[This just in from our man in Istanbul.] While the “Friends of Syria Group” met in Istanbul today for its second conference seeking solutions to the ongoing crisis, a group of 20 students and refugees marched in solidarity with the Syrian opposition down Istiklal Cadessi—the main pedestrian thoroughfare in Istanbul’s commercial district. Such pro-opposition protests […]

Spring is here, which means that it’s acceptance letter season around many American kitchen tables this time of year. And because many graduate as well as undergrad schools send out acceptances around this time of year, both high school and college students will be checking the mail to see whether the school of their choice […]

[Turkey occupies a pivotal position in the Middle East and the dramatic changes taking place in Turkey’s domestic politics and foreign policy will have a greater impact on the region than any votes at the UN or declarations by the EU. Thanks to our man in Istanbul Via Meadia is able to offer readers a […]

Two of the most controversial pieces of the Wisconsin public sector union law passed amidst great cacophony and brouhaha in Wisconsin last year were struck down in federal court last week, but the fundamental thrust of the law survived. Teacher and other unions can continue to have dues deducted from member paychecks rather than having […]

Secretary Clinton got some unpleasant news as she was working to round up support for US regional diplomacy in the United Arab Emirates this week: the UAE announced that it was closing down the offices of a prominent American quango linked to the Democratic Party. Though the incident lacked the drama of the arrests of […]

Over at Matt Yglesias’ new blog Moneybox, Via Meadia‘s research team came across a smart post from earlier in the week that cuts through the complaining and over-analyzing of the story about Mitt Romney’s upgraded beach house, and gets at a real problem most people have missed: to put on an addition at your house, you […]

The FT, citing two confidential analyses which were distributed to EU leaders on Friday, warns that the current lull in the storm that’s been roiling the financial markets is only temporary—a reprieve bought at the steep cost of €1 trillion spent to date. The underlying problems are as far as ever from a solution. Portugal and […]

India is not lacking for suitors these days. At the same time it was announced that Russia is preparing to develop a hypersonic cruise missile with India, China’s courtship of the emerging power was in full view at this week’s BRICS meeting in the Indian capital. Perturbed by the success of Obama’s “pivot” to Asia and […]

The Washington Post is catching on to a trend we’ve been writing about here for a while: As a young labor organizer in Los Angeles, Antonio Villaraigosa worked for the city’s teachers, honing his political skills in the fight for a good contract. The union loved him back, supporting the Democrat’s election to the State Assembly, City […]

Grand strategy as a discipline is the study of power and how to get it. It is not about deconstructing power, attacking power structures or subverting hierarchies – although all of these can be skills a young eagle needs.