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Is America Becoming Post-Racial while France is Becoming Post-Social?
July 2, 2009
As Barack Obama’s election asks the question of a “post-racial” America, France wonders about putting more race in their class-based policies

GMF News: GTA launch, Marek Belka on financial crisis, Transatlantic Academy report on immigration
July 1, 2009
The lastest GMF information on past events, publications, policy papers along with recent podcasts and blogs.

An Anachronistic Approach to Russia
Joseph R. Wood
June 26, 2009
The Obama administration will need more than the last century’s legacy at the core of its program to reset a difficult relationship with Moscow.

360 Degrees Diplomacy
June 19, 2009
This piece analyses how the implications of the process that started with the “Five Days War” between Russia and Georgia led Turkey to develop an opening toward Armenia which would take Turkey to it’s initial position after a 360 degrees turn.

Russia, Europe, Iran: Three Grand Strategic Issues in U.S.-Turkish Relations
Ian Lesser
June 19, 2009
Three “meta” issues—Russia, Europe, and Iran—will pose key tests for U.S.-Turkish cooperation over the next few years.

The Hit Parade: The Concentration of Tariff Water in Manufactured Products and the Risks to Global Trade
June 16, 2009
In a GMF-supported paper, the authors cite that several decades of negotiations and unilateral trade reforms have led to large reductions in applied tariffs on industrial goods. During the same period, rounds of negotiations under GATT and at the WTO have induced their members to make commitments in the form of bound tariff rates. As a result, today many applied tariffs are much lower than the bound rates—a difference that is referred to as tariff water, or sometimes also binding overhang.

Virtue from Necessity: Why the EU and U.S. should strengthen regulatory cooperation
Richard Salt
June 16, 2009
Regulation, of products, services and markets, rarely sets pulses racing – and when it does, it tends to be for the wrong reasons. Yet cross-border differences in the way markets are regulated represent a growing challenge for the global economy, and demand greater cooperation from the world’s economic powers. Nowhere is this demand for engagement greater than in the transatlantic economic relationship.

A new view of success for Central Europe
Joseph R. Wood
June 15, 2009
This brief describes the countries of Central Europe must now lead the memorialization of the crimes of the communist era, remedy the European Union's democratic deficit, and reduce Eurovision and contemteporary Hollywood to forgotten footnotes in western creative history.

A culture of trust and tolerance, or a beautiful, but lonely Turkey?
Özgür Ünlühisarcıklı
6/12/2009
As Victor Hugo said, nothing is stronger than an idea whose time has come. Perhaps this is why the new survey on "Radicalism and Extremism" in Turkey, has stimulated a heated debate even though its findings are neither new nor surprising.

How “European” is Obama?
John K. Glenn
June 10, 2009
"Black man given nation's worst job," joked the satirical American newspaper, The Onion, in light of the crises President Obama faced when he took office. Yet Obama continues to be remarkably popular, with approval ratings above 60 percent and a dramatic increase in the percentage of Americans who feel that the country is heading in the right direction since his election

The Russia Challenge: Prospects for U.S.-Russian Relations
David J. Kramer
June 9, 2009
Next month Obama will visit Moscow, seeking to further his administration's goal of resetting and improving relations with Russia. Improved ties with Russia are clearly in U.S. interests, as is Russian cooperation in dealing with a range of strategic issues. The key question is whether U.S.-Russian relations can improve in a serious, sustainable way?

How Tiananmen changed China -- and still could
Daniel Twining
6/5/2009
Absent from almost all Chinese education curricula, the Tiananmen Square massacre of June 4, 1989 marks a pivotal point in Chinese economic and socio-political history.

No Shortcuts: Selective Migration and Integration
June 4, 2009
A collaborative report by American and European fellows of the Transatlantic Academy on the selection and integration process of highly-skilled workers.

