Google, AP and paywalls

Here’s some very interesting thoughts from Josh Cohen of Google News.

Very interesting, indeed. I wish he’d been asked more, by the interviewer, Danny Sullivan, about the *rates* AP and other wires charge Google, et al, whether they're high enough, whether they should be set high enough to force Google and other portals to paywall, along with newspapers, etc.

How China helped Pakistan get the Bomb

And then lied about it. And still does.

As this Times of India story notes, US President Barack Obama probably isn’t happy about having details of this leak out in the midst of his first Asian trip.

But, before Mao died, even, China was sending uranium compounds to Pakistan in exchange for Pakistan knowledge about European centrifuges that would boost Chinese enrichment technology.

And, the infamous A.Q. Khan was involved from the start. Read the full story.

China bemoans low US interest rates

Ahh, well, you dance with who brung you, Beijing. I was going to suggest you might want to revalue the yuan, but the Bloomberg piece suggests that’s already in the possible works.

Pakistan ISI hoist by own petard

It’s an open secret that the Taliban in Afghanistan is to some degree a creation of Pakistan’s “military within a military,” it’s Inter-Services Intelligence. Well, first, the Taliban expanded into border agencies of Pakistan, along with allied but independent groups. Now, they’re attacking the ISI.

That said, beyond the schadenfreude, this is a serious issue. The ISI could decide it needs a change of direction, even some housecleaning, or it could try to co-opt the militants, or it could decide to ride the range with them in tandem.

More on the main attack here.

Copenhagen climate round gutted

In one sense, this decision is political realism, both here in the US and internationally.

On the domestic side, I hope that President Obama and Congress use the breathing space to get serious about a jobs bill. Out of both political need and political smarts.

Dear GOP: If you want more A-stan troops, cough up the bucks

It’s that simple. For that matter, the same applies to you, Mr. President.