Printed Articles by Gabor Steingart
“THE LOST DECADE” – 12/28/2009
The first decade of the 21st century was marked by crises. Militant Islamists attacked New York, the financial system crashed, the climate is threatened by catastrophe and democracy lost some of its standing. All this put together has spelled a debacle for the West, although the Internet represents a ray of hope.
By Gabor Steingart, Merlind Theile
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“US FOREIGN POLICY” – 11/23/2009
When he entered office, US President Barack Obama promised to inject US foreign policy with a new tone of respect and diplomacy. His recent trip to Asia, however, showed that it’s not working. A shift to Bush-style bluntness may be coming.
By Gabor Steingart
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“RELUCTANT PARTNERS” – 11/11/2009
When US President Barack Obama visits China this weekend, he will encounter a rival that sees the financial crisis as more of an opportunity than a threat. America, on the other hand, has been fundamentally weakened by the global crunch – and is more dependent on the goodwill of the rising superpower than ever.
By Gabor Steingart and Wieland Wagner
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“BRAVO, CHANCELLOR MERKEL” – 11/04/2009
Expectations for Angela Merkel’s address before the US Congress were great, but the German chancellor fulfilled them. In contrast to her usual performance, Merkel demonstrated in her historical speech that she is capable of conveying both vision and confidence. She also gave a timely commitment to America.
By Gabor Steingart
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“OPINION” – 09/28/2009
Angela Merkel on the balcony of the Chancellery in Berlin: Voters have injected the courage from outside that the German chancellor lacks. Germany’s Free Democrats owe their impressive election result on Sunday in part to the political weakness of Christian Democrat Angela Merkel during her first four years as chancellor, which drove voters to the FDP. Voters are hoping that a strong FDP in the government will force Merkel to become a stronger chancellor.
By Gabor Steingart
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“MERCHANTS OF DEATH” – 08/24/2009
A US district court will decide this week whether one of the darkest chapters of the Bush era, the relationship between the administration and the private security company Blackwater, should be reexamined. Former Blackwater employees want to shine light on the company’s shadowy activities.
By Gabor Steingart
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“AMERICA’S REFORM OF THE CENTURY” – 07/27/2009
Barack Obama wants to modernize the American health care system. But his ambitions come with a cost of around $1 trillion, a price tag that even some Democrats say is too high. Will he fail, as Clinton did before him?
By Gabor Steingart
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“OBAMA’S MISTAKES” – 06/25/2009
The occupant of the White House may have changed recently. But the amount of ill-advised ideology coming from Washington has remained constant. Obama’s list of economic errors is long — and continues to grow.
By Gabor Steingart
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“BYPASSING THE ROAD MAP ROAD BLOCK” – 06/16/2009
As US President Barack Obama presses ahead with his Middle East peace intiatives, America’s new tone and new modesty are going down well in the region. Even Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is finding it hard to resist the pressure to compromise on the Palestinian question.
By Christoph Schult, Gerhard Spörl and Gabor Steingart
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“A PEACE MISSION” – 06/08/2009
With his speech in Cairo, the new US president sought to awaken a global community that has been paralyzed by conflict. He offered a combination of powerful idealism and realism — but at some point talk won’t be enough. He’ll have to act.
By Christoph Schult, Gabor Steingart and Bernhard Zand
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“OPINION” – 06/04/2009
With his address, US President Barack Obama offered a olive branch to the Islamic world. Whether his speech will go down in history will be determined by the mullahs in Tehran and the hardliners in Israel.
By Gabor Steingart
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“OBAMA AND MERKEL” – 06/03/2009
Barack Obama is only passing through Germany on his trip to Europe later this week and does not plan to hold substantial talks with Angela Merkel. The White House views the chancellor as difficult and Germany is increasingly being left out of the loop.
By Gabor Steingart
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“NO DETAINEES IN MY BACKYARD” – 05/26/2009
After a promising start, US President Barack Obama is now in hot water over his plans to close Guantanamo. His fellow Democrats are worried detainees will end up in prisons in their districts, angering voters and pushing down real estate prices.
By Britta Sandberg, Gregor Peter Schmitz and Gabor Steingart
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“DIPLOMATIC POKER” – 5/20/2009
He collected millions of dollars for the presidential election campaigns of Clinton, Gore and Obama. Now former Goldman Sachs banker Phil Murphy is considered the favorite for the prestigious post of US Ambassador to Germany.
By Gregor Peter Schmitz and Gabor Steingart
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“SEARCHING FOR A STRATEGY” – 05/19/2009
US President Barack Obama had thought he could clean up the Bush administration’s questionable human rights legacy on his own terms. Recent decisions regarding Abu Ghraib pictures and military tribunals show that he was mistaken. His message of “change” is at risk.
By Hans Hoyng, Britta Sandberg and Gabor Steingart
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“RESERVED RELATIONS WITH ISRAEL” – 05/11/2009
Obama Administration is hoping to revive the peace process in the Middle East. Part of the strategy is to distance Washington from Israel.
By Gabor Steingart
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“TRIBAL AREAS AND TERRORISTS” – 05/04/2009
The Taliban’s advances into the heartland of Pakistan have alarmed the West. How close are the extremists to acquiring nuclear warheads? The Americans have urged the Pakistanis to put aside their differences with India and pursue militant Islamists on their own soil.
By Susanne Koelbl and Gabor Steingart
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“SOUP KITCHENS AND TENT CITIES” – 04/23/2009
The financial crisis in the US has triggered a social crisis of historic dimensions. Soup kitchens are suddenly in great demand and tent cities are popping up in the shadow of glistening office towers. Even drug dealers are feeling the pinch.
By Gregor Peter Schmitz and Gabor Steingart
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“THE END OF ARROGANCE” – 03/03/2009
Plagued by recession, the world’s sole remaining superpower is reinstating realpolitik and seeking to improve relations with other countries, especially rivals China and Russia. But Washington still plans to take a tough approach toward the Taliban and al-Qaida, both in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
By Gabor Steingart
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“OPINION” – 12/02/2009
Never before has a speech by President Barack Obama felt as false as his Tuesday address announcing America’s new strategy for Afghanistan. It seemed like a campaign speech combined with Bush rhetoric – and left both dreamers and realists feeling distraught.
By Gabor Steingart
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