AFRICA

Tsvangirai 'Wins' Zimbabwe Vote - BBC News
Mugabe Declares Run-off in Defiance - Alexi Mostrous, London Times
UN Extends S. Sudan Peacekeeping Mission - Edith Lederer, Associated Press
Darfur Conundrum - Austin Bay, Washington Times opinion
Moroccan Police Arrest Terror Convict - Associated Press
Africa Does Not Have to Starve - Borlaug and Natsios, Wall Street Journal opinion

AMERICAS

Stores Hint at Change Under New Castro - Marc Lacey, New York Times
Bolivia's Morales Deepens Control of Economy - Reuters
Ecuador Leader Shakes Up Military - Chris Kraul, Los Angeles Times
Haiti Facing 'Major Food Crisis' - BBC News

ASIA

N. Korea to Blow Up Nuke Facility Tower - Glenn Kessler, Washington Post
Bush Unveils New Burma Sanctions - BBC News
Burmese Urged to Support Charter - BBC News
Timor Troops Party with Rebels - The Australian
Fiji Arrests Newspaper Chief - Mark Dodd, The Australian
We Must Not be Alarmist about China - London Daily Telegraph editorial
Is China Our Enemy? - Gordon Chang, Contentions
Engaging the East - Michael Auslin, Weekly Standard opinion
N. Korea: Foggy Policy - Frank Gaffney Jr., National Review opinion

EUROPE

Russia Sends Extra Troops to Georgian Rebel Region - Reuters
Belarus: Diplomats’ Expulsion Angers US - David Stout, New York Times
EU Hails Turkey Free Speech Move - BBC News
Turkey: Secular and Antidemocratic - Washington Post editorial

As Putin Apprentice Takes Over, Russians Weigh an Enigma - Associated Press
US Envoys Leave Belarus Amid Row - BBC News
US Diplomats Leave Belarus Amid Escalating Spat - Associated Press
London: Welcome to The 18th Century - Abe Greenwald, Contentions

Morgan Tsvangirai Claims Win in Zimbabwe - Christina Lamb, London Times
Zimbabwe Run-off Remains in Doubt - BBC News
Shell Shuts More Nigerian Oil After Rebel Attack - Daniel Flynn, Reuters
Malian Official, Sources: 5 Dead in Clash - Almahaddy Cisse, Associated Press
Attack on Shell Plant in Nigeria - BBC News
Ivorian Ex-rebels Begin to Disarm - John James, BBC News
Burundi’s At War Again - Austin Bay, Austin Bay

Sixty Years of Palestinian Displacement, Occupation and Suffering- by Stephen Lendman - 2008-05-05
General Petraeus: Zionism's Military Poodle: From Surge to Purge to Dirge- by Prof. James Petras - 2008-05-04
Liberation; Truth's Traitor- by Felicity Arbuthnot - 2008-05-04

Sustainable Development And The Vulnerable- by Arun Shrivastava - 2008-05-04

VIDEO: Global Warming or Global Governance? This video questions the Global Warming Consensus - 2008-05-04

Famine in Afghanistan- by Sarah Meyer - 2008-05-03

Secrecy is a nasty virus that can lay low the body politicCanada's former Minister of Foreign Affairs Speaks Out- by Lloyd Axworthy - 2008-05-03 How under-the-gun Iran plays it cool- b

Bush-Cheney Israel Disinformation Campaign to Justify an Attack on Iran - by William H. White - 2008-05-02

The Bomb Squads: How to Survive a Gaza Refugee Camp- by Ramzy Baroud - 2008-05-02

Iran Opens War Avoidance Flank - by Muriel Mirak-Weissbach - 2008-05-01
Congress, the Bush Administration and Continuity of Government Planning--The Showdown - by Prof. Peter Dale Scott - 2008-05-01 American Culture and the Demise of EmpireCultural Decay and Motivating Empire. The Grand Chessboard Part 2 - by Brent Jessop - 2008-05-01

Putin Defends Missiles at Parade - BBC News
Red Square Parade Masks Weakened Russia Military - Associated Press
Georgia, NATO and Mr. Medvedev - New York Times editorial
A Warning Shot From Moscow? - Anne Applebaum, Washington Post opinion
The View from the Continent - Peter Wehner, Contentions
Is Europe Heading Right? - Abe Greenwald, Contentions

India Vies for Edge in Africa - Schatz and Sappenfield, Christian Science Monitor
Somali Forces 'Out of Control' - BBC News
2 Killed as Troops Fire into Somali Riot over Food Prices - Associated Press
Two Die in Somali Currency Riot - BBC News
The Somalia Hangover - Phillip Carter, Intel Dump
Sudan Bombs Darfur School and Market - Reuters
Darfur School 'Bombed from Air' - BBC News
Ghana Sets Curfew After Five Killed in Tribal Clash - Reuters
Zimbabwe Opposition Won't Commit to Runoff Until Date Set - Associated Press
Ban Discussing UN Help for Zimbabwe Re-run - Reuters
Ethiopia: Food Aid Model in Trouble - Nicholas Benequista, Christian Science Monitor
Kenya Begins to Heal - Jeffrey Gettleman, New York Times
Rwanda Official in Genocide Trial - BBC News
Tanzania Summit to Draw African and African-American Leaders - Associated Press

