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[Apr 30] Europe, the Middle East and the war on terror: From Commentary, can France be saved? Michel Gurfinkiel investigates. Peter Beinart & Jonah Goldberg debate: Can we still hate France? David A. Bell on Henry IV and the French election. From Le Monde diplomatique, the French satirical paper Charlie-Hebdo has just been acquitted of publicly insulting Muslims by reprinting the notorious Danish cartoons featuring the Prophet. Is free speech really in danger worldwide? Karen Armstrong reviews books on Muhammad. From New Statesman, Pakistan is reverberating with the call of jihad. Taliban-style militias are spreading rapidly out from provinces in the far north-west. The danger to the country and to the rest of the world is escalating; disparaging terms for burqa-clad women used to be a joke - but not after female students began a campaign of kidnap, intimidation and issuing fatwas; and Pakistan at a glance: Things you need to know about this fascinating country. From Prospect, the middle of nowhere: Western analysts are forever bleating about the strategic importance of the Middle East. But despite its oil, this backward region is less relevant than ever, and it would be better for everyone if the rest of the world learned to ignore it. A review of Jerusalem 1913: The Origins of the Arab-Israeli Conflict. Islamic Democrats? In Egypt, the Muslim Brotherhood has taken up a freedom agenda. Freedom for what is under debate. In Syria, rumors abound of Sunnis adopting Shiite Islam. What would "Shiitization" mean for the Middle East? A Saudi prince tied to Bush is sounding off-key: Prince Bandar bin Sultan may no longer be an unerring beacon of Saudi intent. From Der Spiegel, an article on how to balance freedom and security: The world after 9/11 has led many Western countries to rethink their security policies, but where does the limit lie between protecting citizens and eroding their civil liberties? Form National Journal, in the last three years alone, officials in LA have received and processed more than 4,000 tips on terrorist attacks. A team of specially trained local and federal agents work together wading through fact, fiction and the occasional genuine terrorist plot. Fighting words: An article on the administration's rhetorical quagmire. Robert Wright on The Neocon Paradox: You can empower people through democracy if you want. You can systematically antagonize them if you want. Doing both at once is ill advised. Samuel Brittan on why democracy is far from everything. From Armed Forces Journal, Lt. Col. Paul Yingling on A Failure in Generalship: For the second time in a generation, the United States faces the prospect of defeat at the hands of an insurgency. A review of The Changing Face of War: Lessons of Combat, from the Marne to Iraq by Martin Van Creveld. Fouad Ajami reviews The Occupation of Iraq: Winning the War, Losing the Peace. Riding shotgun with our shadow Army in Iraq: They've given Nir Rosen a machine gun and 180 rounds of ammo, and told him not to pee for six hours. From ZNet, Jeremy Brecher and Brendan Smith on the "Stab in the Back" trap. A review of At the Center of the Storm by George Tenet. And 9/11 was bad, but ...: The attacks were appalling, but they don't pose the threat politicians make them out to be [Weekend] From The Journal of Democracy, Pratap Bhanu Mehta on The Rise of Judicial Supremacy and India's unlikely democracy pdf.  From Radar, a look at how Britain ruined the world: "Buckingham Malice". From The Weekly Standard, Ernest W. Lefever on African independence: It isn't all that it's cracked up to be. Nigeria's elections—rife with vote-rigging, violence and intimidation—are only the latest example of the corruption and decay that have characterised Obasanjo's rule. From Asia Times, an article on why Vietnam loves and hates China. From The New Yorker, Enemy of the State: Jianying Zha on the complicated life of an idealist. The people's republic in the grip of popular capitalism: Tens of millions of Chinese are risking their shirts in a stockmarket frenzy. If it goes wrong, things could get nasty. Pop Up Cities: If Dongtan lives up to expectations, it will serve as a model for cities across China and the rest of the developing world. From Asia Times, an article on Russia's energy drive (and part 2). Bill Clinton on how, at the end of the cold war, Russia and the world were lucky to have Boris Yeltsin. Russian 21st-century leaders don't bother to sweat. They either cancel elections or falsify them. From The New York Times, how well is Congress performing under its new Democratic leadership? Thomas Mann, Molly Reynolds and Peter Hoey look to the numbers. Scott Bloch, the controversial director of the OSC is launching the most high-profile (and politically fraught) investigation of his stormy, three-year tenure. Is it a courageous effort to expose White House malfeasance, or a last ditch attempt to save his own hide? Head of the Agency for International Development resigns in escort service inquiry, and more on the Abstinence Bushie: Randall Tobias, hypocrite. Republican delegate Don Larsen may not be catching hell for calling illegal immigration a satanic plot, but he isn't gaining any converts, either. William F. Buckley Jr. on the Waning of the GOP. From TNR, Michelle Cottle on how Bush's hacks come home to roost; Noam Scheiber on Fred Thompson and the appeal of phony populism; and Christopher Beam on how the Dems are saving the big guns for later debates. Matt Bai on The Post-Money Era: Why $50 million in campaign contributions isn’t what it used to be. GOP has uphill climb for cash and candidates: The party feels the drag of investigations and minority status in Congress. And then there's Bush. From TomPaine, Rick Perlstein on how trickle down conservatism infects America: A single page of USA Today reveals conservatism's ugly side. Will the rhetoric ever change? P.J. O'Rourke on his struggle with political discourse. Felons are getting the vote back—and Republicans aren't stopping them. And are "political futures" illegal?: The rules for gambling on political elections [Apr 27] While