With his new strategy for Afghanistan US President Barack Obama is betting everything on one roll of the dice, writes the daily L'Est Républicain: "A trip to Kabul with a return ticket in your pocket: that's what Barack Obama promised last night to the 30,000 soldiers he's sending as reinforcements to Afghanistan. Before that more intermediaries must be found among the Afghan population, more local police officers must be trained, and enough fighters must be enlisted on location to protect the former land of eagles. In addition Obama wants to make the cities more secure, contain the fundamentalist offensive and eradicate al-Qaida's last hideouts on the border with Pakistan. The task is mind-boggling and the price astronomical. … Which brings us to the second aspect of Obama's plan: sharing the burden with his allies." (02/12/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » Security Policy / Crises / War, » U.S., » Afghanistan
All available articles from » Michel Vagner

US President Barack Obama is in dire need of success in Afghanistan, writes the daily Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung: "Because with the troop surge ... Obama has tied the success of his presidency to the course of events in Afghanistan and neighbouring Pakistan. The war he called necessary during his election campaign has now become 'his' war. It will be one of the two or three big isses that will dominate American politics in the years to come. ... There is no guarantee that the president's strategy will pay off. But at least the Americans have now heard from him why they shouldn't consider Afghanistan a lost cause after eight years of fighting. ... Inevitably the troop surge he's now ordered will have consequences, partly for the worse. But a hasty withdrawal - and possibly even continuing as previously - would have been fatal." (02/12/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » Security Policy / Crises / War, » U.S., » Afghanistan
All available articles from » Klaus-Dieter Frankenberger

Writing for the left-liberal daily De Volkskrant columnist Bert Wagendorp expresses disappointment at US President Barack Obama's plans to send more troops to Afghanistan: "It does seem remarkable that the winner of the Nobel Peace Prize can't come up with a better plan than sending even more troops to a war that even in his own country is regarded by more and more people as hopeless - and which increasingly conjures up memories of the Vietnam fiasco. … It's a pity Obama has opted for a no-win scenario. My common sense tells me that there would be many more clever ways of investing 100 billion [dollars] in the battle against international terrorism. … Obama must show he has support from abroad, otherwise he'll face problems on the domestic front." (02/12/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » Security Policy / Crises / War, » U.S., » Afghanistan
All available articles from » Bert Wagendorp

What US President Barack Obama really hopes to gain by sending more troops to Afghanistan is a second term in office, writes the liberal conservative daily Corriere del Ticino: "Obama's troop surge is linked to a hard and fast limit for the end of the military deployment before January 2013 [the end of Obama's first term in office]. ... This commitment confirms that the deployment really is the preliminary phase of an 'exit strategy' - a term the Talibans translate as 'withdrawal'. However this deadline will neither motiviate the allies nor the Afghans, if they're constantly counting the days instead of fighting for a victory. But it will move the jihadists to hold out until the Americans leave, instead of surrendering or negotiating peace. So Obama's limited goals and fixed deadlines seem more intended to secure him a second term in office than a military success in Afghanistan." (02/12/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » Security Policy / Crises / War, » U.S., » Afghanistan
All available articles from » Gianandrea Gaiani

The EU's erstwhile high representative for common foreign and security policy Javier Solana stepped down yesterday after ten years in office. The liberal daily Gazeta Wyborcza finds that taking office was more difficult for Solana than for his successor Catherine Ashton, the EU's new high representative for foreign affairs: "Yesterday Javier Solana ... left office without much fanfare. The attention of the cameras and headlines was focused on his successor Catherine Ashton. Unlike her, he was already known when he took up office in 1999 (with a career in the Spanish government and five years at the head of Nato). Nevertheless his job was an uphill climb, and he had to fight for every scrap of recognition in the negotiating rooms of Europe and the world. Ashton, by contrast, starts as a nobody with everything ready and waiting for her: a powerful office and - thanks to the Treaty of Lisbon - the position of deputy head of the European Commission." (02/12/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » EU Policy, » Europe
All available articles from » Jacek Pawlicki