US, Russia Sign Pact On Nuclear Cooperation - Peter Finn, Washington Post
Russia-Georgia Tensions Escalate - Simon Montlake, Christian Science Monitor
US Slams Russia over Rising Tensions with Georgia - Reuters
'Puppet President' Medvedev Takes Power - Tony Halpin, London Times
Protégé in Russia Is Sworn In - C.J. Chivers, New York Times
Medvedev Takes Over, Putin Retains Grip - Helen Womack, Sydney Morning Herald
Putin Restored Russia's Pride, at a Price - Reuters
Medvedev: the Long Hello - London Times editorial
Russia Looks Like it's Back - Marshall Goldman, Boston Globe opinion
North Caucasus Violence Hits Putin's Russian Legacy - Reuters

Medvedev Takes Russian Presidential Oath of Office - Peter Finn, Washington Post
Medvedev Takes Oath in Russia - C.J. Chivers, New York Times
Medvedev Becomes Russia's Leader - BBC News
Mr. Medvedev's Rule - Washington Post editorial
US Urges Russia to Back Down in Georgia Clash - Reuters
Russian Military Threatens to Boost Georgia Force - Reuters
Georgia Seeks EU Police for Breakaway Region - Reuters
Serbia's Choice - Vladimir Gligorov, Wall Street Journal opinion
Turkey Goes Shopping For the Big Ship - Galrahn, Information Dissemination

From Riches to Rags - Arnaud de Borchgrave, Washington Times opinion
Advice for the Nuclear Abolitionists - Sokolski and Schmitt, Weekly Standard opinon

The Global Food and Energy Crises and the Middle East by Rami G. Khouri
As the global energy and food crises begin to affect the Middle East -- as well as its own water crisis -- political challenges and destabilization will threaten many countries in the region for years to come.
more...

Israel at Sixty by Patrick Seale
On present form, it looks as if Israel might need another six decades to grasp that Middle East security is indivisible -- that its own security cannot be won at the cost of the insecurity of its neighbours.
more...

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 (May 8, '08)

Myanmar places votes before relief
Estimates now point to a quarter of a million dead in the cyclone that hit Myanmar, while foreign aid agencies still wait for approval to assist the millions of homeless. For the country's military rulers, the more pressing issue appears to be to galvanize support for Saturday's constitutional referendum, the results of which are already a forgone conclusion in favor of the junta. - Larry Jagan (May 8, '08)

Grim fight for survival (AFP)

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 (May 8, '08)

Farm Workers Displaced in Zimbabwe Poll Violence - Reuters
Farm-workers Flee Zimbabwe Homes - BBC News
Zimbabwe's Terror - Washington Post editorial
Take Half a Loaf in Zimbabwe - Christian Science Monitor editorial
Mr. Mugabe’s Cynical Plan - New York Times editorial
Kenya Sees Diisplaced Resettled in a Month - Reuters
Eritrea Denies Djibouti War Claim - BBC News
More than a Dozen Killed in Somali Clashes - Reuters
Somalis Die in Mountain Clashes - BBC News
Somalia's Civil War - Vicki Huddleston, Washington Times opinion
'Fifty Killed' in Burundi Clashes - BBC News
Burundi Army Says Killed 50 Rebels in Clashes - Reuters
Attackers Slice Ears off 17 People in Senegal - Reuters
Want to Avoid the Food Crisis? - Chris Blattman, Chris Blattman
A Study in Development Failure - Chris Blattman, Chris Blattman

Putin Sets Plans for Tenure as Premier - Peter Finn, Washington Post
Putin Assumes Role of Russia's PM - Megan Stack, Los Angeles Times
Putin Signals He Intends to Stay in Charge of Russia - Associated Press
Who Rules Russia: Putin or Medvedev? - London Daily Telegraph editorial
Putin Changes Jobs - And Russia - David Satter, Wall Street Journal opinion
Russia Expels Two US Military Attaches from Moscow - Reuters
We are Close to War, Says Georgian Leader - London Times
Georgian Rebels Say they Shoot Down a Georgian Drone - Reuters
Georgia in Jeopardy - Wall Street Journal editorial
Bosnia to Hold Local Election on October 5 - Reuters
Serbia Goes to the Polls - Tomislav Nikolic, Washington Times opinion
Three Killed in Rebel Landmine Blast in SE Turkey - Reuters

US tightens its grip on Pakistan
It is no coincidence that US Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte chose the National Endowment for Democracy to deliver a key-note speech on Pakistan. For years, the US government-funded NED has specialized as a handmaiden of US policies by funding and supporting foreign politicians. Now it is Pakistan's turn to get the full treatment, for as Negroponte says, US national security is inextricably linked to the success, security and stability of that country. - M K Bhadrakumar (May 9, '08)

