Category Archives: on International Politics

New Poll Shows Brown Down

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brown.jpgBy Richard Norman

A new poll shows British prime minister-presumptive Gordon Brown down 13 points in a match up with conservative leader David Cameron.

A month ago, the same question put Conservative support on 39%, Labour on 31% and the Liberal Democrats on 19%. There is already concern among some Labour MPs about the impact of a Brown leadership, especially if it happens without a contest that could allow Mr Brown to set out a fresh programme and identity. Writing in the Guardian last week, the former minister Frank Field asked: "What new directions can be offered when the architect of current policies has merely moved up one place?" [Guardian]

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German Marshall Fund

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By Richard Norman

MarshallOne of the better sources of news and analysis of Transatlantic relations is the German Marshall Fund, founded in 1972 through a gift from the German government as a permanent memorial to the Marshall Plan. The GMF, headquartered in Brussels (but with offices in Washington and throughout Europe), hosts seminars and forums and invites prominent political leaders to address select audiences.

The Illogic of Suicide Terrorism

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By Richard Norman

How should we feel about Islamist[1] suicide terrorism? There are two main camps of thought. The first suggests that it is an asymmetrical weapon employed by the oppressed and otherwise powerless. The second believes it is an irrational, reprehensible act. (Those who claim it is a politically "understandable" tactic belong to the first camp)[2].