The thriving Kurdish mini-state in northern Iraq is a monument to the ability of the nationalist Kurdish-Iraqi leadership to parlay the conflict between more powerful geopolitical forces around them to maximum advantage. And the …
iraq
Blame Saddam: Another Way of Seeing Iran’s Nuclear Program
In 2003, Iran set aside the portion of its nuclear program devoted to developing a weapon. That was the assessment of the American intelligence community, which among other things eavesdropped on hardliners complaining to one …
Must-Reads from Around the World: April 4, 2012
Perilous Path – The Independent of London reports on how the already dangerous journey for refugees fleeing the violence in Syria has become even deadlier in recent weeks as President Bashar al-Assad attempts to tighten control of the country’s borders with fresh landmines, according to the paper’s interviews with aid workers and fleeing …
French Police Corner Suspected Toulouse Killer Claiming Al-Qaeda Membership
French police have pinned down a self-declared jihadist believed to be the killer of seven people in southwestern France in the past 10 days—including three small children and a rabbi outside a Jewish school in Toulouse on Monday. The suspect has been barricaded inside a house in eastern Toulouse, where officials say he has claimed …
Must-Reads from Around the World: March 20, 2012
More Syria Leaks – Al Jazeera reveals details from confidential Syrian intelligence and security documents handed over by one of the government’s most trusted officials who recently fled to Turkey. The trove shows President …
Chinese Premier Again Calls for Political Reform, But Will Anyone Listen?
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao’s three-hour press conference at the close of the National People’s Congress, China’s annual Communist Party-controlled parliament, was his last before he is expected to step down next year. The content …
Must-Reads from Around the World: February 28, 2012
Electioneering – The New York Times casts skepticism on revelations Monday that Ukrainian and Russian intelligence services have thwarted an assassination attempt on Vladimir Putin. “The report came less than a week before the …
“The dream of an Iraq governed by elected leaders answerable to the people is rapidly fading away.”
Anthony Shadid: The Best of Our Breed
I know how chefs feel about Ferran Adrià, musicians about Bruce Springsteen, economists about Amartya Sen. I felt that way about Anthony Shadid: total and utter awe. In an era blessed with more than its fair share of brilliant …
Must-Reads from Around the World: Feb. 8, 2012
Iowa Beckons – Communist Party mouthpiece China Daily muses the impact of Vice-President Xi Jinping’s U.S. visit next week. While its news story quotes experts saying it “will help China-U.S. ties fly clear of U.S. election year …
Series of Bombings Rocks Baghdad
A wave of attacks kills dozens
Baghdad Bloodbath Threatens Sectarian Chaos in Iraq: Will Iran Stoke or Douse the Fires?
A series of deadly bombings across Baghdad that killed at least 63 people and wounded hundreds on Thursday underscored the political and security peril facing Iraq amid rising sectarian tension. Officials said four car bombs and …
Don’t Mention the War? Brits Can’t Help Themselves
Schedule clashes are inevitable during the festive season, and on the evening of Dec. 19, the mayor of London, Boris Johnson, and Britain’s Foreign Secretary, William Hague, held Christmas drinks at opposite poles of the city …