We also focus on Iran and what that regime is trying to achieve by moving to a higher level of uranium enrichment, which has prompted warnings of new sanctions from the West.

Carla Robbins, deputy editorial page editor of the The New York Times, and Garrick Utley, president of the Levin Institute of the State University of New York, join Daljit Dhaliwal to discuss these issues.

They discuss the the continuing security problems in Iraq, where more than 100 people were killed this week.

Then, they turn to President Barack Obama’s acceptance of the Nobel Peace Prize and the prospects of a climate agreement in Copenhagen, Denmark.

They discuss Hamid Karzai’s second term, international calls to clean up corruption and the worsening security situation.

They also look at the fallout from a landmark case in Italy involving the alleged CIA abduction and so-called rendition of a Muslim cleric. An Italian judge convicted and sentenced 23 CIA agents, in their absence, of abducting the  cleric in Italy and taking him to Egypt where he says he was tortured.

They look at President Barack Obama’s reversal on a missile defense plan for Europe, the battle against Islamic militants and this week’s United Nations report on the war in Gaza — including charges that conduct by Israel and the Palestinian militants amounted to war crimes.

They discuss political protests and violence in Pakistan that has threatened to distract the government from its fight against al-Qaeda and Taliban militants. They also assess developments in Iran, which moved closer to starting its first nuclear reactor, and discuss China’s war of words with the U.S. over human rights.

For more on Bush’s legacy, read our Blogwatch: India, China may boost President Bush’s legacy.

They discuss the shoe-throwing incident in Iraq and its international importance, the worsening situation in Gaza and the potential for action in the Zimbabwe crisis.

They discuss U.S. plans to move more troops into Afghanistan, Pakistani leader Asif Ali Zardari’s claims that he is taking steps against terrorism amid questions about his government’s effectiveness and Zimbabwe’s continued cholera crisis.

They discuss the financial turmoil around the world, new efforts to combat Taliban insurgents in Pakistan and India’s first mission to the moon.

They discuss the speculation swirling around the end of American financial domination. The current situation exposes the U.S.’s vulnerability to energy and international currency flows. Haass and Robbins insist the U.S. has lost its “street cred” — marking a new period of decline in America’s influence around the world.

The discussion turns to Afghanistan, where the U.S. is reviewing its current policy amid reports of a general downward spiral. According to the report, the Taliban and al-Qaeda are strong, more opium is being produced, the government is corrupt and cross-border violence with Pakistan has increased.

Finally, Haass and Robbins address North Korea’s aggressive posturing. The U.S. is expected to take North Korea off the list for state-sponsored terrorism, but the real question is: What happens after that? Unless China plays a role in helping to fight terrorism in the region, relations with North Korea may remain unresolved.