Turkey and Azerbaijan: Passion, Principle, or Pragmatism?
June 4, 2009
Efforts toward normalization between Turkey and Armenia in April 2009 have brought to light ongoing tensions in Turkish-Azerbaijani relations. Though united by language and ethnicity, the potential for the realization of "one nation, two states" has brought forth resentments between the two countries. This brief addresses factors that contribute to questions including: What substantiates the Turkey-Azerbaijan relationship? And what is the rationale of this bond?

Turkey’s Kurds: Toward a Solution?
Amberin Zaman
June 4, 2009
The campaign for an independent Kurdish state by the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) has been termed Turkey's number one headache. While the PKK's attacks against the Turkish army have bolstered Turkish nationalism, Turkey's image has been tainted by its response to these assaults. In addition, Turkey's failure to resolve the issue with the Kurds has hindered the development of its democracy.

Divining Davutoglu: Turkey’s Foreign Policy Under New Leadership
Soli Ozel
June 4, 2009
This brief discusses a method for looking at Turkey's policies and how the country's goals may line up with those of its allies, including the United States.

What comes after multiculturalism?
Michael Werz
June 3, 2009
Even as the financial crisis unfolds and frustrations toward American policies continue to develop, Europe would do well to consider the approach to secularism, immigration, and citizenship that the United States has taken.

Guest Worker Programs and Circular Migration: What Works?
June 1, 2009
Somewhat surprisingly, the new millennium has seen the reappearance of temporary labor migration programs in political discourse within both Europe and the United States. This policy paper aims at evaluating these concepts for temporary labor migration programs. It first looks at two historical cases of such programs and asks what kind of lessons could be learned from the German guest worker program and the Bracero Program of the United States.

Walking Through the Open Door: The U.S. Role in Helping Bosnia-Herzegovina Join a Europe Whole and Free
Douglas Davidson
May 28, 2009
Addressing recent developments in Bosnia and Herzegovina, GMF Fellow Douglas Davidson offers recommendations for U.S. government policy to help the country implement first steps towards gaining EU membership.

Ukraine on the brink
David J. Kramer
May 28, 2009
Russia has always had a knack for overshadowing its neighbors - and this time the West, focused on Moscow, is distracted from a crisis in Ukraine. As U.S. President Barack Obama gears up to "reset" Russia relations, Ukraine is in disarray. The country is teetering between economic collapse, Russian influence, and vague promises of Western support. It will take decisive moves from Washington to help pull Ukraine back from the edge. At the least, Obama should visit ailing Ukraine and prove that good relations with Russia don't meant forgetting the rest of the region.

Moldova: the Twitter Revolution that wasn’t
David J. Kramer
May 28, 2009
The protest that greeted Moldova's recent election represented domestic frustrations, not an abortive colour revolution. Addressing Moldova's deep-seated problems of poverty, criminality and national identity will require constructive input from Western powers.

Labor Migration Management in Times of Recession: Is Circular Migration a Solution?
May 25, 2009
Looking at circular migration from the receiving countries' perspective, this paper begins with a brief assessment of how the current economic crisis affects global labor migration.

Diplomacy and Development in the 21st Century
James Kunder
5/21/2009
On May 21, GMF Senior Transatlantic Fellow Jim Kunder responded to U.S. Senator John Kerry's speech on "Diplomacy and Development in the 21st Century."

China’s Af-Pak Moment
Andrew Small
May 20, 2009
As the United States and Europe look for additional sources of leverage in Pakistan and Afghanistan, a heightened role for China is one of the most promising—and the least discussed. China’s substantial strategic interests in Pakistan, its major investments in both countries, and security concerns that range from narcotics flows to terrorist bases give it many shared stakes with the West.

GMF Senior Fellow for Asia Dan Twining testifies before the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission
Daniel Twining
May 20, 2009
GMF Senior Fellow for Asia Dan Twining testified on May 20 before the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission. His testimony outlined the strategic implications of China’s trade and investment in Continental Asia. Twining's testimony is available for download.

