Geopolitical Diary

U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said on Thursday that the United States would be prepared for a reconciliation with the Taliban if the Afghan government chose to pursue talks to end the war. [more]

Five central banks made major interest rate cuts to help overcome the global credit crunch. The problem now is how to pay for the economic growth stimulation. [more]

Russia provided Iceland with a $5.4 billion bailout on Tuesday, a signal of the Kremlin's intention to use financial resources to strengthen its geopolitical position. [more]

While the United States' $700 billion bailout will take effect soon, other countries are having a harder time coping with the credit crunch. [more]

Israel and the United States -- ahead of leadership changes in both countries -- are trying to deal with Russia. [more]

Three completely disconnected events occurred this week that will weave together the tapestry of the next decade. [more]

The hijacking of a ship off the Somalian coast has given Russia a chance to regain its influence in the Horn of Africa. [more]

Russia finds itself in a unique position as global focus shifts away from the resurgent nation toward addressing the global financial crisis. [more]

The United States is in a political crisis that will determine the outcome of the economic and financial crises. [more]

The U.S. economy's size and the federal government's power always trump the financial markets, as Congress' agreement on returning liquidity to the economy shows. [more]

Russia promised to loan Venezuela $1 billion to implement a military cooperation program and offered to help build nuclear energy technology in the South American country. [more]

Russia derailed a meeting the United States had hoped to use to discuss new sanctions against Iran. Washington, meanwhile, is growing weary of Tehran's negotiating games. [more]

A U.S. unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) reportedly crashed Tuesday in Pakistan’s northwestern tribal belt. Although the cause is unclear at this point, the crash comes at a time when relations between the United States and Pakistan are at an all-time historical low. [more]

Investment banks, the mortgage crisis and record gyrations in oil prices all made headlines today -- and the oil prices were actually the lesser news item. [more]

The Sept. 20 bombing at the Marriott hotel in the Pakistani capital could motivate the Pakistani government to take decisive action against the country's Islamist militants. [more]

Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni on Thursday just barely secured control of Israel's Kadima party. She now has just 42 days to cobble together a coalition to keep Kadima in power. [more]

The Iranian foreign minister traveled to Georgia on Wednesday. The gesture is just one of several the country has made in the Caucasus in light of Turkish diplomatic efforts and its own desire to keep a resurgent Russia in check. [more]

The Russian stock markets plunged on Tuesday, but the real pain lies in the future. [more]

The Lehman Brothers bankruptcy and the sale of Merrill Lynch do not herald a major chain reaction of failure in the U.S. economy. [more]

Nigerian militants' declaration of an "oil war" will have repercussions in global energy prices. [more]