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H1 New York Times Talks Signal Mideast Shift The United States, Israel and some of their European allies have begun to recognize that trying to defeat their enemies in the region by isolating them has failed

A Cast of 300 Advises Obama on Foreign Policy Barack Obama’s huge foreign policy team, organized like a mini State Department, is on the spot this week as the senator plans his overseas trip. Graphic: Obama’s Key Foreign Policy Advisers

Is the U.S. finished? Well, all those think tank theorists, public intellectuals, and elite media experts seem to think so. How could they be wrong?... more»

An Exchange: Neocon Nation? David Rieff, George Packer, Ronald Steel, Robert Kagan

The Economist Banks and markets Twin twisters The financial crisis claims another two victims—and once again the taxpayer picks up the pieces

Al-Qaeda’s global jihad How to win the war within Islam In the long run, al-Qaeda will be defeated by Muslims, not foreigners. But the West can still help

A special report on al-Qaeda Winning or losing?

Iran and America A surprising move Why America is sending a top man to talk directly to the Iranians

Guardian Talks are back on

Editorial: America's decision to send a senior official to meet with Iran marks a major, and long overdue, policy change,

US hints at Iranian diplomatic thaw Foreign minister Mottaki welcomes Washington's 'positive' stance prior to Geneva talks

Keep watch on the hawks Abbas Edalat: US policy on Iran seems to be softening, but the world must stay vigilant to avert the threat of war

The American dream invades Iran Masoud Golsorkhi: The US is popular with the Iranian people, and creating diplomatic ties will destabilise the regime more than any military attack

Taming the hawk Simon Tisdall: Washington's decision to talk to Iran is a significant shift in US foreign policy

NPQ Francis Fukuyama: U.S. IS NOT PREPARED TO FACE A POST-AMERICAN WORLD

Washington Post Obama's Greatest Admirer By Charles Krauthammer The question about Obama used to be: Who is he? The question now is: Who does he think he is

The View From the Eye of the Storm By David Ignatius, 'Right now, we need to emphasize stability. That's our top priority.'

Ha’aretz – These enemies have faces By Trita Parsi and Roi Ben-Yehuda - Some essential things Iranians and Israelis should know about each other

An end to hegemony? The concept of hegemony, French or anyone else's for that matter, is almost comical in the era of globalization.

DoD and Iraq Update

Ruling Palestine II: The West Bank Model? International Crisis Group

Independent Condi's coup: how the neo-cons lost the argument over Iran Condoleezza Rice was George Bush's handmaiden for the war in Iraq but she is now emerging as the best hope for avoiding a military conflict between the United States and Iran.

Leading article: A welcome change of tack by Washington,

The Big Question: How has Angela Merkel become the key player on Europe's political stage?

WSJ Knowing Afghan Neighbors Is Half the Battle

Like other guerrilla conflicts, Afghanistan's war is an armed popularity contest. To win, soldiers need skills that go beyond good tactics; they must blend street smarts with sensitivity, awareness with deal-making. As a result, one of the most dangerous moments in this conflict is when Afghanistan veterans go home and novices arrive.

Forward A Skeptical Audience Awaits Barack Obama in Israel

New World Order Is Long Overdue By: Frank Ching | The Japan Times It's a classic standoff: the world's richest countries versus its biggest emerging economies. For the sake of humanity, the two groups must work together

Report Says Iran Military Growing but Is Still Outdated

Analysts: Bush Shifts Away From 'Axis of Evil' Rhetoric on Iran

India and Israel: A Balancing Alliance By: Adam C. Castillo | Diplomatic Courier
Diplomatic ties between India and Israel are still in the relatively nascent stage, but the need of both countries to shore up regional power bodes well for the relationship's future.

Asia Times US lends Iran a listening ear The decision by the George W Bush administration to send a high-level official to join talks on Iran's nuclear program as a "listener" marks a significant shift, but in line with Washington's engagement of North Korea. The move on Iran brings the possibility of a "freeze-for-freeze" - a simultaneous suspension of international sanctions and uranium enrichment - a step closer. Hardliners in the United States, though, will not give up without a fight. - Jim Lobe

Tehran open to US Interests
The government of President Mahmud Ahmadinejad has responded positively to a proposal by Washington that it open a US Interests Section in Tehran. Hooshang Amirahmadi, president of the American Iranian Council and currently in Iran, also welcomes the initiative, pointing out that Ahmadinejad is always ready to talk

Has the 'Surge' in Iraq Worked? by Immanuel Wallerstein

Going jaw to jaw with our enemies

SENATOR JOHN McCain has apparently decided to focus not on the sagging economy under the disastrous Bush economic and fiscal policies, which McCain would continue, but on Senator Barack Obama's willingness to communicate with hostile foreign leaders, such as those in Iran, North Korea, and Syria. (By Ted Sorensen, Boston Globe)

The Dollar and Oil (PDF; 247 KB) Source: U.S. Congress, Joint Economic Committee
From press release (PDF; 76 KB):

Financial Times Emerging markets progress at risk A big casualty of the credit crisis may be the growth of financial markets in developing countries, write Erik Berglof and Raghuram Rajan

A message from Obama for those infuriating Europeans There is little the Union can quarrel with in the broad thrust of the national security strategy set out by the US Democratic presidential candidate this week, writes Philip Stephens. There are some caveats but they can be sorted out if the framework of the relationship is sound

Blowing in the wind The US economy performed better than expected in the first half of the year but volatile markets suggest the rest of 2008 might bring a W-shaped downturn

France and UK reduce trade ties with Iran The British and French embassies in Tehran have dramatically scaled back their trade sections amid a slowdown in business ties with Iran caused by international sanctions

Al Awsat An Act of Dangerous Symbolism : Amir Taheri

Exiting Iraq Is Easier Than They Say CBS News

Iraq To Limit No-Bid Deals With Big Oil
CBS News

H2 The Economist Turkey’s future Flags, veils and sharia Behind the court case against Turkey’s ruling party lies an existential question: how Islamist has the country become?

Plots and counterplots Coup de grâce A case is also brought against those planning a coup against the government

Washington Post Turkey's Turmoil Will the U.S. Stand Up for a 'Democratic Model'? By Aliza Marcus and Andrew Apostolou, Will the U.S. stand up for a 'democratic model'?

The Times Leader The Battle for Turkey Angry generals are a threat to democracy; headscarves are not

Ankara'da adı konulmamış temas trafiği

Türkiye, İran nükleer krizinin diyalogla çözülmesi için her türlü yardıma hazır

Bitter Lemons Middle East Roundtable July 17, 2008 Turmoil in Turkey The deeper problems
Soli Ozel The Ergenekon case is ultimately a more promising one for Turkey's political future.

"Chaos" in Turkey Fadi Hakura

Turkey could be on the cusp of a novel style of politics.

Lawfare in Turkey: Ergenekon versus the AKP Ersin Kalaycioglu The AKP initiatives precipitated a confrontation that fell on this cultural division of the Turkish polity.

Radicalization of a national dialogue Steven A. Cook

It is entirely unclear who would govern Turkey if AKP is closed and its leaders banned.

Mother Jones Pre Pre-Negotiations: Are the US and Iran Already Meeting in Turkey?

Turkey has been involved in Iran nuclear talks, Babacan says

Tahran trafiği

Ferai Tınç İran krizinde Türkiye’nin rolü

US security adviser in Turkey