Iran woos Farsi-speaking nations
Tehran has stepped up its initiative to forge closer links with the two other Farsi-speaking nations in the region, Afghanistan and Tajikistan. Not only will the move kick-start slow trade ties, it signals a greater degree of Iran's integration into a region deemed important by the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, to which Tehran is pressing its claims to join. - Kaveh L Afrasiabi (May 9, '08)

War funding and war rhetoric
A breakdown of the US$70 billion President George W Bush requested from the US Congress for war funding makes interesting reading, from $3 billion for "classified activities" to $3 billion for the technology to counter explosive devices. At the same time, the familiar Bush administration charges of Iran sending arms into Iraq have been revived. Coincidence? - Sami Moubayed (May 9,

AFRICA

New Signs of Zimbabwe Attacks as Mbeki Arrives - Celia Dugger, New York Times
Somali Militants Raid Police Base - BBC News
Somali Peace Talks to Open in Djibouti - Voice of America
Attacks on Aid Staff Hinder Work in South Sudan - Reuters
Zambia Seizes 'Chiluba Millions' - BBC News
Burundi 'Rebel' Arrests Condemned - BBC News
WFP Worker Killed in North Kenya - Reuters
Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb Evolves - J. Peter Pham, The Tank

AMERICAS

Chavez Agreed to Arm Rebels - Carter and Gentile, Washington Times
Files Show Ties of Venezuela-Colombia Rebels - Reuters
Colombia Shows New Rebel Documents - Associated Press
Mexico to Continue War on Organized Crime - Ken Ellingwood, Los Angeles Times
Drug Violence, Mexico Vows to Fight Back - James McKinley, New York Times
Mexico Blames Gangs for Killing Top Cop - Associated Press
Second Police Shooting in Mexico - BBC News
Taking the War to the Mexican State, 4GW Style - Mark Safranski, ZenPundit
A Murder in Mexico - Douglas Farah, Counterterrorism
Bad Omens in Latin America - Douglas Farah, Counterterrorism
Haiti's PM Nominee Sees No Quick Fixes - Associated Press

Soviet-Style Display of Might Fills Red Square - Peter Finn, Washington Post
Russia Parades Military Might - C.J. Chivers, New York Times
Medvedev Flexes Muscle with V-Day Display - Tony Halpin, London Times
In Russia, Nostalgia for Soviet Era - Megan Stack, Los Angeles Times
Russia Puts on a Soviet Show of Might - Adrian Blomfield, London Daily Telegraph
Tanks Rejoin Moscow V-Day Parade - BBC News
Medvedev Atop the Russian Bear - Washington Times editorial
Georgia in Jeopardy - Wall Street Journal editorial
Turkish Military Says it Killed 20 PKK Fighters - Reuters
Turkish Military: 19 Kurdish Rebels Killed in Airstrikes - Associated Press
Election in Serbia May Cripple Hunt for Gen. Ratko Mladic - Associated Press

The Rise of the Rest - Fareed Zakaria, Newsweek
Ethanol Cause of Food Crisis 'Flat-out Wrong' - Sands and Dinan, Washington Times
The Economics of Sex Trafficking - Chris Blattman, Chris Blattman

Hezbollah's Beirut Blitz
Walid Phares
The Syro-Iranian axis enflaming various battlefields in the region, from Basra to Gaza, has instructed its proxy local force on the Lebanese battlefield to surge against the pro-Western Government of Fuad Seniora. More

Pro-EU Reformers Surprise Victors in Serbia - David Charter, London Times
Tilt to West Is Seen in Elections in Serbia - Dan Bilefsky, New York Times
Serbian President's Party Victory - Cirjakovic and Wilkinson, Los Angeles Times
Serbian Reformers Claim Victory - BBC News
Serbia in Coalition Scramble After Ambivalent Vote - Reuters
Serbia's pro-Western President Declares Victory - Associated Press
Tough Talks Loom After Serb Polls - BBC News

Does Protest Embolden the Iraqi Insurgency?
Camillo "Mac" Bica
May 12, 2008

The Truth About Veteran Suicides
Aaron Glantz
May 9, 2008

China: Superpower or Basket Case?
Samuel A. Bleicher
May 8, 2008

The Iraq Supplemental: A Three Ring Circus
Erik Leaver
May 8, 2008

The "Surge" of Iraqi Prisoners
Ciara Gilmartin
May 7, 2008

A deadly miscalculation in Lebanon

As a test of strength, the Lebanese government and its Saudi Arabian backers received a bloody nose in the confrontation with Hezbollah in Beirut. The government woefully underestimated Hezbollah's reaction to having its communications - spy - system interfered with. And the Iranian-backed Hezbollah, with its convincing display of military superiority, made another clear statement: leave our arms alone. - Sami Moubayed (May 13, '08)