Turkey and Armenia: Adjusting Expectations
May 18, 2009
In the months leading up to April 2009, Turkey’s concern that the events of 1915 would be termed “genocide” dominated speculation as to when and how Turkey would normalize relations with Armenia. Turkey had linked these two prospects by making it clear that a U.S. genocide recognition would not only derail the process with Armenia but also threaten cooperation with the United States on various fronts.

GMF Fellow Lesser testifies on U.S.-Turkish relations before House committee
Ian Lesser
May 14, 2009
GMF Senior Transatlantic Fellow Dr. Ian O. Lesser testified on May 14 before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs. He outlined the new dynamics and next steps in U.S.-Turkish relations. Lesser's testimony is available for download.

Turkey’s Cabinet Reshuffle: Another Balancing Act
Amberin Zaman
5/11/2009
On May 1, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced his new cabinet ushering in nine new ministers and letting go of eight others. This dramatic reshuffle reflects Erdogan’s hallmark strategy of balancing different and often competing constituents within his party.

America’s historical moment
Michael Werz
May 6, 2009
Minutes after the polls closed in California on November 4th and CNN announced that Barack Obama won the election, a collective sigh of relief went through America. Barack Obama is of ambiguous ancestry and can only be described as - American. The fact that a man of hisbackground has been elected will not only be recorded in schoolbooks all over the world for a century to come; it will also stand as an irreversible achievement, independently of the political disappointments that are to come.

GMF Fellow Joe Wood testimony for Senate Foreign Relations subcommittee on Europe
Joseph R. Wood
May 6, 2009
GMF Senior Transatlantic Fellow Joe Wood testified on May 6 before the Europe subcommittee of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Wood testified on NATO's future and challenges beyond the alliance's 60th anniversary this year.

De-hyphenate Af-Pak
Daniel Twining
May 5, 2009
As President Obama hosts the leaders of Pakistan and Afghanistan in Washington tomorrow and calls on Congress to increase assistance to both countries, his administration can claim credit for regionalizing America's strategy for victory in Afghanistan.

GMF News: GMF on Twitter, Stelzenmüller, Kramer, Andreani become GMF Fellows
May 4, 2009
The lastest GMF information on past events, publications, policy papers along with recent podcasts and blogs.

America’s New Nuclear Disarmament Policy and the Transatlantic Relationship
May 4, 2009
In his speech in Prague, Czech Republic, on April 5, 2009, U.S. President Barack Obama outlined his ultimate goal of a world without nuclear weapons. Obama confirmed the U.S. availability for dialogue with Iran and that he is flexible on missile defense in Europe, which the United States would need to pursue only if the Iranian nuclear threat materialized. He also delivered a strong message (“violations must be punished”) to North Korea after it had just renewed testing of a long range missile.

Jim Kunder gives testimony on "USAID: Management Challenges and Strategic Objectives"
April 28, 2009
On April 28, GMF Transatlantic Fellow Jim Kunder testified before the House Subcommittee on Government Management, Organization, and Procurement. His testimony is available for download.

What the economic crisis means for the EU's eastern policy
April 24, 2009
In a GMF-supported policy brief for the Center for European Reform, Tomas Valasek warns that protectionist pressures in Western and Eastern Europe are frustrating plans for deeper economic integration and easier travel. Valasek argues that the EU governments should persevere with the eastern partnership, and suggests ways for the EU to protect the initiative from the effects of the economic crisis.

Missing the Point(s): The declining fortunes of Canada’s economic immigration program
April 21, 2009
Finding the right model to manage an economic immigration program is certainly a topical challenge. Canada has a long tradition of managing an economic immigration program, but despite 40 years of experience the Canadian system is today in a state of flux. In the past two years a series of measures have been implemented, some administrative and others legal. Most dramatically, in 2008, legislative amendments brought the promise of far-reaching change. But what really can these measures achieve?

