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[May 15] Pundits think Rudy Giuliani's cross-dressing, gay-roommating, Planned Parenthood-donating past will doom his presidential campaign. But is he pointing toward the future of the Republican Party? How America's mayor scrapped his way to the top of the least popular fraternity on his college campus: An excerpt from America's Mayor, America's President? The Strange Career of Rudy Giuliani. Mr. Home-Wrecker Goes to Washington: Why shouldn't we judge Rudy by his disastrous home life? Six years ago, Judi Giuliani was the other woman. Today, she’s the ostentatiously adoring wife of the front-runner for the Republican nomination. The Yankees' Clean-Up Man: Rudy went to bat for the Yanks, and look what he scored. Bill Keller on how a vote for Mitt Romney is a vote for Satan. Pulp affection: What Romney's taste for science fiction really means. David Frum has some advice for three leading Republicans. Why rank-and-file Republicans might opt to send a protest message by throwing the '08 fight with a statement candidate. From MySpace to NoSpace: For Republicans, campaigning on the Web hasn’t leveled the 2008 playing field. Welcome to the age of YouTube politics, where everything you have ever said will be used against you. MySpace Gets Political: Global Empire to host presidential town hall sessions. Here are ideas for improving the presidential debates, but what's wrong with a clutter of candidates? The case for 10-man presidential debates. Michael Bloomberg has fueled speculation that he will run for president by sharpening his national profile and delivering speeches across the country. Let’s face it: This country needs a president. And only one man is fit for the job: Stephen Colbert. An interview with Frank Rich on the culture of politics. The Matt Drudge primary: How professional political operatives secretly control the news you read about the 2008 campaign. Hint: It involves the Drudge Report. From NYRB, How Democrats Should Talk: Michael Tomasky on The Greatest Story Ever Sold: The Decline and Fall of Truth from 9/11 to Katrina; Words That Work: It's Not What You Say, It's What People Hear; and The Political Brain: The Role of Emotion in Deciding the Fate of the Nation. A review of Talking Right and George Lakoff's Whose Freedom: The Battle over America’s Most Important Idea. More on The Thumpin': How Rahm Emanuel and the Democrats Learned to Be Ruthless and Ended the Republican Revolution.  From Radar, running wild with Mike Gravel: A long-shot candidate has his media moment (and an interview). From The Black Commentator, here are questions for Candidate Obama. From Bloomberg, a look at how Obama's economic brain trust breaks with the status quo. Clay Risen on Barack Obama, hedge-fund candidate. Obama is the only who isn't being forced to spend vast amounts of time and energy these days trying to convince voters of his authenticity. Senator Clinton’s Strategist in Chief: Bill Clinton is the master strategist behind his wife’s candidacy, but there are potential pitfalls. How can Hillary maintain her populist credentials when Mark Penn, her chief pollster and campaign strategist, also represents the interests of some of America's largest corporations? Bruce Bartlett on conservatives for Hillary (and more) and a look at the problem with Bruce Bartlett's conservative case for the Democrats. And strange but true: Social conservatives prefer Clinton to Romney [May 14]  From the International Peace Academy, a series of papers on Coping with Crisis, including essays on (1) Global Political Violence: Explaining the Post-Cold War Decline; (2) Peacemaking and Mediation: Dynamics of a Changing Field; (3) New Challenges for Peacekeeping: Protection, Peacebuilding and the "War on Terror"; (4) Ending Wars and Building Peace; and (5) Small Arms and Light Weapons: Towards a Global Public Policy pdf. Mass murder most foul: A review of Not On Our Watch: The Mission to End Genocide in Darfur and Beyond; The Devil Come on Horseback: Bearing Witness to the Genocide in Darfur; Extraordinary Evil: A Brief History of Genocide; The Bishop of Rwanda: Finding Forgiveness Amidst a Pile of Bones; and Darfur: The Ambiguous Genocide. Our compassion knows some bounds: A new study answers the question: how can we continue to ignore the mass suffering in Darfur? From Soundings, has the future a left? Zygmunt Bauman proposes two defining principles for the left, and argues that these principles will always need to be battled for; Andy Pearmain argues that it is time to face the fact that the Labour Party is in its death throes, and that euthanasia is now called for; and an article on progressive politics after Blair. An article on Tony Blair and the tragedy of the great persuader. Here are five Americans who changed Tony Blair. From The Observer, a series of articles on Gordon Brown. From Open Democracy, what will Gordon Brown do now? From New Statesman, as Blair departs, Brown will launch a plan to transform Labour's style through constitutional change and "empathy"; and the success or failure of Brown's prime ministership will lie across the Atlantic. So how will America react to him? Ride ’Em, Cowboy. Well, Not Exactly: George Bush on a horse sends one signal. Nicolas Sarkozy on a horse sends another. A French Neoconservative? Nicolas Sarkozy is France’s first anti-anti-American leader. 4 myths about America-bashing in Europe: Yankee phobia may not be as toxic or universal as some pundits, mainly on the American left, claim. This perfect storm will finally destroy the neocon project: Americans are sick of the unrepentant arrogance of this elite. But the realisation has come at a very heavy cost. See you in September, whatever that means: Everybody wants to measure “progress” in Iraq. But that measure defies definition. Fraying Nation, Divided Opinions: Highlights from a recent ABC News poll surveying Iraqi attitudes across cities, provinces, faiths and ethnic groups. War has displaced millions in Iraq, creating the largest refugee problem in the Middle East since 1948. As they flee their country, are they taking the war with them? Laughter is not the Arab way: Aside from inheriting money, the best way to get rich in the Arab world is to find yourself an emir: A review of An Invitation to Laughter: A Lebanese Anthropologist in the Arab World. And war without limits: New scholarship on the origins of total war, from the French Revolution to World War II, helps explain the war on terror [Weekend] From Asia Times, arm thy neighbor: A review of Militia Redux by Desmond Ball and David Scott Mathieson. Tales of a Fourth Grade Suicide Bomber: Brooke Goldstein's exploration of child martyrs. The New Face of Warfare: A review of A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier; Children at War by P.W. Singer; and Innocents Lost: When Child Soldiers Go to War. An interview with Mark Bixler, author of The Lost Boys of Sudan: An American Refugee Experience. Intellectual imperialism as a fashion-shoot cum missionary visit: Bernard-Henri Lévy's report from Darfur shows