international organizations such as the IMF, the World Bank and the UN may still seem remote to most Americans, those institutions symbolize the increasing integration of a planet that deeply needs capable, trusted and farsighted guidance. From Foreign Affairs, One World, Too Many Monies: Only a few monies make the world go around — the other national currencies aren't worth their risks; the rift between U.S. military and civilian leaders did not start with George W. Bush, but his administration's meddling and disregard for military expertise have made it worse. Next time, listen to the professionals. From The Nation, here's a forum on US policy toward Cuba; and a new stance toward Havana: The peaceful transfer of power in Cuba presents an opportunity for the US government to abandon its policy of perpetual hostility; Cuban-American moderates are on the rise, but hard-liners still run the show; and five Cuban counterterrorism experts are being held indefinitely in American prisons while the "bin Laden of Latin America" is let free; in recent years the Cuban government has begun to crack down on foreign correspondents; and whose astonishing wisdom led to preserving a statue of the monstrous Ferdinand VII in Havana? Gore Vidal wants to know. From National Journal, the lobbying scandal that plagued Republican candidates in last year's midterm elections is back with a vengeance. But will it have the same effect? In the aftermath of Jack Abramoff, a new clamor for clean money and clean elections can be heard nationwide. Finally, some legislators are offering more than cosmetic solutions. A review of Positively American by Chuck Schumer and ...And I Haven't Had a Bad Day Since by Charlie Rangel. Bradford Plumer on why Democrats should not be afraid to spend money. From Norman Rockwell to Abu Ghraib: To understand how Bush justifies a torture policy that is the bane of our nation, consider the sentimental cowboy art that decks his Oval Office walls. Why nothing fails like success: An article on the Peter Principle in the executive branch. Michael Currie Schaffer on why Bush craves a Democratic successor. Will Democrats learn from Clinton's mistakes? Mark Schmitt wants to know. Is there anything sorrier than the modern party boss? Even Fairbanks investigates. Are political consultants getting rich off your money? The 2008 presidential contenders have raised an unprecedented amount of campaign cash -- and strategists, pollsters and media consultants will reap the monetary rewards. When a campaign breeds a locationship: Campaign staffers enjoy campaign "locationships" -- relationships that last only during election season. Glenn Greenwald on the Bill Moyers documentary on our failed and barren press, and though U.S. media stars will undoubtedly rush to heap praise on Halberstam, his views on the proper role of journalism could not be any farther from what they do. And Tom DeLay on the problem with modern journalism [Apr 26] From Italy, doubts still hang over plans to form a united centre-left party. From Great Britain, John Reid may have stunned his parliamentary critics into submission by quoting Hegel, but was it any better than political Kant? Philip Stephens on the ties that bind Bush and Brown. The first round of the French presidential election threw up a few surprises. But now it's a straight fight—and Sarkozy has the upper hand. A review of Testimony: France in the Twenty-first Century by Nicolas Sarkozy. Joseph Nye on the coming revival in French-American relations. Form The Economist, a look at why anti-Europeanism is a bad response to anti-Americanism. Ian Buruma on the strange death of multiculturalism. A look ahead to the twenty-first century: With rising life expectancy, stagnating working-age populations, and low birth rates, Europe faces a demographic challenge over the next fifty years the likes of which it has never known. Eastern Europeans are happier and healthier than ever before as a result of a better diet and economic success. Drinking and smoking less hasn't hurt either. State of the Church: Catholicism's dwindling presence in Europe has less to do with people losing faith than it does with their rejection of authoritarian institutions. His own Pope yet? Benedict XVI remains something of a blank slate to a world curious to see what this new pontiff would be like. From Prospect, Western analysts are forever bleating about the strategic importance of the Middle East. But despite its oil, this backward region is less relevant than ever, and it would be better for everyone if the rest of the world learned to ignore it. From Foreign Affairs, Al Qaeda strikes back: Five years after 9/11, the United States' deadliest adversary is stronger than ever — and may even be trying to lure Washington into a war with Iran; and a review of In the Footsteps of the Prophet: Lessons From the Life of Muhammad by Tariq Ramadan. A magnet for European tourists, with a new young king intent on reform, Morocco seemed set for a bright future. But modernisation, the rise of Islamism and a wave of al-Qaeda-linked bombings have left the country at a crossroads. A review of Hezbollah: A Short History (and more). A look at why Turkey is Washington's purest test of realism v. idealism. Weakness—or a new realism? Why the Americans are having to adjust their policies in the Middle East. What Next on Iran? Dennis Ross on approaching Tehran with sticks, not carrots. Yankee, Don't Go Home: The Democrats want to bring the US military home from Iraq. But a hurried withdrawal would surely make the situation in the country even more volatile than it already is. The Yankees should stay. An interview with Mohammed el-Nawawy on Al-Jazeera International: "Non-American doesn't mean anti-American". And using the story of Belarusian political activist Denis Denisov as a case study, Evgeny Morozov examines how the future of political activism and human rights lies in the blogosphere [Apr 25] News from around the world: From Great Britain, to have any sense of sexual freedom at all, easy access to abortion was and is entirely necessary. From CT, a review of Vile France: Fear, Duplicity, Cowardice and Cheese; A Year in the Merde; In the Merde for Love; C'est la vie: An American Conquers the City of Light, Begins a New Life, and Becomes—zut alors!