Surveys conducted across the US show that the
majority of Americans, including senior citizens old enough to remember
the US entry into World War II, regard the September, 11, 2001 drama as
exceeding in historical importance the 1941 Pearl Harbor attack.
Speaking of the latter, these days it is an open secret that the US
Administration was aware of the coming Japanese offensive and, instead
of taking adequate measures beforehand, knowingly sacrificed around
1,500 lives to have the country drawn into a war as planned in
Washington. US Secretary of War Henry Stimson rote in his diary
following the November 25, 1941 government meeting: “The question was
how we should maneuver them [the Japanese] into the position of firing
the first shot without allowing too much danger to ourselves. It was a
difficult proposition”.
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
The CIA’s Islamist Terrorist Network
From: Strategic Culture:
The Central Intelligence Agency
cobbled together the forerunner of the present Muslim jihadist terrorist
network in the late 1970s to battle Soviet troops in Afghanistan.
Throughout the next three decades, the CIA continued to maintain links
with the jihadist groups, using them as allies for certain operations
and attacking them when America’s «commitment» to the «war on terrorism»
required an propaganda boost in the world’s media.
An example of the CIA ‘s flip-flopping between using its mujaheddin and
jihadist allies and then declaring them «terrorists» and putting a
price on their heads is the recent declaration by Secretary of State
Hillary Clinton that the Haqqani network based in North Waziristan,
Pakistan is a «foreign terrorist organization».
The Haqqani network, led by Jalaluddin Haqqani, was cobbled together by
the CIA and the Pakistani Directorate of Inter-Services Intelligence
(ISI) in the 1980s.
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
What is the link between Ansar al-Sharia and Al-Qa'ida in the Arabian Peninsula?
From: RUSI
Much has happened in Yemen in recent weeks. The spate of events
began in early May when, to the surprise of many, Al-Qa'ida in the
Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) released Issues 8 and 9 of the now infamous Inspire
magazine despite the fact its editor and guiding force, Samir Khan, was
killed alongside Anwar al-Awlaqi last year. The re-release of Inspire
was followed quickly by what appears to have been a retaliatory US drone
strike which killed Fahd al-Quso (a high-ranking member of AQAP) in
Shabwa province and the highly-publicised disruption of a plot, modelled
exactly on the modus operandi of Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, to attack
the aviation industry.[1] Further US drone strikes in Yemen saw the
killing of eleven militants on 12 May and two more on 17 May. More
recently, Ansar al-Shariah, often described as an AQAP affiliate,
attacked US civilian contractors who were training the Yemeni coast
guard in the port of Hudaydah, before launching a major attack in Sana'a
which left more than 90 dead.[2]
The recent escalation of violence in Yemen underscores the terrorist challenge there. However, western policy will be unsuccessful if it conflates the international agenda of Al-Qa'ida with the local ambitions of Ansar al-Sharia.
By Benedict Wilkinson, Associate Fellow, RUSI
U.S. Drug War Expands to Africa, a Newer Hub for Cartels
From: NYTimes
In a significant expansion of the war on drugs, the United States has begun training an elite unit of counternarcotics police in Ghana and planning similar units in Nigeria and Kenya as part of an effort to combat the Latin American cartels that are increasingly using Africa to smuggle cocaine into Europe.
In a significant expansion of the war on drugs, the United States has begun training an elite unit of counternarcotics police in Ghana and planning similar units in Nigeria and Kenya as part of an effort to combat the Latin American cartels that are increasingly using Africa to smuggle cocaine into Europe.
The growing American involvement in Africa follows an earlier escalation
of antidrug efforts in Central America, according to documents,
Congressional testimony and interviews with a range of officials at the
State Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Pentagon.
In both regions, American officials are responding to fears that
crackdowns in more direct staging points for smuggling — like Mexico and
Spain — have prompted traffickers to move into smaller and weakly
governed states, further corrupting and destabilizing them.
The aggressive response by the United States is also a sign of how
greater attention and resources have turned to efforts to fight drugs as
the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have wound down.
NATO and the problem of asymmetric warfare
From: DW
Calls for military intervention in Syria are becoming louder in view of the worsening situation. But NATO states are not much inclined to get involved – the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are a warning.
This was not war as he knew it.
On his first mission in the Persian Gulf War in 1991, the situation was still relatively clear: John Nagl led a US Army tank platoon against Iraqi troops that had invaded Kuwait. “I fought against a conventional enemy wearing uniform,” he says.
12 years later, he was again deployed to Iraq. “I fought in a counterinsurgency campaign in Al Anbar and that was a very different kind of war,” Nagl told DW. It was “so different that the character of the fight was almost completely changed.” Nagl says he “fought against an enemy who waged war from the shadows, who was almost invisible, indiscernible from the general population, a much more challenging task in many ways.”
Among other areas in Iraq, the lieutenant colonel was deployed to Fallujah, where hundreds of civilians were killed in 2004 and large parts of the city were destroyed.
Calls for military intervention in Syria are becoming louder in view of the worsening situation. But NATO states are not much inclined to get involved – the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are a warning.
This was not war as he knew it.
On his first mission in the Persian Gulf War in 1991, the situation was still relatively clear: John Nagl led a US Army tank platoon against Iraqi troops that had invaded Kuwait. “I fought against a conventional enemy wearing uniform,” he says.
12 years later, he was again deployed to Iraq. “I fought in a counterinsurgency campaign in Al Anbar and that was a very different kind of war,” Nagl told DW. It was “so different that the character of the fight was almost completely changed.” Nagl says he “fought against an enemy who waged war from the shadows, who was almost invisible, indiscernible from the general population, a much more challenging task in many ways.”