that liberal lust for Western intervention survived Iraq. From NYRB, Rory Stewart on Iraq: The Question. A small war guaranteed to damage a superpower: Patrick Cockburn on what the Bush Administration has wrought in Iraq. Although pleased to see Saddam toppled, some women look back on the prosperity and social liberation of the Ba’athist years with nostalgia. The meaning of freedom: In every corner of the Muslim world, female attire is stirring strong emotions. An excerpt from Iran: The Essential Guide to a Country on the Brink by Stephen Kinzer. Nationalists march as the army threatens: A look at Turkey torn between God and state. Eight years after the Kosovo war, the UN is preparing to make a final decision on the province's final status. Can independence work? From Eurozine, as recent events around the statue of the Soviet soldier in Tallinn have strikingly shown, Russia remains a major factor in the national narratives of the post-Soviet space. But memory politics is less about the communist past than about the future political and economic hegemony on the European continent. A look at why Putin loves World War II. Russia's six deadly sins: Philip Longworth reviews How Russia Really Works: The informal practices that shaped post-Soviet politics and business. Adam Michnik on The Other Poland: The second phase of the Polish revolution must not be permitted to consume either the will to freedom, or the democratic state. One Polish legislator has announced plans for a bill that would ban miniskirts and other "enticements", with the goal of reducing street prostitution. But the move is also part of a wider culture war. From Edinburgh Review, during the Troubles in Northern Ireland, journalists would jump into taxis and ask to be taken to the fighting. Now it's political tourists eager for the scenes of past battles. But are taxi drivers qualified to be their guides? How Spain thrives on immigration: The open-border policy under Prime Minister José Luis Zapatero is driving a Spanish economic and social revival. And the Schweizer Réduit: One of the most famous quotes about Switzerland – probably annoying the hell out of the natives by now – is the closing line of the film "The Third Man" [May 11] From Great Britain, a look at the Top 10 most controversial ads. The great performer leaves the stage: A look at what Tony Blair did, and why he did it. Why do Brits dislike the departing prime minister? Geoffrey Wheatcroft investigates. Timothy Garton Ash on the lessons from Blair's three big mistakes. He made serious mistakes, and is one of the most controversial politicians of his generation, but also one of the most successful. His legacy to Great Britain will be immense. From Time, an interview with Gordon Brown. Gaullist revolutionary Nicolas Sarkozy: Does France know the full implications of what it has voted for? (and more on his European plans). Anthony Giddens on how Sarkozy only has half the solution for France, but the French election could lead to a resurgence of Europe. Martin Wolf on why Sarkozy's triumph portends strife in Europe. From Mother Jones, Putting Lipstick on a Dictator: Rogue states hire PR firms to change public perception and win audiences with American leaders. Whatever happened to old fashioned diplomacy? Karim Sadjadpour of the Carnegie Endowment looks at the future of Iranian-American relations, Iran's vulnerabilities, and whether we might one day see liberals ruling in Tehran. In a gruesome marriage of technology and medieval barbarity, an Internet video records the stoning death of a 17-year-old Kurdish girl. Welcome to the new Iraq. Zugzwang, or, White to play and lose: Allen Quicke reports on a chess match being played in Baghdad between the forces of Good and Evil. From The Mises Institute, Llewellyn H. Rockwell, Jr. on The War the Government Cannot Win. September will supposedly be the moment for a real, make-or-break verdict on Bush's surge and the U.S. occupation of Iraq. Don't bet on it. In Search of a Political Mission: Are the Democrats and Bushies playing good cop/bad cop with the Iraqis? America's Angriest General: Retired two-star Army Gen. John Batiste is lashing out at the Bush war in Iraq in ads targeting key Republicans up for re-election in 2008. His offensive may change the rules regarding civilian-military relations. From Stars & Stripes, a series of articles on training the Afghan military.  From Government Executive, a look at how intelligence agencies must decode a human capital crisis; the Army is developing the most expensive and complex weapons system in its history, but it's based on some very questionable concepts; but before accepting dire assessments of Army readiness, it's worth asking: Ready for what? House Democrats back down, but the military budget is as bloated as ever. The US Army has ordered soldiers to stop posting to blogs or sending personal e-mail messages, without first clearing the content with a superior officer. Phillip Carter on on how the Army can regulate soldiers' blogs and letters—but it shouldn't. An interview with Paul Rieckhoff, author of Chasing Ghosts: Failures and Facades in Iraq: A Soldier’s Perspective. From National Journal, officials from the White House and the Justice Department worked together to keep Congress from uncovering presidential adviser Karl Rove's part in installing one of his own protégés, Timothy Griffin, as a U.S. attorney in Arkansas. And on Karl Rove's big election-fraud hoax: Republican manipulation of the polls long predates the U.S. attorneys plot, and the US voting system needs an overhaul [May 10] From Open Democracy, an end to exclusivity: A move towards greater public access to state information is another step to constitutional government in China; and North Korea may be facing another food emergency. If it develops, the world needs to learn lessons from the mid-1990s famine in the country. Accidental Tourist: How three years in Korean prison changed one young American's spritual and sexual worldview. While the Japanese continue to get the blame for WWII enslavement, forcing women into sexual bondage continues. A review of Perfect Hostage: a Life of Aung San Suu Kyi. Shackled by the Neck: Burma’s Long Neck Karen choose exploitation in a tourist village rather than returning to a civil war. A review of Human Rights on Asia: A Comparative Legal Study of Twelve Asian Jurisdictions, France and the USA. From TNR, my journey through Darfur. Bernard-Henri Lévy on a guided tour of hell (and a video interview). A review of Chief of Station, Congo by Larry Devlin. An interview with Archbishop Pius Ncube, Zimbabwean human rights and pro-democracy activist. Desmond Tutu slams African leaders on Zimbabwe. A look at how liberation theology, which the pope once called "a fundamental threat," retains its appeal in Latin America. From Axess, Ernesto "Che" Guevara is hot once again. But the historical record reveals that Che bore all the repressive hallmarks of his Soviet and Maoist masters. An interview with Ben Dangl, author of The Price of Fire: Resource Wars and Social Movements in Bolivia. The