—Almost French; French Women Don't Get Fat: The Secret Pleasure of Eating for Pleasure; French Women for All Seasons: A Year of Secrets, Recipes, and Pleasure; Chasing Matisse: A Year in France Living My Dream; Sixty Million Frenchmen Can't Be Wrong (Why We Love France but Not the French); The Story of French; Families of the Vine: Seasons Among the Winemakers of Southwest France; and Almost French: Love and a New Life in Paris. From TAP, the failure of Plan Colombia: The U.S. government's coca-eradication campaign in Colombia has neither curbed coca cultivation there nor reduced the availability of cocaine here. So why aren't we changing course? Alvaro Vargas Llosa on The Return of the Idiot: Throughout the 20th century, Latin America’s populist leaders waved Marxist banners, railed against foreign imperialists, and promised to deliver their people from poverty. One after another, their ideologically driven policies proved to be sluggish and shortsighted. But now, a new generation of self-styled revolutionaries is trying to revive the misguided methods of their predecessors. From Crimes of War, an article on the struggle for justice in Nepal. The remote Buddhist kingdom of Bhutan prepares for an experiment in electoral politics with an April 21 dress rehearsal before the big day. Gandhi is idealised in the west, but in Indian culture he is emerging as a complex figure. Has a famous Chinese filmmaker become a government apologist? Christopher Orr finds out.  An interview with Zambia's first president Kenneth Kaunda: "Africa has huge problems". An interview with Nicholas Shaxson, author of Poisoned Wells: The Dirty Politics of African Oil. From The Economist, a half-built nation: An election season has begun peacefully but Timor-Leste will need years more babysitting from the UN. The South Pacific nation of Tuvalu has tried to recruit other island nations to sue for damages from climate change, arguing that while these small countries contribute only 0.6 percent to global warming, they disproportionately suffer its effects. And more on the island made by global warming [Apr 24] Some 541 politicians, academics and business leaders from Europe and around the world have signed an appeal for the creation of a UN parliamentary assembly to overcome the "democratic deficit" in global affairs and give citizens a bigger voice. The United Nations-sponsored International Compact for Iraq, which seeks to consolidate peace in the war-torn country and pursue political, economic and social development over the next five years, will be launched in Egypt early next month. An excerpt from Breeding Bin Ladens: America, Islam and the Future of Europe. Post-secular society and the Islam industry: A new cadre of "professional Muslims" have realized that kudos is to be gained in speaking on Muslim issues. But the "take me to your leader" approach, practised by government and the media, cuts out the majority of Muslims. Alarm bells in Muslim hearts: Dutch writer Margriet de Moor looks at Islam in the light of Europe and Europe in the light of Islam. An interview with Bernard-Henri Levy: "Europe is possible". The amazing thing about the French election is that nothing amazing happened. France now has a clear choice. Does the country want a mummy or a daddy as its next president? Moscow is promoting a new "megaproject" to link Asia with North America by train, pipeline, and fiber-optic cable across the Bering Strait. An interview with former Putin advisor Andrei Illarionov on the brutality against Russian opposition. Obituary: Boris Yeltsin, and more and more on the first and last true democrat and drunk, and an interview with Strobe Talbott. Bush flunks Diplomacy 101: How to infuriate Russia and the European Union and waste $10 billion a year. From The Brookings Institution, the introduction to Second-Term Blues: How George W. Bush Has Governed. Here's a rundown of Bush appointees who left under a cloud or face conflict-of-interest allegations. The will of the uninformed: Pundits and politicians love to be on the side of the people, even if the people don't have a clue. Michael Kinsley on The Substance Gap: The political class can't stop talking about the 2008 campaign. But that doesn't make it real news. Everything you need to know about the presidential race has already been predicted by baseball's greatest sage, Yogi Berra. Playing the Tolerance Card: David Greenberg on how Obama is like JFK. Obama is Google. McCain is GM: Daniel Gross on presidential candidates as stocks. What does John Edwards' putting I.F. Stone’s The Trial of Socrates at the top of his list tell us about this candidate for President? Falling for Fred: John Dickerson on what his swooners overlook. The Shadow Candidates: Fred Thompson and Al Gore, both former senators from Tennessee, are not exactly running—and not exactly not running either. From Bookslut, an interview with Hendrik Hertzberg of The New Yorker. The Anti-Michael Moore: A look at how Vanity Fair nipped a budding right-wing poster boy. Form Outside.in, a look Inside America's Top 10 Bloggiest Neighborhoods.  