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What Are The Obama Administration's Options?

Thu, 29 Jan 2009 00:00:00 -0800

Der Spiegel - By Jane Sasseen - Jan. 29 (News Analysis) - The President's economic advisers believe it is time to hit the reset button on existing bailout programs, and think big. There's no choice given the deepening recession that's driving up jobless rates and home and credit-card defaults. All that in turn is contributing to multibillion-dollar quarterly losses at the likes of Citigroup and Bank of America. "Bad Bank" Could Cost $2 Trillion

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A "Green Tsunami" in Brazil: The High Price of Clean, Cheap Ethanol

Thu, 22 Jan 2009 00:00:00 -0800

Der Spiegel - By Clemens Hoeges - Jan. 22 (News Report) - Brazil hopes to supply drivers worldwide with the fuel of the future -- cheap ethanol derived from sugarcane. It is considered an effective antidote to climate change, but hundreds of thousands of Brazilian plantation workers harvest the cane at slave wages.

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'Why Can't Guantanamo's Inmates Stay in America?'

Thu, 22 Jan 2009 00:00:00 -0800

Der Spiegel - Jan. 22 (News Analysis) - Since December, when President-elect Obama extened an olive branch to irritated European allies and asked them to absorb some of these prisoners -- on the condition that America would, too -- a debate has simmered in Germany. Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said in January that Munich might be a reasonable place for 17 Chinese Uighur minority prisoners to settle, since Munich has the largest Chinese Muslim community outside China. But a conservative rival, Interior Minister Wolfgang Schäuble, says the prisoners are America's problem -- any Guantanamo inmates who can't go home "out of human rights considerations" will simply "need to remain in the United States."

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Fast-Forward Warming: Point of No Return for the Arctic Climate?

Sat, 06 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0800

Der Spiegel - By Volker Mrasek - Dec. 06 (Special Report) - Temperatures in the Arctic are rising much faster than elsewhere in the world. Researchers now say it may be the result of a dramatic shift in global climate patterns. If they are right, ice at the North Pole may soon be a thing of the past.

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America, Land of Extremes: An Enigmatic Country Elects a New President

Fri, 31 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Der Spiegel - By Gerhard Spörl - Oct. 31 (Opinion) - Some find America fascinating, others abhor it, but virtually no one feels indifferent about the superpower. For months, the question of who will become the next president has riveted people around the globe. He will inherit responsibility for a country whose global reputation is battered.

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Russia's Strategy: 'What's Looming in Ukraine Is more Threatening than Georgia'

Thu, 16 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Der Spiegel - By Uwe Klussmann, Matthias Schepp - Oct. 16 (Interview) - In an interview, Kremlin-aligned political strategist Vyacheslav Nikonov argues that the recent war in South Ossetia and bickering over Ukraine doesn't mean Moscow is steering into a confrontation course. But if Kiev entered NATO, he says it would spell the end of Russian cooperation with the West.

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Gordon Brown Saves the Banks and Himself

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Der Spiegel - By Sebastian Borger - Oct. 14 (News Analysis) - The success of Brown's plan has little to do with his powers of foresight -- it's due, rather, to a combination of good timing, the British system of government and the weaknesses of Europe's common institutions. First, Brown had the luxury of letting the Americans act first and he learned some important lessons from the failure of the original Paulson plan. Second, Britain's "elected dictatorship" allows the prime minister to act quickly without formally involving parliament, much less the opposition. Tactically, it makes sense that Tory chief David Cameron offered a truce for the duration of the financial crisis, but Brown never needed his assent. His "national" economic council is solely comprised of Labour ministers and civil servants. Thirdly, Brown benefited from the fact that the members of the Euro-zone didn't recognize the gravity of the situation quickly enough -- or, like France's President Nicolas Sarkozy, they wanted the British involved from the start.

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Money Grows on Trees: Deforestation Costs More than Financial Crisis

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Der Spiegel - Oct. 10 (Special Report) - Sukhdev and his team, which has been compared to the high-profile Stern Review into the economics of climate change, concluded that forest decline costs about 7 percent of global GDP. They are now working on a second phase of their study, this time probing the value of other natural systems. The picture they are painting is bleak. Firmly entrenched global trends like population growth, changing diets, urbanization and climate change are all taking a toll on biodiversity.

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Capitalism in Crisis: The Broken Pact with the People

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Der Spiegel - By Dirk Kurbjuweit - Oct. 08 (Special Report) - In the German press, the word "American" became shorthand for greed. Many managers demanded “American” salaries of over $10 million (€7.25 million) a year. They targeted “American” earnings for their companies. Ackermann aimed for profits of 25 percent. German savers were recommended to take an “American” approach to their investments. Saving accounts and government bonds were passé and investing and gambling with stocks was all the rage because it held out the promise of higher returns. German business practices were frowned upon as conservative and narrow-minded. Sexy investments required a no-holds-barred attitude and a willingness to play the markets and take risks. Let’s be like Americans -- that was the guiding principle for German banks and top company executives. They gleefully played along with what was done on the other side of the Atlantic. Not surprisingly, they also purchased those wonderful securities that had something to do with American homeowners and promised such rewarding returns.

