http://www.ft.com/commenthttp://www.ft.com/rss/commentFT.com - Comment and analysisen© Copyright The Financial Times Ltd 2009. "FT" and "Financial Times" are trademarks of the Financial Times. See http://www.ft.com/servicestools/help/terms#legal1 for the terms and conditions of reuse.client.support@ft.com (Client Support)Fri, 6 Nov 2009 22:15:43 +0000Sun, 8 Nov 2009 01:42:15 +0000Newspapers60http://news.ft.com/cms/d1f3ce1a-6bbe-11da-bb53-0000779e2340.gifhttp://www.ft.com/comment(PICS-1.1 "http://www.classify.org/safesurf/" L gen true for "http://www.ft.com/" r (SS~~000 1))http://traxfer.ft.com/cms/s/0/d69e2d24-cb1f-11de-97e0-00144feabdc0.html?o=%2Frss%2Fcommenthttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/d69e2d24-cb1f-11de-97e0-00144feabdc0.htmlTwo decades on, Germany is still grinding through the problems thrown up by reunification. That does not detract from what was a wonderful moment and a joy to witness, writes Frederick Studemann Fri, 6 Nov 2009 22:04:59 +0000http://traxfer.ft.com/cms/s/0/d602da7c-cb1f-11de-97e0-00144feabdc0.html?o=%2Frss%2Fcommenthttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/d602da7c-cb1f-11de-97e0-00144feabdc0.htmlDemocrats must wrap themselves in the mantle of Obama's programme. But what is that, asks Christopher Caldwell Fri, 6 Nov 2009 22:15:43 +0000http://traxfer.ft.com/cms/s/0/d73fbc84-cb1f-11de-97e0-00144feabdc0.html?o=%2Frss%2Fcommenthttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/d73fbc84-cb1f-11de-97e0-00144feabdc0.htmlItalians loved the car and loved in the car. Francesco Guerrera bids benvenuta to the new Fiat 500 as the miniscule vehicle prepares to take on the monster trucks of the US highwaysFri, 6 Nov 2009 22:10:31 +0000http://traxfer.ft.com/cms/s/0/e6c4a18a-ca41-11de-a3a3-00144feabdc0.html?o=%2Frss%2Fcommenthttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/e6c4a18a-ca41-11de-a3a3-00144feabdc0.htmlFor Obama's critics on the right, diplomacy and engagement have become synonyms for vacillation and weakness. He should stand firm: many of the problems he faces, foreign policy in particular, will not be harmed by leaving some time to consider them, writes Philip Stephens Thu, 5 Nov 2009 20:04:52 +0000http://traxfer.ft.com/cms/s/0/dcb25106-ca41-11de-a3a3-00144feabdc0.html?o=%2Frss%2Fcommenthttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/dcb25106-ca41-11de-a3a3-00144feabdc0.htmlDiversity brings social benefits, but also costs, arising from declining trust and erosion of a sense of shared values, writes Martin Wolf Thu, 5 Nov 2009 20:25:42 +0000http://traxfer.ft.com/cms/s/0/c62f605e-ca41-11de-a3a3-00144feabdc0.html?o=%2Frss%2Fcommenthttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/c62f605e-ca41-11de-a3a3-00144feabdc0.htmlMost Russians regard Gorbachev as the traitor who destroyed a superpower, but the country's historians will come to interpret his role more kindly, writes Rodric Braithwaite Thu, 5 Nov 2009 20:18:49 +0000http://traxfer.ft.com/cms/s/0/d37721fc-ca41-11de-a3a3-00144feabdc0.html?o=%2Frss%2Fcommenthttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/d37721fc-ca41-11de-a3a3-00144feabdc0.htmlWe should expect to see more discussion in the next few years on new types of reserve assets, write Mohamed El-Erian and Ramin Toloui Thu, 5 Nov 2009 22:04:19 +0000http://traxfer.ft.com/cms/s/0/f76f107e-ca41-11de-a3a3-00144feabdc0.html?o=%2Frss%2Fcommenthttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/f76f107e-ca41-11de-a3a3-00144feabdc0.htmlIts difficulty in catching up proves to be not so much a reflection of its communist past than of its rural population structure, writes Klaus Zimmermann Thu, 5 Nov 2009 22:06:46 +0000http://traxfer.ft.com/cms/s/0/2141da9c-c977-11de-a071-00144feabdc0.html?o=%2Frss%2Fcommenthttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/2141da9c-c977-11de-a071-00144feabdc0.htmlBuying a railroad is a sound way to gain cash dividends, and broad exposure to companies that need coal and freight, but not to invest in innovation, writes John Gapper Wed, 4 Nov 2009 20:01:10 +0000http://traxfer.ft.com/cms/s/0/1481e298-c977-11de-a071-00144feabdc0.html?o=%2Frss%2Fcommenthttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/1481e298-c977-11de-a071-00144feabdc0.htmlWith a smaller slice of a shrinking domestic pie, Japanese pharmaceutical companies have had to take the fight abroad. The country's track record outside manufacturing does not bode well, but it is too soon to dismiss the industry, writes David Pilling Wed, 4 Nov 2009 20:04:13 +0000http://traxfer.ft.com/cms/s/0/547d2fd8-c977-11de-a071-00144feabdc0.html?o=%2Frss%2Fcommenthttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/547d2fd8-c977-11de-a071-00144feabdc0.htmlIt is beside the point to focus on bonuses, like Paul Krugman, or financial democracy, like Robert Shiller, writes Dirk Bezemer Wed, 4 Nov 2009 22:21:21 +0000http://traxfer.ft.com/cms/s/0/2b6217c6-c977-11de-a071-00144feabdc0.html?o=%2Frss%2Fcommenthttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/2b6217c6-c977-11de-a071-00144feabdc0.htmlThe best solution is to level the playing field by broadening participation in a climate agreement to include as many countries and sectors as possible, writes Angel Gurría Wed, 4 Nov 2009 20:19:51 +0000http://traxfer.ft.com/cms/s/0/a7977fc6-c8c2-11de-8f9d-00144feabdc0.html?o=%2Frss%2Fcommenthttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/a7977fc6-c8c2-11de-8f9d-00144feabdc0.html It is idiotic to discuss the reduction of the huge fiscal deficits, without considering the nature of the offsetting adjustments in the private and external sectors. Some adjustments would be desirable, but others would be extremely perilous, writes Martin Wolf Tue, 3 Nov 2009 21:59:52 +0000http://traxfer.ft.com/cms/s/0/1e98cbae-c8c6-11de-8f9d-00144feabdc0.html?o=%2Frss%2Fcommenthttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/1e98cbae-c8c6-11de-8f9d-00144feabdc0.htmlThe US cannot afford to put additional resources behind a strategy that risks luring it into an ever-deepening quagmire, write Charles Kupchan and Steven Simon Tue, 3 Nov 2009 22:22:41 +0000http://traxfer.ft.com/cms/s/0/9f490100-c8c7-11de-8f9d-00144feabdc0.html?o=%2Frss%2Fcommenthttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/9f490100-c8c7-11de-8f9d-00144feabdc0.htmlMarkets are not a well-oiled machine: they are a constantly changing, adaptive biological systemn, writes John Kay Tue, 3 Nov 2009 22:26:15 +0000