050908f  - FOREIGN PRESS REVIEW (FPR) - ‘Relevant news, views, comments and analyses for informed debate’ Compiled by Şanlı Bahadır Koç    U.S. / Britain / Turkey / Magazines / Think-tanks / Blogs / Misc /Books / Quickread / Numbers / Reports  - Subscribe to FPR  FPR Table - H4 NYT WP GU  H7 ME Isr H10 CSM IHT Eur FSU Asia H13 Times WSJ FT LAT H16 USP DT Ind H19 Mil Int Ter Wonk  H21 Misc

H1 Time Obama: The Game Changer (Cover Story) Barack Obama has refused to play by the old political rules. He's about to be rewarded for it

 

Israel at 60: The Long View (Israel at 60) At 60, Israel has established itself as a vibrant democracy in a hostile neighborhood. So why are its people so divided about its future?

 

Israel in 2068 Twelve thinkers, writers and statesmen on how Israel will respond to its challenges over the next 60 years

 

The Economist Almost there  Barack Obama deserves the nomination; it is not yet clear whether he deserves the presidency

 

Russia's new president Enter, pursued by a new bear The West should hang tough with President Dmitry Medvedev

 

Iraq, Iran and the United States Whose side are they all on?

 

Daily Telegraph The West moves closer to bombing Iran The prospect of the coalition becoming involved in direct military confrontation with Iran becomes more likely by the day, says Con Coughlin.

 

William Arkin A Secret Afghanistan Mission Prepares for War with Iran

 

Washington Post Don't Expect Clinton to Quit Before Superdelegates Decide

 

Too Late to the Duck Hunt A Farewell to Hillary By Charles Krauthammer, The only thing left is negotiating the terms of her surrender.

 

Al-Qaeda in Iraq Leader Arrested In Mosul, Iraqi Police Announce

 

Violence Paralyzes Beirut for Second Day 5 Dead After Speech By Hezbollah Leader Reignites Fighting

 

500,000? Burma death toll 'worse than Tsunami'...

 

Mideast Change Is Coming, and May Not Be Pretty By: Rami G. Khouri | The Daily Star   The convergence of six trends in the Middle East - the changing realities of food, energy, water, population, urbanization and security-dominated politics - is likely to create conditions that will be politically challenging, if not destabilizing, in many countries in the years ahead.

 

Press Briefing By National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley on the President's Trip to the Middle East

 

Amir Taheri The Offer He Will Refuse : Amir Taheri

 

Independent  Robert Fisk: Hizbollah claims Lebanon is at war

 

The Big Question: What would Scottish independence mean, and how would it work?

 

Guardian Lebanon on the brink as violence erupts  At least 10 killed as Hizbullah fighters clash with supporters of the western-backed government

 

Obama hints at Clinton as running mate Barack Obama tells television network 'there's no doubt that she's qualified to be vice-president'

 

Al-Qaida leader in Iraq captured

Abu Ayyub al-Masri arrested during police raid in Mosul in north of the country, Iraqi officials say

 

IHT  How to make the food crisis worse By PHILIP BOWRING

Food panic tends to set off protectionism or wrong-headed attempts at self-sufficiency.

 

What side are we on? y ALEX

RONDOS Georgia is under threat of partial occupation by Russia and thus has become a moral lightning rod for the West.

 

Putin announces 'great and grandiose tasks' ahead The proposals include efforts to reduce double-digit inflation; new legislation to create tax breaks for education, housing, and medical costs; and increased government spending for infrastructure, housing and military equipment.

 

Financial Times EU economic benefit questioned Integration may have led to more modest rewards than claimed by its more fervent proponents, say two economists, who cite free trade as having produced the most gains

 

The dollar danger is not over yet

Verbal intervention on the US currency and euro is welcome – but it is time for verbal intervention on the rupee and renminbi as well

 

Hizbollah says Lebanon has declared war Fighting between Lebanon’s opposition and government supporters intensified after the leader of the Shia militant group Hizbollah accused the pro-western administration of declaring war against his organisation

 

Iran blames foreign-linked group for Shiraz attack An explosion in the southern city of Shiraz last month which killed 14 people was the result of a bomb attack by a group with links to the US and Britain, Iran’s intelligence minister has said

 

Barack Obama’s toughest fight His ability to take on McCain depends increasingly on how the Clinton team behaves towards him

 

BBC Al-Qaeda Iraq leader 'arrested' The leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq, Abu Ayyub al-Masri, has been captured, say reports citing the defence ministry.

 

McClatchy Iraqi military orders Sadr City residents to evacuate The military's call could indicate the possibility of stepped-up military operations. Five hundred tents are to be set up on two soccer fields to accommodate the evacuees. Sadr City has been the scene of intense combat for 40 days.

 

Newsweek Q&A: Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert

 

The Next Big Mistake in Iraq: Trying to Shut Out Muqtada al-Sadr - Council on Foreign Relations

 

SyriaComment Nasrallah’s May 8 Press Conference - Summary

 

Bilgiler geçici olarak kullanılabilir değil.

By Provoking Hizbullah, Is Washington Hoping for a Showdown?

 

The Iran risk, again , Paul Rogers

 

Tom Barnett Alarmist on Iran, except...

 

Gvosdev Kagan and China's Pitch

 

Bilgiler geçici olarak kullanılabilir değil.

Southern Democracies With Eastern Autocracies?

 

Cobban Bush heading into ME 'Cyclone'?

 

A Somber AnniversaryAvi Shlaim: As Israel turns sixty, the long conflict with the Palestinians, and with the Arab world at large, casts a pall over the celebration.

 

Palestine: Liberation DeferredRashid Khalidi: A just resolution of the Palestine question depends on the Palestinians themselves.

