Foreign Policy January 20, 2010 The Pentagon has won a major internal battle over control of foreign assistance funding, delaying the Obama administration’s pledge to demilitarize foreign policy, multiple sources tell The Cable. more
The New York Times January 20, 2010 BERLIN — Members of a European Parliament confirmation committee late Wednesday agreed to support the nomination of Neelie Kroes, Europe’s outgoing competition commissioner, as the new commissioner for the digital agenda after she apparently fleshed out her plans during a closed-door meeting with party leaders. more
The Wall Street Journal January 20, 2010 KABUL—The North Atlantic Treaty Organization plans to create a new top civilian post in Kabul to flank the U.S.-led coalition’s military chief in Afghanistan, and the British ambassador to Afghanistan is the leading contender, according to senior officials familiar with the matter. more
EuropeanVoice.com January 19, 2010 A referendum in Switzerland forbids the construction of new minarets. Racial violence explodes in the southern Italian region of Calabria. An intense and controversial debate takes place in France on the issue of national identity. These events have little in common, yet they all point to a growing European trend. more
Spiegel January 19, 2010 Taliban insurgents on Monday plunged the Afghan capital Kabul into chaos with a series of well-coordinated attacks across the city. Militarily, the offensive was a failure. But the propaganda value of the attack, which comes ahead of the Afghanistan conference later this month, is clear, say German commentators. more