For years, Indonesian elites and their foreign backers have argued that lack of freedom and authoritarianism were necessary prices to pay for economic development.

CNN: T COMES AS NO

However much this infuriates Congo's other politicians, the unarmed ones are powerless and the rebels will be weakened if their foreign backers now withdraw.

ECONOMIST: Congo

FARC's demands for sweeping agrarian reform and a redistribution of wealth, coupled with an end to unchecked free-market policies, must be unpalatable to Mr Pastrana's centre-right administration and its foreign backers.

ECONOMIST: Colombia talks peace in the long shadow of war

Opponents of Syria's government believe that the way it reported the attack on Tuesday suggests Mr. Assad is preparing to escalate his fight against rebels and sending a warning to the rebels' foreign backers not to intervene.

WSJ: Syria Chemical Report Spurs Probes, Theories

With fresh supplies of weapons from foreign backers, the rebels have recently seized military bases and towns south of the capital in the strategically important region between Damascus and the border with Jordan, about 160 kilometers (100 miles) away.

NPR: Syrian Troops Capture Key Town Near Damascus

Instead, some appear to favour grafting the model that prevails in Jordan, where King Abdullah intermittently suspends parliament and rules by decree, but maintains stability, refuses to threaten Israel and listens as keenly to his foreign backers as he does to his own people.

ECONOMIST: Democracy is flagging in both the Palestinian territories

Obama's affiliation with Wright aligns with his choice of financial backers and foreign policy advisors.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: The audacity of truth

Joe Biden, who has plenty to say about foreign policy, was reportedly one of Mrs Clinton's leading backers for the job.

ECONOMIST: Lexington