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Bailout Beat Goes On: Europe Faces Banking Crisis of Its Own

Tue, 07 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Der Spiegel - By Mark Scott - Oct. 07 (News Analysis) - Perhaps it's time, he and other analysts say, for a more EU-wide approach to solving what is quickly becoming a pan-European problem. But with no central financial regulator in Europe, and a tendency by local politicians to focus on domestic financial and economic issues, any such solution is unlikely soon. The resulting irony could be that even though Old World institutions engaged in less of the risky lending that pulled down so many American counterparts, a European banking recovery could take even longer.

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No EU Bailout: Europe Bids Adieu to Common Financial Crisis Approach

Fri, 03 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Der Spiegel - Oct. 03 (News Analysis) - The idea of an EU rescue fund was apparently first proposed by the Netherlands and supported initially by France. Germany, however, quickly voiced its disapproval and on Thursday, French President Nicolas Sarkozy pulled the plug. "I deny the sum and the principle (of the proposed rescue scheme)," he said.

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'The Tenure of Coalition Troops in Iraq Should Be Limited'

Sat, 19 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Der Spiegel - By Nouri al-Maliki: - Jul. 19 (Interview) - We do not judge our partners on the basis of whether or not they were militarily involved in toppling Saddam. The decisions back then corresponded to the national will of the countries, and we respect that.... We want to get to know... [the German companies] and we want to know what they want -- and the things they fear when thinking about Iraq. We have to start over again in many areas, including oil production, the development of the power grid and all industries. There is much to be done.

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'As Soon as Possible'

Sat, 19 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Der Spiegel - Jul. 19 (News Report) - Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki supports US presidential candidate Barack Obama's plan to withdraw US troops from Iraq within 16 months. When asked in and interview with SPIEGEL when he thinks US troops should leave Iraq, Maliki responded "as soon as possible, as far as we are concerned." He then continued: "US presidential candidate Barack Obama talks about 16 months. That, we think, would be the right timeframe for a withdrawal, with the possibility of slight changes." "US presidential candidate Barack Obama talks about 16 months. That, we think, would be the right timeframe for a withdrawal, with the possibility of slight changes."

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Germans Hope for a New America: Will Berlin's Lovefest with Obama be Shortlived?

Mon, 09 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Der Spiegel - By Ralf Beste, Konstantin von Hammerstein - Jun. 09 (News Report) - The dream goes something like this: What if just a small fragment of the American presidential election primary were to spill over into Germany? The enthusiasm, for example, and the vitality, energy and drama that the world's oldest democracy has presented to the global public for months? And what if German politicians would exude just a smidgen of the youthfulness and spirit of optimism that Barack Obama, the presumptive Democratic presidential candidate, seems to have in abundance?

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Germany Watches Clinton Fight for Survival

Thu, 14 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0800

Der Spiegel - Feb. 14 (News Report) - Germans are following this election closely and on Thursday German commentators see things looking good for Obama. This doesn't seem to bother them much, but they fear Hillary won't go down easy and might bruise Obama before the main event: the election. They're also concerned about how Hillary might handle defeat.

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The End of the Obama Revolution

Tue, 22 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800

Der Spiegel - By Gabor Steingart - Jan. 22 (News Analysis) - The euphoria is gone, the friendly fire has started: Barack Obama is suddenly looking less like a superstar and more like just another candidate. His message isn't hitting home with the three most important groups of voters: women, older Americans and blue-collar workers.

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West Wing: The End of Globalization?

Thu, 13 Dec 2007 09:32:26 -0800

Der Spiegel - By Gabor Steingart - Dec. 13 (Opinion) - ...candidate Hillary Clinton is now breaking with the legacy of her predecessors, including that of her husband. She no longer believes that trade with other nations is automatically beneficial to her own country. The old theory no longer holds true, she recently told the Financial Times. If she becomes president, she intends to withdraw from the ongoing World Trade talks that began in Doha, Qatar. In Clinton's view, a trade policy that would pick up where that of current President George W. Bush leaves off is "not an option."

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Bhutto Plans Mass Rally Against Musharraf

Tue, 06 Nov 2007 10:55:32 -0800

Der Spiegel - Nov. 06 (News Report) - With leaders from across the world twisting the arm of Pakistan's President Gen. Pervez Musharraf to retreat from his declaration of emergency on Saturday, the most intense pressure may be brewing from inside the country. Opposition leader Benazir Bhutto, who has so far refrained from mobilizing her supporters against Musharraf's installation of military rule, may go on the offensive later this week. Opposition leader Benazir Bhutto has said she is planning a massive demonstration in Pakistan for Friday.

