The US finally decides to try alleged 9/11 planners, but seeks to do so through its secretive kangaroo court system at Gitmo:
- US May Ask Death for 9-11 Suspects (Associated Press/Washington Post)
The Army muzzles an unclassified RAND report detailing the failures of its occupation in Iraq, while Defense Secretary Gates supports extending the “surgeâ€:
- Army Buried Study Faulting Iraq Planning (New York Times)
- Gates Endorses Pause in Troop Withdrawals From Iraq (New York Times)
Russia writes off $12 billion in Iraqi debt in exchange for access to invest $4 billion in Iraq’s oil fields:
- Russia Writes Off Its Iraqi Debt (BBC News)
Turkey finally lifts part of the hijab ban, but Turkish columnists and academics say deeper reforms to strengthen democratization and EU entry must be pursued:
- Turkey Votes To Lift Head-Scarf Ban, But Battle Continues (Christian Science Monitor)
Thomas Erdbrink of the Washington Post Foreign Service reports that the clerical alumni of the Iranian Revolution are the moderates, now being pushed aside by fanatics with no religious credentials:
Iran’s Clerical Old Guard Being Pushed Aside (Washington Post)
In order to compensate for his plummeting ratings, Musharraf seeks to intimidate Pakistani opposition parties ahead of upcoming polls to maintain his electoral viability:
- Musharraf’s Approval Rating Plummets (Washington Post)
- Pakistani Parties Rally Amid Terror Threat (Christian Science Monitor)
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