 

 

H2 FT Political crisis hurts Turkey’s image

 

Full transcript of interview with Abdullah Gul

 

Türkiye'nin siviller tarafından yönetilmesi keyfiyeti önemli

 

Burns�ten AKP övgüsü

 

'Stratejik Ortaklık Önemli'

 

The Economist Turkish media

Circulation wars The government rounds on its secular critics in the media

 

Irak, PKK ve yeni dönem
HASAN CELAL GÜZEL

 

'Syrian-Israeli Meeting Fell Through' The Jerusalem Post A Turkish initiative to hold a meeting between Israeli and Syrian officials fell through after Damascus leaked to the press that Israel had agreed to relinquish all of the Golan Heights in exchange for peace, the London-based Arabic daily Al-Hayat reported Thursday. According to another report, the chances that such a meeting will be held in the near future are slim due to the US administration's stance on Damascus.

 

Cevdet Aşkın PKK'nın Bağdat'taki 'anten'i kim

 

Mesud Barzani'ye heyet gidiyor

 

Ali H Aslan Israeli-Syrian peace test

 

Ha’aretz  Report: Turkey looks to convene 3-way meet with Israeli, Syrian reps

 

Report: Turkey moves for trilateral meeting with Israel, Syria

 

The Golan, via Ankara ISN

 

Fera Tınç Kuzey Irak açılımı iç barışı güçlendiriyor

 

Gila Benmayor Obama ve Türkiye

 

Resenting Austerity, Turks Want No New IMF Deal

 

ANALYSIS-Turkey privatises, but poor markets could hurt price

 

Neocon Rubin bile önceden biliyormuş

 

[Yorum - Prof. Dr. Samir Salha] Golan ve Türkiye'nin bölgesel barış inadı

 

Güngör Uras Obama’nın ne yapacağı merak ediliyor

 

İç Basında Türk Dış Politikası  Dış Basında Türkiye - BBC Turkish 0700 VOA TSİ 06:30 Turkish Press Review Google News Turkey TurcoPundit      

 

 

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

 

As Baghdad Grapples With Sadr City, Iraqi Kurdistan Busily Builds 'Dream City' By: Sam Dagher | The Christian Science Monitor
The Kurdistan Regional Government is briskly pursuing oil and gas contracts and economic development, a drive that is chafing Iraq's central government in Baghdad

 

Cevdet Aşkın PKK'nın Bağdat'taki 'anten'i kim

 

Barzani'den DTP'ye veto

 

Şehit babasının çifte standart isyanı

 

MOSSAD'dan itiraflar

 

TAMER KORKMAZ Gerçek Haberler

 

DTP için yedek parti sinyali Irak’tan verildi

 

PKK’ya karşı bildiri savaşı

 

Barzani'den DTP'lilere şok

 

PKK kasası Fransa’ya iade

 

Ankara, Lübnan'daki gerilim için devrede

 

Karayılan kasetle ortaya çıktı

 

Kürt sorununun çözümü için yeni bir Vaka-i Hayriye gerek

 

Mehmetçik'ten terör afişi

 

Turkey and Iran consider barter agreement for staple foods

 

‘Turkey has a lot to do in Iran'

 

DTP ikinci kez ek süre istedi

 

Ülkemizi gerilimden kurtarın

 

PKK not within their control, Iraqi Kurds say

 

Mesud Barzani DTP heyetine randevu vermedi

 

Türkiye, İran'a buğday satacak karşılığında pirinç ithal edecek

 

44 yıllık devre güvenlik önlemi Genelkurmay Başkanlığı, Suriye sınırındaki mayınlı toprağın 44 yıllığına temizliğini yapacak şirkete devredilmesine ’güvenlik riski’ yaratacağı için karşı çıktı.

 

Kirkuk: countdown to chaos?

 

DTP’den Mam Celal’e ziyaret

 

Türkiye�yle iyi ilişki istiyoruz

 

DTP yeni parti kurdu, ikinci kez ek süre istedi

 

Ahmedinecad�la dostluk tazeledi

 

 

Dağlıca için PKK’lı ifadesi

 

Silent diplomacy working to save Turk facing death penalty

 

PJAK PRESS RELEASE AND PROPAGANDA FROM THE LA TIMES

PKK'nın şık kadınları

KORAY DÜZGÖREN

Dicle'de neler olmuş bilen var mı?

 

Kürdçe yayına ödenek

 

Bilgiler geçici olarak kullanılabilir değil.

Kürtlerde Savunma Geleneği ve Entellektüel Alan

 

Bilgiler geçici olarak kullanılabilir değil.

PJAK: Qandil’de kimyasal kullanıldı

 

Bilgiler geçici olarak kullanılabilir değil.

Barış Meclisi:”Kürt Sorununa çözüm İçin simdi eylem zamanı”

 

 

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

 

Barçın Yinanç Kıbrıs sorununda dört yıllık rahat bitiyor

 

Faruk Şen Ankara kriterleri

 

Zeynel Lüle AB'li enişteler

 

Barroso: Laiklik zorla dayatılamaz

 

  Barroso: Türkiye’den kaygı duyarak döndüm

 

AB’yle yeni kavga dönemi
MURAT BELGE

 

Turk-Armenian NGO is a No-Go

 

Fischer to TÜSİAD: Don't lose courage on road to EU

 

Cyprus and the spoils of peace
Alkan Chaglar

 

Babacan'dan AB'ye: Ver üyelik tarihini,
al reformları!

 

Friends with wands -- but no magic -- in the EU D. Nigar GÖKSEL

 

CHP ve MHP köşeye sıkıştırdı

 

Beril Dedeoğlu Avrupa Günü

 

Greek and Turkish Cypriot leaders to meet on May 23

 

Bakan Babacan: Refromların ne zaman yapılacağı Türkiye'nin insiyatifindedir

 

Türkiye’yi AB’ye yaklaştırmalıyız

 

‘Sessiz kapitülasyonlar’
MEHMET ALİ KIŞLALI

 

Babacan: Güçlü Avrupa genişleyen Avrupa'dır

 

Talat: Beklentimiz en kısa sürede çözüm

 

Turkish and Greek foreign ministers meet, satisfied with progress ...

 

Kıbrıs'ta Görüşmeler Ay Sonunda

 

What is wrong with Macedonia’s name?