The myth of “exporting” democracy: Lessons from Eastern Europe after 1989
John K. Glenn
April 21, 2009
As the Obama administration defines its foreign policy agenda, voices around the world caution that the West cannot "export" democracy and should adapt more "modest" foreign policies. Foreign policy debates suggest that the lessons learned from the postcommunist world since 1989 must be reinforced and learned anew.

Turkey and Armenia
Amberin Zaman
April 17, 2009
After months of tortuous diplomacy, Turkey and Armenia have put the final touches to a deal that would establish diplomatic ties and re-open their borders. The agreement is poised to end decades of mutual hostility, to blunt Russian influence, and to help foster economic prosperity and democracy in the Southern Caucasus. It has been forged against a backdrop of mushrooming civil society initiatives aimed at overcoming decades of prejudice and deepening friendship between Turks and Armenians of all stripes. But stiff opposition from Azerbaijan, which is mobilizing Turkish public opinion against this move, could yet weaken Turkey’s resolve and wreck an historic opportunity for peace in the region.

An Indian election primer
Daniel Twining
April 16, 2009
The Indian elections beginning today will be the largest organized activity in human history (always true of Indian elections given the country's growing population). As many as 714 million eligible voters will be marking ballots for a new Indian parliament that will convene in June.

The Obama Visit and After: Changing Style and Substance in U.S.-Turkish Relations
Ian Lesser
April 14, 2009
The visit of U.S. president, Barack Obama, to Turkey so early in his administration is significant. Just as significant is the fact that the visit came as part of high-profile European tour. Key topics on the bilateral agenda may have been Middle Eastern or Eurasian, but the policy dialogue in Ankara and Istanbul was a dialogue with a transatlantic partner.

GMF News: Brussels Forum 2009 wrap-up, briefing Obama's Europe trip, German-U.S. Russia engagement
April 7, 2009
The lastest GMF information on past events, publications, policy papers along with recent podcasts and blogs.

Transatlantic Connections Transforming Communities, Spring 2009
April 6, 2009
Transatlantic Connections Transforming Communities is the newsletter of GMF's Comparative Domestic Policy (CDP) program.

Talking transatlantic, turning toward Asia?
John K. Glenn, Daniel Twining
April 1, 2009
President Obama makes his first trip to Europe amid growing signs that European leaders may resist his calls for help on resolving the economic crisis, contributing to Afghanistan, and managing detainees from Guantanamo. Europeans quietly wonder about the depth of President Obama's commitment to Europe.

The electorate’s tune-up
Soli Ozel
March 31, 2009
Elections are always a serious business in Turkey and the local elections that just took place were no exception. The electorate gave a stern warning to the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and notably Prime Minister Erdogan, who ran an energetic but harsh, angry, and polarizing campaign. In light of the election results, the question before Turkey is what course the AKP will take, or to be more precise, how the Prime Minister will interpret the results and how he will respond.

Questions that Obama's Af-Pak strategy doesn't answer
Daniel Twining
March 30, 2009
Fellow Republicans have hailed President Obama's new strategy for Pakistan and Afghanistan. The new administration's strategy is welcome, both for its substance and, as importantly, for the profile it has given to the urgency of defeating the Taliban's resurgence in Afghanistan and its growing strength in Pakistan. But as with every strategy, it contains trade-offs and shortcomings that, after the warm glow that has accompanied the Washington establishment's reception of the president's plan has worn off, may become more apparent.

Turkey and Obama: A Golden Age in Turkish U.S. Ties?
Amberin Zaman
March 20, 2009
Despite the dramatic walkout by Turkey’s prime minister from the World Economic Forum at Davos, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton recently made the announcement that President Barack Obama will visit the country next month. As Turkey's international profile rises as it embraces its role as a regional peacemaker, are Turkish-American relations entering a "golden era"?

