Saturday, November 18 06 (1)

One day after U.N. and Sudan negotiators establish 'agreement' over new peacekeeping troops (1,2,3,4), deal is apparently built on notion of 'assistance' to presently-beleaguered A.U. operation. Somalia's destabilization is more than domestic affair. A startling call for overthrow of President Ravalomanana by General Fidy of Madagascar. U.S. Secretary of State Rice draws attention to excessive military expenditures--by China. U.S. military brass lays out 4-6 month timeline before 'total chaos in Iraq'. In this Washington Times op-ed, President Putin lays out Russia's ambitions for Eurasian power. Afghanistan President Karzai reminds international community that Afghan instability will spill over regionally.