Top Internat'l Sites

Greg Scoblete @ Real Clear World (the sister site to Real Clear Politics) unveiled his top 5 picks for intell, dossiers and gossip.

"When RealClearWorld launched during last year's Beijing Summer Olympics, we made it our mission to provide readers with the best world opinion on the web - a one-stop shop for readers seeking quality commentary and analysis on world politics, international relations and foreign affairs."

"Obviously, taste and opinion can be subjective."

"With that fine balance in mind, here are RealClearWorld’s editorial picks for the best international news sites of 2008. These news outlets offered us a weekly – if not daily – stream of strong content, and they also provided our readers with a fresh and nuanced perspective on global affairs."

Greg also reccommends readers submit their own faves and promises to share them online directly.

1. Al Jazeera - Yeah yeah, not a big fan of Great Satan or Little Satan, AJ certainly is

"Controversial and critical, few world news outlets have had the ability to split feelings quicker than the immensely popular Al Jazeera network. The Doha-based station – initially a satellite based network only – has grown into a worldwide media empire.

Broadcasting all around the world, on the web and in multiple languages, Al Jazeera has become both the Arab world’s platform for dialogue and information, and the rest of the world's window into a region full of faiths, languages and sects."

2. Japan Times

"provides quality commentary and opinion pieces from a number of esteemed former statesmen as well as journalists. Chris Patten (former governor of Hong Kong), Sir Hugh Cortazzi (former British ambassador to Japan), David Howell (former British Cabinet minister and former chairman of the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee), Gwynne Dyer and Robert Dujarric are all among regular contributors to Japan Times' opinion section.

Japan Times' coverage of Japanese and international affairs is also noted for its professional quality. "

3. China Post - Founded in 1952 by exiled Chinese mainlanders, the China Post is one of Taiwan's leading English-language dailies, with a circulation of about 400,000. The print edition of the Post is read mainly by Taiwan's intellectual elite and college students interested in world affairs and learning English.

Without a free press in mainland China, it's difficult to find balanced and critical opinion on the world's most populous nation and budding super power. But across the Taiwan Strait, such material is readily available in one of Asia's most vibrant democracies.

4. World Politics Review - Unafraid of ideological dissent and disagreement, WPR often features public figures and experts of conflicting views and allegiances. Tracking both the short-term news and long-term questions facing the global scene, they offer a variety of content for all audiences; from the casual reader, to the longtime observer of international relations, WPR offers it all.

5. Der Spiegel - Born in the post-war rubble in Hamburg, Der Spiegel is now the best-selling weekly magazine with a circulation of over 1 million. Der Spiegel is renowned for its depth and breadth in covering international events and exclusive interviews with world leaders.

In 1994, Spiegel became one of the first international publications to launch a web site. It is now Germany's top online news source. In 2004, an English version of the site - Spiegel International - was made available, and it's this site that provides some of RealClearWorld's most read commentary and analysis articles.

GrEaT sAtAn"S gIrLfRiEnD would submit a few more like Lebanon's Asharq Alawsat News - while doing a lot of AP and Reuters aside, the op ed pieces features some of the best in Arab intelligentsia and tends to be a guide toward progressive thought in the ME.

Also, Russia's RIA Novosti features a lot of thought, propaganda and some truth in the Commonwealth's revamped USSR GRU military intell community.

What are your faves?

Share them here and hit Greg up too @ gscoblete@gmail.com

PS - If you're curious about RCP's currently unfullfilled promise to return with '09 and a new improved reader's submissions - Greg's not really doing that gig so hit these cats up instead.