A new issue of Blogger & Podcaster is out. And welcome to the blogosphere: Charting the network of jocks, gadget hounds, political junkies, and porn aficionados [Apr 23] From Open Democracy, Dubai's elimination of nationhood as a basis for identity portends a global future. A review of Shimon Peres: The Biography. A lawmaker vanishes: The mysterious flight of a prominent Israeli Arab stirs an old debate. The Road from Mecca: If bilateral negotiations have become a fast track to a dead end it is because today neither the Palestinian nor the Israeli political system possesses the requisite degree of coherence and cohesion. A review of One Country: A Bold Proposal to End the Israeli-Palestinian Impasse. Palestinian self-determination: By ending its boycott of Hamas, Norway may have taken an important first step towards a working peace strategy. From New Statesman, an article on Wales, England's oldest colony. Nationalists say an independent Scotland would automatically be in the European Union. It is not so easy. The US is perceived by many as an international bully, a modern day imperial power. But anti-Americanism is often a cover for hatreds with little justification in fact; and Christian Cox, a US citizen living in London, on her concern about the amount of abuse she receives because of her nationality. The Flavors of Anti-Americanism: Anti-Americanism is nothing new, but it seems there are different categories of dislike. "America's expansiveness, intrusiveness, and tendency toward political, economic, and strategic dominance are not some aberration from our true nature," writes Robert Kagan. "That is our nature." From National Journal, the Iraq war is raging on two distinct timelines, one set by politics in Washington and the other dictated by events in Baghdad. But Washington's clock is about to expire. From NYRB, Elizabeth Drew on The War in Washington. Gen. James Jones is one of Washington's hottest political commodities. Presidential hopefuls are clamoring to get him on their side as they look toward an election sure to be dominated by issues of war and national security. From The Economist, sidelined by reality: The neocons are suffering one humiliation after another. Citing "serious questions of constitutionality" in White House actions, Vermont senators vote to call for the impeachment of President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney. Friends of Al Gore have secretly started assembling a campaign team in preparation for the former American vice-president to make a fresh bid for the White House. An interview with Lee Iacocca on Where Have All the Leaders Gone? The Politics of Prose: What, if anything, do presidential contenders’ books tell us about them? Eric Alterman on why progressives need to take on Fox News's ugly propaganda. Conservatives sour on "rebel media": Dinesh D'Souza's The Enemy at Home sparks a backlash. Can conservative bloggers tell the truth? Eric Boehlert wants to know. Women number fewer than men among bloggers, despite a few prominent voices on the Web. The explanation may be found in the Internet's history and culture. And an interview with Megan McArdle, aka Jane Galt (or more recently “McMegan”) [Weekend 2e] From Brazil, a billboard ban in São Paulo angers advertisers: Imagine a modern metropolis with no outdoor advertising. A review of The Price of Fire: Resource Wars and Social Movements in Bolivia. The Lagging Continent: Why does Latin America, economically, continue to be the sick man of the West? Tony Judt on France looking ahead, and it doesn’t look good: With the departure of Jacques Chirac, we are saying goodbye to the last semblance of statesmanship from a generation that remembered where an unraveled Europe could lead. Most people think East Germany ceased to exist in 1990, when the (East) German Democratic Republic was absorbed by the Federal Republic of (West) Germany. Turns out the GDR lives on, and in a very comfortable climate to boot: a small island off Cuba. Václav vs. Václav: An interview with Vaclav Havel on Václav Klaus. Since becoming a member of the European Union, Romania has aligned itself with Europe and the United States and almost totally disengaged from its post-cold war posture. Romania's parliament suspends the president, Traian Basescu, from office for alleged abuse of power. A thaw in the river: A settlement in Transdniestria is bad news for Moldova—and the West. Democracy à la russe: The brutal suppression of peaceful protests says much about the dangerously unfettered mood in the Kremlin. But something could happen: Sonja Margolina reports on the advantages of "controlled instability" to Putin's regime. A review of The Unknown Gulag: The Lost World of Stalin's Special Settlements. From New Left Review, a balance-sheet of Russia's post-Soviet fortunes, placing the devastating collapse of the 1990s and recent revival under Putin in comparative context: A look at the dangers—overvalued currency, oil dependence, crumbling infrastructure—on the road ahead, and a respose: What are the priorities and outlook of the emerging business-state elite—and whom will Putin’s "stabilization" benefit?; and Turkey's Justice and Development Party has been the agent of a classic passive revolution, effectively shoring up the Kemalist state: A look at the paradoxes of "Americanization with Muslim characteristics", against the backdrop of Western military intervention in the Middle East. The Bad New Era: The era of optimism for democracy in the Middle East has ended, says Richard Haass. An interview with Bill Clinton on the Middle East, and the Bush administration. Moisés Naím on democracy's dangerous impostors: An important and growing global trend that deserves more scrutiny is how governments are funding and controlling nongovernmental organizations, often stealthily. What the Cold War taught us: Eric Posner on how liberal democracies, not activists and international law, protect human rights. And David Rieffon how Wolfowitz walked into a trap: Many World Bank staffers were gunning for the former administration official when he began his tenure [Weekend] From The Globalist, what does the western Siberian village of Khanti-Mansiisk have to show for its abundant oil resources? Anatol Lieven investigates (and part 2), and more on the toxic truth of Norilsk, a secretive Siberian city. Russia is again considering an ambitious plan that dates back to czarist times: building a tunnel under the Bering Sea to Alaska. The international community might experience a new race of exploration, conquest and acquisition for this “new world” - these newly available lands and sea routes in the Arctic. Farewell, Sweet Ice: Melting ice is threatening the centuries-old society of the Gwich'in tribes. An article on Sannikov Land, an Arctic phantom island. A new island has been discovered in the Arctic after rising temperatures melted the giant ice sheet which covered it. The United Nations Security Council holds its first-ever debate on the impact of climate change on security. From The Nation, can the ruling classes save the