 

 Turkey not against signing Kyoto

 

Yiğit Bulut

 

 

Hedo Okur Tuncay Nihat Altintop

 

Kuleli’nin ’cool mareşali’ydi

 

ASELSAN'nın bir mühendisi daha öldü

 

Savcıdan hâkime sitem gibi dilekçe

 

Polis, 50 bin kişiyi 'uyku'da yakaladı

 

Köşk Camii inşaatına belediyeden durdurma

Hizbullah davasında 22 sanığa müebbet istendi

 

Kaymakam kızından hocaya ‘tokat’

Gazozuna ilaç atmışlar

 

İşçilerin güvenliğinden bu şahıs mı sorumlu?

Beyaz Enerji davasında karar

Beyaz Enerji davasında eski Bakan Sönmez’e 3 yıl hapis

 

Nagehan Alçı Şeyhsüel

 

Deniz Gökçe
Anadolu’daki yerel yönetimleri de tanıyalım

 

Fifty-thousand nabbed while sleeping

 

Tam 50 bin kişiye Gürsoy modeli gözaltı

 

Who are the Alevi? Why is the Turkish government so wary of them?

 

İstanbul’un kaderi bu heyetin elinde

 

9 Mayıs 2008 Basın Özeti

H3

AKP�nin oyları düşüyor

 

Gerginlik AKP'ye kaybettirdi

Ordunun yeni Başbuğu İşte dört ay sonra Genelkurmay Başkanı olacak, dünün 'Mareşal'i İlker Başbuğ'un ilginç hayat hikayesi...

Ertuğrul Özkök Bunu söylemenin zamanı geldi

 

MAHMUT ÖVÜR'Cumhuriyetçi merkez sağa ihtiyaç var'

If constitutional reforms unsupported, Turkey may face six ballot boxes in fall

 

Marmara'nın altı hareketli

 

İşte o reformAdalet Bakanı Şahin’in AB'ye sunduğu yargı reformu taslağı tartışma yaratacak

 

Yargının meşruiyeti için milli irade şart

Deniz Bölükbaşı, 'Türbana, AK Parti'nin kapanması için destek verdik' demiş

 

Kandilli önce uyardı, gelen tepkilerle geri adım attı

 

Rehn’e sunulan yargı reformu

 

Başsavcı DTP hakkında ek iddianame hazırladı

 

'Ak Parti yüzde 100 kapatılır 99 değil'

 

Milliyet Son Dakika

 

Cengiz Çandar ABD, İran'a saldırırsa, AKP kapatılırsa, kapatılmazsa

 

Ahmet Taşgetiren AB ile yanlış dans

 

Ruşen - Çakır Laiklik ombudsmanlığına itirazlar ve cevaplar 

 

Taha Akyol Gül’ün ilk vetosu

 

Fikret Bila Büyükanıt’ın kutuplaşma saptaması

 

Hasan Cemal Ben o rüyadan uyandım, yoksa siz hâlâ uyuyor musunuz?..

 

Murat Yetkin Büyükanıt: Birkaç güne bir sürpriz var

 

İsmet Berkan Çok önemli gözlemler

 

Fehmi Koru Hem cahil hem de bağnaz olunca...

 

Taha KıvançHürriyet'in makası Atatürk'ü sansürlemiş

 

Şamil Tayyar

 

Ali BayramoğluDespotluk ve bezginlik…

 

Yasemin Çongar

 

Mustafa Karaalioğlu Kamplaşma değil değişim

 

Mümtazer Türköne Başbakan'ın "Brutus"ları

 

Mustafa Ünal MHP ne düşünüyor?

 

Hüseyin Gülerce AK Parti neyi bekliyor?

 

Ferhat Kentel ‘Aşırı laik-demokratik laik’ üzerine...

 

Ahmet HakanFrak alerjisi

 

M Ali BirandAB, AKP'yi destekliyor, ancak...

 

Nasuhi Güngör Türkiye nasıl bölünür?

 

Mehmet Metiner Ak Parti'ye dair olasılıklar

 

Who threatens Turkey's Jews?
Mustafa AKYOL

 

YASİN DOĞAN

Savunan değil eleştiren “Cevaplar”

 

 

Sabahattin Önkibar Ergenekon kılıcı kimler için sallanıyor?

 

Etyen Mahçupyan The consistency of Kemalism

 

Bülent Keneş Will victimization be enough to save democracy?

 

Oray Eğin Bu davet ‘off the record’ olmaz

 

Cüneyt Ülsever

 

Enis Berberoğlu

 

Oktay EkşiUyanın artık!

 

Bekir Coşkun Öbür çocuklar...

 

Tufan Türenç Ulema ve adamları

 

Özdemir İnce Tembellik hakkı ya da ’Maliyeti en az iki milyar!’

 

Mehmet Y YılmazSapıklığa ’ulvi’ örtü

 

Yalçın Doğan Dev dalga sıra değiştiriyor

 

MUHARREM SARIKAYAOrg. Büyükanıt: Sürprizimiz var

 

ERDAL ŞAFAKİlk anket

 

ENGİN ARDIÇENGİN ARDIÇ
Balon

ERGUN BABAHANManşetleri okumak

 

EMRE AKÖZRestorasyon planının son hedefi: Abdullah Gül

 

Umur TaluBir hak talebi daha

 

Cengiz Aktar Restorasyon manzaraları

 

Mehmet Tezkan AKP’ye kapatma davası demokrasinin göstergesi!

 

HASAN BÜLENT KAHRAMAN Kırk yıl önce

 

NAZLI ILICAKBaşol, Menderes ve Sokrat

 

MEHMET BARLASGarip bir siyaset ve medya ortamında gerçekler örtülüyor

 

MAHMUT ÖVÜR'Cumhuriyetçi merkez sağa ihtiyaç var'

YAVUZ DONATTecrübe konuşuyor

 

Dinsel ve cinsel istismar
HALUK ŞAHİN

 

[Yorum - Dr. Murat Yılmaz] İddianameye cevap: 'Biz değil, demokrasi ve siyaset yargılanıyor'

 

Güler Kömürcü Projenin adı; HAARP...

