Such assertions may have been accurate as recently as earlier this decade, but at present, and increasingly in the next several years, this conclusion will appear to be guided more by an overconfidence in American capabilities than by pragmatic realism.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: China's assymetrical strategy

America, which at present imposes mild sanctions on trade and investment in Myanmar, recently threatened to strengthen them unless the government took more vigorous steps to restore democracy.

ECONOMIST: Myanmar

At present, as Bimal Jalan, the central-bank governor, recently pointed out, large public borrowing and the high returns that are offered savers keep interest rates high.

ECONOMIST: Paying dividends

Mr Dilly Anumba, a consultant obstetrician at Sheffield University who has recently published work showing that TLRs are present in the female genital tract, said Professor Bennett's theories were logical and well worth pursuing.

BBC: NEWS | Health | Immunity clue to premature births

Titan has more than 4, 000 employees providing translation services for the Army in Iraq and recently fired one translator who admitted being present during prisoner abuse at Abu Ghraib prison.

FORBES: America's Military Machine At A Discount

At present, Israel and America refuse to deal directly with Hamas even though it has recently won the mayoralties of a number of Gazan and West Bank towns and probably commands a third or more of the Palestinian national vote because, though it has more or less abided by a ceasefire brokered earlier this year, it has not disavowed violence and still refuses to recognise Israel.

ECONOMIST: America and the Middle East