world from global warming?; James Hansen on why we can't wait: If Congress follows these five suggestions, we could solve the problem of global warming; areas like Bangladesh and New Orleans, which promise to be hard hit by climate change, face a stark decision; airplanes produce staggering amounts of carbon dioxide--and there's no way to make them more energy-efficient; a look at why erasing your "carbon footprint" is tougher than it seems; and the world's most industrialized countries started the climate crisis, but China might well finish the job. A look at why Chinese and Indian stubbornness aren't excuses to allow climate change. Jeffrey Sachs on realizing crucial energy technologies will take more than just research and development. From The Economist, will there be life after Wolfowitz? Unloved and demoralised, the bank still has work to do, especially in Africa. A spreading arc of African conflict is rooted in a toxic mix of colonialism, poverty, oil and political ambition. Gérard Prunier dissects the Chadian crisis. A review of Decolonization and the Decolonized. An interview with Vijay Prashad, author of The Darker Nations: A People's History of the Third World. From Open Democracy, the risks of climate change, militarism and inequality – not the "war on terror" – must guide global security policy. How to get a handle on the axis: Financial sanctions have a big place in a tool-box designed to thwart the proliferators of Pyongyang and Tehran. Young supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood, a fundamentalist Islamic group in Egypt, have joined the blogosphere in recent months, offering new windows into the personal lives of individual members. The terror of self-satisfaction: What goes on in the mind of a jihadi? An interview with Lawrence Wright, author of The Looming Tower: Al-Qaeda and the Road to 9/11. More on The Occupation of Iraq: Winning the War, Losing the Peace by Ali A. Allawi. From Women's Wall Street, Annie Jacobsen on reporting suspicious behavior (on the "Terror in the Skies" series). And an interview with Bruce Schneier, author of Beyond Fear: Thinking Sensibly About Security in an Uncertain World [Apr 20] Europe/Iraq/USA: From Germany, politician Günther Oettinger has backed away from his speech praising a former Nazi judge. But German commentators are not willing to let him off the hook yet; and more on the fine art of whitewashing. From First Things, a review of Philip Jenkins's God’s Continent: Christianity, Islam, and Europe’s Religious Crisis. A review of Murder in Amsterdam by Ian Buruma and Sacred Causes by Michael Burleigh. A new Gallup World Poll finds that more binds the British majority with its religious minority than not. The greatest challenge of all may be in moving beyond minor, symbolic controversies in order to pave a path toward a shared future. A review of Cameron: The Rise of the New Conservative. A review of The Offbeat Radicals: the British Tradition of Alternative Dissent. Alice Wheeldon and law's black hole: The 1917 conviction of a British radical family has disturbing echoes in the age of "war on terror". A review of Michael Foot: A life. Could Scotland "go it alone"? If the Irish can thrive, why can't the Scots? From LRB, an article on the rise of Scottish nationalism and the State of the Union; and Sarko, Ségo & Co: Jeremy Harding writes about the French elections. An introspective election: why France is viewing the world with froideur. Build 'em up, knock 'em down: There is an uncanny similarity in the way the public and the media in France and the United States are treating Ségolène Royal and Hillary Clinton. Jacques Attali on the truth about the French model: The rest of the world is jealous. From Global Politician, is European civil war inevitable by 2025? (and part 2). Immanuel Wallerstein on Europe, 2057.  Iraq could hold almost twice as much oil in its reserves as had been thought, according to the most comprehensive independent study of its resources. Barry Posen on the risks of staying vs. leaving Iraq. Much like conflicts in the rest of the Middle East, the Iraq war won't end in a conclusive military victory or defeat. Our exit will be a negotiated affair. How will the United States help those Iraqis whose belief in us cost them their country? 9/11's free speech casualties: Two journalists who questioned Bush's leadership weeks after the attacks lost their jobs and faced threats. A look at how the Bush administration, aided by Justice Department political appointees, has pursued an aggressive legal effort to restrict voter turnout in key battleground states in ways that favor Republican political candidates. Kremlin justice in the US: The U.S. attorney scandal is part of a larger Bush administration offense, using law enforcement as a tool of the ruling party. Dahlia Lithwick on how Alberto Gonzales is bloodied by his trip to the Senate. From McSweeney's, a look at the pros and cons of the top 20 Democratic presidential candidates. The Clintons are back on war footing, and Harold Ickes is back at the center of things. Marvin Olasky on why a presidential candidate's personal life is not private. And Michael Tomasky on how a Super-Duper Tuesday could take us back in time... to a brokered convention [Apr 19] Ban Ki-moon says the international community should discuss common guidelines on how to respond to hostage situations. How peacekeeping works: Undof? Unmee? Binub? A look at how missions are put together. Why Sudan is now allowing UN troops in Darfur: Sudan announces it would allow 3,000 international peacekeepers in, leading the US and Britain to increase pressure. When the gloves of peace come off: In Haiti and the Democratic Republic of Congo, the readiness of Blue Helmets to impose peace using lethal force marked a departure from the more passive missions of the 1990s, sometimes with worrying effect. Niall Strange on The Tragic Death of Enlightened Interventionism. Zbigniew Brzezinski to the US: "You'd better get it right next time". Imperial Sunset? For the first time since its rise as a superpower the United States is facing a serious threat to its hegemony across the globe. In the