RSS

Paul Buchanan, 36th Parallel Assessments | February 29, 2012 MP John Hayes recently mentioned "resisting" Chinese influence in the South Pacific in a now leaked email. ++ China will deploy forces within the South Pacific as it is now a major corridor between South American and Australasian resource suppliers. ++ The strengthening of trilateral security ties between the US, NZ and Australia is designed to act as a ...More

Jan Fleischhauer, Der Spiegel | February 28, 2012 Why not exclude ethnic origins from reporting on the Eurocrisis? ++ Hardly a day goes by in Greece without Chancellor Angela Merkel being depicted in a Nazi uniform. ++ Germany will not see a good deal of the €130 billion it will give to the bailout fund again but is being treated like it is invading Europe again. ++ Germany is now the America of Europe, ...More

Shashi Tharoor, Former Indian Foreign Affairs Minister | February 27, 2012 There is a subtle shift in the long held dispute between India and Pakistan over Kashmir. ++ In public and private there is a growing view that Kashmir should take a back seat in favor of solving Pakistan's domestic problems. ++ Pakistan has high inflation, unemployed and under-educated young men. ++ The strategy of "bleeding India to death" in the area, ...More

Lewis Mackenzie, Retired Major-General | February 24, 2012 The West has declared ‘good’ and ‘bad’ guys in Syria without fully understanding the situation. ++ Western governments should first determine who exactly the opposition is. ++ Russia and China’s veto of the Security Council resolution did not necessarily inflame the conflict. ++ In fact, a UN observer mission probably would have ...More

Tim Montgomerie, The Guardian | February 23, 2012 If he proposed a federal UK, David Cameron could save the union while improving both Tory electoral chances and UK politics. ++ The current political arrangements in the UK are unsustainable. ++ Depending on timing, Scottish independence might not be decided on merits alone but rather on dislike for Cameron. ++ He must address the issue before Scotland votes on ...More

Sefi Rachlevsky, Haaretz | February 22, 2012 Defense Minister Ehud Barak has three conditions for war: it must delay Iran's nuclear program; there must be minimal harm to Israel; and it must receive US and international support. ++ The Netanyahu government has had 20 months to prepare the home front but has not even built a respectable fire service. ++ Netanyahu is seen by Obama as seeking to ruin the ...More

Thomas Wright, Brookings Institution | February 21, 2012 Europe's most powerful leaders are now aligned with the Republicans on major international issues. ++ European states disagree with Obama on the appropriateness of his stimulus package. ++ In opposing the quantitative easing program, Romney and Gingrich align with a tight European monetary policy. ++ Europe would benefit from Mr Romney's opposition to reducing ...More

Richard Clarke, Middle East Institute | February 20, 2012 Arab-Israeli tensions are being played out by citizen hacktivists on both sides. ++ If a hacker causes real physical damage to critical systems it could quickly involve governments in the real world. ++ There is no operations center that a nation can call to compel another nation's citizens to stop online attacks. ++ Washington and Moscow are beginning to ...More

Dmitri Trenin, Carnegie Moscow Center | February 17, 2012 Russia hopes to gain benefits from mediating the Iran dispute. ++ Historically, there has always been conflict between Russia and Iran. ++  Due to this past animosity, the notion of Russia being Iran’s ally sounds strange to most Russians. ++  Russia views Iran as a former empire reaffirming itself as a regional player. ++ Being close neighbors, ...More

Dennis B. Ross, Former Middle East Envoy | February 16, 2012 Isolated and struggling from devastating sanctions, Iran is now giving signs of renewed interest in diplomacy. ++ The regional balance of power has shifted since Arab countries are unafraid to condemn Iran, and Syria is weakened from within. ++ Iran cannot obtain credit for critical investment in its energy sector, and its currency is hugely devalued. ++ Israel ...More