OPINION
New administration will need to fix problems Bush has not addressed
Slate Apr 3, 08 4:10 PM CDT
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Taking the attitude that "since we were now all-powerful, allies were no longer necessary," President Bush damaged the US' image and diminished its power, Fred Kaplan writes in Slate. How can the next president heal our diplomatic woes? Visit all Middle East countries; leave a full-time envoy: "It is appalling that President Bush made his first trip to Israel and the Palestinian territories in his final year."
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Out with the Navy, in with the Army as
head of CentCom
St. Petersburg Times Mar 29, 08 8:58 AM CDT
(Newser)
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A new commander has taken temporary charge of US military operations in the Mideast, after a quiet ceremony at MacDill Air Force Base in Florida yesterday. Lt. Gen Martin Dempsey will run CentCom while the administration seeks a permanent replacement for Adm. William Fallon, who quit abruptly earlier this month amid media reports that he was opposed to President Bush's policy on Iran, the St. Petersburg Times reports.
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Rival Palestinian factions bicker over control of Gaza
Reuters Mar 23, 08 8:02 PM CDT
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In a second attempt to mend fences, rival Palestinian groups Fatah and Hamas agreed to resume direct talks today to resolve disputes and revive their failed coalition. A Hamas official called the deal “a new beginning and the start of a new stage,” but just hours after signing the Yemeni-sponsored Sanaa Declaration, the factions returned to feuding, Reuters reports.
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Men-free Luthan Hotel 'meeting a very big demand' in conservative Muslim kingdom
Independent (UK) Mar 21, 08 5:21 PM CDT
(Newser)
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Saudi Arabia’s first hotel catering exclusively to women—right down to its plush spa—opened this week in Riyadh, the Independent reports. The conservative kingdom enforces strict Islamic segregation of sexes in public, but women can stay at the Luthan Hotel without a male guardian—nor any men on the premises at all—and without needing to stick to tough dress standards.
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Promises 'unwavering commitment' of US as war begins 6th year
AFP Mar 17, 08 6:45 AM CDT
(Newser)
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Leading Iraq war architect Dick Cheney made an unannounced visit to Baghdad today, beginning a nine-day Middle East tour by promising Iraq the "unwavering commitment of the United States in finishing the difficult work that lies ahead." John McCain, traveling as a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, simultaneously met with other Iraqi leaders in the capital, AFP reports.
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Gunmen open fire at Jewish seminary; Gaza celebrates
BBC Mar 6, 08 3:24 PM CST
(Newser)
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At least eight people are dead and many more wounded after gunmen attacked a Jewish seminary tonight in Jerusalem, the BBC reports. The shooters—possibly as many as three—are Palestinian, Reuters adds, and two were killed. Witnesses said gunfire lasted 10 minutes. "They were still shooting when we got here," a medic said. "It's horrible inside—dead bodies and wounded—it's horrific."
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Deployment of USS Cole signals 'we're engaged,' official says
Reuters Feb 29, 08 4:30 AM CST
(Newser)
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The US has ordered a warship to the coastal waters of Lebanon amid fear the country's political deadlock could turn violent, Reuters reports. The country's presidential election has just been delayed for the 15th time and the US blames the political quagmire on Syrian meddling on behalf of its Hezbollah allies. "The presence is important. It signals that we're engaged, we're going to be in the vicinity," said the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
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UPDATED
Rice voices concern after retaliatory strikes kill militants, baby
Reuters Feb 28, 08 11:15 AM CST
(Newser)
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Israel hit targets inside the Gaza Strip today, including an apparent warning attack near the Hamas PM's home, after a rocket killed an Israeli student, Reuters reports. Two days of violence have left 17 Palestinians dead, including a 6-month-old baby who died when a strike on a Hamas-run ministry damaged nearby buildings. Condoleezza Rice decried the strikes' civilian toll after meeting with Israeli PM Ehud Olmert in Tokyo.
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Ex-socialist is now Sarko's buddy and France's star politician
New York Times Feb 3, 08 4:31 PM CST
(Newser)
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Bernard Kouchner was once a card-carrying socialist hurling red ink at the American Embassy in Paris. Now, as France’s foreign minister, he’s President Nicolas Sarkozy’s right-hand man, helping to rebuild long-strained ties with the US. He also may be France’s most popular politician. The New York Times takes an in-depth look at the man who is redefining France’s place in the world.
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Repairs could take days or even weeks
CNN Feb 1, 08 1:18 PM CST
(Newser)
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A third cable carrying Internet traffic to the Mideast was cut today off the Persian Gulf emirate of Dubai, and web and phone service remained disrupted in large areas of the Mideast and India because of breaks in two cables in the Mediterranean Wednesday. The cables severed earlier carried as much as three-quarters of the traffic between Europe and the Mideast, so their loss was more serious, CNN reports.
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With weak dollar driving acqusitions, lawmakers get skittish
Washington Post Jan 28, 08 7:01 PM CST
(Newser)
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As the dollar drops, foreign investors are buying up US enterprises large and small, from multi-billion-dollar stakes in Wall Street banks to ownership of chemical factories and construction companies in the likes of North Carolina. Canadian, British and German companies have been expanding their portfolios in the US for years, but the Middle East and China are quickly catching up. And it makes some politicians queasy, the Washington Post reports.
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