event readers need a summary of the case for divine intervention on behalf of humanity against the detestable monstrosity we have become, here it is. From Harper's, an article on the vast power of the Saudi Lobby. An article on why it's time for a Christian Mideast state. Plan FUBAR: Phillip Carter on time for Plan G in Iraq? Honesty is the worst policy: Whatever their sins, the neocons were right about one thing: it is impossible to tell the truth to the public about things that really matter. From Cracked, here are 5 reasons George W. Bush isn't as stupid as you think. George W. Bush may not be the best example of US President, so it is lucky we have a few fictional representations on which to fall back. Lights! Action! Elections! If you think that running for president means taking tough stands on tough issues, you have never run for president. From The Politico, a profile of Ron Paul, a conservative study in contrasts (and an interview). A look at how Bill Richardson could win the presidency. Social samurai Pat Buckley—with her damn-the-torpedoes style, arched-eyebrow wit, salty sailor’s courage, loyalty to husband Bill, and ability to raise big money for worthy charities—was the kind of volcanic and endearing socialite New York won’t see the likes of again any time soon. From The Washington Monthly, a cover story on the secret lives of Washington’s power couples, and more on Washington’s 60 Sizzlingest Power Couples; political fromagerie: An article on The Superhappy Heterosexual Evolving Robots & Neuroscientific Party—and other alternatives for your vote; Mark Schmitt reviews The Thumpin’: How Rahm Emanuel and the Democrats Learned to Be Ruthless and Ended the Republican Revolution; and young people are moving toward the Democratic Party. Has Rep. Tim Ryan found a way to keep them there? Politics 2.0: Netroots not necessarily the grass roots: Does the term "online fundraising" really mean anything significant? From Government Executive, make me laugh: Serious bureaucracy needs a good kick in the funny bone. And acronyms, initialisms and abbreviations are the stuff of government. They also make for bumpy reading, according to a recent report from the Mercatus Center at George Mason [Apr 18] From Kyrgyzstan, wilting tulips: Two years after the last one, is it time for another revolution? The Kiev simulacrum: Ukraininans are taking event in Kiev in stride, as the Blue camp tries in vain to copy the Orange Revolution. A Tale of Two Cities: Moscow vs. Kiev, which demonstration deserves your support? From Foreign Policy, despite efforts to stem the global trade in narcotics—indeed, often because of them—new trade routes are emerging around the world, posing challenges to authorities and local populations alike. A look at the newest fronts in the global war on drugs. Political Economy of Land Grab: An analysis of the new phase of capitalist expansion that is driving governments, including those of the left, to dispossess and displace peasants from agricultural land, even using force to break up peasant resistance pdf. A world bursting at the seams: An interview with Jeffrey Sachs. From The Economist, making less with more: America's productivity growth has slowed. Does that matter? Test of stamina: What, asks the IMF, might a flagging America mean for the rest of the world? From TNR, Culture War: Azar Nafisi on why America's best weapon is the Iranian people. An interview with Al Venter, author of Allah's Bomb: The Islamic Quest for Nuclear Weapons. The World’s Growing Nuclear Club: A look at how India can offer some lessons on non-proliferation in a new nuclear age. From GQ, has the Straight Talk Express stalled? An interview with John McCain. Edwards' $400 Haircut: And other curious facts hiding in the presidential campaign-finance reports. Patriot Act: Jon Voight understands that America is under attack. Why don't you? The highly touted PBS series on Islam and terrorism "America at a Crossroads" casts a cold eye on Bush's Iraq disaster, but fails to examine Mideast history or America's failed policies in the region. From Slate, in praise of insensitive reporters: We'd hate them even more if they didn't overcover the VT story. Best-informed also view fake news, study says: Respondents who knew the most about what's going on were likely to be viewers of programs like Jon Stewart's "The Daily Show". Suddenly, the Web is giving eggheads something to watch: A number of Web efforts are under way to provide for more cerebral alternatives to television on the Web. Call them YouTubes for wonks. The rush towards video over the internet is on: An article on online video and the death of Hollywood. From City Journal, the media cornucopia: It’s a Golden Age of media—but not for long, if the Left has its way. Condé Nast’s Portfolio might be the last big magazine launch ever. So why are so many people hoping it fails? Portfolio, the glossy new business magazine from Condé Nast, is hoping to capitalize where other bigger magazines have faltered (and more). Real business or face saver? Publishers are trying to keep defunct titles alive online. Is it a real business or just face saving? Blogging for dollars: Some niche websites are full-time jobs for their owners, with six-figure incomes the reward, but for others Internet profits are still just a dream. And Bruce Bartlett on blogging benefits [Apr 17] News from around the world: New secretary-general is still finding his footing at the UN: Ban Ki-moon has vowed to be a bridge-builder. But his decision-making style leaves some wondering. More on Kofi Annan: A Man of Peace in a World of War and The Best Intentions: Kofi Annan and the UN in the Era of American Power. From Financial Times, IMF president Paul Wolfowitz's future hangs in balance: As European leaders turn screws on Wolfowitz, a look at why Bush should let a damaged Wolfowitz go (and more and more). A look at how Wolfowitz undercuts his own mission. The question Wolfowitz apparently failed to ask, is: given that I am basing my entire tenure at the World Bank on a crusade against corruption, how will it look if I extend special favors to a handful of political confidantes