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Gideon Rachman became chief foreign affairs columnist for the Financial Times in July 2006. He joined the FT after a 15-year career at The Economist, which included spells as a foreign correspondent in Brussels, Washington and Bangkok. He also edited The Economist’s business and Asia sections. His particular interests include American foreign policy, the European Union and globalisation. - -
Europe does not need a big shot
There are two problems with nominating an EU president. First is the job’s shaky legitimacy. Second is a lack of unity that bedevils efforts to create a European foreign policy. Both issues would be made worse by appointing Tony Blair, writes Gideon Rachman
How small nations were cut adrift
After the Great Recession, the economic and political tide has turned against small nations. It is the smalls that have fared worst – Iceland, Ireland, the three Baltic states. Iceland has not only suffered a catastrophic economic and banking collapse. It is also being bullied by Britain and the Netherlands into paying back billions lost by their citizens when Icelandic banks collapsed, writes Gideon Rachman
Obama must start punching harder
The notion that Mr Obama is a weak leader is spreading in ways that are dangerous to his presidency, writes Gideon Rachman. The Nobel Peace Prize will not help. Peace is all very well. But Mr Obama now needs to pick a fight in public, and win it quickly.
A triumph of hope over achievement
It will take more than a few months of his presidency to judge if it is worthy of a Nobel prize, writes Gideon Rachman
Europe’s plot to take over the world
The realisation that the G20 is Europe’s Trojan horse struck me at the G20’s last summit in Pittsburgh. The surroundings and atmosphere were strangely familiar. And then I understood; this was just a global version of a European Union summit, writes Gideon Rachman
Lunch with the FT: Dalia Grybauskaite
An economist with a black belt in karate, the president of Lithuania tells Gideon Rachman how she plans to get the country out of the economic doldrums
Iran tests the world’s collective will
For those western leaders who are hoping the UN will tackle the frightening global challenges identified in New York last week by Barack Obama, it is all very depressing. But if the UN is blocked or ineffective, then the search will be on for new forums and methods, writes Gideon Rachman
Germany retreats to old certainties
Barring a huge upset, Sunday’s elections will see Angel Merkel returned as chancellor, at the head of yet another coalition government. So no change in Germany, then? It would be a mistake to believe that. The tenor of the campaign suggests that the country is changing – in ways that its partners around the table in Pittsburgh may not find very comfortable, writes Gideon Rachman
China makes gains in its bid to be top dog
In the year since the financial crisis broke, the Chinese government has become more assertive in how it talks to America, writes Gideon Rachman
The crude realities of diplomacy
Politicians know that voters will punish them if fuel prices soar, or if there are electricity shortages. But they also know that if they openly put the search for oil at the heart of their foreign policies, they are liable to be denounced as cynical and immoral, writes Gideon Rachman
