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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.

Palestinian Civil Society is the Key to Peace

Regarding the issue of Palestine, Israel, the US, and the free world overemphasized the aim to have a strong partner in the peace process, and in doing so even supported corrupt and violent leaders. ++ But the path towards peace must pursue a radically different approach and must be linked to strengthening Palestinian civil society and the rule of law in the Palestinian territories. ++ The international community is asked to empower Palestinian civil society and ignore those who violate their rights.

Privatization Would Enrich China's Citizens

With regard to the global slowdown, it would be wise if China privatized state-owned assets in order to transform China's growth model from being export-driven to being stimulated by domestic consumption. ++ Even if the country's assets in government hands supported the emergence of an industrialized economy in the past, it is time for the government to share the wealth through economic growth with its citizens. ++ In contrast to other former socialist countries, who had no experience with capital markets, China is operationally ready.

Product Prices Need to Reflect Environmental Costs

The problem of modern capitalist markets in times of global warming is that we do not have to pay the true environmental costs of the products we buy. ++ There are two possible solutions: either we apply green taxes to reflect a product's environmental harm, or we create a market for nature's services. ++ Economists prefer the first suggestion as it is more efficient, involves less bureaucracy and gives clear signals to the consumers. ++ The economy of the future needs to reward energy efficiency and clean production.

We Musn't Allow a New Rift Between NATO and Russia

Admitting Georgia and Ukraine to NATO could spoil the cooperation between Russia and the West. ++ If NATO decides to take in the two former Soviet republics, Russia might reciprocate by freezing its relations with the alliance which would be a lose-lose situation for all the parties involved. ++ We must not let this issue cool the relations between NATO and Moscow. ++ NATO, Russia and the OSCE must forge a new compact and work together if they are serious about addressing the challenges and threats in their common neighbourhood.

Indian Muslims Heed to Pied Pipers of Jihad

India is depicted in the media as “a squeaky-clean ally of the United States” and no inconvenient truths are allowed to mar Indian democracy's supposed success story. ++ A passive receiver of this image will surely be surprised to learn that between 2004 and 2007 3,674 people died of terrorist attacks in India, a death toll second only to that in Iraq and over 3 times higher than in Pakistan – allegedly "the most dangerous place on earth". ++ The alienated and militantly disaffected Muslim minority has begun to heed the “Pied Pipers of Jihad.”

The State of the European Military Capabilities

The International Institute for Strategic Studies has published the first ever "European Military Capabilities" report that is supposed to monitor the transformation of the European defense forces into a modern army able to perform multilateral military interventions. ++ Lack of task sharing, reluctancy to deploy the new forces, and rivalry between the EU and NATO have been identified as the biggest drawbacks. ++ The IISS calls on Paris and London to take leadership and support the ongoing transformation process.

Bush's Good Points

Amid the general Bush-bashing, we should not forget the achievements of G.W. Bush's foreign policy: Iraq isn’t a failure, but turns out to be a genuine success as three free elections since 2003 prove. ++ Furthermore, one must recognize that the Bush administration focused on Iran over the last two years without pushing any hasty military solution to Iran’s nuclear program. ++ US foreign policy towards China has also been moderate and effective, the attempts to resolve the problem of the North Korean bomb through a regional consensus commendable.

Media Distorts our Perception of Afghanistan

The war on terror has been an utter fiasco: before the US troops arrived in 2001 Afghanistan was much more peaceful and stable, now the insurgency has spread all over the country, become multi-ethnic and more robust. ++ American claims of spreading democracy lie buried beneath the hineous crimes perpetrated by its soldiers – this might “culminate in a violent insurgency.“ ++ People outside of Afghanistan don’t realize it because the media carry out a well orchestrated campaign to camouflage the failure and vilify the enemy.

EU Leadership Necessary to Solve Abkhazian Conflict

EU realizes it is time to solve the festering conflicts in the Union’s new neighborhood: Abkhazia and South Ossetia. ++ But Moscow has an interest in preserving this "simmering status quo” and delays anything that could resolve the duel as it helps to achieve the goal of keeping Georgia out of NATO. ++ The key to resolution is for the EU to convince Kremlin that peace and stability on its southern border are more important and beneficial for Russia than vetoing Georgia’s, and possibly independent Abkhazia’s, Western integration.

New Sect Widens Palestinian Dispute

As the chasm between Hamas and Fatah appears to widen, another organisation called Hizb ut-Tahrir emerges. ++ It has the aim to reestablish an Islamic Caliphate to govern the whole Muslim world under Islamic law, but opposes the use of violence and tries to gain supporters through education instead. ++ Even if Hizb ut-Tahrir does not stand in elections yet and is opposed by Fatah in the West Bank, in the long-run it could have an impact on Palestinian politics. ++ Reactions to it display how divided the Palestinian leadership currently is.