Months after the Egyptian revolution, the nation’s ruling council faces a significant new problem: militant labor. From the Washington Post: Here in a nation that long outlawed strikes and largely judged independent unions to be enemies of the state, a juggernaut labor movement is flourishing in the light of the Arab Spring.The ruling military council, […]

Those who say we can’t get cross party cooperation on tough decisions like budget cuts should take a look at Great Britain, where a coalition of Conservatives and Liberal Democrats have agreed on a tough program of budget cuts and reforms. The current Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osbourne, has been visiting the US to […]

In more bad news for Democrats, America continues to track right-of-center.  A new Gallup poll indicates that “a record-high 81% of Americans are dissatisfied with the way the country is being governed”, and that the public’s faith in government’s ability to solve problems is plumbing new depths: Majorities of Democrats (65%) and Republicans (92%) are […]

According to the Wall Street Journal, the Russian decision to take off the Medvedev mask and put Prime Minister Putin back into the top spot is causing headaches in Washington. There seems to be some concern that when President Good Cop switches places with Prime Minister Bad Cop, something important could change in Russian foreign […]

From the Express Tribune, an English language newspaper published in Pakistan which has a relationship with the NY Times-owned International Herald Tribune: Saudi, Chinese and Pakistani intelligence officials to meet in IslamabadA trilateral meeting between intelligence officials from Saudi Arabia, China and Pakistan will held in Islamabad today, Express 24/7 reported.The trilateral meeting between officials […]

I’ve just come back from a week of teaching, lecturing and conversation in Israel and the West Bank, and nothing I saw there has led me to change my basic view of the situation.  Peace is not at hand in the Middle East because neither the Israelis nor the Palestinians are really willing to accept […]

The oncoming European sovereign debt crisis continues to barrel down the road at 65 miles per hour, and European leaders are still frightened and frozen in the headlights like a hapless herd of deer.That at least is the read on this weekend’s IMF summit in Washington DC, where apocalyptic warnings by the normally laid back […]

Shuja Nawaz has an in-depth look at Pakistan in the American Interest print edition and it is also available on line.  Highly recommended.

William Galston is one of the smartest thinkers on the Democratic side of the aisle, and this candid and thoughtful assessment he’s published at The New Republic makes sober reading for his colleagues.   According to Galston, the tilt away from the Democrats toward the GOP between 2008 and 2010 continues today.  As the electorate continues […]

[Updated: earlier version stated the victims were killed.  22 are injured; their condition is not known.]A misguided fanatic in central Java wrapped himself in an explosive device, nails and other forms of murderous shrapnel, entered a Christian church and detonated the bomb during worship services, injuring a reported 22 people.  The New York Times report […]