unnecessary conflict in the south Atlantic in 1982 between Britain and Argentina helped sow the seeds of more momentous and destructive wars, says Fred Halliday. From Asia Times, are the Arabs already extinct? Rotting empire v inept enemy: Why the Islamist threat is greatly exaggerated. We can never make ourselves invulnerable to terrorism. But certain steps would reduce our vulnerability to as close to zero as possible. The Smarter Emergency Kit: When everything goes to hell, you'll want gear that gives you an evolutionary advantage over your less-prepared neighbors. From Commentary, is Israel the problem? With the Middle East in crisis from end to end, analysts focus on one rather peripheral dispute. Middle East experts to rate the chances of the politicians gunning for Olmert’s job. AIPAC on Trial: The lobby argues that good Americans spy for Israel. And surprise! The US spies on Israel more than Israel spies on the US [May 9] From the European Journal of International Law, Andrea Bianchi (GIIS): Assessing the Effectiveness of the UN Security Council's Anti-terrorism Measures: The Quest for Legitimacy and Cohesion; a review of The UN, Human Rights and Post-conflict Situations and Honoring Human Rights under International Mandates, Lessons from Bosnia, Kosovo and East Timor; a review of Between Light and Shadow, The World Bank, The International Monetary Fund and International Human Rights Law and The IMF, The World Bank Group and the Question of Human Rights; and a review of United Nations Law and the Security Council and Le Pouvoir normatif du Conseil de sécurité des Nations Unies: portée et limites pdf. A review of Blind Oracles: Intellectuals and War from Kennan to Kissinger and The Parliament of Man: The United Nations and the Quest for World Government. Global governance and the division of labor: National governments need to be responsive and effective to fulfill their part of the “social contract” within a national society. The Gospel According to Sachs: An economist lectures the world on how to solve the problems of good and evil. Rich countries and their leverage on Africa: The African continent, with its abundant supply of mineral and natural resources, has suffered tremendously from the rapacious exploitation of those resources. From TAP, The Trouble with Helping Iran's Dissidents: Iranian reform activists have a love/hate relationship with the Western NGOs that often advocate on their behalf. We need a strongman: Back to "Saddam without a mustache"? After all, the US eyes still on the Iraqi prize. The real tragedy of Iraq? Never mind the death and destruction - damage to the cause of liberal interventionism is what worries one columnist. In the face of disastrous policies and administrative incompetence, the president has an answer every time: Appoint a new "czar." Street Without Joy: Will Bush’s surge secure Baghdad’s bloodiest block? From The Atlantic Monthly, The Army We Have: To fight today's wars with an all-volunteer force, the U.S. Army needs more quick-thinking, strong, highly disciplined soldiers. But creating warriors out of the softest, least-willing populace in generations has required sweeping changes in basic training (and an interview with Brian Mockenhaupt on the men and women who enter basic training today, and how the Army has adapted to meet their needs); and with Rumsfeld and Powell gone, and Cheney's power diminished, this is Condoleezza Rice's moment. Can she salvage America's standing in the Middle East—and defuse the threat of a nuclear Iran? Behind the curtain in Washington and Jerusalem with the secretary of state (and an interview with David Samuels on Rice and her ambitious efforts to secure peace in the Middle East). The real reason we went to war: Don't listen to George Tenet: It wasn't because of Dick Cheney's wiles or Tenet's embarrassment about the "slam dunk", and one couldn't help but think of the peevishness of King John in 13th-century England. Cheney and the Saudis: For a glimpse at hidden power plays, keep your eye on Vice President Cheney's trip this week to Saudi Arabia. And King of the Plastic Rambos: More on Rumsfeld: His Rise, Fall, and Catastrophic Legacy by Andrew Cockburn [May 8] From Der Spiegel, the rules of post-9/11 politics are reversed in Turkey, as a flareup over the prospect of an Islamic president shows. Western leaders are more worried about the Turkish military's intrusion into politics than about the ruling party's Islamic agenda. Genocide is not a fact: A review of La Perversion Historiographique: une réflexion arménienne. From OstEuropa, democracy or the street? The demonstrations in Budapest in September 2006 marked the culmination of a conflict between Conservatives and the liberal Left. The rift is exacerbated by politicized disputes about the past; and a response: In the Hungarian case, it is not a question of whether history has been instrumentalized by politics, but of whether one approves of how it has been instrumentalized. Alshar, an ancient mine located in the southern Balkans, in Macedonia, is said to contain minerals that are found nowhere else on the planet. From The Chronicle, what European Century? Euro-optimism has given way to Euro-pessimism. In that climate, the debate should be about which of the Continent's traditions and values can be saved, writes Walter Laqueur. Niall Ferguson on how Tony Blair's simplistic foreign policy landed him in Bush's lap and isolated from continental Europe. Is Nicolas Sarkozy the French Margaret Thatcher? Although Sarkozy played the nationalist card during the election campaign, the future French president is still regarded as a beacon of hope for the EU., but he faces huge challenges, and the radical political and moral cure he wants to prescribe could instead trigger deep social conflicts in French society. Why Royal flopped: Her loss to Nicolas Sarkozy marked merely the latest in a string of missed opportunities for the Socialists in France. Progressives' French Lesson: With their European friends in some trouble, American progressives may have both the opportunity and the obligation to find the new formulas. All France was transfixed as presidential candidates conducted a passionate, freewheeling debate this week. Why are American debates so intentionally stupid? From The Politico, what is the purpose of these debates? A look at why humans hate politics; a review of The Trap: Selling Out to Stay Afloat in Winner-Take-All America; and if an Old Boys' Club isn't accepting new members, the next best thing to do is start your own. Does Oprah's magic touch extend to the realm of presidential politics? Last week, for the first time, Ms. Winfrey endorsed a political candidate, Senator Barack Obama. A review of The Thumpin': How Rahm Emanuel and the Democrats Learned to Be Ruthless and Ended the Republican Revolution. Generational Tensions: The sons and daughters of some iconic Republicans (Ike! T.R.!) are contemplating crossing the aisle. Can Fred Thompson rescue Republicans in 2008? In Orange County, the ex-Tennessee senator, "Law and Order" star and possible '08 