 

Necati Doğru Neden susuyor!

 

2. Meşrutiyet'i anlamadan Cumhuriyeti anlayamayız

 

Mehmet Altan Çankaya’da...

 

Nasuhi Güngör Türkiye nasıl bölünür?

 

Bülent Korucu AK Parti 28 Nisan'ı unutmamalı

 

İhsan Dağı Batı, Kemalizm ve muhafazakâr 'çevre'

 

"Sahaya inin!"

Tayyar: Yazılarıma sadece ara verdim

 

 

Mehmet Elkatmıştan ilginç iddia

 

Çiçek hangi dolmuşa binmiyor?

 

ABDURRAHMAN YILDIRIM

Tarıma yönelmek artık tercih değil hayatın dayatması

 

Ercan KumcuKoordinasyon bunun neresinde

 

Erdal Sağlam

 

IMF bugün 7'nci ve son gözden geçirmeyi görüşecek

 

Bakan Ekren: "Derviş'in enflasyon uyarısı önemli"

 

Resenting Austerity, Turks Want No New IMF Deal

 

Hasan Ersel Enflasyon haberleri

 

Eser Karakaş Türk’ün aklı

 

OKAN MÜDERRİSOĞLU
'Torba'dan kamu yatırımları için kaynak paketi çıktı

 

Rekabet geldi 300 bin Turkcell abonesi gitti

 

İBRAHİM KAHVECİ

Telekom olayını ilk ve tek görenler kör mü?

 

Hurşit Güneş Hükümet çalının arkasına saklanıyor!

 

ABD’de durgunluk var mı?
UĞUR GÜRSES

H4 New York Times Editorial Sen. Clinton and the Campaign We believe it is Senator Hillary Clinton’s right to stay in the fight and challenge Senator Barack Obama as long as she has the desire and the means to do so.

DAVID BROOKS The Conservative Revival It used to be that American conservatives shaped British political thinking. Now the influence is going the other way.

The Widening Gap

By ANDREW KOHUT Although voters nationwide lean Democratic, older voters could reverse that trend this fall.

 

 

Pentagon Drops Post in Pakistan for Top General  The Pentagon has canceled the assignment of Maj. Gen. Jay W. Hood to a top position in Pakistan after the Pakistani media excoriated him for his previous job as commander of Guantánamo Bay.

 

U.N. Pressures Myanmar to Allow Aid  Frustrated United Nations officials all but demanded that the nation end barriers to supplies and workers.

PAUL KRUGMAN Thinking About November Barack Obama has an extraordinary opportunity in this year’s election. He should do everything possible to avoid squandering it.

 
The Fight Stuff

By SUSAN FALUDI When a woman does ascend through the glass ceiling into the White House, it will be, in part, because of the race of 2008, when Hillary Clinton got down with the boys.

 

H5 Washington Post Don't Expect Clinton to Quit Before Superdelegates Decide

 

Too Late to the Duck Hunt A Farewell to Hillary By Charles Krauthammer, The only thing left is negotiating the terms of her surrender.

 

Al-Qaeda in Iraq Leader Arrested In Mosul, Iraqi Police Announce

 

Violence Paralyzes Beirut for Second Day 5 Dead After Speech By Hezbollah Leader Reignites Fighting

 

Putin Sets Plans for Tenure as Premier Russia's Ex-President Is Confirmed Easily; 'Massive' Tasks Cited

 

Nuclear Pact With India

State Department Asks Congress To Keep Quiet About Details of Deal

 

 

Obama Seeks To Unify Party For November Meanwhile, Clinton Gives No Hint She'll Surrender

 

Pentagon Is Open to Moving More Marines to Afghanistan

 

The Card Clinton Is Playing

By Eugene Robinson, Clinton's sin isn't racism, it's arrogance.

 

A Message From Cajun Country

By E. J. Dionne Jr., What Barack Obama and Newt Gingrich have in common.

 

IN BURMA'S DEVASTATED DELTA 'We Have Nothing. How Do We Go On?' Cyclone Survivors Increasingly Desperate Without Food, Safe Water, Medical Care

 

Sticking Points for Obama

By Michael Gerson, Barack Obama is now left with two related problems

 

Editorial Zimbabwe's Terror Will no one act to stop Robert Mugabe's attack on his own people?

 

Negotiators Agree on Farm Bill, but Bush Vows to Veto It

 

Editorial Plow It Under A farm bill larded with giveaways deserves President Bush's veto.

 

 

H6 Guardian Lebanon on the brink as violence erupts  At least 10 killed as Hizbullah fighters clash with supporters of the western-backed government

 

Obama hints at Clinton as running mate Barack Obama tells television network 'there's no doubt that she's qualified to be vice-president'

 

Al-Qaida leader in Iraq captured

Abu Ayyub al-Masri arrested during police raid in Mosul in north of the country, Iraqi officials say

 

Rightwingers and model in Italy cabinet  Silvio Berlusconi's new cabinet will only have four female ministers, including a former topless model

 

UN officials urge swift passage of aid to Sadr City  Concern grows for civilians caught up in fighting between Shia militiamen and US and Iraqi forces

 

Bypass junta for aid, US and France urge First food drop lands but help woefully short as humanitarian crisis mounts after cyclone in Burma

 

Olmert inquiry mars Israel's birthday

Fresh details emerge about corruption investigation into prime minister Ehud Olmert

 

Democracy in Danger By: Ilana Bet-El The tidal waves of words on last week's local elections in England and Wales have left us swamped in profiles of Boris Johnson and speculation on David Cameron's next moves.

 

H7 Globalization's New Logic: The Rise of Developing-World Multinationals By: Simon Roughneen | World Politics Review  In the past, globalization's critics have alleged that the opening up of economic borders is little more than a license for giant Western companies to colonize emerging economies. But recent trends suggest otherwise

 

Appeasing Iran, North Korea?

