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A careful selection and summary of editorials, commentaries, and analyses from the world’s leading newspapers and magazines to help you stay on top of the latest debates and developments in the transatlantic agenda. See list of monitoring sources.
Readers can also see how the perspectives and priorities diverge in different regions.

Go Green For Real

In the aftermath of the sound failure of the Climate Conference, the first symptoms of a growing lack of interest from corporations for the Kyoto carbon dioxide scheme are becoming apparent. ++ The worldwide infatuation for climate change issues last December has drastically faded away from the market place, as evidenced by the sudden fall of the price of carbon dioxide. ++ A possible alternative might be, on the one hand, the implementation of a border tax scheme, or, on the other, to increase national taxation on polluting activities.

Terrorism Threats: A Relentless Success Story

The Christmas Day terror scare favors the rivival of Bush-style rhetoric. ++ Obama´s refreshing attempt at an open dialogue with Muslims is turning into a classical security response. ++ Though the breach was largely the fault of American intelligence and European airport screening, Washington's first reaction was to start targeting the Muslim population. ++ In spite of Obama's calls not to overreact, “actions speak louder.” ++ The message of terror is widely spread over the United States: again, the Al Qaeda strategy has succeeded.

Kick the Bureaucracy Out of Intelligence

The terrorist attempt on Christmas Day proves that politics is prevailing over objective analysis. ++ Political assumptions are clouding the process twards developing an effective global counter-terroism policy, causing obvious mistakes that put the world is at risk. ++ The White House is responsible and should put an end to these bureaucratic practises by abolishing the current agencies. ++ Intelligence should be placed on a market place of ideas like any other product. ++ In this way, decisive action would be rewarded towards the betterment of the system as a whole.

There Is Such a Thing as Society

Americans fear the heathcare plan is a sign of a shift towards the "lousy" European social democracy. ++ Statistics prove the "Old Continent's" model to be an economically dynamic one, challenging both the current financial crisis and long-run perspectives. ++ In Europe, freedom and individual responsibility have not been allegedly undermined by collective responsibility, embodied by the European safety-net system. ++ Overcoming dogma will help the US make strategic choices such as reconciling social justice with progress.

"Twitter vs. Terror"

Texts, tweets, and friend requests are playing their part in what is being dubbed “twenty-first century statecraft.” ++ The US State Department is actively promoting the use of modern communications and social networking technologies to win the hearts and minds of people in conflict and crisis regions from Iran and Pakistan to the Democratic Republic of the Congo. ++ Twitter and the like are winning support for grassroots human rights movements, improving global communication, and even promise to boost developing economies.

"Keeping Turkey out of Europe"

22 years after Turkey's first application, EU membership is as remote a prospects as ever, with Bulgaria presenting the latest hurdle. ++ Although Turkey should be required to improve its human rights record, the antipathy directed at Ankara is another matter entirely and has been "tantamount to racism." ++ In fact, "there is a tacit agreement among some of the most powerful leaders that the union must remain predominantly Christian." ++ They seem to forget that the EU was set up to be a club of democracies, not of Christian nations.

Time To Act

The wait and see attitude of Europe and the US towards the Iranian revolt is morally unacceptable. ++ Ashton has yet to make a statement and Obama only last week called on the Iranian leadership to stop violating human rights. ++ Ashton's lack of action based on a fear for harming business interests and Obama's unsuccessful policy of engagement need to be reconsidered at this crucial phase of the Iranian insurgency. ++ They must show their support for the Iranian protesters and make their choice for a free Iran unequivocally known.

The New Russian Doctrine on Climate Change

Russia is paving the way for a truly objective review of the causes and effects of climate change with its new doctrine. ++ It acknowledges that the human impact on climate change is still unclear, encouraging new independent studies. ++ Despite Medvedev's belief that "climate change could be greatly overstated," Russia did not undermine talks in Copenhagen. ++ Rather the new doctrine backed the global agreement, as it will facilitate access to energy-saving technologies that are crucial for the modernization of Russian industry.

The Art of Missing Intelligence

Treating terrorism as a matter for domestic law enforcement risks undermining intelligence, as Abdulmutallab's failed attack made painfully clear. ++ US intelligence agents' ability to prevent attacks is strained by strict rules crafted for domestic law enforcement, such as the reasonable suspicion standard that prevented intelligence officers from putting Abdulmutallab on the ‘no-fly' list despite his father's warnings. ++ "If we continue to choose to limit how information can be used in our defense, we shouldn't be surprised when our defenses fail."

False Economic Hope

Though the economy is showing signs of recovery, we should not repeat the mistake of 1937, when the Fed and Roosevelt's administration decided the Great Depression was over and "it was time for the economy to throw away its crutches." ++ Occasional good numbers mean nothing and are in part statistical illusions. ++ With continuing mass unemployment, Congress should enact another round of stimulus instead of talk about an exit strategy. ++ If not, 2010 will be "a year that began in false economic hope and ended in grief."