contender acts presidential for a night. Jonathan Chait on how Republicans go week-kneed for tough guys. And Michael Barone on the realignment of America [May 7] From Cafe Babel, three decades after the "Movida Madrileña", Spain remembers how post-Franco society was transformed by ten years of punk rebellion in Madrid. In Spain, where public drinking is banned in many areas, police spark a violent riot by attempting to clear a Madrid square of drinkers on the country's May 2 holiday. When the earth moves: One of the most ambitious town-relocation exercises in history will see the capital of Swedish Lapland, Kiruna, move 4km. Farewell to the cargo cult: The current stand-off in the Ukraine is a result of "incomplete revolution". The failure to establish democratic structures has allowed the mechanisms of authoritarianism back into Ukrainian politics; the Orange Revolution, a fairy tale that wasn't. Now the evil prince has bounced back and his chances don't look bad. The people are learning that there's no such thing as good princes and princesses. A review of The Litvinenko File: the True Story of a Death Foretold (and more). A review of The New Cold War: Revolutions, Rigged Elections and Pipeline Politics in the Former Soviet Union. A review of The Gun That Changed the World by Mikhail Kalashnikov. A review of The Khyber Pass: A history of Empire and invasion. From NPQ, an article on the Turkish crisis: The limits of democracy, or the seizure of the state from within. The leaders of Saudi Arabia are caught between a desire to compete globally and a demand that they guard tradition. Israel's 1967 attack on Egypt lasted only six days, but the repercussions have been bloodier and far longer reaching than anyone could have imagined. A review of Jerusalem 1913: The Origins of the Arab-Israeli Conflict. For a quarter-century, Lebanon has been the graveyard of Israeli politicians reckless enough to venture there. A review of Buda’s Wagon: A Brief History of the Car Bomb by Mike Davis. The illiberal hour: A review of The Big Lie: On Terror, Antisemitism, and Identity by David Solway. An article on the rise of low-tech terrorism, and war costs money. Why can't politicians say so? A review of Rumsfeld: An American Disaster and Washington's War: From Independence to Iraq. John J. DiIulio Jr on Spiritualpolitique: Religion matters more than ever in global affairs. But don't count on the experts to know that. The author examines history, philosophy and politics, but sides with biology as the motivation for human attainment by force: A review of War in Human Civilization by Azar Gat. A review of Are We Rome? The Fall of an Empire and the Fate of America by Cullen Murphy. And the long view of civilization: A review of The Americanist by Daniel Aaron [Weekend 2e] Sebastian Edwards (UCLA): Crises and Growth: A Latin American Perspective. From Open Democracy, an article on the deepening of Venezuela’s Bolivarian revolution and why most people don’t get it: The radical project led by Hugo Chávez can’t be understood through the distorting lens of its inveterate opponents. This is a politics for the future with emancipation, participation – and popular support - at its heart. In Ecuador, Bolivia, and Venezuela, leaders are seeking new sources of political legitimacy in which participation is at the heart. Gone, but not forgotten: Why Bolivians want the United States to extradite their exiled ex-president. Brazil's colonial dance with the resource curse: First there was a sugar rush. Then a gold rush. Both left unsightly scars on the history of Brazil. What will the ethanol rush bequeath? A look at why land reform is so tricky: In South Africa, plenty of farms are for sale, but blacks still find it hard to buy. South Africa is booming. The economy is enjoying its biggest surge since the Second World War, and for once it is not just whites who are prospering. A review of Untapped: The Scramble for Africa's Oil. Joshua Kurlantzick on democracy's decline in Africa. Circumcision promotion divides AIDS activists: Should results of an African AIDS study be applied in the United States? From Asia Times, an article on lessons from Kashmir and Xinjiang. A review of India, Pakistan and the Secret Jihad. Is Ahmedinejad’s star fading? Leading figures in Iran are openly criticizing President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad about his handling of the economy and the country's nuclear program. An interview with Laura Rozen of War and Piece on Iran. Iraq in the Balance: Fouad Ajami on why we should make our peace with Iraq's history. Francis Fukuyama on beating an orderly retreat: It is no longer a question of if or when the U.S. leaves Iraq, but how. Plan B? Let’s Give Plan A Some Time First: This is not the time to be rehashing strategies developed six months ago under very different conditions, or to be planning for the collapse of a strategy that has just begun. Robert D. Kaplan on Munich versus Vietnam: At the moment, the Vietnam analogy has the upper-hand. But don't count Munich out. The key similarity between Vietnam and Iraq how they profoundly eroded the American people's trust in their government and leaders. A review of At the Center of the Strom: My Years at the CIA by George Tenet. With all the gloating over the ex-CIA head's kiss-and-tell, let's not forget who else screwed up American intelligence. From The Weekly Standard, an article on The Mystery of Michael Bloomberg: Why does a popular but mediocre mayor think he should run for president? The Shadow Candidates: John Fund on the art of not running for president. Marvin Kalb on Nine Ways to Elect a President: After 9/11, with America’s role in the world more uncertain than ever, would it not make more sense to provide the voters with regular, predictable, serious access to their next president? From Radar, an article on Jesus Christ's Superstars: America's holiest congressmen. A look at how sex isn't the only thing for sale in Washington. And the politicians who waste your money have a remorse deficit: One man’s pork is another’s tax bill [Weekend] From Azure, Chaim Gans (Tel Aviv): Is There a Historical Right to the Land of Israel?; Michael Oren on The Second War of Independence: Fifty years later, the lessons of the Suez War are only now becoming clear; an essay on Circumcision as Rebellion: Why Judaism rejected the decrees of Nature, Fortune, and Rome; an article on The State of Freedom and the State of Emergency; and Robert Bork reviews The Judge in a Democracy by Aharon Barak. Palestinians’ hard choice: An interview with Sari Nusseibeh, a leading Palestinian intellectual and political figure. Mad, bad or a joker? A review of The Nuclear Sphinx of Tehran: Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and the State of Iran. A review of Inside Hamas: the untold story of militants, martyrs and spies; Hamas: unwritten chapters; and Hamas: politics, charity and terrorism in the service of jihad. A review of Lipstick Jihad by Azadeh Moaveni and Warring Souls by Roxanne Varzi. Kevin Drum reviews The Infernal Machine: A History of Terrorism