The Rundown - December 17

News & views on RFE/RL's broadcast region

Afghanistan/Pakistan
#
David Ignatius on Pakistan's cooperating with the U.S.
# Josh Rogin details the U.S. aid package to Pakistan
# Evelyn Farkas thinks the U.S. needs to watch Karzai during the surge
# UN officials claim Peter Galbraith wanted to oust Hamid Karzai
# The "New York Times" reports that Pakistani authorities routinely harass U.S. diplomats
# Inside the Karachi art market

Iran
#
Eric Holder's remarks on the Credit Suisse/Iran affair
# Oliver Debouzy on stopping Iran's nuclear weapons program
# Ray Takeyh thinks the regime in Tehran is in turmoil
# David Rothkopf picks Neda Sultan as his "person of the year"

Russia
#
The "Washington Post" ed board and Leon Aron eulogize Yegor Gaidar

U.S. Politics/Foreign Policy
#
Militants in Iraq are using $26 dollar software to hack into U.S. drone aircraft
# Hillary Clinton is enjoying exceptionally high poll numbers
# The 10 worst predictions from 2009
# Embassy Row from the "Washington Times"
# Al Kamen's "In the Loop"

-- Zach Peterson