Morning Brief, Thursday, January 11
The Surge Naturally, everyone’s talking about Bush’s big Iraq speech (and the associated plan -pdf ). David Sanger of the Times calls it a “major tactical shift,” but labels Bush’s argument about the risks of failure to to be old news, while his colleagues Helene Cooper and Marz Mazetti focus on the stern warning Bush ...
The Surge
Naturally, everyone's talking about Bush's big Iraq speech (and the associated plan -pdf ). David Sanger of the Times calls it a "major tactical shift," but labels Bush's argument about the risks of failure to to be old news, while his colleagues Helene Cooper and Marz Mazetti focus on the stern warning Bush delivered to Iran. In the Post, Peter Baker explores the significance of Bush admitting mistakes, while William Arkin flags Bush's "evident willingness to go to war with Syria and Iran to seek peace" in Iraq. Underscoring his argument: U.S. forces nabbed another 5 Iranians in a raid on Tehran's consular offices in Irbil, a Kurdish city in northern Iraq. Iran is bringing in the Swiss to mediate.
Democrats in the House are planning to block funding for Bush's troop increase. Their confidence is likely bolstered by a new poll showing that 61 percent of American's oppose the move, with 52 percent strongly against. The numbers look slightly better for the president among those who actually watched his speech, but he's still running against the grain of public opinion. Even some prominent Republicans are distancing themselves from his plan.
The Surge
Naturally, everyone’s talking about Bush’s big Iraq speech (and the associated plan -pdf ). David Sanger of the Times calls it a “major tactical shift,” but labels Bush’s argument about the risks of failure to to be old news, while his colleagues Helene Cooper and Marz Mazetti focus on the stern warning Bush delivered to Iran. In the Post, Peter Baker explores the significance of Bush admitting mistakes, while William Arkin flags Bush’s “evident willingness to go to war with Syria and Iran to seek peace” in Iraq. Underscoring his argument: U.S. forces nabbed another 5 Iranians in a raid on Tehran’s consular offices in Irbil, a Kurdish city in northern Iraq. Iran is bringing in the Swiss to mediate.
Democrats in the House are planning to block funding for Bush’s troop increase. Their confidence is likely bolstered by a new poll showing that 61 percent of American’s oppose the move, with 52 percent strongly against. The numbers look slightly better for the president among those who actually watched his speech, but he’s still running against the grain of public opinion. Even some prominent Republicans are distancing themselves from his plan.
Elsewhere
Chris Dodd announced he’s running for U.S. president. Strange timing.
The House is ready to pass stem cell legislation.
In Afghanistan, NATO and Afghan troops killed as many as 150 Taliban militants.
Daniel Ortega is back as president of Nicaragua. No word yet on whether he’s planning an 80s retro bash to celebrate.
Even as OPEC is getting antsy about falling oil prices, Swiss Re warns about an oil price shock sometime in the next 10 years.
China’s trade deficit with the U.S. reached an all-time high of over $177 billion last year, and its stock market passed the $1 trillion mark yesterday.
More from Foreign Policy
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A new biography of George Kennan, the father of containment, raises questions about whether the old Cold War—and the emerging one with China—could have been avoided.
So You Want to Buy an Ambassadorship
The United States is the only Western government that routinely rewards mega-donors with top diplomatic posts.
Can China Pull Off Its Charm Offensive?
Why Beijing’s foreign-policy reset will—or won’t—work out.
Turkey’s Problem Isn’t Sweden. It’s the United States.
Erdogan has focused on Stockholm’s stance toward Kurdish exile groups, but Ankara’s real demand is the end of U.S. support for Kurds in Syria.
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