Editorial, The Wall Street Journal | January 8 , 2009
 Berlin witnessed the end of a stalemate between the Christian and Social Democrats on a 31-billion-euro economic stimulus package, but “Germans may find that the chances of their country’s economic recovery were higher when the grand coalition was still paralyzed.” ++ An additional 100 billion euros will go to rescue failing companies. ++ Both parties are positioning themselves for upcoming Fall elections, as the CDU plans to add tax cuts to the stimulus. ++ Any agreement will “waste billions on public works projects and bailouts.”
C. Beyrer and F. Donaghue, The Washington Post | January, 8, 2009
Cholera re-entered the stage in Zimbabwe in August, since killing 1600 people and sickening 33 000. ++ Alarming is the fact that this is only one of the country’s long list of flaws; every sector of civil society is near to devastation. ++ One of the latest tragic events is the government’s closure of public hospitals in November 2008. ++ “But Zimbabwe’s agonies are not humanitarian in nature; they result from a political crime - the refusal of Mugabe and his cronies to accept electoral defeat”. ++ The international community must react.
Editorial, The Globe and Mail | January 8, 2009
The Russia-Ukraine gas supply conflict was heightened following Russia’s decision to further reduce gas supplies as a response to Ukraine “stealing” gas aimed for European clients. ++ Ever since the end of the 2005 Orange Revolution in Ukraine, Russia has been using its gas resources as a political weapon. ++ The policy decision will bring Europe under strain, but the cost for Russia will be higher: by projecting itself as an unreliable energy provider, it may sacrifice one of the few productive aspects of its economy.
Kosuke Takahashi, Asia Times | January 8, 2009
 Samurai-philosopher Fukuzawa’s longstanding notion that Japan should “leave Asia and enter the West” is likely to fade in 2009. ++ “Tokyo needs to diversify diplomatic and economic relations.” ++ Ruling party LDP may soon be replaced by opposition Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), who advocate multilateral cooperation. ++ “Japan’s efforts to establish the East Asian Community - a proposed economic and political bloc equivalent to the European Union - by reconciling with Asian neighbors could lead to regional peace and security.”
Abeer Najja, American University of Sharjah | January 8, 2009
 Palestinians in Gaza need international support to protect their rights and lives. ++ This support is won through media campaigns, and the Palestinians and Hamas are losing. ++ Hamas’s aggressive rhetoric consistently plays into Israel’s hand: warning that Gaza would be a “graveyard” for Israeli soldiers and talk of killing Jewish children all support Israel’s claimed “security concerns.” ++ “Hamas’s message should be that the Palestinians want peace, but they also want independence and guarantees of their human rights.”
The Asia Foundation | December 2008
The 2008 Global Cities Index | Foreign Policy | December 2008
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Leonardo Matinez-Diaz | The Brookings Institution | December 2008
Joshua Kurlantzick | Carnegie Endowment | December 2008
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Ambassador Maliha Zulfacar taught sociology as a professor at California Polytechnic State University before her current position representing …
Jonathan Laurence is a Transatlantic Academy fellow at the German Marshall Fund, non-resident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and an …
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Andreas Eckert |
December 1, 2008
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From the Editorial Team |
January 8, 2009 | 1 comment
“The received wisdom is that President Bush has been a foreign policy disaster, and that America is threatened by the rise of Asia. Both claims are wrong — Bush has successfully rolled back jihadism, and the US will benefit from Asian growth.”
Manuela Paraipan |
January 8, 2009
The conduct of Hamas in the ongoing conflict in Gaza is jeopardizing any prospect of peace. They betray hypocrisy, cowardice and a …
From the Editorial Team |
January 7, 2009 | 2 comments
During 2008 Afghanistan was among the most explosive political issues. The unstable state of the country will continue to affect the …
The internationalization of surveillance is susceptible to abuse and cyberterrorism. A means of assessing the possible side effects of …
Tim Foxley |
January 5, 2009 | 2 comments
Too little time, effort and analytical resources are dedicated to understanding what the Taliban are saying - and that a change in …
Dealing with Russia should not be left to cold warriors and Russian well-wishers. Both Old and New Europe will benefit from replacing …
The Western effort to conquer “hearts and minds” in Afghanistan is being hindered by a failure to recognize the core role of religion …
The nature of youth violence in Central America is deeply connected to social perceptions and …
The hegemonic behavior of the Bush administration during its first term almost led to the end …
International organizations aim to overcome inefficiencies in complex crisis management by …
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