by Matthew Carr and The Matador's Cape: America's Reckless Response to Terror by Stephen Holmes. Londonistan Calling: From the shoe-bomber to the July 2005 suicide attacks, terrorism has an unlikely new player: the British jihadist. Returning to the London streets of his youth, Christopher Hitchens finds a breeding ground for Islamic radicalism, in a country that may have to rethink its multicultural ideals (and an interview). From New Statesman, a special issue on Tony Blair, 1997-2007: The Reckoning. What makes Tony Blair tick, and what he stands for, have eluded all his biographers. Will the prime minister, who rose without a trace, now leave none behind him? A purple patch on how politicians earn their keep by Max Weber. Sex and foreign aid: The lessons learned from a high-level administration official's resignation in the D.C. Madam scandal. An Elite Escort Service: Washington is on edge as names of the clients of accused D.C. Madam Deborah Palfrey begin trickling out. But the women who worked for her might surprise you: college grads, white-collar professionals, even military personnel. He’s impeachable, you know: The power to impeach civil officers like Attorney General Alberto Gonzales is at bottom a tool granted Congress to defend the constitutional order; and Two Parties, One Law: Whatever happens to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, the taint of politics will remain. That’s why the only real solution is to depoliticize the Justice Department. The Economist begins a series on the main presidential contenders for 2008, starting with Rudy Giuliani. From USA Today, here are 5 reasons the GOP faces an uphill climb in '08. A review of The Thumpin': How Rahm Emanuel and the Democrats Learned to be Ruthless and Ended the Republican Revolution and Positively American: Winning Back the Middle-Class Majority One Family at a Time by Chuck Schumer. Bob Kerrey, Unbound: The former Senator has some questions about Rudy’s security credentials and likes Obama’s name. And on reforming disloyal Democrats: Ari Melber reports on how unions and Internet activists are joining forces to reform the Democratic Party from the ground up through "Work for Us" [May 4] From Transit, it is a mistake to think that religious and political radicalism among European Muslims is a mere import from the cultures and conflicts of the Middle East. It is above all a consequence of the globalization and Westernization of Islam, writes Olivier Roy. A military coup was avoided, but an early election looms. Turkey's problems are postponed, not solved. If Turks have to choose, democracy is more important than secularism. From Open Democracy, the notion of jihad is one of the most contested in the modern Islamic and political lexicon. In a four-part essay, Patricia Crone makes it comprehensible. Mali and Mauritania are swathes of desert but oases of progress: Two dirt-poor Saharan states are doing better. and more on Mauritania, an unheralded experiment in Arab democracy. Malaysia Backpedals on Modernity: Growing assertiveness of Islamic court intrudes on the rights of non-Muslims threatening social harmony in the prosperous nation. Monks on the march in Thailand: A most un-Buddhist demand for worldly recognition. From Japan Focus, an article on the unprecedented shift in Japan’s population: Numbers, age, and prospects. One Nation Under Cute: In Japan, the cuteness craze is more than just a national pastime, but why are millions of Japanese youths hiding from friends and family? A review of Breaking Open Japan: Commodore Perry, Lord Abe, and American Imperialism in 1853. Authorities in China are desperate to make a positive impression on visitors, so cabbies with garlic breath are targeted in Beijing’s Olympic cleanup. China today holds a colossal $1 trillion in foreign currency. Now, China is taking part of this money from under the mattress—making enemies and friends around the world in the process. What’s on China’s shopping list? The Empire of Lies: The twenty-first century will not belong to China. From Time, a series of articles on The Best of Asia. From Economic and Political Weekly, a series of articles on women in India; and is India too poor to be green? pdf. A caste of millions: India's 160m Dalits, or untouchables, have turned to the internet to combat their mistreatment at home. An excerpt from William Dalrymple's The Last Mughal: The Fall of a Dynasty: Delhi, 1857. Form India's Frontline, a review of Amartya Sen's Identity and Violence: The Illusion of Destiny; and a review of Paul Gilroy's After Empire. Form Transitions, a look back on Boris Yeltsin by a writer who knew him in his political salad days. Time to back the Other Russia: Andre Glucksmann asks Europe to think less opportunistically and act more decisively towards Russia. The rites of mourning and burial on display during Boris Yeltsin’s funeral relied heavily on symbols — some more czarist than Soviet. In the trenches of the New Cold War: The US, Russia and the new great game in Eurasia. From Economic Principals, the Un-Marshall Plan: The death of Boris Yeltsin called to mind an important truth: Policy never gets made in a vacuum. And from The Moscow Times, on coming to power in 1991, Boris Yeltsin broke with Soviet tradition and ushered in a new attitude toward culture [May 3] From Dissent, after genocide: An article on memory and reconciliation in Rwanda. From Slate, a look at how Liberia recovers from war: A boy soldier grows up. Liberia is a country mired in its past. But, as Zadie Smith discovers when she meets its traumatised boy soldiers, struggling rubber workers and children desperate to learn, it is taking its first tentative steps to a better future; and on why we have fallen for Africa's lost boys: Are Africans telling their own stories, or are these merely signs of our appetite for tales of "savagery"? The perfect weapon for the meanest wars: The charade of ideology is over. All over the world children are used to fight for greed and power. President of Liberia Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf on the chance for an arms treaty. Every year in the Sahel region of West Africa, hundreds of thousands of children die, and malnutrition means millions of others will live on with permanent mental disability and physical stunting. The wages of punditry: The partnership between policy-makers and development specialists can endanger the latter's intellectual independence and increase the risk of bad outcomes. A review of The Darker Nations: A People’s History of the Third World by Vijay Prashad. From The Globalist, an article on coming to grip with the Iraq War's refugees. Northern exposure: American soldiers are fleeing the Iraq war for Canada, and US officials may be on their trail. North of the border is no longer the safe haven it was during the Vietnam era. George W. Bush’s infatuation with the kitsch landscape of the American west lit the path to Abu Ghraib, says Sidney Blumenthal. From The Atlantic Monthly, statecraft and stagecraft: David Samuels interviews former Secretaries of State Henry Kissinger, Colin