As President Bush enters his final months in office, there are mounting signs of disarray when it comes to current U.S. policy towards Iran and North Korea

 

Mideast Change Is Coming, and May Not Be Pretty By: Rami G. Khouri | The Daily Star   The convergence of six trends in the Middle East - the changing realities of food, energy, water, population, urbanization and security-dominated politics - is likely to create conditions that will be politically challenging, if not destabilizing, in many countries in the years ahead.

 

Forward Iranians Ought To Be Clear on the Price of Going Nuclear
Thomas Lippman

 

Lebanon: Before It Disappears ... By: Hussein Shobokshi | Asharq Alawsat
Lebanon and its issues, which are sometimes exciting and many times boring, are once again making the headlines, whether in newspapers or newscasts, thus revealing the "wonders" of politics, sects, and the heated conflicts between them.

 

Hezbollah's Endgame? Pt. 2 by Michael Totten

 

The Military Situation in Beirut by Michael Totten

 

No escape from Middle Eastern wars Daily Star

 

Iraq was bungled, but the United States should promote democracy anyway   By Paul Berman

 

A ray of hope in a troubled land of political mediocrity

 

Pressure for Iraq to pay its own way The US Congress is expected to soon impose unprecedented conditions on Iraq-related spending, including a ban on major reconstruction projects and support for Sunni militias. The idea is that Iraq cough up more money to rebuild itself, while at the same time challenging the wisdom of the"surge". - Jim Lobe

 

 

 

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

 

Al-Qaeda Iraq leader 'arrested'
The leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq, Abu Ayyub al-Masri, has been captured, say reports citing the defence ministry.

 

Al-Qaida leader in Iraq captured during Mosul raid

 

'Surgical strike' on insurgents in Iran?

 

Iraqi officials say leader of al-Qaida in Iraq arrested

 

Five killed in Beirut gun battles

At least five people die in clashes as Hezbollah accuses Lebanon's government of a "declaration of war".

Civil war fears grip Lebanon

The Lebanese crisis explained

Who are Hezbollah?

 

US Cautions Syria If Hezbollah's Challenge to Lebanese Government Continues

 

Nasrallah justifies Lebanon riots in speech

 

Iraq Briefing

 

 

 

Soldiers Tell Residents to Leave Sadr City

 

Iraqi military orders Sadr City residents to evacuate The military's call could indicate the possibility of stepped-up military operations. Five hundred tents are to be set up on two soccer fields to accommodate the evacuees. Sadr City has been the scene of intense combat for 40 days.

 

 

H9 Ha’aretz  Report: Turkey looks to convene 3-way meet with Israeli, Syrian reps

 

Olmert suspected of receiving massive amounts in illicit funds from American businessman

 

ANALYSIS / The PM seems crushed in face of allegations Ehud Barak is Olmert's lifeline, at least in the immediate future. He might also be his undertaker

 

PM denies allegations, says will quit if indicted Olmert: I never took bribes or money for myself; says Talansky helped him raise funds for election campaigns

 

Jews bend over backward to stay neutral in U.S. vote Jews know they must work both sides of Congress and enjoy good relations with whomever is in White House

 

Israel startup uses behavioral science to identify terrorists WeCU uses an automated system of biometric sensors to detect people with mayhem on their minds

 

The paradox that is Iran It is easy to criticize the Iranian state for its oppressive policies. The Iranian people have never had much freedom, whether under shahs or mullahs

 

Ahmadinejad's enemies at home

 

Avineri The real Nakba

 

We changed our minds ... Israel is blessed with 190 kilometers of Mediterranean coastline. Of that, 50 km are closed off for military, industrial and infrastructural use.

 

Jerusalem Post

 

'Syrian-Israeli Meeting Fell Through' The Jerusalem Post
A Turkish initiative to hold a meeting between Israeli and Syrian officials fell through after Damascus leaked to the press that Israel had agreed to relinquish all of the Golan Heights in exchange for peace, the London-based Arabic daily Al-Hayat reported Thursday. According to another report, the chances that such a meeting will be held in the near future are slim due to the US administration's stance on Damascus.

 

Yedioth Ahronoth

 

Syria: Peace negotiations only after Bush era

 

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

 

Jaffa stories Residents of Israel's mixed city on Jewish-Arab coexistence

Warrior nation Israelis have always been ready for war, but are they changing?

 

Israel turns 60  Citizens still feel more Jewish than Israeli, according to an extensive national survey

 

Rebuilding bridges Petra Marquardt-  Israel is often portrayed as the dagger in the heart of the Arab world. But some Palestinians see its potential as a link to the rest of the world

 

Amin al-Husaini and the Holocaust. What Did the Grand Mufti Know? By: Wolfgang G. Schwanitz | World Politics Review  Amin al-Husaini, the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, remains a controversial figure. As an officer in the Ottoman army during the First World War, he implemented the German idea of organizing jihad and terror behind enemy lines.

 

White House Opposes Meetings in Middle East By: Jon Ward | The Washington Times  The White House yesterday confirmed that it has opposed a meeting between President Bush and Israeli and Palestinian leaders next week in Egypt, and said the peace process can go forward even if Israel's prime minister is ousted from office.

 

Jewish culture, and anti-Semitism, on the rise in Hungary

 

Israel at 60: celebrating successes, seeking peace  ... (By Nadav Tamir, Boston Globe)

 

Words in Conflict: Poetry from Israel and the Palestinian Territories

 

The Economist The Palestinians

The wandering Palestinian 

 

Israel's Remarkable Psyche At 60 - Walter Reich, Baltimore Sun

 

H10 Christian Science Monitor

Superdelegates shifting toward Obama He narrowed Clinton's lead to 13, picking up four after Tuesday's primaries

 

An Arab veteran of 1948 recalls Palestinian 'catastrophe' While Israelis are celebrate on Thursday their Independence Day, Palestinians prepare to mark what they call the 'nakba.'

 

Hizbullah phone network spat sparks Beirut street war Hizbullah leader Hassan Nasrallah said Thursday that the pro-Western government has declared 'war' on his militant group

 

Baghdad's Sadr City residents fear intensifying fight A rare daytime US airstrike in Sadr City on Thursday came as residents said that soldiers were warning them to leave parts of the district, which is a bastion of support for the anti-American cleric Moqtada al-Sadr.