The Lisbon Treaty came into force on Tuesday but citizens hardly feel the consequences at this stage, writes the daily Sega: "The signs of change are barely discernible for now because they are drowned out by all Brussels' talk about the advantages of the Treaty, which is far removed from the issues that interest normal people. … The opening of all borders within Europe will make things difficult for criminals seeking refuge in Bulgaria. Moreover the Bulgarian judiciary, which is currently powerless to do anything about the ties between the mafia and those in power, will have greater possibilities to take action. This may not be enough, but it's certainly something." (02/12/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » EU Policy, » EU Constitution, » Europe, » Bulgaria
All available articles from » Svetoslav Tersiev

Italy's Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has visited Belarus and paid compliments to President Alexander Lukashenko, who is shunned by the EU. The liberal daily Mladá Fronta Dnes is appalled: "Berlusconi has shown us how to deal with a dictator: you visit him, embrace him and shower him with praise. … Certainly there are cases in which maintaining relations helps to humanise dictators more than isolating them does. This is why US presidents always associated with the Soviet and Chinese leaders. But something important was at stake there. When [former French president François] Mitterrand visited Prague [before the Velvet Revolution] he also met up with dissidents. Berlusconi met no one but Lukashenko. And he was primarily concerned with business deals." (02/12/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » EU Policy, » Italy, » Europe
All available articles from » Milan Vodička

For a long time Switzerland was regarded as a model democracy, but after its minaret ban the country is being denounced as undemocratic. The daily Latvijas Avīze finds the accusations unjustified: "It's surprising that Switzerland is now having to endure such harsh attacks from abroad precisely because of its high degree of democracy. … In reality the Swiss 'No' is just part of a discussion that has gone on for years about how much Europe must be Islamised in the name of integration. We Latvians know from experience that integration doesn't come about of its own accord: it needs a basis, and in Latvia that basis is the Latvian language, culture and traditions. In the debate about the Lisbon Treaty the proposal to declare Christianity a fundamental EU value triggered a discussion. The idea wasn't successful. But the referendum in Switzerland is not the first decision that restricts the use of Muslim symbols." (02/12/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » Domestic Policy, » Religion, » Migration, » Integration, » Minorities, » Latvia, » Switzerland
All available articles from » Māris Antonevičs

The Anglo-Dutch writer and journalist Ian Buruma doubts in the liberal conservative daily Corriere della Sera that the Swiss decision to ban minarets was motivated by fear of Islam. According to him the real reason lies in the loss of religious identity: "Until not so long ago the majority of citizens of the Western world possessed indisputable symbols of faith and collective identity. ... Globalisation, the project of a united Europe, the victory over nationalist efforts in two devastating world wars and above all the widespread loss of religious sentiment have changed things. The majority of people live today in a secular, disenchanted, liberal world. ... The break with religion and tradition has not always led to greater happiness but on the contrary has often been a cause for widespread disorientation, fears and resentment. ... The towering minarets and the veiled faces represent a threat because they rub salt in the wounds of those who suffer from the loss of their faith." (02/12/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » Religion, » Minorities, » Demographics, » Weltanschauung, » Switzerland, » Europe
All available articles from » Ian Buruma

Gold prices have risen higher than ever before. On Tuesday the price of one ounce of gold rose for the first time above 1,200 dollars an ounce on international markets. An excellent investment, writes the daily Les Echos: "One thousand, one thousand one hundred, one thousand two hundred dollars. In three months gold has passed these symbolic limits with an astonishing ease. The way things stand, if the economic recovery is confirmed, it risks being accompanied by a return of inflation fuelled by an explosion in public deficits, low interest rates and a rise in the price of raw materials, with oil leading the way. Conversely, if the promises of recovery fall flat, the large economies will be in difficulty and their currencies will be under attack. In either case it is better to own gold than paper money or any other asset." (02/12/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » Trade, » Economic Policy, » Inflation, » Global
All available articles from » François Vidal