Powell, and George Schultz. From The Politico, Reagan advisers weigh in on Republican candidates. Marc Ambinder on The Perils of Reagan Republicanism: Candidates who invoke the spirit of Reagan may live to regret it. Glenn Greenwald on Harvey Mansfield and the right's explicit and candid rejection of "the rule of law". From National Review, an interview with Angela McGlowan, author of Bamboozled: How Americans Are Being Exploited by the Lies of the Liberal Agenda. A review of The Man Who Would Not Shut Up: The Rise of Bill O'Reilly. From CJR, how conservative congressman from Indiana Mike Pence became journalism's best ally in the fight to protect anonymous sources. If you want to understand the wrenching dislocations in today's newsrooms, look to the advertisers whose purchasing decisions drive the business. From Business Week, crazy like a Fox: Rupert Murdoch's bid for Dow Jones may seem foolishly pricey, but he's got his reasons. Inside Murdoch's surprise attack. The Threat to the Wall Street Journal: Rupert Murdoch’s audacious bid to grab Dow Jones underscores the larger issue of news consolidation and the shrinking number of major media voices, and more on Murdoch's trophy hunting by The Economist. And from TNR, Jonathan Chait on how the netroots are important, but they're still paranoid [May 2] From Comment is Free, ten bloggers assess Tony Blair's decade in Downing Street, and more by Julian Baggini. Ten years on, a new set of rules, by Philip Stephens. The trend toward Britain’s fragmentation leaves its majority nation in search of itself, finds Roger Scruton. A review of The Conservative Party and European Integration since 1945: At the Heart of Europe? A review of The Labour Governments, 1964–1970. The Royal Consigliere: Though much of Elizabeth II's role is symbolic, she also subtly wields a personal, but very real, power. The power of thought: If the Scottish Nationalists win on Thursday, it could be an exciting time for those with new ideas; and here are ten questions on the thorny relationship between the thistle and the rose. Mr. Popularity: Earthy charm and a buoyant economy have endeared Ireland's leader, Bertie Ahern, to many voters. Can his winning streak continue as he bids for a third term? From Slate, what Americans can learn from the Winogard Report: All wars are alike, and so are all investigations of failed wars. Sesame Street puppets to promote peace in the Middle East. From TNR, the other Guantánamo: Bagram Airbase in Kabul, where about 650 detainees are currently held, is rarely subject to outside scrutiny. An exclusive look inside the facility, including never before published photographs. The Right To Remain Silent: Silence is about the only right the Guantanamo prisoners have left. Last refuge of the scoundrel: Bush is trying to convince the American people that Iraq is the WWII of our time, and Democrats are craven defeatists. Both claims are absurd. Duck and Cover: The Bush Admininstration's “Complex 2030” plan is reviving the nuclear threat. Form National Journal, Alberto Gonzales' Secret Order: The attorney general granted extraordinary powers over Justice Department personnel to two of his aides — both of whom have since resigned. A Case Against Cheney: What Dick Cheney has done is not impeachable. It is merely unforgivable. From Reason, millions of Americans have changed their minds on Iraq. Is Hillary Clinton one of them? From Vanity Fair, many New York political pros believe Rudy Giuliani—former mayor, hero of 9/11, and now presidential candidate—is, quite literally, nuts. The author asks whether Giuliani's lunatic behavior could be the ultimate campaign asset. Could Michael Bloomberg shake up the race? From Media Matters, what does David Broder's exalted position atop the media food chain say about the state of political journalism? Oedipus & Podhoretz: His father fought Stalinists. But for Post edit-page chief John Podhoretz, sitcoms are the battleground of freedom. Why do right-wing pundits hate Rosie O'Donnell so much? Because she was the lone ardently progressive voice in corporate news programming. Eric Alterman & Matthew Yglesias defend the netroots against Jonathan Chait. Newspapers and blogs: Closer than we think? A content analysis of newspapers and blogs covering the Iraq War illuminates differences, and similarities, in sourcing. And from PS: Political Science & Politics, a symposium on The State of the Editorial Cartoon [May 1] From Turkey, the government slams the country’s powerful military in a furious dispute over secularism and the appointment of a new president, as alarm grows over political crisis in Turkey with a threat of a coup by the secularist army. An article on the Turkish paradox and the prophets of Eurabia. Democracy in the Middle East, no matter who wins the elections, is a winning strategy for the West. Confessions of a former fanatic: A review of The Islamist: Why I Joined Radical Islam in Britain, What I Saw Inside and Why I Left by Ed Husain. Allan Massie reviews People of the Book: the Forgotten History of Islam and the West by Zachary Karabell. A review of The Punishment Of Virtue, by Sarah Chayes, and a review of The Kabul Beauty School: The Art of Friendship and Freedom, by Deborah Rodriguez (and a critique of the Kabul Beauty School). The Abandonment: How the Bush Administration left Israelis and Palestinians to their fate. Simon Tisdall.goes inside the struggle for Iran. A review of Unintended Consequences: The United States at War. From the Carnegie Council, here are remarks by Ali A. Allawi, author of The Occupation of Iraq: Winning the War, Losing the Peace. Nobody really knows how much crude oil is being stolen by corrupt corrupt Iraqi and U.S. officials because, four years after the invasion, the oil meters haven't been fixed. From Newsweek, a series of articles on God, War and the Presidency, and an excerpt from Twice As Good: Condoleezza Rice and Her Path To Power. Juan Cole on George Tenet on the staircase with the neocons, an article goes behind the Tenet Blame Game (and an interview), and Christopher Hitchens reviews Tenet's At the Center of the Storm (and an excerpt). Is the Iraq War lost? Key figures in the Iraq debate whether Harry Reid is right. Eve Fairbanks on dovish hawks and hawkish doves: Harry Reid and Carl Levin trade places. From The New Yorker, the Conciliator: Where is Barack Obama coming from? More on the candidate, his minister and the search for faith. A profile of Mark Penn, Hillary Clinton's PowerPointer pollster. John Edwards' $400 haircut is only the latest in a long history of candidate miscues, but media honchos no longer control which ones become legend.  John Arthur Eaves isn't just any old run-of-the-mill evangelical candidate -- he's a Democrat. Matthew Continetti on the first Sam's Club Republican, Minnesota governor Tim Pawlenty. From National Journal, Stuart Taylor Jr. on issue ads and common sense. From Harper's, an article on David Broder’s Golden Anniversary: Commemorating a quarter-century of hackery. The phantom of democracy: The blogosphere doesn't "do" decisions - - even if politicians choose to draw on blogger-led insights, it is still their own judgment that counts in the end. Jonathan Chait on the left's new machine: How the liberal netroots are remaking the Democratic Party in the image of the GOP, and more on the furious, disciplined, helpful world of liberal blogs. As blogs proliferate, gadfly Matthew Lee has accreditation at the U.N. From Wired, web mashups turn citizens into Washington's newest watchdogs. And from The Politico, an article on how Hollywood-Washington political ties rich in history