 

 

ASIA

 

Afghan army far from fighting fit There has been a drop in the number of troops deserting from the Afghan National Army, but that is about the only good news. The indigenous force suffers from ethnic divisions, poor logistical support, inadequate training and, crucially, it is far from being able march on its own feet without coalition air cover

 

Hu's diplomatic know-how

Martin Jacques This is supposed to be China's year - and by travelling to Japan, its president is showing fresh willingness to tackle one of its most difficult relationships

 

Asia's `Euro' Is Short on Trust, Political Will By: William Pesek | Bloomberg News
There's a certain irony to the Asian Development Bank holding its annual meeting in Europe. The Manila-based lender did so this week in Spain, one of the 11 nations that in 1999 embraced a single European currency.

 

China: Superpower or Basket Case?

 

Hu's Coming to Dinner By: Wenran Jiang | The Guardian
As the the Chinese president visits Japan this week, observers wait to see whether the two countries can overcome their traditional enmity.

 

Hu, Visiting Japan, Vows China Won't Spark Arms Race By: Sachiko Sakamaki | Bloomberg News
Chinese President Hu Jintao promised his nation, home to the world's largest regular army, won't spark an arms race with its neighbors or pose a military threat to ``any country.''

 

Shaking Down the Tajiks Eurasianet  Channeling the spirit of Joseph Stalin, officials in Tajikistan, Central Asia's poorest state, have asked residents in the capital Dushanbe to give up part of their salaries "voluntarily" to help finance construction of a hydropower plant. The fear of government reprisals is compelling many Tajiks to comply.

 

Pakistan’s Taliban Negotiating Peace, Preparing for War By: Rahmullah Yusufzai | Global Terorism Analysis  Secret peace talks between the government and the Tehrek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), an umbrella organization of Pakistani Taliban groups, collapsed in late April but the unilateral ceasefire declared by the latter is still in place.

 

China's submarine progress alarms India
Reports of China building a massive strategic naval base capable of housing nuclear-powered submarines on Hainan island in the South China Sea have India on red alert. The fear is not so much that China will launch any offensive against India, but that India is falling far behind in the race to dominate the region's seas. - Siddharth Srivastava

 

N. Korea gives U.S. nuclear papers North Korea yesterday gave the United Sates eight boxes of documents from its nuclear weapons program dating back to 1990 — a move that U.S. officials said clears the way for the North to be removed from the blacklist of state sponsors of terrorism.

 

Hindustan Times Columnist Sitaram Yechury describes comments by President Bush on the global food crisis as a brazen admission by the industrialised West that their levels of prosperity are mainly dependent upon the levels of impoverishment and malnutrition in the developing world.

 

Japan: Newsweek International questions whether Japanese insularity is dragging on the country’s economy.

H11 IHT  How to make the food crisis worse By PHILIP BOWRING

Food panic tends to set off protectionism or wrong-headed attempts at self-sufficiency.

 

What side are we on? y ALEX RONDOS Georgia is under threat of partial occupation by Russia and thus has become a moral lightning rod for the West.

 

Putin announces 'great and grandiose tasks' ahead The proposals include efforts to reduce double-digit inflation; new legislation to create tax breaks for education, housing, and medical costs; and increased government spending for infrastructure, housing and military equipment.

 

EUROPE European press review

 

The Economist Russia A strange Kremlin wedding 

 

Italian tax returns  Publish and be taxed 

 

Serbia's election  Balkan ballot 

 

Germany's security strategy  Thinking the unthinkable A controversial proposal to create a national security council

 

Denmark's prime minister  When loose talk may cost a top job 

Charlemagne Whistling in the dark The risk that the Irish will vote No to the Lisbon treaty is rising

 

 

France Eyes Massive Expansion of Its Oceans Der Spiegel
France already controls 11 million square kilometers of the world's oceans, second only to the US. Now they want more, demanding the equivalent of three Germanys all in one gulp. It's part of a rush to divvy up the world's oceans by this time next year.

 

Serbia goes to the polls (By Tomislav Nikolic)

 

H12 RFE/RL

 

Russia has been woefully quiescent within the Middle East Quartet and allowed Washington and the EU to set the agenda. The Kremlin needs now to set out its own agenda, it says

 

The Economist Russia's oil industry Trouble in the pipeline Despite booming demand and record prices, Russia's oil industry faces problems

 

Russian pride? Nikolai Alekseev: Tomorrow, Russia will mark the anniversary of its 1945 victory over fascism. Meanwhile skinheads and neo-Nazis roam the streets

 

Tanks rejoin Moscow V-Day parade

Tanks and missile launchers are to feature in Moscow's Victory Day parade for the first time since the Soviet era

 

Moscow Diary
President Medvedev can't afford to ignore Chechnya's problems

 

Google News Azerbaijan

 

Inflation Caused By Ukraine's Peg to Dollar By: Anders Aslund Kiev | The Japan Times
Inflation is rampant in the Ukraine, but it's not the country's prime minister who should take the blame.

 

The Day of the Bear By: Yevgeny Kiselyov | The Moscow Times
President Dmitry Medvedev has a very Russian surname, one derived from one of the more prominent symbols of Russia -- the medved, or bear.

 

Georgia: War with Moscow “Very Close”
Institute for War and Peace Reporting

 

Former oppositionist gets promised Security Council position
ArmeniaNow

H13 The Times Exit Clinton. But what a show next! The 2008 presidental contest will be historic for numerous and fascinating reasons Gerard Baker

 

Lebanon on the brink of bloody showdown Clashes break out as factions prepare for violent confrontation between the Government and the Shia group, Hezbollah

 

We are close to war, says Georgian leader Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili claims Georgia and Russia have come close to war in recent days and threat remains

 

Al-Qaeda in Iraq leader taken prisoner Abu Ayyub al-Masri, successor to Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, was detained in a joint Iraqi-US operation, in the city of Mosul

 

Democrats wait for Clinton to concede Hillary Clinton, for the moment, remains defiant and indefatigable but has pulled back from her attacks on Barack Obama

 

The old face that is badly in need of a political lift Anyone would grant Pakistan some time to sort out its Government after the past nine years of military rule. But it doesn’t have that leisure

Bronwen Maddox

 

Scottish independence: too much, too late Labour has mistimed and misjudged its call for a vote on a breakaway from the Union

 

Burma: insult to injury The country's rulers are failing their people at the time of greatest need

 

Burma: aid before politics, please

Now is not the time to be thinking about a referendum. The humanitarian crisis comes first

Bernard Kouchner

 

 

Wall Street Journal Rise and Collide
By Mary Kissel
Bookshelf:
China triumphant? In Asia, an evolving balance-of-power politics could resemble 19th-century Europe.

