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H1 Ha’aretz – Winograd lays blame on IDF for failings of war Final report on Second Lebanon War: IDF 'failed to meet most missions and challenges they were assigned'.

USIP Briefing: Iraq: Politics Unfrozen, Direction Still Unclear

Why is there such a gap between all the usual pessimism about America’s future and the actual trends? From Prospect, Michael Lind on how America still works The US economy is slowing down, but the long-term trends for the country are more favourable than many think. There has also been a sharp improvement in many of America's social pathologies, such as violent crime and drug abuse

Washington Times Warning light on Kosovo By John Bolton An imposed settlement of the Kosovo question and seeking to partition Serbia's sovereign territory without its consent is not in the interest of the United States

TimeBlog America's Future Middle East Policy: Obama Edition

Gallup Daily: Tracking Election 2008

Christian Science Monitor Permanent US bases in Iraq unlikely A US-Iraq security pact won't set troop levels now, but it could set the stage for long-term strategy.

Washington Post Pause on Iraq Troop Cuts U.S. commanders in Iraq want to freeze troop levels when they reach 130,000 later this year

U.S. to Expand Outposts Across Baghdad by 30%

Washington Institute Iranian Threats and the UN Sanctions Debate - Patrick Clawson

New York Times Fed Moves Again, Cutting Key Rate by Half a Point The Fed’s move was part of a one-two punch by Washington aimed at jolting the economy with easier credit and extra money

Narrowed Fields Hurtle Toward Big Voting Tests John Edwards and Rudolph W. Giuliani both quit the race, and Mr. Giuliani endorsed John McCain. Mr. McCain’s aides said he would also be endorsed by Arnold Schwarzenegger.

IHT Who's hiding under our umbrella? By PAUL KENNEDY

Carrying free riders may be the price of empire, but the U.S. is ceding influence.

Different money, different rules

By LAWRENCE H. SUMMERS

Sovereign funds should agree to a set of rules.

Los Angeles Times Afghanistan report warns of 'failed state'A panel of U.S. diplomatic and military experts says more troops and better coordination are needed to secure the country in the face of a resurgent Taliban.

Al Awsat Senior US Gov't Advisor David Satterfield on Iraq

• 'Has the Shiite Crescent Disappeared? Saudi Arabia and the US Alliance against Iran' by Joshua Teitelbaum, Tel Aviv Notes (pdf)

• 'The Decline of the Arab Core: Egypt's Waning Influence in the Middle East' by Kareem M. Kamel

Guardian Our state collects more data than the Stasi ever did. We need to fight back Timothy Garton Ash: To trust in the good intentions of our rulers is to put liberty at risk. I'd go to jail rather than accept this kind of ID card

Olmert absolved despite Lebanon
Inquiry does not criticise Israeli PM, but says war did not achieve goals
Analysis: Ian Black

Leader Olmert survives, for now

Asia's High Stake in Persian Gulf Stability By: Michael Richardson | The Japan Times

FT Qatar considers dropping dollar peg Booming Gulf state struggles to tame inflation

Lebanon war report targets Israeli military A highly critical report into the handling of the conflict accused the country’s political and military leaders of ‘severe failures and faults

Leader Little alternative to Olmert – for now Ehud Olmert is perhaps the most unpopular prime minister since the creation of Israel but his survival says much about the country

Daily Star Sarkozy's Gulf gambit promises key changes in the region

At Davos, trying to change an incomprehensible world
By Dominique Moisi

Russia: An Energy Superpower? CIS This US essay examines Russia's energy policy, its political dimension and the country's ability to meet its contractual supply obligations

Asia Times Race for sanctions on Iran speeds up
The US and its allies, worried about a new International Atomic Energy Agency report that is expected to confirm there is no evidence of military diversion from Iran's nuclear activities, are pushing hard for more United Nations sanctions on Tehran. This sets the stage for a let down at the IAEA, and a showdown in the Persian Gulf. - Kaveh L Afrasiabi

Another Look at the 9/11 Commission Philip Zelikow, engaged in 'surreptitious' communications with presidential adviser Karl Rove and other Bush administration officials during the commission's 20-month investigation into the 9/11 attacks

Obama: World 'Muslim summit' can fight terror, misunderstandings

Is McCain a Conservative? - Robert Novak, Chicago Sun-Times

The New Rules of Politics - Karl Rove, Wall Street Journal

The Times The Afghan war may not be forgotten so easily

Lack of troops, aid and time could be a major problem for the country and especially for President Karzai

Bronwen Maddox

William Arkin Choices at the End of the Surge

Iraqi political impasse a lifesaver for some Los Angeles Times

H2 Washington Institute Kirkuk's Article 140: Expired or Not?

Türkiye ABD'nin dikkatini 100 bin askerle çekti

ABD Dışişleri Bakanlığı: Türban Türkiye'nin iç meselesidir

Turkish Military Shuns Head-Scarf Debate

WSJ Turkish Progress Like Kurdish and ultranationalist terrorists, al Qaeda can't stand the thought of a democratic and liberal Turkey able to reconcile itself with Islam and ...

24 Turkish firms among Top 100 in Muslim World

Deputy raises eyebrows with ICJ proposal

ASAM ULUSAL GÜVENLİK STRATEJİLERİ SERTİFİKA PROGRAMI

Terörde sivil işbirliği için ABD kadın diplomat atadı

Turkey army chief reaffirms tough headscarf stance

EDM U.S.-TURKISH MILITARY COOPERATION DEEPENS AFTER ROUGH PATCH

Iraqi Turkomans Ask for Awakening Councils in Kirkuk Areas

Ermeni lobisi Obama'yı destekleyecek

Ankara cold to U.S. warning on Iranian bank

Sami KOHEN Dış basında türban tartışması

Dünya türbanı konuşuyor

Çetin candidate for UN post in Afghanistan