What we learned from Pakistan's recent political crisis
Daniel Twining
March 17, 2009
Pakistan's political crisis of last weekend was precipitated by opposition leader Nawaz Sharif's pledge to march on Islamabad in support of freedom of the judiciary after both Nawaz and his brother Shahbaz, who had been chief minister of Punjab province, were disqualified by Musharraf-era Supreme Court justices from holding elected office.

Sarkozy's decision ups pressure on Obama
John K. Glenn
March 14, 2009
When Obama travels to Europe in early April, he will face questions on the economic crisis and about whether Europeans are willing to do more in Afghanistan. Complicating matters is French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s announcement that he will bring France back into the military wing of NATO, reversing Charles de Gaulle’s decision of 40 years ago.

The Legacy of 1989
March 11, 2009
In "The European Question, Revisited: The vision of a continent whole and free is unfulfilled" by Robert Hutchings and "The German Question, Revisited: Why unification in 1990 created peace in Europe - and previous attempts did not" by Robert Leicht, the authors offer two perspectives on the fall of the wall, 20 years later.

The Battle for the Brains: Why immigration policy is not enough to attract the highly skilled
March 11, 2009
This paper examines the contemporary debate in Europe about implementing selective migration policies often modeled after immigration policies found in North America. The authors argue that there are several different kinds of selective immigration policies, but that success in attracting highly-skilled migrants may be less a matter of picking the right technical approach and more a function of the interplay of larger economic trends, educational systems, research funding, recognition of professional qualifications, and other social factors.

Evaluating Biofuels: The consequences of using land to make fuel
Tim Searchinger
March 11, 2009
In 2008, the developed world relearned the ancient lesson that food is not inherently plentiful and cheap. It also began to learn a new lesson that in an era of global warming the productivity of land is based not merely on its capacity to generate food and fiber but also to store carbon. Using land for one purpose involves serious tradeoffs with the others. Biofuels helped generate the conditions for this education.

No Development without Security: The transatlantic donor community needs to redesign aid for fragile states
Jonathan White
March 11, 2009
The economic crisis continues to wreak havoc globally, and it is becoming increasingly clear that the poor will suffer disproportionally. According to the World Bank, 100 million people were driven into poverty last year. Social tensions and geopolitical risks will be particularly acute in fragile states, impacting security and livelihoods in the Western world just as well. At the same time, development efforts will likely lose momentum due to growing protectionism or budgetary constraints. As global leaders are seeking to steer their countries toward recovery, they are reexamining the underlying institutions and policies behind the global economy. The United States and Europe were central actors in establishing the Bretton Woods institutions in the aftermath of World War II. The U.S. Marshall Plan, which helped rebuild war-torn Europe, continues to offer lessons on how development cooperation can generate peace and prosperity.

A New Age of Protectionism? The economic crisis and transatlantic trade policy
Kati Suominen
March 11, 2009
The 2008 financial crisis has had far-reaching implications on global trade. The first casualty of the crisis was trade finance-the credit required to move 90 percent of traded goods across borders. Rates on trade finance loans shot up by three hundred percentage points in the fall of 2008, prompting the World Trade Organization (WTO) to convene a special meeting and the World Bank to create a trade finance fund. Once it hit the real economy, the crisis undercut the demand and supply of goods in global trade. It now promises to shrink global commerce by 2.8 percent in 2009, the first decline since 1982.

Is Russia Friend or Foe?
Joseph R. Wood
March 11, 2009
Niels Annen and Joseph Wood offer two perspectives to this question in Annen's "Fearing a Weak, Embracing a Strong Russia: There is no alternative to engagement with Moscow" and Wood's "Worldview Matters: The Kremlin's behavior limits the scope of Western engagement."

