Foreign Policy News and Commentary Update September 28, 2007

Foreign Policy News and Commentary Update September 28, 2007

WORDS, NOT WAR WITH IRAN - IDA SAWYER (AL-AHRAM, SEPTEMBER 27-OCTOBER 3): In contrast to the US government's hard line stance, many Americans -- frustrated and often infuriated by the Iraq debacle -- are increasingly concerned about the dangerous potential of a military confrontation between the US and Iran. They believe efforts such as Columbia's World Leaders Forum that promote dialogue, debate, and public diplomacy may be crucial for easing tensions between the two nations which have not had formal diplomatic ties since students stormed the US Embassy in Tehran in 1979. http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2007/864/re62.htm

MCCAIN SAYS RIVALS LACK EXPERIENCE TO LEAD DURING WAR - LAUREN KORNREICH (CN NEWS, SEPTEMBER 26): The GOP hopeful said would create agencies to deal with public diplomacy to improve America's image in the world.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2007/09/27/mccain-would-increase-troops-money-to-iraq/

REFUGEES? WHAT REFUGEES? - ROGER COHEN (NEW YORK TIMES, SEPTEMBER 27): Of all the Iraq war scandals, America's failure to do more for refugees, including thousands who put their lives at risk for the U.S., stands out for its moral bankruptcy.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/27/opinion/27cohen.html?ref=opinion&pagewanted=print

STATE DEPT: CORRUPTION IN IRAQ IS CLASSIFIED DAVID CORN (NATION, SEPTEMBER 26)
http://www.thenation.com/blogs/capitalgames?pid=237024

GATES MOVES TO REIN IN CONTRACTORS IN IRAQ: THE PENTAGON CHIEF'S ORDER FOR PRIVATE SECURITY FIRMS CONTRASTS THE STATE DEPARTMENT'S REACTION TO THE BLACKWATER CASE - PETER SPIEGEL AND JULIAN E. BARNES (LOS ANGELES TIMES, SEPTEMBER 27)
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-gates27sep27,1,301517.story

CHAOS AND UNITY IN A FRAGMENTED IRAQ - ROGER OWEN (BOSTON GLOBE, SEPTEMBER 28): The president is right to believe that the presence of a large American military force is all that now holds the country together. But, by the same token, it cannot succeed in uniting Iraq behind a strong central government because the forces of disintegration unleashed by the occupation are now far too strong.
http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2007/09/28/chaos_and_unity_in_a_fragmented_iraq?mode=PF

WHY WE'RE WINNING NOW IN IRAQ - FREDERICK W. KAGAN (WALL STREET JOURNAL, SEPTEMBER 28): The effect of the surge enabled the Iraqi people to throw off the terrorists whose ideas they had already rejected, confident that they would be protected from horrible reprisals. But it is not enough to persuade a Muslim population to reject al Qaeda's ideology and practice. Someone must also be willing and able to protect that population against the terrorists they had been harboring, something that special forces and long-range missiles alone can't do.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB119094465321642234.html?mod=todays_us_opinion
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IRAQ WILL HAVE TO WAIT - SCOTT RITTER (TRUTHDIG, SEPTEMBER 27): A war with Iran would make the current conflict in Iraq pale by comparison, and would detrimentally impact the whole of America, not just certain demographics.
http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/20070927_ritter_stop_iran_war/

WASHINGTON SEES AN OPPORTUNITY ON IRAN - DAVID E. SANGER AND THOM SHANKER (NEW YORK TIMES, SEPTEMBER 27): Until now, Washington has relied on gradually escalating sanctions, including convincing a growing number of banks that it is risky to lend new funds to Iran for major oil projects. Yet in interviews, American diplomats, White House officials and military officers acknowledge that the strategy has been largely ineffective. So have veiled threats of military action.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/27/washington/27iran.html?_r=1&oref=slogin&pagewanted=print

PUTTING THE HEAT ON IRAN - DANIELLE PLETKA (WALL STREET JOURNAL, SEPTEMBER 28) The U.S. is second to none in the breadth of its sanctions against Iran. Many of those sanctions sounded an alarm early on, and likely prevented more rapid progress on the Iranian nuclear weapons program. All the more reason why ignoring American fumbles will be so harmful to our goal -- achieving a policy that ends the Iranian nuclear weapons program.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB119094455097742231.html?mod=todays_us_opinion
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THE AHMADINEJAD SHOW: THE IRANIAN PRESIDENT'S VIEWS ARE AS DISTURBING AS EVER. BUT HOW MUCH DOES HE REALLY MATTER? EDITORIAL (LOS ANGELES TIMES, SEPTEMBER 27): Nearly 30 years after its revolution, Iran remains ideologically inimical to the United States. That makes it all the more vital that other world powers, notably Iran's accommodating trading partners -- China, Russia, Germany -- as well as its nervous neighbors be willing through peaceful economic means to raise the costs to Khamenei of continuing Iran's nuclear defiance.
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-ed-ahmadinejad27sep27,0,4677414.story?coll=la-opinion-leftrail