 

Georgia in Jeopardy
Vladimir Putin beats the war drums in the Caucasus.

 

Damsel of Distress By Peggy Noonan Declarations: Obama's train has left the station. Get that lady off the tracks.

 

 

The Clinton Divorce
No, not Bill and Hillary, but the separation between them and the Democratic Party.

 

Putin Changes Jobs – And Russia
By David Satter
Russia's new prime minister is rewriting the rules in his favor.

 

'Captive 220'
A Mosul suicide bomber, Gitmo, and Shearman & Sterling.

 

How to Use the Strategic Petroleum Reserve
By Lincoln Anderson
Buy low, sell high.

 

Greenspan says worst of credit crisis over: sources...,

 

Definition of a recession

The National Bureau of Economic Research committee defines a recession, which it calibrates by month (and not by quarter), as "a significant decline in activity spread across the economy, lasting more than a few months, visible in industrial production, employment, real income and wholesale-retail trade

 

H14 Financial Times EU economic benefit questioned Integration may have led to more modest rewards than claimed by its more fervent proponents, say two economists, who cite free trade as having produced the most gains

 

The dollar danger is not over yet

Verbal intervention on the US currency and euro is welcome – but it is time for verbal intervention on the rupee and renminbi as well

 

Hizbollah says Lebanon has declared war Fighting between Lebanon’s opposition and government supporters intensified after the leader of the Shia militant group Hizbollah accused the pro-western administration of declaring war against his organisation

 

Iran blames foreign-linked group for Shiraz attack An explosion in the southern city of Shiraz last month which killed 14 people was the result of a bomb attack by a group with links to the US and Britain, Iran’s intelligence minister has said

 

Barack Obama’s toughest fight His ability to take on McCain depends increasingly on how the Clinton team behaves towards him

 

Gaza forced back in time as shortages bite The pervasive lack of fuel and other supplies and the loss of sanitation services have led to deteriorating living conditions among the territory’s 1.5m residents

 

IMF warns on global inflation

Food and energy prices spur concern

 

China eyes overseas land in food push Africa and South America key targets

 

Bomb-proof banks The best advice to Wall Street is to restructure swiftly. Take the pain but appoint someone to take the flak – the more uncharismatic, the better

 

Burma’s tragedy Let us at least hope this cyclone undermines the junta, whose response to this tragedy has already earned it a place in the annals of infamy

 

ANALYSIS: Tormented idealist

 

WORLD NEWS: Warning over dangers of inflation for world's poor

 

Greece urged to reduce deficit

The European Central Bank said the country needs to liberalise its labour markets, improve productivity and hold down wage increases to strengthen competitiveness

 

Putin steals Medvedev’s limelight

Russia’s former president eclipses his newly-inaugurated successor with a speech that outlines economic goals and signals he will keep a strong grip on power as prime minister

 

Tibet has stronger self-rule case than Kosovo Paul Harris finds firm legal grounds

 

The financial crises of capitalism The beginning of wisdom is to recognise that booms and busts have been a feature of capitalism from the start

Samuel Brittan on why this one is different

 

Brown limps towards an unhappy ending For all that he seems to be in plentiful company among Europe’s hobbled leaders, Gordon Brown is in the most serious trouble, as Britain’s Conservatives take shape as a plausible government-in-waiting, says Philip Stephens

 

Citigroup considers $400bn asset sale

Citigroup will identify as much as $400bn in non-core assets that could be sold as part of plans to reduce costs and restore profit growth to double-digit rates, according to people close to the situation

 

ECB holds rates at 4% Eurozone interest rates have been left unchanged as the region’s central bank keeps up its battle against inflation even as the economy slows

 

Berlusconi brings long-time allies into cabinet Silvio Berlusconi, billionaire entrepreneur and head of the centre-right People of Freedom coalition, will be sworn in as head of Italy’s 62nd post-war government, bringing with him long-time allies and a few new faces

 

Biofuels groups accuse Europe of bias US biodiesel companies are lobbying for the World Trade Organisation to take legal action against their European counterparts, the latest in a proliferation of trade disputes within the sector

 

China’s development Market Q&A: Chinese companies are set to become strong competitors for global market share, but what are the implications? Post a question for JPMorgan’s Jing Ulrich

 

Clinton accused of ‘race-baiting’

Hillary Clinton has added fresh fuel to the racially charged Democratic presidential race by touting her appeal among ‘hard-working’ white Americans

 

We must repel barbarians from Auntie’s gates Stephen Fry on the vital role of the BBC

 

 

H15 Los Angeles Times

 

Clinton aide: Race ends in June

By Scott Martelle and Bob Drogin

Terry McAuliffe says if she's not the presumptive nominee by then, she'll back Obama

 

Obama's got a confident new strategy

Four killed as Hezbollah, Sunni gunmen fight in Beirut

 

By Borzou Daragahi

The roads out of the Lebanese capital are blocked and panicked resident are loading up on supplies as fear of civil war grows

 

Introspective Israel turns 60

 

By Richard Boudreaux

As Israel celebrates its 60th birthday, polls show that internal issues worry the populace as much as the threat of war.

 

 

Hillary's 'right' isn't the right thing

Rosa Brooks

Sure, Clinton is free to press on. Whether that would be responsible of her is another matter.

 

 

 

 

EditorialClinton can't win

Clinton has campaigned admirably, but simple math and political realities dictate she can't win.