Could China and India go to war over Tibet?
Daniel Twining
March 10, 2009
Today is the 50th anniversary of the Lhasa uprising. Much of the associated commentary suggests that Tibet is, at most, an internal human rights issue in China, albeit one that impacts China's foreign relations with Western democracies who care about the plight of the Tibetan people. Indeed, the Dalai Lama's admission that Tibet is part of China, and that he seeks true autonomy rather than actual independence for his people, reaffirm this view. There is also, however, an external dimension to the Tibetan crisis, one that implicates core national security interests of nuclear-armed great powers.

A New NATO Bargain
Ronald D. Asmus
March 6, 2009
Hillary Clinton made her debut yesterday at a NATO foreign ministers meeting in Brussels and today holds her first meeting with her Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in Geneva. Coming a month before Barack Obama's inaugural presidential trip to Europe and a NATO summit, this is a chance to hit the reset button not only with Russia but with America's closest European allies.

Religion, Migration, and Confusion
Michael Werz
March 6, 2009
There are 12 million undocumented immigrants in the United States; some say the number is closer to 15 million. Periodically, academic and political debates grow testy and polarizing as they did in 2006. But even though the battle over comprehensive immigration reform in the United States (which included legal status and a path to citizenship for these millions) was fought tooth and nail, very few opponents of the reform proposal argued on grounds of cultural resentment.

Shock of the New: Congress in Asia in 2009
Daniel Twining
March 6, 2009
This essay overviews the many immediate critical challenges and opportunities related to the Asia-Pacific region facing the 111th Congress while also suggesting a longer-term strategic U.S. approach.

Playing defence, not offence
Bruce Stokes
March 5, 2009
US President Barack Obama is unlikely to come up with any trade initiatives soon, but he may be forced to make decisions.

Germany's Russia Question: A New Ostpolitik for Europe
Constanze Stelzenmüller
March 3, 2009
Now that Obama is president, will Germany respond to the call and join the United States as a key European partner in addressing global challenges and threats? Is Germany able and willing to use its considerable political resources to change Russia's behavior and to stand up to Moscow when necessary?

European Gas Policy in Trouble
Jörg Himmelreich
February 26, 2009
The Ukranian-Russian gas stand-off caused a two-week interruption of Russian gas supplies to Europe that left countries like Greece, Bulgaria, and Slovakia in the cold during a strong winter and revealed again how vulnerable the European Union is in its gas supplies from Russia. Jörg Himmelreich suggests four hard decisions that must be made by the EU. Europe needs to address the varying dependencies on Russian gas within member states, the lack of interconnectivity within the market, discuss the need for a European common external energy policy, and establish of a European energy agency.

Don't Dumb Down Afghanistan
Daniel Twining
February 23, 2009
Reading tea leaves is a dangerous business when it comes to a new administration. There is always a fair amount of floundering around that comes from having too few senior people in place, unsettled -policymaking processes, and indecision over which campaign promises to keep and which to toss overboard. Take, for example, the Obama administration's policy toward Afghanistan. While running for president, Barack Obama promised that help was on its way in the form of thousands of additional troops; now President Obama appears to have put his own promised surge on hold.

India needs a lot more love from Obama
Daniel Twining
February 20, 2009
In 1998, President Clinton flew over Japan without stopping to spend nine days in China. This led to acute concern in Tokyo over "Japan passing" -- the belief that Washington was neglecting a key Asian ally in favor of the region's rising star, China. Is the same thing happening today -- not with Japan, destination of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's first overseas trip, but with India?

Beyond Davos
Soli Ozel
February 17, 2009
Despite the theatrics and the surge of anti-Israeli and anti-Semitic sentiment in Turkey, the government's positions suggest that Turkey still sees a role for itself in Middle East peacemaking, wants Israel to be more concerned about regional instability, and wishes to work with the United States if and when the new administration reengages with the region.

A U.S. Asia strategy for Hillary Clinton's trip
Daniel Twining
February 15, 2009
Hillary Clinton deserves kudos for making Asia her first trip as secretary of state. Generations of senior U.S. officials were trained and socialized as Atlanticists, a legacy of the centrality of Europe during the Cold War. However, it does not diminish our European allies to acknowledge that if the 20th century was an Atlantic century, the 21st century looks likely to be a Pacific one.