[May 15] From The Chronicle, how can we work ourselves into such a politically correct dither over Don Imus's language, while still equivocating about gun control after Virginia Tech? Where are our priorities? asks Russell Jacoby. From TNR, Princeton's Christine Stansell on a lost history of abortion; and where are the liberal visionaries on the Supreme Court? Cass R. Sunstein on the Supreme Court's most innovative justice (it's not who you think). More polarizing than Rehnquist: Chief Justice John Roberts won Senate confirmation by vowing to shun ideological activism. Instead, by trashing judicial precedent and legislative statutes, he's reshaping law to fit conservative dogma. From The New Yorker, social and cultural psychologist Jonathan Haidt talks with Henry Finder about the five foundations of morality, and why liberals often fail to get their message across; and atheists with attitude: Why do they hate Him? More and more on God Is Not Great. Manufacturing belief: An interview with Lewis Wolpert, author of Six Impossible Things Before Breakfast. The Bitterness of Regis Debray: A review of Praised be the Lords. With Jesus of Nazareth, Pope Benedict XVI fights back against the dictatorship of relativism, and an excerpt on The Meaning of Baptism. From Dissent, is it possible to oppose the death penalty and still be in favor of killing tyrants? Michael Walzer wants to know; Nelson Lichtenstein on Labor and the new Congress: A strategy for winning; and an essay on the state of the unions two years after the AFL-CIO split. Should corporations be democracies? Absolutely not, says Peter Wallison. But maybe union pension plans should be. From In These Times, the Coalition of Immokalee Workers turns corporate social responsibility from oxymoron into reality. From Business Week, an article on The Poverty Business: Inside U.S. companies' audacious drive to extract more profits from the nation's working poor; researchers are digging deeper to learn more about the high cost of being poor, and its impact on the overall economy; scholars are taking a fresh look at the financial problems of the working poor, and have some new suggestions on how to address them; and study now—and pay and pay and pay later. A review of Blame Welfare, Ignore Poverty and Inequality. An interview with Benjamin Barber on the dumbing-down of adults, faux needs, and saving capitalism. Economist Laurence J. Kotlikoff suggests that retirees should delay collecting Social Security benefits to maximize their returns. The "Usefully Dangerous" Economist: Mark Levinson on the story of two economists—John Kenneth Galbraith and Paul Krugman. Ben Stein on assorted mysteries of economic life. For better or worth: When it comes to pricing, we might learn from Coca-Cola and Amazon. A review of The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable by Nassim Nicholas Taleb. A review of Tulipmania: Money, Honor, and Knowledge in the Dutch Golden Age by Anne Goldgar. When Gambling is Good: These markets often predict more accurately than experts. Why? They draw on the knowledge of people who might otherwise be ignored. From Transit, in a survey of the history of American immigration, Charles Hirschman points out that almost all popular fears about immigration and even the negative judgments of "experts" have been proven false by history. A review of Cheap Motels and a Hot Plate. And Welcome to Start From Scratch, U.S.A.: A town is more than the sum of its cinema and soda fountain. After a disaster, where to begin anew? [May 14] From Lew Rockwell, a look back at "Modern Historians Confront the American Revolution" by Murray N. Rothbard (and more). Jamestown vs. Plymouth and America's Founding Fictions: The truth of our history is that it produced winners and losers. Our founding is not a storybook Pilgrim fable. The 400th anniversary of Jamestown's founding has inspired a fresh look at America's founding rascals in Savage Kingdom. A review of Washington's War: From Independence to Iraq by Michael Rose. A review of The Original Knickerbocker: The Life of Washington Irving. A story of a woman for president—in 1872? A review of Savage Peace: Hope and Fear in America 1919. For the love of Lenin: A review of Young Stalin (and more and more and more). Victor Sebestyen reviews Comrades: Communism, a World History by Robert Service and more by Michael Burleigh, and more. A review of The Years of Extermination: Nazi Germany and the Jews, 1939-1945 by Saul Friedländer. From The Moscow Times, a review of Spy Wars: Moles, Mysteries and Deadly Games by Tennet H. Bagley. A review of American Spy: My Secret History in the CIA, Watergate, and Beyond by E. Howard Hunt. A review of Reclaiming History: The Assassination of President John F. Kennedy by Vincent Bugliosi. Who really did kill Kennedy? A review of Brothers: The Hidden History of the Kennedy Years by David Talbot. A review of Robert Dallek's Nixon and Kissinger: Partners in Power (and more and more). A review of Strictly Right: William F. Buckley Jr. and the American Conservative Movement by Linda Bridges and John R. Coyne Jr. A review of Aimee Semple McPherson and the Resurrection of Christian America by Matthew Avery Sutton. Spellbound: Ten thousand followers of Santeria live in Central Florida, and there's not a curse to be found among them. A review of Violation: Justice, Race and Serial Murder in the Deep South by David Rose. With a history steeped in racism, the Mormon church is now targeting the African American community for new members. Will it take a miracle? Christianity Without Salvation: An article on the legacy of the "Social Gospel"--100 years later. When it comes to religion in the public sphere, Richard John Neuhaus knows best. President of the Evangelical Theological Society Francis J. Beckwith resigns because he has joined the Roman Catholic Church. Daniel C. Dennett reviews God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything by Christopher Hitchens (and two excerpts), and more by Michael Kinsley, and more and more and more and more and more and more and more. How dare you call me a fundamentalist: An interview with Richard Dawkins on the right to criticise "faith-heads". A review of Against All Gods, by AC Grayling and Letter to a Christian Nation, by Sam Harris. Andrew Sullivan on how Republicans reap the religious whirlwind. And is America on the road to fascism? Naomi Wolf and Alan Wolfe debate (and part 2) [Weekend] From Scientific American, new nukes are good nukes? What does it mean when the U.S. government announces plans to create the first new nuclear warhead in two decades? On the horizon appears an approaching religious [and scientific] furor so contentious, any clash of civilizations may have to wait. On one side, a manuscript titled: The Final Freedoms, against all the gravitas religious tradition can bring to bear. A review of Chalmers Johnson's Blowback: The Costs and Consequences of American Empire. Michael Lind on reviving the republican way of war. A review of Collusion: International Espionage and the War on Terror.  