Morning Brief, Friday, April 6

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2008

Actor and ex-Senator Fred Thompson sure looks like a presidential candidate, the Politico‘s Mike Allen reports.

Middle East

Iraq did not cooperate directly with al Qaeda, according to documents and interviews with former Iraqi officials.

U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates warned against “happy talk” in describing progress in Iraq to reporters at the Pentagon. And with good reason: Another chlorine bomb attack struck civilians in Ramadi, and eight U.S. soldiers died over a 48-hour period in Iraq.

U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney slammed House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for “bad behavior” in Syria.

Europe

France is coming alive for the most exciting campaign season in years, perhaps decades. The latest: Ségolène Royal fumbled attempts to explain her plan for youth jobs.

Britain’s freed naval personnel are being criticized in some quarters for kowtowing to their Iranian captors.

How much is the Chrysler part of DaimlerChrysler worth? Just $4.5 billion? That’s less than one month of U.S. military spending in Iraq.

Asia

A U.S. delegation left Beijing after talks failed to resolve an impasse over $25 million in frozen North Korean funds. 

Dutch soldiers have adopted classic counterinsurgency techniques in Afghanistan. Be nice, and the Taliban will lose support, the thinking goes.

India, having trouble replicating China’s economic success, is turning to controversial special economic zones. 

Elsewhere

The U.N.’s climate change panel reports that the “poorest of the poor” will fare worst from global warming.

China is turning to Brazil for its food needs, mainly soybeans.

Eritrea bans female circumcision.