2008 Annual Report
February 2009
Highlights GMF convening events, networking programs, research, and grantmaking initiatives in 2008. Includes a letter from GMF President Craig Kennedy along with financial and partner information. Downloadable as a large PDF file, with interactive links throughout. Also availalble is the new 2008 Audio Annual Report, featuring a comilation of GMF's top podcasts and events from 2008.

2008 GMF Audio Annual Report

Turkey after Davos: Risks, Opportunities, and an Unpredictable Prime Minister
Amberin Zaman
February 13, 2009
The dramatic walkout by Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey’s prime minister, from the World Economic Forum at Davos during a debate with the Israeli president has raised questions about Turkey’s relations with the West and its role in the Middle East. Was his outburst simply rhetoric, or does it signify Turkey’s shift away from the West?

Rousing Doha from its doze
Bruce Stokes
February 12, 2009
The Doha round of global trade talks can be revived but the EU needs to help Obama. The recent uproar in Europe over the ‘Buy American' provisions in the US economic stimulus package has turned the transatlantic trade dialogue into a divisive, finger-pointing exercise aimed at forestalling protectionism rather than a collaborative effort to broaden trade liberalisation. If global commerce, which is shrinking at a near-record rate, is to be revived, advocates of trade must stop playing defence and re-double their efforts to finish the Doha round.

Toward a Brighter World: A Transatlantic Call for Renewed Leadership and Partnerships in Global Development
February 10, 2009
The Transatlantic Taskforce on Development, a group comprising 24 North American and European leaders in development, released a report urging renewed leadership and partnerships in global development to political leaders on both sides of the Atlantic.

Do We Understand Turkey?
Ian Lesser
February 4, 2009
In mid January, Dr. Lesser visited Turkey at the height of the Gaza crisis, with Turks captivated by the ongoing Ergenekon investigation, and on the eve of Barack Obama's inauguration. His discussions revealed deepening concerns, not just about the obvious effects of the global economic crisis, but also about the basic trajectory of Turkish society, governance, and foreign policy.

A few bumps in the road: Obstacles to state-building in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Douglas Davidson
February 4, 2009
GMF distinguished visiting fellow Doug Davidson delivered remarks to the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars on the obstacels to state-building in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The Big Deal
Dan Morgan
February 1, 2009
To truly appreciate the historic scope of the $819 billion stimulus package moving through Congress, it helps to have covered the Hill when passage of the whole domestic budget could be stalled by something as picayune as a fight over $30 million for Alaska's pollock fishermen

After Gaza: Rising anti-Semitism in Turkey?
Amberin Zaman
January 29, 2009
Is Turkey’s unusually harsh response, both official and public, to Israel’s assault against Hamas in Gaza merely a reaction to Israel’s policies? Or does it mirror latent anti-Semitism in Turkish society? These questions are increasingly being raised, especially among Jewish-American groups who are among Turkey’s firmest friends in Washington.

The Back and Forth of Turkey's "Westernness"
Soli Ozel
January 29, 2009
Whether or not Turkey is turning its back on the West is a frequently asked question and a common refrain, particularly after Turkey's reaction to Israel's assault against Hamas in Gaza. Turkey remains strategically Western-oriented and in fact the ongoing Ergenekon investigation reaffirms its Atlanticist credentials. What Turkey's Western allies must do is have a self-critical look at their record and then ask themselves whether the strategic "Westernness" of Turkey is enough.

Don't move the goalposts on Afghanistan
Daniel Twining
January 28, 2009
If Iraq was "Bush's War," Afghanistan may well become "Obama's War." But as the New York Times reports today, the Obama administration is attempting to shift the goalposts in Afghanistan away from building a functioning democracy and toward the limited objective of denying terrorists sanctuary on Afghan soil.