Starting January 1, 2010, people who work using a mobile phone, laptop or Internet connection financed by the company they work for will have to pay a so-called multimedia tax. As a result taxable income will increases by around 3,000 krona (approximately 400 euros). The independent German-language daily Der Nordschleswiger argues that the new tax punishes people who work more: "In Germany there is a rather fierce debate about introducing a 'growth acceleration law' while here in Denmark the new multimedia tax will only decelerate the economy. … Who wants to be contactable, do a bit more and work from home under these circumstances? … The state needing more money is nothing new. Governments have always been creative when it comes to filling their coffers. For example there was the champagne tax introduced by Emperor Wilhelm II in 1902 to finance the imperial fleet. The fleet disappeared, but the tax still exists. It is to be feared that the same will apply for the multimedia tax, even though there are many good reasons to revise it." (02/12/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » Fiscal Policy, » Germany, » Denmark

The Spanish government is currently discussing legislation against Internet piracy. Under pressure from the music industry, whose representatives warn of the "death of music", websites which facilitate the illegal downloading of videos and music are to be blocked. The leftist daily Público speaks out against restrictive laws: "The major mistake lies in the false premise that is supposed to justify the digital state of emergency. Music is more alive than ever. What is dying is the disc, the CD: an obsolete and unsustainable business. According to the [Spanish copyright association] SGAE earnings from concerts have risen almost as rapidly as those from musicals. The tinned music business is dying, but the business with fresh music is thriving. And nothing will change this no matter how much we tinker with laws to stop the clock." (02/12/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » Music, » Cultural Policy, » Spain
All available articles from » Ignacio Escolar

The German Federal Constitutional Court has declared that allowing shops to stay open on Sundays is unconstitutional. The ruling agrees among other things with demands put by Christian churches that shops should stay closed on Sundays. The liberal daily Pražský Deník sympathises with the judgement and asks why Czechs see their very liberal shop opening hours - here shopowners can do as they see fit - as a God-given right. "No one would say Germans enjoy shopping less than we do. They just set other priorities. While here shopping is one of the most popular Sunday activities, Germans prefer to go to the country, do sports or visit relatives. ... Of course many Germans envy us for being able to shop as much as we like on Sunday. However the opposite is no longer the case. We are entirely incapable of envying the Germans the rest they enjoy on Sundays." (02/12/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » Public Culture, » Trade, » Consumers, » Germany, » Czech Republic
All available articles from » Ivan Hoffman

The polar night has descended upon the north of Finland, where the sun will not rise again for several weeks. The daily Lapin Kansa sheds light on the health hazards of the prolonged darkness: "For thousands of years humans have been used to the daily alternation of light and darkness. Seen in this light, it's not difficult to appreciate the difficulties of the polar night. The long night changes nothing in the rhythm of daily life, nevertheless roughly 40 percent of Finns find it unpleasant. Some people are particularly impaired by the absence of sunlight. Roughly one percent of Finns suffer from depression, induced solely by the polar night. They have no choice but to consult a doctor. ... But there's good news. The quickest and most effective way to ease the symptoms provoked by the polar night is: light. Thirty minutes of light therapy per day is amply sufficient for most people. ... Another tried and tested method to combat the effects of the polar night is sport. Jogging for an hour three times a week works wonders." (02/12/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » Health Policy, » Public Culture, » Finland

In Portugal a partially state-run testing centre started checking the quality of drugs recently. Manuel António Pina delivers an ironic commentary in the daily Jornal de Notícias: "The enterprising and modern spirit of the Portuguese never fails to amaze me. According to i newspaper, an agency called Agência Piaget founded the Check-!n project, which is aimed at preventing Portuguese 'junkies' from consuming poor-quality drugs. If they … doubt the honesty of their dealer and suspect that the ecstasy he sells them is bad, all they have to do is send the Agência Piaget a sample … . My only drug is the news programmes on [public broadcaster] RTP. They normally give me 'nausea and a headache', so I'm debating sending the Agência Piaget some samples of the main news for them to check whether the information I consume contains any dubious substances." (02/12/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » Health and Medicine, » Portugal
All available articles from » Manuel António Pina