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Farah Stockman, The Boston Globe | September 18, 2008 US sanctions on Iran have caused an influx of Iranian trade with nearby Dubai. ++ Visits to the UAE by US officials have resulted in drastically fewer business licenses for Iranians there. ++ This policy has hurt many Iranians who are at odds with their government; “it is affecting only the people, not the government sector." ++ US officials hope Iranians ...More

H. M. Paulson, US Secretary of the Treasury | September 18, 2008 Given the interdependence between the economic growth of China and the world, it is necessary to integrate China into the global economy system. ++ One option is the US-China Strategic Economic Dialogue (SED), which brings US and Chinese policymakers together to expand the bilateral relations. ++ Due to the long consultation that the Chinese government needs ...More

Henry A. Kissinger & Martin Feldstein | September 17, 2008 Oil prices have tripled in the last seven years and if they continue to rise, it may have profound political consequences. ++ Oil-consuming nations shouldn’t become hostages of the oil-producing countries – they must “end the blackmail of the strong by the weak.” ++ Reducing the price of oil by eliminating the speculative pressures ...More

Editorial, The Herald | September 17, 2008 The signing of the power-sharing agreement marks the start of a new era in Zimbabwe. ++ The nation can finally start reconstruction. ++ The agreement is “an affirmation of the supremacy of African solutions to African problems,” and hopes are high that it will bring unity. ++ The real work starts now. ++ Investors will want to explore opportunities, ...More

Adrian Levy & Cathy Scott-Clark | September 17, 2008 Republicans may praise the latest series of US forays into Pakistan's sovereign territory, but they trouble Pakistan's new President. ++ Therefore, Zardari wants to convince the UK that it is crucial to hold the US back. ++ In addition, he will promote his plan for an intergovernmental counter-terrorist body which would also be backed by other powers. ++ ...More

Martin Wolf, Financial Times | September 17, 2008 Three of the top five Wall Street investment banks are no longer independent or no longer exist. ++ The US financial system is “melting away.” ++ Undue faith in unregulated markets led to dubious risk taking in the US as well as in Europe. ++ The worst is yet to come: Government bailouts for private sector financial industries are looking ...More

Anne Applebaum, Slate | September 17, 2008 Military victory in Afghanistan is achievable, but are we “willing to pay the high cost?” ++ Chura Valley in Uruzgan province is secure thanks to a Dutch reconstruction team, while in a nearby valley snipers reign. ++ This is a microcosm of Afghanistan. ++ ISAF is facing a new, resilient Taliban, drawn from diverse sources. ++ A military surge is ...More

Martin Walker, Middle East Times | September 16, 2008 For a long time it has been thought that world markets are decoupling, enabling the emerging economies of the BRIC group to thrive regardless of the economic slowdown in the Western world. ++ The emerging countries were predicted to quickly overtake the veterans of the G7. ++ New data, however, seem to puncture that theory. ++ BRICs do not live in an enclosed ...More

Dennis Ross, The Washington Post | September 16, 2008 Negotiations are in limbo as Palestinians and Israelis attempt to endure their respective political transformations at home and in the US. ++ Mahmoud Abbas’ presidential term is set to expire in January, but presidential elections are not scheduled until a year later. ++ The result will either be a legitimacy gap for Abbas or an ensuing power vacuum. ++ ...More

Editorial, Daily Times Pakistan | September 16, 2008 If the US goes ahead with its plan to take the war on terror into Pakistan, Pakistani army will loose its credibility and may end up caught up between American troops and al-Quaeda.++ Weakening Pakistani army would backfire on the campaign against terror and make further attacks inside America much more probable. ++ Only the government in Islamabad has a full ...More