Engaging Europe on Afghanistan
John K. Glenn
January 27, 2009
The enthusiasm in Europe for the U.S. election of Barack Obama has raised hopes for progress on a range of issues on the transatlantic agenda, among the most pressing of which is stabilization and reconstruction in Afghanistan. Yet it remains uncertain whether Obama’s personal popularity can or will translate into additional contributions from Europeans, who have deep reservations about the use of force. Public opinion data suggests that the new U.S. administration should pursue a new diplomacy that builds on European support for a range of non-combat missions.

For Obama, the key to Russia is in Berlin
Stephen Szabo
January 26, 2009
The renewal of the transatlantic relationship is one of President Obama's most important tasks and America's partnership with Germany will be crucial for the administration's policy in Europe as a whole. In particular, Germany's warm relationship with Russia will play a key role in framing the next U.S. Russia policy.

Foreign policy and war: Is Barack Obama an „Obamacon?“
Michael Werz
January 25, 2009
In his inaugural address, Barack Obama struck a conciliatory tone in foreign policy. The perhaps most important change in rhetoric from the former Administration is his decision not to talk about the "war on terror." Instead, he chose a descriptive phrase and spoke of a "network of violence and hatred," which must be combated. However, Obama supplemented this clear distinction from his predecessor's exaggerated rhetoric about war and staying the course with an emphatic reaffirmation of military force as a means to achieve freedom or prevent major calamity.

You were at the Inauguration; China was planning for war
Daniel Twining
1/22/2009
While everyone here in the United States and beyond was focused on Barack Obama's Inauguration on Tuesday, China chose that day to slip this little item under the door -- China's National Defense in 2008, their annual white paper detailing plans for increased defense spending and military modernization.

Obama to Europe: Ich bin ein listener
John K. Glenn
January 21, 2009
Barack Obama's election was greeted with jubilation in many parts of the world, raising hopes that his personal appeal will translate into progress on a range of important issues: stabilizing and reconstructing Afghanistan, countering Iran's nuclear ambitions, resolving the global financial crisis, reaching an international climate change agreement and responding to a newly assertive Russia, among others.

Country analysis: The end of the American century?
Michael Werz
January 20, 2009
In this issue of International Policy Analysis, GMF Transatlantic Fellow Michael Werz examines the phenomena surrounding Barack Obama, the consolidation of the Democratic party during the 90s, the impact of minority and first time voters, the challenges facing the Republican party, and interior as well as foreign policy aspirations for the new administration.

The Presidency of an apolitical
Michael Werz
January 18, 2009
No picture documents the closing moments of George W. Bush's term better than the picture of him on the morning of September 11, 2001, at an elementary school in Sarasota, Florida. He was reading to the students when his cheif of staff whispered the disaster that was transpiring in New York. At this moment, only six months into his term, his Presidency was over.

Going in All Directions
Soli Ozel
1/14/2009
While simultaneously reacting to the conflict between Israel and Hamas and conducting another wave of arrests in the Ergenekon case, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey’s prime minister, suddenly appointed Egemen Bagis as Turkey’s chief EU negotiator. Time will tell if this indicates a rekindling of the EU accession process after nearly three years of lethargy and growing political and public disinterest.

Winning Kurdish Hearts and Minds: The Battle Shifts to the Airwaves
Amberin Zaman
January 12, 2009
The launching of TRT-6, the first Kurdish language television channel on January 1, marked a historic turning point in Turkey’s official stance toward the Kurds.

Foreign policy challenges for the Obama administration
John K. Glenn
January 2009
President Barack Obama faces a formidable set of international challenges including wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the prospect of a nuclear Iran, a resurgent Russia, and a short calendar for a new treaty on climate change. On each of these issues, Europeans have the potential to play a key role as allies. President Obama has called for the mending of relations with Europeans, but the ability of the United States and Europe to address these pressing foreign policy challenges will be constrained by the financial and economic crisis.