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| Pakistan Opens Afghan Border Crossing Pakistan's foreign ministry said it was reopening a border crossing to Afghanistan, which it closed to protest a shooting incident late last month in which two Pakistani border guards died. online.wsj.com |
Military top brass don uniforms to warn David Cameron about defence cuts Downing Street plays host to heads of Britain's armed services who launch late bid to scale back defence cutsDavid Cameron has seen a lot of guys in military uniform today.First through the door of No 10 was General David Petraeus, the US commander of NATO forces in Afghanistan. Petraeus updated the prime minister on the investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of Linda Norgrove, the British aid worker.Shortly after Petraeus left Downing Street, Britain's top brass donned their military uniforms to voice concerns about the impending cuts to the defence budget. This was the line up:• Admiral Sir Mark Stanhope, first sea lord• Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Dalton, chief of the air staff• General Sir Peter Wall, chief of the general staff• Air Chief Marshal Sir Jock Stirrup, the outgoing chief of the defence staff. General Sir David Richards, the incoming chief of the defence staff, did not attend the meeting because he is abroad.The top brass time their demarches with care. They are deeply concerned about the scale of the defence cuts.There is also a suggestion that the military are concerned about the appointment of Colonel Jim Morris as the prime minister's personal military adviser. I blogged yesterday that this appointment had shades of Churchill.One source says today:The service chiefs believe the appointment of Col Morris is as welcome as a bucket of cold sick. There is nothing wrong with Col Morris personally. He is a great military figure.But the military are sticklers for hierarchy. Where does this leave the chief of the defence staff who is the prime minister's official military adviser?Ministry of defence sources insist there was nothing unusual about today's uniformed meeting in No 10:The service chiefs wore their uniforms out of respect for the office of the prime minister. It is right they should talk to the prime minister as we put the finishing touches to the strategic defence and security review.Everyone in the MoD is excited by the appointment of Col Morris who is a hugely respected officer. He will not replace the CDS as the prime minister's principle military adviser.But he will advise the prime minister on a day-to-day basis. That should mean we avoid the sort of gaffes made by the previous prime minister.David CameronDefence policyDavid PetraeusNicholas Wattguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
French retirement protests take violent turn By JENNY BARCHFIELD 2010-10-19T16:07:09ZPARIS (AP) -- Masked youths clashed with police and set fires in cities across France on Tuesday as protests against a proposed hike in the retirement age took an increasingly radical turn. Hundreds of flights were canceled, long lines formed at gas stations and train service in many regions was cut in half.... hosted.ap.org |
Still Under Cleopatra's Spell The Romans were the first, but hardly the last, to be unnerved by female ambition, authority and allure. online.wsj.com |
US embassy cables: Cristina Kirchner - how stressed out is she? Thursday, 31 December 2009, 14:55S E C R E T STATE 132349 NOFORN SIPDIS EO 12958 DECL: 12/31/2034 TAGS PINR, PGOV, AR SUBJECT: (C/NF) ARGENTINA: KIRCHNER INTERPERSONAL DYNAMICS (C-AL9-02612)Classified By: ELISSA G. PITTERLE, DIRECTOR, INR/OPS. REASON: 1.4(C).1. (S/NF) WASHINGTON ANALYSTS ARE INTERESTED IN ARGENTINE LEADERSHIP DYNAMICS, PARTICULARLY WITH REGARDS TO CRISTINA FERNANDEZ DE KIRCHNER AND NESTOR KIRCHNER. DRAWING ON PREVIOUS REPORTING, AND BUILDING UPON OUR OWN ANALYTIC ASSESSMENTS, WE ARE CURRENTLY PREPARING A WRITTEN PRODUCT EXAMINING THE INTERPERSONAL DYNAMICS BETWEEN THE GOVERNING TANDEM. WE HAVE A MUCH MORE SOLID UNDERSTANDING OF NESTOR KIRCHNER'S STYLE AND PERSONALITY THAN WE DO OF CRISTINA FERNANDEZ DE KIRCHNER AND WE WOULD LIKE TO DEVELOP A MORE WELL-ROUNDED VIEW OF CRISTINA FERNANDEZ DE KIRCHNER'S PERSONALITY. AS POST,S TIME AND RESOURCES ALLOW AND TO THE EXTENT POST HAS ACCESS TO THIS TYPE OF INFORMATION, WE WOULD WELCOME ANY INSIGHT INTO THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS. MANY THANKS, AND REGARDS FROM WASHINGTON.A. (U) MENTAL STATE AND HEALTH:1) (S/NF) HOW IS CRISTINA FERNANDEZ DE KIRCHNER MANAGING HER NERVES AND ANXIETY? HOW DOES STRESS AFFECT HER BEHAVIOR TOWARD ADVISORS AND/OR HER DECISIONMAKING? WHAT STEPS DOES CRISTINA FERNANDEZ DE KIRCHNER OR HER ADVISERS/HANDLERS, TAKE IN HELPING HER DEAL WITH STRESS? IS SHE TAKING ANY MEDICATIONS? UNDER WHAT CIRCUMSTANCES IS SHE BEST ABLE TO HANDLE STRESSES? HOW DO CRISTINA FERNANDEZ DE KIRCHNER,S EMOTIONS AFFECT HER DECISIONMAKING AND HOW DOES SHE CALM DOWN WHEN DISTRESSED?2) (S/NF) WHAT IS THE STATUS OF NESTOR KIRCHNER'S GASTROINTESTINAL ILLNESS? DOES IT CONTINUE TO BOTHER HIM? IS HE TAKING ANY MEDICATIONS? LONG KNOWN FOR HIS TEMPER, HAS NESTOR KIRCHNER DEMONSTRATED A GREATER TENDENCY TO SHIFT BETWEEN EMOTIONAL EXTREMES? WHAT ARE MOST COMMON TRIGGERS TO NESTOR KIRCHNER'S ANGER?B. (U) POLITICAL VIEWS:1) (S/NF) WHEN DEALING WITH PROBLEMS, DOES CRISTINA FERNANDEZ DE KIRCHNER TAKE A STRATEGIC, BIG PICTURE OUTLOOK, OR DOES SHE PREFER TO TAKE A TACTICAL VIEW? DOES SHE VIEW CIRCUMSTANCES IN BLACK AND WHITE OR IN NUANCED TERMS? DOES SHE SHARE NESTOR KIRCHNER'S ADVERSARIAL VIEW OF POLITICS OR DOES SHE ATTEMPT TO MODERATE HIS HEAVY-HANDED POLITICAL STYLE?C. (U) ON THE JOB:1) (S/NF) HOW DO CRISTINA FERNANDEZ DE KIRCHNER AND NESTOR KIRCHNER DIVIDE UP THEIR DAY? ON WHICH ISSUES DOES CRISTINA FERNANDEZ DE KIRCHNER TAKE THE LEAD AND WHICH ISSUES DOES SHE LEAVE TO NESTOR KIRCHNER?2. (U) PLEASE CITE C-AL9-02612 IN THE SUBJECT LINE OF REPORTING IN RESPONSE TO THE ABOVE QUESTIONS. CLINTONArgentinaNéstor KirchnerHillary ClintonUS foreign policyThe US embassy cablesguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |