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Martin Wolf, Financial Times | October 9, 2008 The current breakdown in financial markets is driven by unjustified panic. ++ Restoring confidence in the financial systems should be the priority for American and European governments. ++ EU countries should offer a time-limited guarantee of the liabilities of the most systemically important institutions. ++ Coordination on how to proceed is necessary if ...More

Editorial, The Wall Street Journal | October 9, 2008 Russian President Medvedev continues the wave of anti-US invective of his predecessor. ++ After 9/11, the US failed to spread democracy around the world, choosing to “consolidate its global domination” instead. ++ Europe should intensify its relations with Russia to “unite the whole Euro-Atlantic region.” ++ The US suffers from a ...More

Timothy Garton Ash, The Guardian | October 9, 2008 Red states vs. blue states, the red army against the blue, and Palin is the "Katyusha rocket" of the red forces. ++ The culture wars in the US must end fast. ++ The McCain campaign has used tactics that exacerbate the cultural differences of "conservative" and "liberal" Americans. ++ Even if Obama wins, the culture wars won't end immediately - America needs to ...More

Nikolay Zlobin, World Security Insititute | October 9, 2008 The US presidential race has been one for the ages. ++ Citizens of the globe have never come so close to seeing an African American become president of the world's most powerful nation; never again will they see a Vietnam veteran running; never have they seen 19 million votes go to a women; and never have they seen a women so close to becoming vice president. ...More

Editorial, The Boston Globe | October 9, 2008 Even those inimical to US policies "have reason not to gloat over America's comeuppance." ++  Hugo Chavez has warned of the impending force of "one hundred hurricanes" about to be unleashed on the world's markets. ++ European nations are having a hard time coming to terms with a solution; Sarkozy has promulgated an EU-wide bailout fund for all 27 ...More

Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) | October 8, 2008 The US Congress has approved a deal that offers India access to American nuclear fuel and technology in exchange for safeguards on India’s nuclear program.++ India considers the US the key to great power status. ++ The US views India as essential for solving international challenges. ++ The next administration must improve cooperation that “reflects ...More

Martin Woollacott, The Guardian | October 8, 2008 The financial crisis stole the spotlight from the Russia-Georgian conflict, but it also sheds new light on the topic. ++ Reasonable attitudes are conquering politics because we are suddenly “all in the same boat.” ++ Russian weaknesses are now clearly evident. ++ If the world economy is growing slower, Russia's oil leverage is suddenly less weighty ...More

C. Fred Bergsten & Arvind Subramanian, IIE | October 8, 2008 With the financial crisis teetering on the verge of global contagion, a coordinated, worldwide effort is needed to avert a further calamity. ++ "There is inherent tension as finance becomes global but its regulation remains national." ++ Solutions include a global stimulus program with different countries using different tools: recapitalizing banks for ...More

Stefan Kornelius, Sueddeutsche Zeitung (in German) | October 7, 2008 Seven years of war, occupation and reconstruction efforts have not improved the situation in Afghanistan. ++ A lack of security, stability and economic development dominates the political agenda. ++ To succeed in Afghanistan the conception of the ISAF as a reconstruction and OEF as a war mission has to end. ++ Financial resources have to be reorganized; too ...More

Hamida Ghafour, The National | October 8, 2008 John McCain wants to bring an Iraqi-style surge to Afghanistan to “turn around the war," but the inability to differentiate between the two countries will ensure failure in Afghanistan. ++ There, there is no sectarian civil war, no “Sons of Afghanistan,” and the proposed surge would not compare with Iraq’s. ++ Most importantly, Afghans ...More