Romney stirs controversy on bumpy foreign trip

Gaffe-prone, wannabe or savvy statesman, Western media has slammed Mitt Romney's tour of American allies, but US opinion polls tell a different story. Laura Baines and her panel discuss the Republican candidate's choice of destinations and what they mean.

DEBATE

Christopher DICKEY, Newsweek Paris Bureau Chief / Mideast Editor;
Erik SVANE, Member Republicans Abroad France, Author of "La Bannière étalée";
Aaron David MILLER, Distinguished Scholar at The Wilson Centre and advisor to Republican & Democratic Secretaries of State for over 20 years;
Mordechai KEDAR, Researcher at the Begin-Sadat Centre for Strategic Studies Bar Ilan University;
Watch the second part

Programme prepared and produced by Wassim Nasr, Sara Bertilsson and Mary Colombel

Presenter

François Picard

02/03/2011 - THE DEBATE

Is Saudi Arabia in trouble?

Should we be worried about Saudi Arabia? With dissent at the doorstep of the world’s largest oil producer, the Kingdom may be rich but it still has the same problems as its neighbours – high inflation and high youth unemployment coupled with demands for more freedom. Will it be reform or revolution inside the home to Islam’s holiest sites? Uncertainty is already weighing worldwide on prices at the pump.

01/03/2011 - THE DEBATE

Libya: What should the West do? (part 2)

Western leaders ponder the military option in ousting Muammer Gaddafi but François Picard's panel is divided with some saying let the Lybians finish the job themselves.

01/03/2011 - THE DEBATE

Libya: What should the West do?

Western leaders ponder the military option in ousting Muammer Gaddafi but François Picard's panel is divided with some saying let the Lybians finish the job themselves.

(1) comment

25/02/2011 - THE DEBATE

Portrait of a tyrant: who is the real Gaddafi?

In power for over 40 years, Libya’s Muammar Gadhafi is the Arab world’s longest serving leader. He was once dubbed the mad dog of the middle east by US President Ronald Reagan and this week he lived up to his nickname by promising to annihilate his opponents in a ranting hour long speech. Just how far is Gadhafi prepared to go in order to hold on to power?