plus my girlfriend? Jean-Michel Severino on making the IMF and World Bank work for the poor. Clive Crook on how the significance of globalization is at the same time greatly overrated and greatly underrated. From The New Yorker, the French are often accused of being trapped in their Cartesian categories. In politics, the left cannot creep toward the center, let alone the right, without a deep, if not intolerable, sense of ideological betrayal. Christopher Hitchens on The French Reaction: Le Pen rises again. Welcome to the French Nationalist Heartland: For tourists, it's an idyllic town in southern France. But for the French, Saint-Gilles is better known for its intolerance of immigration. Former intelligence officials confirmed a Le Monde report that France's foreign intelligent service had heard about an al Qaeda plot which was "likely to involve a US airplane" and that France informed the CIA. From Der Spiegel, an interview with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan: "If the EU doesn't want us, they should say it now". From The Atlantic Monthly, "Israel is our home": Gershom Gorenberg elucidates the startling politics of Avigdor Lieberman, a right-wing Israeli politician who has lately taken center stage. Between 1985 and 2005, Israel underwent an economic revolution, propelling it to the forefront of the global high-tech sector. How did it do it? A review of Once Upon a Country: A Palestinian Life by by Sari Nusseibeh (and more). A look at why the one-state solution is the most visionary and the most sensible. A new issue of Cultural Survival, is out, on land & resources in the Americas. Thousands of Indigenous peoples from 24 countries gather in Guatemala for the Third Continental Summit of Indigenous Peoples and Nationalities of Abya Yala. Ecuadorians overwhelmingly vote in favor of forming an assembly to rewrite the constitution, a project sought by leftist President Rafael Correa. An article on Chile as a country geographically located in South America "by accident". Slaking a thirst for justice: A generation later, in both Argentina and Chile, the courts are dealing with the perpetrators of past atrocities. And the south Atlantic islands fought over in 1982 have played a key part in the formation of Argentina’s national identity. The Malvinas "cause" thus illuminates the complexities of modern Argentinean nationalism [Apr 16] News from around the world: From Ghana, during a ceremony commemorating the abolition of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade, President John Kufuor drew the ire of some for comments made about reparations. Post-nation depression: African literature tells universal human stories against a backdrop of post-colonial state failure. Anglican divisions are a reminder that homophobia in Africa is still the norm. For decades, the oil-rich delta of the Niger river has been plundered by western companies and rampant political corruption. But now a small group of ruthless Ijaw tribesmen are threatening to sabotage production unless their demands for compensation are met (and part 2). A review of Untapped: The Scramble for Africa's Oil. From Green Left Weekly, an article on the Moroccan magic formula for Western Sahara. From Wired, an article on blogging in a land where the press isn't free. They call themselves "pyjamahideen." Instead of galloping off to fight holy wars, they stay at home, meaning, often as not, in their parents' houses, and clatter about computer keyboards. Bloggers may be the real opposition in Egypt: How the authorities are being nettled. North Africa under attack, and relying on repression: Can liberalization defang terrorists? Do crackdowns work, or do they backfire? An interview with Mohsin Hamid, author of The Reluctant Fundamentalist (and two reviews). Can democracy prevent the spread of militant Islam in Indonesia, a nation with the world’s largest Muslim population? (and a graphic and a video). Religious extremism is a countrywide reality in Pakistan, not restricted to some remote corner, but present in the heart of the capital. A review of The Leopard and the Fox: A Pakistani Tragedy, by Tariq Ali. A review of India After Gandhi: The History of the World’s Largest Democracy. A review of Planet India: How the Fastest-Growing Democracy is Transforming the World. From Japan Focus, an essay on The Politics of Imagining Asia: Empires, nations, regional and global Orders. A review of The Dragon and the Foreign Devils, The Writing on the Wall, and China Modernizes. Aung San Suu Kyi as a woman of courage: An excerpt from Courage: Eight Portraits by Gordon Brown. Battle over the banlieues: The unrest in France’s impoverished immigrant suburbs has dominated the country’s presidential campaign, leaving voters to wonder just what it means now to be French. Sarko, Ségo, or Bayrou? What you need to know about the French elections. Half a dozen far-left and Green candidates are on the ballot. While they have no chance of winning, they could take vital votes away from Royal. The race for the Elysée: Four candidates will determine the outcome of France's presidential election, but only three have a realistic chance of winning. Where there’s drink, there’s food: The secret to continental Europe’s calm and civilised bars is simple. Food is available to hamper the disruptive potential of alcohol. And on the non-functioning myth: It is dishonest to pretend that the EU is unable to work

