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van Linschoten & Kuehn, New York Times | September 12, 2012 The US decision to designate the Taliban-affiliated Haqqani network a terrorist organization will increase tensions in Afghanistan. ++ To suggest that they are enemies ignores their history of pragmatism and cooperation with Western officials. ++ US policy in Afghanistan, based on the ideology of the war on terror, has so far largely been miscalculated and ...More

Hoffman, Habeck, Zelin & Levitt, Washington Institute | September 2012 As we reach the eleventh year since the September 11 attacks, the debate over the relevancy of al-Qaeda’s core leadership known as Central al-Qaeda still lingers between officials, analysts, and academics. Following the uprisings that hit the Arab world in 2010 and Osama bin Laden’s death last May, many have reevaluated their views on the relative ...More

Liah Greenfield, Project Syndicate | September 11, 2012 The 9/11 attacks were motivated by an ugly side of nationalism that used religion as its rhetoric. ++ In the Arab Middle East, because of high uneducation, threats to national prestige are presented as threats to Islam to mobilize the masses. ++ The US has been blind to the nationalist factors behind terrorism, so it fought two costly wars that didn't defeat ...More

David Ignatius, The Washington Post | September 10, 2012 There are several parallels that can be drawn between US covert support in Afghanistan in the 1980s and in Syria today. ++ CIA officers are helping Sunni insurgents along Syria’s borders, while weapons are coming from third parties. ++ Although limited support is necessary, the US must: avoid dealing with extremists in the opposition, favoring more ...More

Costas Lapavitsas, The Guardian | September 7, 2012 The troika is now calling for Greece to make cuts of nearly €12bn to reduce public dept by 2014. ++ The government agreed to reduce social expenditure, pensions, and public sector wages. ++ Unfortunately, all the suffering as a result will be for nothing. ++ The troika is underestimating the depth of the recession; austerity will fail and lead to the need ...More

Faik Tunay, The Daily Star | September 6, 2012 Two years after the Gaza flotilla raid, the key to fully repairing Israel-Turkey relations is to find a just solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. ++ This conflict is of significance for Turkey's Muslims, not just out of religious solidarity but out of political empathy for the denial of Palestinian statehood. ++ Turkey seeks to be a premier regional ...More

Mohamed A. El-Erian, PIMCO | September 05, 2012 The US Congress is now returning from summer recess at a time when America needs bold economic leadership. ++ The current congressional polarization and paralysis must end. ++ A multi-prong policy initiative is needed to change numerous critical areas of the economy. ++ Medium reforms of the tax system and entitlements are required to eliminate the looming ...More

Pierre Delage, Forbes | September 4, 2012 There is an illusion that the BRICs can support global growth while Europe and the US falter with debt. ++ Yet, the BRICs have their own Achilles' heel. ++ Brazil struggles with dropping commodity prices; Russia has little investment diversification and will likely fall into recession. ++ China's economy favors bribery and is losing its competitiveness; ...More

Jackson Diehl, The Wahington Post | September 03, 2012 Obama and Romney have avoided serious debate on US foreign policy in the lead-up to the presidential elections. ++ Obama seeks to reach a deal with Russia for the two sides to cut nuclear stockpiles; a compromise on missile defense will likely occur. ++ Romney opposes Obama’s “reset” policy, promising instead to boost missile defense spending. ...More

Think Tank 20, Brookings Institution | September 2012 The Brookings Institution, along with its think tank partners, has published the fourth edition of Think Thank 20 entitled "New Challenges for the Global Economy, New Certainties for the G20," which was written in anticipation of this year's G-20 summit in Mexico. This edition provides a compendium of essays with the aim of explaining the stakes of the meeting ...More