Obama’s Paris Visit Captivates French Minorities | Newsweek Politics: Campaign 2008

The Kabul Cable
Mark Hosenball 10/2/2008 12:00:00 AM
Britain's top diplomat in Kabul believes events in Afghanistan are deteriorating so rapidly that it may take an "acceptable dictator" to rescue the country, according to a leaked French diplomatic cable.
WORLD AFFAIRS
The 10 Big Myths of Russia, Its Leader, And Its New Power
Denis MacShane 9/6/2008 12:00:00 AM
Far from being a mystery and an enigma—to use Churchill's language—today's Russia now stands revealed as a bully, wrapped in nationalism and cloaked with its leader's arrogance. Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's adventure in Georgia has produced shock and awe at the sight of tanks, planes and warships mobilized against a small neighbor. But Russia has always been a great mythmaker—from setting up Potemkin villages in the 18th century to fomenting great fear that Sovietism would conquer the world after 1945. Here are 10 of the biggest myths about today's Russia:
What Palin Needs to Know
Michael Hirsh 9/3/2008 12:00:00 AM
Enough already. When it comes to Sarah Palin, we need to get beyond Troopergate, Bridgegate and, above all, Daughtergate. Can we dabble in substance for a moment? Palin's experience in domestic policy—from energy issues to managing budgets—is fairly well-established. There is a record to judge. But when it comes to foreign affairs, she is unmolded clay. Even those who follow Alaska politics closely say they have no idea what Palin thinks about the world. "She has no experience in foreign policy, other than meeting trade delegations" from Russia and Asian countries, said Gerald McBeath, a University of Alaska political scientist who praises her first two years as governor and calls her a "quick study." Adds McBeath: "We are a very parochial state. Our campaigns focus almost exclusively on state issues."
INSIDE BUSINESS
It Isn’t a Zero-Sum Game
8/30/2008 12:00:00 AM
Although we've lost manufacturing jobs, this is partly a result of success. About half of those jobs have been lost to new technology, robots and computer-controlled machine tools, which have replaced old-fashioned assembly lines, dramatically reducing the need for workers. In 1900, more than a third of Americans worked on farms; now, fewer than 5 percent do. The manufacturing sector is following this historical pattern.
DEPARTMENTS
Perspectives
8/23/2008 12:00:00 AM
LETTERS
Mail Call: Bullish on Obama

Readers of our cover package on Barack Obama's emerging world view reflected the excitement his candidacy generates. One saw him "as everything good in America." Another awaits "an America less unilateral and hubristic." And after the last eight years, one noted, "Obama can only shine."