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White House Leak: Cheney's Plan for Iran Attack Starts With Israeli Missile Strike

Fri, 26 Oct 2007 10:20:46 -0700

Der Spiegel - By Gregor Peter Schmitz, Cordula Meyer - Oct. 26 (News Report) - High-ranking military experts say an attack would lead to world economic chaos, or even what Bush calls 'World War III.' US Vice President Dick Cheney -- the power behind the throne, the eminence grise, the man with the (very) occasional grandfatherly smile -- is notorious for his propensity for secretiveness and behind-the-scenes manipulation. He's capable of anything, say friends as well as enemies. Given this reputation, it's no big surprise that Cheney has already asked for a backroom analysis of how a war with Iran might begin.

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Iran Sanctions

Mon, 24 Sep 2007 18:38:02 -0700

Der Spiegel - By dgs/spiegel - Sep. 24 (News Report) - German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier opposes French calls for European Union sanctions against Iran. He will back up his case with German Foreign Ministry data showing that leading French and American companies are conducting large amounts of business with Iran.

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Behavioral Science Turns to Dogs for Answers

Sat, 08 Sep 2007 03:05:00 -0700

Der Spiegel - By Julia Koch - Sep. 08 (News Report) - Dogs are so geared toward communication with people that it seems to run in their genes. For a still-unpublished study, Kaminski and her fellow researchers repeated the pointing experiment with six-week-old puppies. Astonishingly, even the puppies understood immediately that it was worth investigating the area the human finger was pointing to. "Puppies are still with their mother at six weeks. The phase in which they are most susceptible to human influence only begins after that," explains Kaminski. Her conclusion is that the animals must already have the innate ability to interpret human gestures.

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'We Will Try to Form an Islamic Society'

Sun, 24 Jun 2007 05:15:00 -0700

Der Spiegel - By Ulrike Putz - Jun. 24 (Interview) - Mahmoud Zahar -- a founder of Hamas, and one of its most militant hardliners -- has called for an Islamic state in the Gaza Strip. After the Hamas takeover of the territory last week, he's also threatened Fatah with more violence in the West Bank.

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German Chancellor Angela Merkel on the Bush Climate Dispute

Mon, 04 Jun 2007 12:57:32 -0700

Der Spiegel - Jun. 04 (Interview) - Merkel: I believe it will be very difficult, and that is by no means only because of the Americans. If the United States doesn't move, then a number of other nations may wait and see too. I'm not expecting a solution this week. This is a tough task we have to work at patiently. We Europeans have a clear position. For 10 years, I have fought passionately for climate protection. From the very beginning it has been a tough struggle -- it's not a terrain in which one can achieve quick victories. But we're making progress step by step.

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A Beacon of Hope in Riyadh?

Mon, 02 Apr 2007 08:41:03 -0700

Der Spiegel - By Bernhard Zand - Apr. 02 (Special Report) - Last week, the 22 government leaders of the Arab League renewed their commitment to the Beirut proposal. First Abdullah, who has since become the king of Saudi Arabia, gave them a telling-off the likes of which has never been heard before at an Arab summit. He mentioned the bloodshed in occupied Iraq, the political deadlock in Lebanon, the weak leadership in Sudan and the seemingly endless series of civil wars in Somalia. "The real blame should fall on us -- we the leaders of the Arab nations," he said. Of course, the Arabs are not the only ones to have messed up during the five years since the Beirut proposal. The Bush administration began a war that has opened the "gates of hell," just as Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa predicted. Israel launched a military campaign in 2006 that Vice-Premier Shimon Peres has since described as a "mistake" -- and which has made Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah a popular Arab hero. And the Europeans are constantly torn between their trans-Atlantic allegiances and their desire to act on their own account -- with the result that they are still struggling to develop a coherent Middle East strategy.

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Just Like Old Times: A New Arms Race Between US and Russia?

Mon, 19 Feb 2007 15:42:02 -0800

Der Spiegel - By Siegesmund von Ilsemann, Uwe Klussmann, Georg Mascolo, Christian Neef - Feb. 19 (News Analysis) - Western guests who visited the Kremlin in Moscow in the spring of 1989 -- prime ministers, cabinet ministers and journalist alike -- were presented with an unusual gift: A steel ring the size of a small plate with a metal fragment attached to it, the whole thing secured to a heavy brass base. The inscription on the base, "January 14, 1989 - SS-20 - Kapustin Jar," identified the date and location of the Soviets' destruction of their first intermediate-range SS-20 missile. A photograph on the base of the souvenir depicts the powerful explosion, which left little more than the finger-long fragments embedded into the commemorative ring. Though perhaps not to everyone's taste, the souvenir was politically significant as a symbol of a shift in US-Soviet relations which hardly anyone had expected. On Aug. 28, 1988, the Americans and Russians launched an effort to destroy 2,611 nuclear warheads -- the Pershing and SS-20 missiles that had kept Europeans terrified for years. The first jointly monitored arms reduction treaty had finally come into effect. The explosions seemed to melt the ice of the Cold War. Suddenly Moscow's supreme military commander was inspecting the weapons of Russia's arch-enemy and diplomats were exchanging previously classified information about their military forces. The Berlin Wall came down just over a year later. US President George Bush, Sr. called it the dawning of a "new world order," when the last Soviet czar, then-President Mikhail Gorbachev, announced the end of his empire.

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