Spencer Ackerman reviews At the Center of the Storm: My Years In the CIA by George Tenet. Woodward vs. Tenet: Jeffrey Goldberg on the new intelligence war. An interview with Tara McKelvey, author of Monstering: Inside America’s Policy of Secret Interrogations and Torture in the Terror War. First They Came for the Latinos: Heard rumors of civilians rounded up, locked up, and searched for papers, lately? Don't worry. That only happens in another America. Defining Hate in the United States: Despite widespread public support, hate crime law across the country remains inconsistent and the crimes often go unpunished. Bully pulpit: Are anti-bullying laws gay? Restoring Legal Accountability: The doctrine of limited liability is central to the rise of unfettered, irresponsible corporate power. It must be challenged in the interests of individual freedom, equality before the law and shared prosperity. The Enron Enablers: It looks like the financial firms that helped the company cook its books just might get away with it. A new wave of militant consumer is rising, hitting large corporations where it hurts - in the wallet. They're middle-class, sick of bad service and they're not taking it any more. Where consumer culture doesn't quite reach: A study explores squatter communities on outskirts of rapidly developing urban areas. Rich countries may be largely to blame for adding climate change to Africa's litany of problems, but the continent's own politicians have yet to take it seriously. The World After Oil: As the planet warms up, eco-friendly fuels can't get here fast enough. The latest figures on flights are a disaster for the environment: There is only one way to turn things around: a reduction in the capacity of airports. Thinking Outside the Fox: Rupert Murdoch launches effort to green News Corp.'s operations and programming. John Allen Paulos on global warming, genies and torture: What do they have to do with each other? Maybe a lot. And from NYRB, Wretched of the Earth: Nicholas D. Kristof on Poor People by William T. Vollmann, and Understanding Poverty; and what's wrong with doctors: A review of How Doctors Think by Jerome Groopman [May 11] From Monthly Review, István Mészáros on The Only Viable Economy. To do with the price of fish: How do mobile phones promote economic growth? A new paper provides a vivid example. From Cato Unbound, Daniel Klein on economics and the distinction between coercive and voluntary action. From American, does economic success require democracy? Sadly, no. In fact, the politically unfree countries are enjoying more economic growth than the politically free ones. Kevin Hassett tells why. From The Economist, who's the real left-winger? The main Democratic candidates' economic policies are hard to pigeon-hole. John Edwards is meticulously laying the groundwork to become the candidate of organized labor, insisting prosperity can expand only if unionization expands. From TAP, why populists need to re-think trade: James K. Galbraith on why it's time for a reality-based approach; and why populists need to seize the moment: Jeff Faux on why it's time to rewrite the rules of the global economy on workers' behalf (and a debate). Locked in and locked out: When the world adopts a set of economic institutions it has an incentive to build on old mistakes, like a lack of labour and environmental standards. From traders with second thoughts: Poisoned pet-food ingredients are coming in from China. Are the Communists out to kill our pets, or is the mood in America beginning to shift? Don't be fooled by Europe's mood. Globally, the left is reawakening: The political ructions of the past week can't hide a progressive resurgence - even in the belly of the capitalist beast. International socialism: The people's flag is palest pink--at the hustings, socialism can be a drag. A review of Comrades! A History of World Communism and Seven Years that Changed the World: Perestroika in Perspective. Michael Weiss reviews What's Left? by Nick Cohen. A review of Praised Be Our Lords: A Political Education by Régis Debray. From New Humanist, Caspar Melville on anti-God squad "Rational Response Squad". From The Nation, a review of The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins; God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything by Christopher Hitchens; Atheist Manifesto: The Case Against Christianity, Judaism, and Islam by Michel Onfray; and The Meaning of Life by Terry Eagleton. More on God is Not Great. Marvin Olasky on The Major Religious Alternatives. Within its first 60 seconds, the new Rush album, Snakes & Arrows, throws down against the Christian right. Republicans retreat from their war history: How the GOP ditched decades of hard-headed foreign policy realism. How George Bush Salvaged His Dad’s Legacy: History is warming to George H.W. Bush by the day—just as it cools toward his son. A review of Ronald Reagan: Fate, Freedom, and the Making of History by John Patrick Diggins. The first chapter from The Conscience of a Conservative by Barry Goldwater. From American Heritage, a review of Michael Beschloss’s Presidential Courage: Brave Leaders and How They Changed America, 1789-1989. The royalty trap: Americans have a dangerous fondness for monarchy. An All American Suck-Ups: Don't believe the "hardy independence" nonsense. Americans eagerly pander to state and throne -- and have throughout the country's history [May 10] From Newsweek, does Bush have the constitutional clout to ignore any congressional attempt to reign in his war powers? What the scholars say. Michael Dorf on the president's disingenuous arguments against expanding the federal hate crime law. Above It All: A deposition can be an ugly war. Sometimes judges have to get down in the trenches. Patently obvious: A Supreme Court ruling with far-reaching consequences for American innovation turns on the definition of a single word. The consensus on gun rights no longer exists — thanks largely to the work over the last 20 years of several leading liberal law professors. The Numbers Guy on figuring the impact of allowing felons in Florida to vote (and more). From The Atlantic Monthly, The Story of a Snitch: Across our inner cities, the code of omerta has spread from organized crime to ordinary citizens. "Stop snitching" has become a motto to live or die by (and an interview with Jeremy Kahn on the growing problem of witness intimidation and the challenges of reporting a story about it). Jeremy Kahn rides along with Baltimore's Homicide Operations Squad in search of murder witnesses. Is Pittsburgh