Renewed fighting erupts (AFP)

Hezbollah's shots ring in Bush's ears
Just about everything the George W Bush administration has tried in the Middle East over the past few years has undermined United States standing and influence in the region, even as it has enhanced Tehran's. Yet as Bush visits Saudi Arabia and Egypt this week, he might be able to turn Hezbollah's stunning show of strength in Lebanon to his advantage. - Jim Lobe (May 13, '08)

US misses Iran opportunity
In a busy week for Iran, key nations negotiating with it over its nuclear program will present an incentive package for the Iranians to consider. At the same time, International Atomic Energy Agency officials will thrash out the last remaining issues on the Iran-IAEA agenda. US President George W Bush will also be in the region, but he won't be dropping by, even though Tehran has indicated they might be willing to talk. - Kaveh L Afrasiabi (May 13, '08)

Why Myanmar's junta steals foreign aid
To the Myanmar junta's top generals in their bunkers in the secluded capital Naypyidaw, far away from the devastated Irrawaddy Delta, their aid distribution policy is one of political survival at all costs. With rice crops destroyed, bases wiped out and soldiers running out of food, the military leadership is scrambling to preserve control by commandeering relief supplies to channel to its own members. - Brian McCartan (May 13, '08)

China counts earthquake costs
After initially underestimating the effects of the earthquake that has claimed the lives of more than 10,000 people, Chinese authorities have appealed for help in the stricken southwestern region. With the full scale of the tragedy yet to be known, the economic impact, too, is only slowly emerging. - John Ng (May 13, '08)

Tens of thousands dead (AFP)

Koreas not eye-to-eye on Vision 3000
South Korea's no-nonsense new president, Lee Myong-bak, has released his alternative to the Sunshine policy of his predecessor towards the North. "Vision 3000, Denuclearization, Openness" is a carrot-and-stick plan that promises a windfall of assistance should North Korea surrender its nuclear weapons. But its feasibility is likely to remain academic: Vision 3000 has not the slightest chance of being accepted by Pyongyang. - Andrei Lankov (May 13, '08)

Russia Factory Visit Tied to Ouster of Attachés - C.J. Chivers, New York Times
Bush Sends Russia Nuclear Pact to Skeptical Congress - Reuters
Turkish Islamic Preacher - Threat or Benefactor? - Reuters

Leb. Army Ups Beirut Presence - Sana Abdallah, Washington Times
Lebanon Army 'Ready to Use Force' - BBC News
Why Hezbollah Should be Condemned - Dean Godson, London Times opinion
Enabling Hezbollah - Ralph Peters, New York Post opinion
Hezbollah's Guns Trump the Pen - Claude Salhani - Washington Times opinion
Bush Heads Back to Mideast Amid Fading Peace Hopes - Reuters
Rice Says Mideast Peace Improbable, Not Impossible - Associated Press
Latest Scandal Could Topple Olmert - Richard Boudreaux, Los Angeles Times
Olmert Claims Progress with Abbas - BBC News
Israel to Expand West Bank Settlements - Associated Press
Peace Failure to Clouds Israel's Birthday - Joshua Mitnick, Washington Times
Hamas Rejects Israeli Truce Terms - BBC News
Jimmy Carter and Hamas - Los Angeles Times online debate
Worker Struggle Points Up Egypt's Problems - Jeffrey Fleishman, Los Angeles Times
Real Nowhere Land - Amin Abbas, The Australian opinion

China: 19,000 Buried, 13,000 Dead - Macartney and Naughton, London Times
Toll Rises; China Struggles to Reach Victims - Wong and Hooker, New York Times
Amid the Tragedy Lies Opportunity - Barbara Demick, Los Angeles Times
Suddenly, 'the Whole Thing Fell Down' - Cody and Drew, Washington Post
Rescuers Reach Chinese Epicentre - BBC News
China: Why Did the Schools Collapse? - Peter Smith, Christian Science Monitor
China Quake 'Worse Than Expected' - BBC News
Burma Still Blocking Large-Scale Relief - New York Times
Foul Weather Adds to Burma Misery - Washington Post
Junta Wishes To Hear No Evil, Report Says - Colum Lynch, Washington Post
UN Calls for Burma Aid Corridor - BBC News
Damage to Burma Port Keeps Ships at Sea - Kenneth Denby, London Times
Saved by China - Washington Post editorial
Shame on the Junta - New York Times editorial
Burma's Disgrace - James Lyons, Washington Times opinion
Kosovo Aid the Model - Andrew O'Neil, The Australian opinion
US Increases Estimate Of N. Korean Plutonium - Glenn Kessler, Washington Post
North Korea Documents Make Debut - Helene Cooper, New York Times
US Welcomes N. Korea Nuclear Files - BBC News
UN Delays on Timor Extension Request - Paul Toohey, The Australian
Horta Wants UN to Stay in E. Timor - Lucy Williamson, BBC News
Malaysia's Democratic Movement - Stuart Eizenstat, Washington Times opinion