[Apr 30] Law - sex and love - religion: Lawrence Solum (Illinois): Originalism as Transformative Politics. From the Web Journal of Current Legal Issues, a special issue on Diverting Juveniles, Diverting Justice. How much are frivolous lawsuits really costing you? The Numbers Guy investigates. From The Nation, Katha Pollitt on how the Supreme Court's recent antichoice decision shows how deeply disinformation has seeped into the abortion debate. Law and Revulsion: Kennedy's disgust with the details of "partial-birth" abortion opens the door for challenges on other abortion methods as well: Will the real Anthony Kennedy please stand up? Ultrasound and the future of abortion: William Saletan on sex, life, and videotape. A landmark abortion law marks the start of American-style culture wars in Mexico. Unique Model: Iran's system of compensating organ donors is being watched closely by transplant advocates and medical ethicists alike. A review of Everything Conceivable: How Assisted Reproduction Is Changing Men, Women, and the World. An article on how to make babies: Observations on pronatalism. E. J. Graff on The Mommy War Machine: Despite years of news stories, books, talk show appearances and cyberspace debates, there's no war between stay-at-home moms and working mothers. A look at Why We Need an ERA: Some members of Congress are looking to do something long overdue. Protecting women against sexual violence: Rape is " an accusation easily to be made and hard to be proved". Present-day American males are the most pampered examples of their species in history, and compensate by vicariously nurturing self-images of masculinity removed from reality. A Disciplined Business: The creation of online pornography is becoming more acceptable, more rarefied and more challenging financially. That’s enough to turn on Peter Acworth. Devices and desires: Is lascivious online content, traditionally on top, losing its lustre? From New York, a special issue on Sex & Love: an article on The Lesbian Bride’s Handbook: Is white appropriate? What’s the right term for a groom who’s a woman? And what to say to her mother?; Of MILF and Men: The sexy-mom phenomenon—is it hot or not?; High Infidelity: A true story about lies, in which no one escapes unscathed; The Waiting Room: Real live New York City virgins speak out on what it means to say “no” in the city of Yes; and apartment-hunting can turn loving couples into screaming banshees. Cute Band Alert: A look at how Sassy magazine created a new sex object. Jacob Sollum on girly mags vs. the censors: The changing standards of sexiness. If God were an accountant: Whose life is worth more, a drug dealer or a prostitute? Are you there, God? It's me, Hitchens: Christopher Hitchens on religion (no thanks), Iraq (not a mistake), and his own loud reputation. An excerpt from Christopher Hitchens' God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything (and a review from Esquire and more). My neighbors are proselytizing to my kid. How can I get them to stop it? It is disappointing when figures like Rowan Williams complain that morality has gone to pot. In reality, no such thing is happening. An Essay on Man: What the New Humanism isn't about is the intellectual self-confidence that calls faulty judgment faulty. And Richard Land, the religious right's would-be kingmaker, on Who Would Jesus Pick? [Weekend] From Time, history records that the Jamestown colonists overpowered the Indians; Jamestown gave birth to a contradiction--a democracy that was committed to slavery. But it didn't have to work that way; John Smith a bully, a braggart and a rebel with a big chip on his shoulder. They would never have made it without him; so what if they weren't lovers? Pocahontas and John Smith were fascinated with each other, and it saved the colony; and Richard Brookhiser on Inventing America. A look at the plucky little country The Free and Independent Republic of West Florida; and your typical American border is the straight line, as demonstrated by the US-Canadian border that follows the 49th parallel. A delightful exception to the straight border is the the circular demarcation between Pennsylvania and Delaware (and part 2). One of the problems in the US is that French North America is not on the radar screen of the American Anglos. The story of the misnaming of America: Five hundred years ago today, a mapmaker in a small city in the Vosges Mountains is now eastern France named America. A review of The Lost World of James Smithson: Science, Revolution, and the Birth of the Smithsonian. From Asia Sentinel, a Filipina’s happy slip is showing: American-born Christine Gambito is becoming a star on the Internet with parodies of her immigrant family. A good provider is one who leaves: Migrant workers from the Philippines send billions back to the country. But the Comodas family’s multigenerational experience with working abroad shows that the human cost is harder to calculate. A review of Jungle Capitalists: A Story of Globalisation, Greed and Revolution. From Old World to Real World: Steven Pearlstein on how free-trade policies falter if all countries don't play fair. A look at how government competition with private industry is more widespread than one might think. From Opinion Journal, pop culture has rarely been kind to the heroic adman. A review of Pop!: Why bubbles are great for the economy. More on The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable by Nassim Nicholas Taleb. From Forbes, the disruptive power of networks: The Internet has helped shake up our world. Here's what we can look forward to next. An extraordinary collection of early financial literature is going on sale. More on The Last Tycoons: The Secret History of Lazard Frères & Co. Money may be a big, and very good, reason for working on Wall Street. But some employers do not see it that way; and it's funny how anxiety dreams about new jobs can seem so vivid. Everyone has a nightmare to relate. A look at why employee diversity training doesn't work: Teaching executives to overcome their biases isn't helping minorities and women. An interview with David Williams about racial and socioeconomic disparities in health. Everything old is new again: Income inequality, rising at the same time that modern conservatism began gaining political power, is now fully back to Gilded Age levels [Apr 27] Humanity is capable of many horrible things and a good many of them are totally insane and without any sensible reward. The unfortunate quality of terrorism, whatever its origins and results, is that it is very frequently effective. More on The Lucifer Effect: Understanding How Good People Turn Evil by Philip Zimbardo. 70 years of shock and awe: The 1937 air raid on the Basque city of Guernica ushered in the modern concept of total war. Richard Holbrooke reviews Diplomat Heroes of the Holocaust by Mordecai Paldiel. A review of