Commentaries, Opinions, And Editorials -- October 2, 2009

A voter fills in his ballot paper on the Lisbon Treaty in the Tullamore Community Centre in Tullamore, at the Drumcondra National School in Dublin, Ireland. Voting closed Friday in Ireland's crunch second referendum on the European Union's Lisbon Treaty, with Prime Minister Brian Cowen cautiously optimistic that the Yes vote will win this time. (AFP/Peter Muhly)

This Little Island (Ireland) With The Fate Of Europe In Its Hands -- Alan Philps, The National

The Republic of Ireland is not used to throwing its weight around. It is resolutely neutral and does not send its armies to fight abroad. With its small population of four million it wields little clout in the European Union, a grouping of 500 million citizens.

Yet today Ireland is the centre of attention for the whole of Europe as it votes in a referendum that could put an end to the EU’s ambitions to be a major player on the world stage. The subject at hand is the Lisbon Treaty, a much rewritten document that aims to streamline European decision-making, giving the bloc its first president and providing it with its own diplomatic corps and security role.

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More Commentaries and Editorials

Europe Loses its Lisbon Hiding Place -- Philip Stephens, Financial Times

Masters of our fate (Ireland) -- Irish Times editorial

Europe's Future in Irish Hands -- Christian Science Monitor editorial

'President' Blair waits on voters of Ireland -- Times Online

Iran Buys Time for Nuclear Program at Little Cost -- Jamsheed K. Choksy, World Politics Review

In Iran Talks, Who Has Leverage? -- Melik Kaylan, Forbes

Springtime for Mullahs -- Wall Street Journal editorial

Just don't go it alone (Israel Against Iran) -- Haaretz

General Stanley McChrystal turns his fire on Western leaders as Afghan mission falters -- Con
Coughlin, Daily Telegraph

Why Obama may want to ask Bush what to do in Afghanistan -- John Dickerson, Slate

North Korea reverts to form -- Donald Kirk, Asia Times

Yukio Hatoyama's (Japan's) Big Gamble -- David Fedman, Asian Chronicle

Europe Can't Rely on the U.S. -- Doug Bandow, Cato Institute

Sarkozy Snubs Obama on Nukes -- Charles Krauthammer, Washington Post