Al Qaeda Reward Slashed by US - Associated Press
Case Against 9/11 Detainee Is Dismissed - William Glaberson, New York Times
The Government’s Jihad on Jihad - Andrew McCarthy, National Review opinion
Iran, Al Qaeda and Liberal Denial - Daniel Mandel, New York Post opinion
Assessing the Muslim Brotherhood "Firewall" - Marc Lynch, Abu Aardvark
Civilians Missing From Action - Spencer Ackerman, Washington Independent

Saudis Send Sharp Warning to Iran Over Lebanon - Associated Press
Iranian Leader Ahmadinejad in Rudd's Sights - Dennis Shanahan, The Australian
Noble Action Likely to Fail - Greg Sheridan, The Australian opinion
Ahmadinejad to Offer Proposals to Ease Nuclear Row - Reuters
The New Cold War - Thomas Friedman, New York Times opinion
A Plan for Iran - Harlan Ullman, Washington Times opinion

Afghan Mission Now Top Aussie Priority - Patrick Walters, The Australian
Thousands Displaced by Fighting in Afghan South - Reuters
Afghans to Ask for $50 bln Aid at Paris Conference - Reuters
Deal on Role for Islamic Law in NW Pakistan Area - Associated Press
Following the Marines Through Helmand - Herschel Smith, The Captain's Journal
Following the Marines Through Helmand II - Herschel Smith, The Captain's Journal
The US Dep. of Agriculture Does COIN - Herschel Smith, The Captain's Journal
Canada's Not On Time Logistics - Kip, Abu Muqawama

US Colonel: Iran Assassinating Iraqi Officials - Ann Scott Tyson, Washington Post
Baghdad: Do You Really Live Here? - Anna Badkhen, Christian Science Monitor
Caught Between Forces Vying for Iraq's Soul - Sudarsan Raghavan, Washington Post
Baghdad Fighting Kills 6 - Reuters
Cease-fire Holds in Sadr City After Deadly Clashes - Reuters
Officers Battle Visa Hurdles for Iraq Aides - Conrad Mulcahy, New York Times
What Would Really Rebuild Iraq - Rodgers and Alamiri, CSM opinion
Iraq Status Report - Iraq Status Report

How Far Left Has Latin America Moved? by Immanuel Wallerstein
What does it mean that Latin America has moved leftward? It means that the region has become decisively anti-U.S.; that indigenous peoples have claimed political power; that liberation theology still has an impact; and, that Brazil is becoming a world power as a leader of the regional bloc.
more...

Adoption of Shame by Peter Kwong
China should end its international adoption program. The country does not have an oversupply of children. Its adoption pool consists of abandoned girls. Thus, the international community is supporting Chinese gender discrimination.
more...

On a River Heading Home by Rami G. Khouri
This week marks the beginning of the fourth generation of Palestinians who insist on living as free, dignified citizens, in their own sovereign state, on their own ancestral land.
more...

When Will Arab Oil Translate into Political Power? by Patrick Seale
The Arab countries need to translate their wealth -- with vision, intelligence and determination -- into political power to resolve the many conflicts which sap their energies, afflict their people, and prevent them from taking their proper place in the world.
more...

New Israeli Scholars Face up to Israel's Origins by Eric Rouleau (Le Monde diplomatique)
Israel's new historians have shed light on old myths. As a result, a new generation of writers, academics and artists is able to look afresh at the country's past -- and may hold the key to a peaceful future.
more...

Days of Transformation in Lebanon by Rami G. Khouri
The consequences of what has happened in Lebanon in the past week may portend an extraordinary but constructive new development: the possible emergence of the first American-Iranian joint political governance system in the Arab World. Maybe.
more...

Breakfast in Beirut by Rami G. Khouri
We and Jerry the Turtle seemed to sense that a new situation was coming into being -- in Lebanon and the entire Middle East.
more...

COMMENT
Coups and counter-coups
The Saudi Arabian accusation of an Iran-inspired "coup" by Hezbollah in Lebanon is a misnomer. The more apt description would be a government coup, inspired by the United States, and Hezbollah's successful "counter-coup". - Kaveh L Afrasiabi (May 15, '08)

A hard American look at China's soft power
A new US Congress study on China's foreign policy finds that many developing countries are attracted to Beijing because its aid and trade and investment generally come without those pesky human rights conditions. But as China becomes more engaged in world affairs, it is clear its "hands-off" approach has negative implications that could counterbalance any soft-power advantages. - David Isenberg (May 15, '08)

China seeks an Afghan stepping-stone
Afghanistan has once again emerged as the "strategic knot" for the region's security. From the perspective of China, which in addition sees the country as a potential trade and energy corridor, any substantial advancement in Sino-Afghan ties is contingent on stability returning to the war-ravaged country and foreign forces withdrawing. (May 15, '08)

