R&D: The Chances of an Obama Comeback, the U.S. Increases Pressure on China, and Pakistan’s Criminal Justice System is in Need of Reform

Here is your R&D for December 6th:

What Obama Needs to Come Back: Luck from Time
Can President Obama mount a political comeback before the 2012 elections?  Time magazine isn’t counting on it and offers a bleak assessment of the President’s political prospects.

U.S. steps up pressure on China to rein in North Korea from the Washington Post
The U.S. is stepping up diplomatic pressure on China to rein in some of North Korea’s aggressive activities.  The U.S. is also working with South Korea and Japan to build up an anti-China bloc in East Asia.

Reforming Pakistan’s Criminal Justice System from the International Crisis Group
Pakistan’s criminal justice system is imperiling its domestic security and the security of the South Asian region.  This International Crisis Group report explains the problems in Pakistan’s criminal justice system and offers ways to fix it.

Why Obama might compromise on Bush tax cuts for the rich from the Christian Science Monitor
Will President Obama compromise with the GOP on the Bush tax cuts?  According to this article he might because a failure to do so would raise taxes for everyone and create a backlash against the White House.

Wal-Mart, global warming cases will get hearings before Supreme Court from the Los Angeles Times
Is your Supreme Court file getting thin?  This article from the Los Angeles Times provides a quick overview of two cases the Supreme Court will take up in its next term:  a sex-discrimination suit against Wal-Mart and whether courts can place carbon emissions on power plants.