 

 

Government in Secret By: U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold | Los Angeles Times
The Bush administration recently announced it will allow select members of Congress to read Justice Department legal opinions about the CIA's controversial detainee interrogation program that have been hidden from Congress until now.

H16 American Politics ,

 

Obama plans to declare victory May 20  —

 

Clinton makes case for wide appeal  —  Hillary Rodham Clinton vowed Wednesday to continue her quest for the Democratic nomination, arguing she would be the stronger nominee because she appeals to a wider coalition of voters — including whites who have not supported Barack Obama in recent contests.

 

Hillary's 'right'
isn't the right thing

Rosa Brooks: Sure, Clinton is free to press on. Whether that would be responsible of her is another matter

 

Obama V-Day: May 20... Big Rally Planned...

 

Clinton Aide Says Race May Not Go to Convention 

 

Alan Wolfe on the Unity Ticket 

 

The Economist The big remaining question He is closer to the Democratic nomination. But how will Barack Obama's colour affect his chances in November?

 

 

Where did the Web rumors about Obama come from?  Did a former CIA officer's blog entry start rumors about Obama being Muslim? Dirty tricks have been a part of politics for as long as there's been politics. But the Internet has taken old-fashioned slanderous whispering campaigns to a completely new level. Tracking the source is almost impossible

 

Clinton's future depends on graceful exit

IT'S EASY to get seduced by delusion when real hope has faded, as it now has for Hillary Clinton. (By Scot Lehigh, Boston Globe)

 

realclearpolitics memeorandum  ABC’s The Note US News Political Bulletin Early Bird GovExec Swamp Gas The Swamp

 

Lawmakers craft big farm bill, defy Bush's veto threat

The bill devotes $1 billion to buying fruit-and-vegetable snacks for schoolchildren, and millions of dollars to advertise U.S. fruits, nuts, and wine overseas. It props up domestic prices for sugar, bails out distressed asparagus growers and pays farmers for conserving sensitive land. It includes a difficult-to-explain formula for banning federal payments to wealthy farmers. » read more

 

McCain Supported Deal That Benefits Backer

 

H17 Daily Telegraph The West moves closer to bombing Iran The prospect of the coalition becoming involved in direct military confrontation with Iran becomes more likely by the day, says Con Coughlin.

 

Who rules Russia: Putin or Medvedev? The outside world will have to accustom itself to a country which could either be undergoing a constitutional coup or facing rule by duumvirate.

 

Divisive Clinton 'damaging party' Friends urge senator to give up and take the VP ticket.

 

Hizbollah 'ready for war' in Lebanon Hizbollah has declared it is "ready for war" with Lebanon as the country suffers its worst sectarian fighting in almost two decades.

 

Putin: Russia will overtake UK economy  Vladimir Putin has boasted that Russia's economy will overtake Britain's this year as he was declared Russia's prime minister.

 

Austria is defined by its nasty secrets Attempts to deny or cover up some nasty secret, such as the case of Josef Fritzl, have defined Austria throughout its history, says Nigel Jones.

 

H18 Independent  Robert Fisk: Hizbollah claims Lebanon is at war

 

The Big Question: What would Scottish independence mean, and how would it work?

 

Obama close to declaring outright victory, but Clinton's fight goes on

Amid warnings of civil war in her party, an indefatigable Hillary Clinton boarded her charter jet yesterday for back-to-back campaign appearances in no fewer than three primary states even as aides to her rival, Barack Obama, hinted quietly that he may choose to declare final victory within days

Leader of al-Qa'ida in Iraq is 'captured' in Mosul raid

H19 Military Intelligence Terrorism

 

Israel startup uses behavioral science to identify terrorists WeCU uses an automated system of biometric sensors to detect people with mayhem on their minds

 

The US: Your masters of the universe The US Air Force's new slogan, "Air Force - Above All" conveys the basic precept that mastery of the air means mastery of the ground. Yet the air force seeks more than that. It wants to extend its "mastery" to space and even to cyberspace. This is a disturbing manifestation of the military's quest for "full spectrum dominance", achieved at debilitating cost to the American taxpayer - and a potentially destabilizing one to the planet. - William J Astore (retired lieutenant colonel, USAF

 

Government in Secret By: U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold | Los Angeles Times  The Bush administration recently announced it will allow select members of Congress to read Justice Department legal opinions about the CIA's controversial detainee interrogation program that have been hidden from Congress until now.

 

Methodology for Improving the Planning, Execution, and Assessment of Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Operations Source: RAND Corporation Summary (PDF; 139 KB) + Full Document (PDF; 3.3 MB)

 

Guerrilla Warfare and the Indonesian Strategic Psyche by Emmet McElhatton, Small Wars Journal

 

Where's Osama?
Super Size Me director Morgan Spurlock on his latest documentary

His 'moment of truth' in Iraq Michael Yon is covering combat in Iraq at the gritty, confusing and valiant level of close combat, and doing so with honesty, passion and professional expertise.

 

, Chávez Aided Colombia Rebels

Venezuela's President Hugo Chávez has broad ties to Colombia's FARC rebels, a review of computer files suggests, likely boosting pressure for the U.S. to impose sanctions on one of its most important oil suppliers.

 

‘Spies in Arabia’

 

Jihad and US Intelligence Resources

 

H20 Slate   

 

 

 

H21 Half a million computers infected with 'malware' in just seven days  Internet analysts are warning internet users to be on their guard after booby-trapped file outbreak

Jesse Jackson is relieved when he hears footsteps behind him, turns around, sees it’s a white man – and figures he won’t be mugged. Is this acceptable?... more»

 

“Inscriptions and bird droppings are the only two things in Egypt that give any indication of life.” Flaubert said it, or so says Edward Said... more»

 

This lethal peepshow  Mark Lawson: A global village of news from Austria to Burma is creating not worldwide concern, but voyeurism

 

Eat like a caveman for a healthy heart

 

A philosophical approach to a mouse in the house Keep in mind tht he'a peaceful underdog and even .. a family man.

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