Australian eggs for a Korean 'basket case'?
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's revamp of Australia's foreign policy has lessened the country's focus on Washington and redirected it to some odd places, for example Pyongyang, where a food crisis could be a boon for the major grain exporter. The US's dead-end in North Korea means Canberra need no longer follow suit and risk losing strategic and lucrative opportunities. - Leonid A Petrov (May 15, '08)

A poet well-versed in North Korea's pain
As court poet for North Korea's reclusive leader Kim Jong-il, Jang Jin-sung enjoyed all the trappings of life among the Pyongyang elite. But he traded it for a dangerous flight to South Korea, where he is now a best-selling author of poems chronicling the grueling misery of North Korean life. (May 15, '08)

Quake raises construction fears in China
In the rush to beautify their respective cities, ambitious local government and Communist Party officials have brushed past China's safety regulations and the rights of residents. As tragic scenes of earthquake devastation fill the media, it is apparent that ordinary people suffer rather than benefit from this rapid, if not reckless, urbanization. - Poon Siu To (May 15, '08)

Tehran ponders the spoils of victory

Hezbollah's display of strength in Lebanon leaves its backer, Iran, emboldened. Tehran is now in a stronger position to negotiate a deal with the United States pertaining to its nuclear file. Or it could do something radical, such as trade off Hezbollah in exchange for a greater piece of the Iraqi cake. All options are on the table. - Sami Moubayed (May 16, '08)

Saudis, US grapple with Iran challenge
The reaction to the flareup in Lebanon has left Saudi Arabia (and its United States ally) with no doubt that there are not many takers in the Arab world for anti-Iran, anti-Hezbollah ploys. This leaves the George W Bush administration with little choice other than to resort to back-channel diplomacy to engage Tehran, while the Saudis, too, will have to re-asses their stance on Iran. - M K Bhadrakumar (May 16, '08)

US plot to nail Iran backfires
The George W Bush administration and General David Petraeus, the top US commander in Iraq, plotted a sequence of events that would sensationally build domestic US political support for a possible strike against Iran. Key to this was to be the display of a major cache of Iranian weapons for use by Shi'ite militias in the Iraqi city of Karbala. The weapons turned out to have nothing to do with Iran, and worse, the Iraq government suddenly distanced itself from the US's plan. - Gareth Porter (May 15, '08)

THE ROVING EYE
The US-Iran sound bite showdown
Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad's latest comments on Israel have been variously translated in the Western media, the most ominous having it that Israel will not save itself from "death and destruction". This will inevitably be seized on by the George W Bush administration as more evidence that Tehran wants to "destroy" Israel, muscling up the case for a US attack. Maybe that is what Ahmadinejad intends. - Pepe Escobar (May 15, '08)

COMMENT
Coups and counter-coups
The Saudi Arabian accusation of an Iran-inspired "coup" by Hezbollah in Lebanon is a misnomer. The more apt description would be a government coup, inspired by the United States, and Hezbollah's successful "counter-coup". - Kaveh L Afrasiabi (May 15, '08)

A hard American look at China's soft power
A new US Congress study on China's foreign policy finds that many developing countries are attracted to Beijing because its aid and trade and investment generally come without those pesky human rights conditions. But as China becomes more engaged in world affairs, it is clear its "hands-off" approach has negative implications that could counterbalance any soft-power advantages. - David Isenberg (May 15, '08)

China's embrace leaves US in the cold
China's determined efforts to improve relations with Southeast Asian neighbors and to strengthen transport and trade links should bring improved prosperity to the region. The success of Beijing's initiatives also underlines the diminishing role to be played in the region by the United States.

China seeks an Afghan stepping-stone
Afghanistan has once again emerged as the "strategic knot" for the region's security. From the perspective of China, which in addition sees the country as a potential trade and energy corridor, any substantial advancement in Sino-Afghan ties is contingent on stability returning to the war-ravaged country and foreign forces withdrawing. (May 15, '08)

Pall of mourning falls over the Olympics
If the healing and reconstruction phase of the Sichuan earthquake disaster is handled well, China will not need all the pre-Olympic flag-waving and jingoism on display before the quake. Tibet will be largely forgotten, and the world will look on with admiration as a proud but still grieving nation opens the Games. - Kent Ewing (May 20, '08)

Fake farewell for Malaysia's Mahathir
Former Malaysian premier Mahathir Mohamad's shock decision to quit the ruling United Malays Nasional Organization may be a clever political ruse, but others say it is a desperate attempt to avoid an inquiry's recent findings. His nemesis, former deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim, could soon rise to power, but few analysts believe the 82-year-old Mahathir will fade away without a fight. - Anil Netto (May 20, '08)

Mind your (terror) language
Talking tough on terror has been the main currency of the George W Bush administration, but now the US's counterterrorism center suggests cooling the rhetoric. Already, the president has dropped the use of "Islamic terrorist", and "jihadi" is going out of favor. Neo-conservatives see it all as a lot of political correctness nonsense. (May 20, '08)

