Commentaries, Opinions, And Editorials -- May 8, 2012

Head of Greece's Left Coalition party Alexis Tsipras Photo: REUTERS/Yorgos Karahalis

The Earthquake In Greece -- Louis Klarevas, Foreign Policy

Suddenly, the fate of the global economy may rest on an obscure leftist party and its young, charismatic leader.

Sunday's elections in Greece have shaken markets around the world, fearful that a country suddenly thrust into political chaos won't be able to pay its crushing debts and might even exit the euro. No wonder: They also mark a leap into the unknown for Greece itself. For 35 years, two political parties have dominated the game: the conservative New Democracy (ND) party and the centrist Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK). But this Sunday's national elections hit Greece like an earthquake, shifting the tectonic plates that lay beneath the surface of the Greek political landscape.

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Commentaries, Opinions, And Editorials

Greece: what happens next? -- Phillip Inman, The Guardian

Greece drifts closer to euro exit -- Emma Rowley, The Telegraph

Greek politicians, don't destroy your nation's future -- Yannis Palaiologos and Theodore Pelagidis, CNN

France faces further political follies -- Amir Taheri, New York Post

France takes the easy way out -- Timothy Smith, Globe and Mail

Europe rejects austerity but there is no soft option -- The Telegraph editorial

Can Europe reach an economic accord? -- Washington Post editorial

Obama: Pay Attention to Europe -- Christopher Dickey, The Daily Beast

How Netanyahu's 'unity' government may affect Palestinians, Iran -- Josh Mitnick, Christian Science Monitor

Prison Island: Bahrain has badly botched its local version of the Arab Spring. And there seems to be no way out. -- Tom Malinowski, Foreign Policy

Iran worries Arabs – but they don't want war -- Wadah Khanfar, The Guardian

If Obama’s Rhetoric on Syria is a Joke, Why Trust Him on Iran? -- Jonathan S. Tobin, Commentary

Chen’s silent partner: Luck -- Jerome A. Cohen, Washington Post

Hillary's Hypocrisy Tour Of India -- A.M. Mora y Leon, American Thinker

Castro’s desperate warning -- Roger F. Noreiga, Miami Herald

From Victim to (Mutual) Aggressor: South Sudan's Disastrous First Year -- Armin Rosen, The Atlantic

From pencils to Porsches, Germany has a passion for perfection -- Patrice Hill. The Washington Times