THE BOLLINGER/AHMADINEJAD FARCE: IF THE COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT WERE TO INTRODUCE BUSH THE WAY HE DID THE IRANIAN PRESIDENT, THAT WOULD BE AN ACT OF FREE-SPEECH BRAVERY - ROSA BROOKS (LOS ANGELES TIMES, SEPTEMBER 28): Tuesday's farce in New York at Columbia University, starring Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as the Unpopular Presidential Guest and Columbia President Lee C. Bollinger as The Man Who Spoke Truth to Power, doesn't count because it was just that: a farce.
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oe-brooks28sep28,0,7795418.column?coll=la-opinion-rightrail
SEE ALSO
http://www.counterpunch.org/mcenteer09272007.html

SAVE BURMA: WILL CHINA AND RUSSIA GIVE A GREEN LIGHT TO A SLAUGHTER OF THE MONKS? - EDITORIAL (SEPTEMBER 27): The corrupt and paranoid generals in the ruling junta in Burma have clearly decided to face a popular uprising with the same methods used to put down a similar revolt in 1988. That means the world can expect mass bloodshed in Burma in the coming days -- unless something is done to stop it. The United States and the European Union acted with admirable cohesion and aggressiveness yesterday, calling for a meeting of the U.N. Security Council and asking it to consider sanctions.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/26/AR2007092602068_pf.html

LAWYERS ARE DENIED ACCESS TO DETAINEES: A BAD WEEK AT GUANTÁNAMO - ANDY WORTHINGTON (COUNTEPUNCH, SEPTEMBER 27): One thing you learn when studying Guantánamo is that nothing can ever be taken for granted.
http://www.counterpunch.org/worthington09272007.html

RELAX, MITT: GUANTANAMO'S NOT CLOSING - KAREN J. GREENBERG (TOMDISPATCH, SEPTEMBER 27): Guantanamo (and everything it represents) is alive and well. The administration's loose talk of change only conceals its stubborn commitment to a wholly discredited path.
http://www.tomdispatch.com/post/print/174842/Tomgram%253A%2520%2520Karen%2520Greenberg%252C%2520Guantanamo%2520

ANALYSIS: CONSTRUCTING THE ENEMY - STEVEN R. CORMAN (COMOPS JOURNAL, SEPTEMBER): It is clear that we need some alternative to describing the Bad Guys in terms of jihad. It is equally clear that alternatives have to be selected with great care and that we?re better off staying within a system of social construction that we understand.
http://comops.org/journal/2007/09/25/analysis-constructing-the-enemy/

AL QAEDA ON THE ROPES? - ARNAUD DE BORCHGRAVE (WASHINGTON TIMES, SEPTEMBER 28): For bin Laden, it is high noon on the electronic frontier.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070928/COMMENTARY/109280001/1012&template=printart

THE THEOLOGY OF AMERICAN EMPIRE IRA CHERNUS (FOREIGN POLICY IN FOCUS, SEPTEMBER 27/COMMON DREAMS): If the people want a religion-laden foreign policy based on the doctrine of original sin and the myth of good against evil, it's what we should have. But at least we should all talk about it together, openly and honestly.
http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2007/09/27/4157/

HEAR, HEAR: AMERICANS SHOULD NOT FEAR TALKING--AND LISTENING--TO THOSE WHOSE VIEWS WE LOATHE - PEGGY NOONAN (OPINION JOURNAL FROM THE WALL STREET JOURNAL EDITORIAL PAGE, SEPTEMBER 28): Khrushchev's trip and Castro's to the U.N. were all about propaganda, all about sticking it to Uncle Sam. And here's what happened: Nothing. Their presence hurt our country exactly zero percent. In fact it raised us high, reminding the world we are the confident nation that lets its foes speak uncensored. As an adult nation would.
http://www.opinionjournal.com/columnists/pnoonan/?id=110010659

A DIPLOMATIC REVOLUTION? - AUSTIN BAY (WASHINGTON TIMES, SEPTEMBER 28): Winning war in the Age of the Internet and -- even better -- preventing crises by pre-emptive diplomacy require "street-level" political intelligence and the capacity to improve neighborhoods and individual lives.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070928/COMMENTARY/109280002/1012&template=printart

PICTURES FROM OUTSIDE PROPAGANDA - WILLIAM MEYERS (NEW YORK SUN, SEPTEMBER 27): "Unforeseen: The Personal in Photography from Soviet Russia 1926?1949" at the Nailya Alexander Gallery presents 33 images "outside a propaganda context," pictures taken of families and pictures that exemplify the photographers' own artistic sensibilities.
http://www.nysun.com/article/63476

AND STOP INVADING OTHER COUNTRIES TOO ? (WONKETTE, SEPTEMBER 27): Condi Rice bravely demands that other countries so using so much fossil fuel.
http://wonkette.com/politics/and-stop-invading-other-countries-too/-304439.php