A GEOINT Analysis of Terrorism in Afghanistan --- “Afghanistan — Geospatial Analysis Reveals Patterns in Terrorist Incidents 2004-2008,” Open Source Center, April 20, 2009 (in a very large 19 MB PDF file) By analyzing parameters such as location, timing, frequency, lethality and other such characteristics, the OSC study identified “hotspots” for terrorist activity and changes over time. It also provided data for evaluating an OSC predictive model of terrorism in Afghanistan Commercial shipping companies need to take greater responsibility for protecting their vessels against Somali pirates — including hiring private armed security guards — and look less to the U.S. Navy or other international military for help.
How to Handle the Guantanamo Detainees - Sens. Graham & McCain, WSJ
BY: Rolf Mowatt Larssen | The Washington Institute for Near East Policy While the IAEA sorts out changes at the top, the United States should try to expand the agency's mandate and responsibilities. One such change would be the establishment of a full-fledged intelligence office, which would dramatically improve the agency's ability to identify and deter the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD). In a massive secret operation, Berlin sent members of its elite GSG-9 police force to Somalia to free hostages and a German freighter captured by pirates there, but the commandos were called off before the rescue effort could begin. The scuppered operation reveals deficits in Germany's security forces BY: Jody Ray Bennett | ISN Security Watch The next private military company to take over Blackwater’s contract in Iraq has an interesting history, operates worldwide and provides more than just personal security. BY: Thomas Hegghammer | Foreign Policy The CIA torture memos have generated a media storm in the United States. Many have expressed surprise and indignation at the nature and extent of state-sanctioned torture in the war on terror. The next Secretary of Defense? | H20 Slate Bilderberg Preview
It's that time of year. Do NBA Players Try Harder in the Playoffs? The guys from Basketball Prospectus try to quantify the intangibles. Did Churchill Torture Nazis or Not?
By Christopher Hitchens Obama's $63bn global health plan President Barack Obama said on Tuesday he would ask Congress for $63bn (£41bn) over six years to battle chronic global health crises, including AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis. This 24-page paper focuses on food, first surveying long-term trends in global demand and supply to put recent price changes into perspective. It evaluates various factors which underpin the high prices experienced in 2007 and 2008, including the conversion of crops into liquid fuels (“biofuels”). The paper concludes with lessons we should have learned recently about food scarcity and its alleviation Pandemic Influenza: A Guide to Recent Institute of Medicine Studies and Workshops
Source: Institute of Medicine The crisis-resilience of services trade Source: World Bank Policy Research Working Papers | H21 Incognito: Evidence mounts that brains decide before their owners know about it. Death of Newspapers Could Kill Civic Values - Marc Dunkelman, US News Bilderberg Preview It's that time of year. What can magicians teach us about the brain? 10 Genes, Furiously Evolving They only sleep more than us because they're so busy living each day to the full, suggests Celia Walden. Boston Globe avoids shutdown – at least for now Could it produce a prototype that other struggling big-city newspapers could use to survive the current recession? A yellow light for electric cars Advocates of next-gen cars need to remember that there's no free lunch. Newspapers are in extremis not because of their political agenda -- as many conservatives insist -- but because the world around them has been transformed. Is Kindle a newspaper savior? Not quite
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