White House: NBC Distorted Bush Response - Eggen and Slevin, Washington Post
Mr. Bush's Travels - New York Times editorial
Public Diplomacy Wears Combat Boots - Matt Armstrong, MountainRunner
Moral Courage in the Foreign Service - Charlie, Abu Muqawama

Aid pries Myanmar's closed door
For now, all that matters is that help be provided to Myanmar's increasingly desperate survivors of Cyclone Nargis. Still, the country is now more open to outside intervention than at any time in more than four decades, and the cracks continue to widen. Whatever else can be said, Myanmar's facade has been swept away by the cyclone and the ugly reality is there for all to see. (May 21, '08)

China bows in grief, to public demand
China's national mourning - the first of its kind since the passing of Mao Zedong in 1976 - has many Chinese applauding the leadership's rare willingness to grant a request from the public. And if China felt divided and isolated after Mao, it now seems united in grieving for earthquake victims. Inadvertently or not the government has skillfully exploited the disaster to shore up public support and burnish its reputation. (May 21, '08)

Hopes fade for a Tiger homeland
The Sri Lankan government has consolidated political control over Eastern Province - part of the "Tamil homeland" for which the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam have been fighting for decades to create. It has also routed the last Tiger enclaves in the area. The upshot is, if the Tigers still want a "Tamil homeland", they will have to gain it by force. - Sudha Ramachandran (May 21, '08)

History in the making for Hezbollah

Somewhere in Beirut, the head of Hezbollah, the resilient Hasan Nasrallah, is a happy man. Resolutions were hammered out in Doha on Wednesday giving Hezbollah and its backers long-coveted veto power in the Lebanese government - and the group gets to keep its arms, no questions asked. Syria and Iran were also winners and Saudi Arabia's proxies, defeated militarily last week, were beaten politically in Doha. Nasrallah is writing history, his way. - Sami Moubayed (May 22, '08)

A fighter and a financier
Qari Ziaur Rahman is one of the new breed of Taliban commanders. His ties are closer to al-Qaeda and Osama bin Laden than to Pakistan, and he has risen through the ranks to head the Taliban's military and financial operations in Nooristan and Kunar provinces. There is a price on his head, but he shrugs that off, and explains to Syed Saleem Shahzad how his "faithful brothers" go about their daily attacks against coalition forces in this strategic area. (May 22, '08)
This is the second article in a three-part report.

Part 1: Ducking and diving under B-52s

The Menace of George Bush's Last Months in Office by Patrick Seale
Everything George W. Bush has touched has turned to dross. But he still has another half year in the White House, and who can say of what further destructive follies he might yet be capable.
more...

Learning Peace from Cats and Pigeons by Rami G. Khouri
On the campus of the American University of Beirut are hundreds of cats and pigeons living peacefully together in something of a natural sanctuary. This is about as close as it gets in real life to the idea that "the lion shall lie down with the lamb…"
more...

Is Undermining Iran an Arab or European Interest? by Patrick Seale
The hegemonic battle for Middle East influence between Iran and the US/Israel bloc is a troubling situation for the dynamic development of Arab states, and for the petroleum needs of European ones.
more...

Core Issues for Lebanon and Beyond by Rami G. Khouri
Hizbullah has provided services for the people of Lebanon that the state could not. It has become a parallel state. So how do Lebanon and Hizbullah coexist? That is the question for Lebanon -- and there are similar questions for other Arab states.
more...

Small-town American Muslim Life by Mona Eltahawy
For my own chapter of the complicated Muslim life in America, the little town of Bellevue, Ohio (pop. about 8,200) is the setting.
more...

How Far Left Has Latin America Moved? by Immanuel Wallerstein
What does it mean that Latin America has moved leftward? It means that the region has become decisively anti-U.S.; that indigenous peoples have claimed political power; that liberation theology still has an impact; and, that Brazil is becoming a world power as a leader of the regional bloc.
more...

Adoption of Shame by Peter Kwong
China should end its international adoption program. The country does not have an oversupply of children. Its adoption pool consists of abandoned girls. Thus, the international community is supporting Chinese gender discrimination.
more...

Buffett sees "long, deep" U.S. recession
Oil's Surge Causing Major Changes in US Economy
Trouble ahead for global house prices
mortgage lenders need to build up reserves—and fast
Homes sales dip in April; prices fall sharply
Ford won’t be the only company revising earnings guidance
Why So Long to Call a Recession?
Vallego, California, files for bankruptcy

The Menace of George Bush’s Last Months in Office by Patrick Seale
Everything George W. Bush has touched has turned to dross. But he still has another half year in the White House, and who can say of what further destructive follies he might yet be capable.
more...

Obstacles of an Israeli-Syrian Deal by Patrick Seale
Talks between Syria and Israel will lower tension in the troubled Middle East region. This, in itself, is a welcome development. But the gulf between the two countries is wide and deep, and it would be rash to expect it to be bridged any time soon.
more...

Learning Peace from Cats and Pigeons by Rami G. Khouri
On the campus of the American University of Beirut are hundreds of cats and pigeons living peacefully together in something of a natural sanctuary. This is about as close as it gets in real life to the idea that “the lion shall lie down with the lamb…”
more...

Is Undermining Iran an Arab or European Interest? by Patrick Seale
The hegemonic battle for Middle East influence between Iran and the US/Israel bloc is a troubling situation for the dynamic development of Arab states, and for the petroleum needs of European ones.
more...

Core Issues for Lebanon and Beyond by Rami G. Khouri
Hizbullah has provided services for the people of Lebanon that the state could not. It has become a parallel state. So how do Lebanon and Hizbullah coexist? That is the question for Lebanon -- and there are similar questions for other Arab states.
more...

Medvedev reaches out to China

Beyond the flowery language employed during Russian President Dmitry Medvedev's visit to China - his first trip abroad since taking office - there is a disquieting undertone to the emerging "strategic partnership". Moscow's arms sales to Beijing have all but dried up, and there is an impasse in energy cooperation. Medvedev has his work cut out in wooing his giant neighbor. - M K Bhadrakumar (May 28, '08)

Russian think-tank rattles US
Even before opening its doors, the first Russian think-tank based in the United States has sparked controversy. While the Russian Institute for Democracy and Cooperation says it wants to study US democracy, critics see it as a new propaganda tool for the Kremlin as it sharpens its attacks on the West. (May 28, '08)

Democracy and death in Myanmar
With voting now completed, Myanmar's junta claims 99% of the country's 22.5 million eligible voters turned out in a referendum on a new constitution, and that 92.4% of them approved it. The result has been widely described as "bizarre", as it effectively enshrines the junta's hold on political power - the same junta that has responded so poorly to Cyclone Nagris, which left tens of thousands of people dead and millions homeless. - Larry Jagan (May 28, '08)

Suu Kyi detention 'will not affect aid' (AFP)

China's army looks beyond its shores
The United States, India and Japan have softened perceptions of their might by making humanitarian assistance abroad a central role for their military forces in the Asia-Pacific region. China's People's Liberation Army has been much more circumspect in this regard. But that could change as Beijing weighs up the positives of foreign intervention. (May 28, '08)

Bush's Iraq wrangles alarm lawmakers
Legislators in both Baghdad and Washington are concerned over talks between Iraq and the United States over a deal to determine the relationship between the countries. Iraqis feel they are being rail-roaded, while US Democrats fear President George W Bush's attempts to set the Iraq framework will tie the hands of the next president - whom Democrats strongly hope will come from their ranks. (May 28, '08)

Ex-spokesman lambasts Bush, Iraq war (AFP)

Can God save Mr Bulldozer?
South Korean President Lee Myung-bak's muscular leadership style - the machismo that made him a daredevil business tycoon - is failing to grip the public. The gung-ho workaholic is alienating people by his inability to communicate and a string of costly political miscues. Lee will attempt to turn things around during his present trip to China, but it may take a miracle to regain the faith of his nation. - Sunny Lee (May 28, '08)

India pays dearly for cheap hooch
Another bootleg liquor - or hooch - tragedy has struck India, this time claiming more than 180 lives. For years the illegal business has thrived under police protection and the patronage of politicians and the recent tragedy underscores the ingredients - liquor barons, greed and poverty - that mix in the marketing of the lethal liquor. - Sudha Ramachandran (May 28, '08)

UN Chief to Prod Nations On Food Crisis - Colum Lynch, Washington Post
It's Time to Ban Cluster Bombs - San Francisco Chronicle editorial
Cluster Bombs, Made in America - New York Times editorial
Bombs in Bad Company - Boston Globe editorial
The World Is Upside Down - Roger Cohen, New York Times opinion

A Return to Arms Control - [i]Washington Post[/i] editorial

No Big Change in US Foreign Policy - Lynch and Singh, Wall Street Journal opinion

A struggle between war and peace
Both Pakistan and Afghanistan have relied on ceasefires and peace accords to deal with militants and the Taliban. These seldom last long, and, as in the case of pro-al-Qaeda Pakistani Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud, they are being made with the wrong people. It is a situation ripe for radicals to exploit. - Syed Saleem Shahzad (Jun 2, '08)

SPENGLER
Tin-opener theology
from Turkey
There has been much praise for Turkey's so-called Islamic reformation, a government-mandated move to modernize the faith and "fashion a new Islam". Too bad it's all just a tempest in an ibrik and a triumph of hope over fact-checking. (Jun 2, '08)

Peacemaker Turkey faces new threat
As Turkey made international headlines last week for its role in bringing foes Syria and Israel to the negotiating table, 1,000 prominent Kurdish figures called on the European Union and the United States to help resolve Ankara's struggle against Kurdish insurgency that has claimed more than 40,000 lives over two decades. A reorganized Kurdistan Workers' Party has made a strong comeback and is gaining renewed momentum in Turkey and abroad. (Jun 2, '08)