Among other areas in Iraq, the lieutenant colonel was deployed to Fallujah, where hundreds of civilians were killed in 2004 and large parts of the city were destroyed.
Fearing recruitment, India restricts contacts with CIA
From: NYDaily
Fearing that the CIA might use counter-terrorism meetings to recruit Indian intelligence operatives, New Delhi has restricted agency-to-agency contacts with Washington, says a new book. Scholar Prem Mahadevan says that unlike the 1970s when India was a virtual socialist state, the hunger for government jobs has fallen considerably since the Indian economy opened up in 1991. “Today, middle-ranking IB (Intelligence Bureau) and RAW (Research and Analysis Wing) officers are vulnerable to enticement by well-funded foreign intelligence agencies – a factor which has constrained counter-terrorism cooperation post 9/11.” Mahadevan’s book, “The Politics of Counterterrorism in India” (I.B. Tauris), says the fears are not altogether unfounded. It reveals that since 2001, there have been at least two cases of penetration of RAW by the American Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).
Fearing that the CIA might use counter-terrorism meetings to recruit Indian intelligence operatives, New Delhi has restricted agency-to-agency contacts with Washington, says a new book. Scholar Prem Mahadevan says that unlike the 1970s when India was a virtual socialist state, the hunger for government jobs has fallen considerably since the Indian economy opened up in 1991. “Today, middle-ranking IB (Intelligence Bureau) and RAW (Research and Analysis Wing) officers are vulnerable to enticement by well-funded foreign intelligence agencies – a factor which has constrained counter-terrorism cooperation post 9/11.” Mahadevan’s book, “The Politics of Counterterrorism in India” (I.B. Tauris), says the fears are not altogether unfounded. It reveals that since 2001, there have been at least two cases of penetration of RAW by the American Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).
Taiwan: China vessels closely monitored during Han Kuang war games
From: China Post
Taiwan was closely monitoring the whereabouts of China’s military aircraft and vessels deployed near Taiwanese waters during last week’s computerized war games, the Ministry of National Defense (MND) said yesterday.
There were no military information leaks during the five-day computer-aided Han Kuang drills, the MND said in a released statement yesterday to refute a Chinese-language report that said Chinese Navy vessels were collecting confidential data on the drills.
Taiwan was closely monitoring the whereabouts of China’s military aircraft and vessels deployed near Taiwanese waters during last week’s computerized war games, the Ministry of National Defense (MND) said yesterday.
There were no military information leaks during the five-day computer-aided Han Kuang drills, the MND said in a released statement yesterday to refute a Chinese-language report that said Chinese Navy vessels were collecting confidential data on the drills.
Thursday, July 5, 2012
Who's Who at Wikileaks?
From: Global Research
After
the publication of a series of confirmations rather than revelations,
there are some crucial unanswered questions regarding the nature and
organizational structure of Wikileaks.
Shrouded in secrecy, the now famous whistleblowing site and its director Julian Assange are demanding "transparency" from governments and corporations around the world while failing to provide some basic information pertaining to Wikileaks as an organization.
Shrouded in secrecy, the now famous whistleblowing site and its director Julian Assange are demanding "transparency" from governments and corporations around the world while failing to provide some basic information pertaining to Wikileaks as an organization.
Who is Julian Assange?
Countering Color Revolutions: NGOs to get ‘foreign agent’ tag in Russia
From: Stratirisks
Russia’s parliament is to debate a bill forcing internationally-funded NGOs to register as “foreign agents”, a move that may stigmatise scores of groups under President Vladimir Putin’s new term.
The bill which is scheduled to be debated this week comes after Putin accused opposition activists demonstrating against his 12-year rule of being in the pay of the US State Department.
The ruling United Russia party, which sponsored the bill, says it is aimed at preventing foreign states from influencing Russia’s domestic politics and emulates US legislation on foreign-funded NGOs.
“Obviously there are gaps in our legislation,” one of the bill’s authors, Alexander Sidyakin, a member of parliament for United Russia, told AFP on Monday.
Saturday, June 30, 2012
Financial ‘Armageddon’ Will Happen Despite EU Deal
From: Stratrisks
“Just because now you have a way to get them (the banks) to borrow even more money, this is not solving the problem, this is making the problem worse,” Rogers said on Friday.
“People need to stop spending money they don’t have. The solution to too much debt is not more debt. All this little agreement does is give them (banks) a chance to have even more debt for a while longer,” he added.
After negotiating late into the night, European policymakers agreed on Friday morning that the bloc’s bailout fund, the European Stability Mechanism (ESM), would be able to lend directly to recapitalize banks without increasing a country’s budget deficit, and without preferential seniority status.
“Just because now you have a way to get them (the banks) to borrow even more money, this is not solving the problem, this is making the problem worse,” Rogers said on Friday.
“People need to stop spending money they don’t have. The solution to too much debt is not more debt. All this little agreement does is give them (banks) a chance to have even more debt for a while longer,” he added.
After negotiating late into the night, European policymakers agreed on Friday morning that the bloc’s bailout fund, the European Stability Mechanism (ESM), would be able to lend directly to recapitalize banks without increasing a country’s budget deficit, and without preferential seniority status.
British firm ships arms to South Sudan
From: Stratrisks
Shell companies registered in Britain are among firms involved in the export of armaments which are fuelling the ongoing conflict in South Sudan, Amnesty International warned yesterday. The charity said that T-72 battle tanks used in attacks by the Sudanese armed forces, the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA), had been “clandestinely delivered from Ukraine to South Sudan in 2009, involved transfers via Kenya and Uganda and included shipping companies from Germany and Ukraine and UK and Isle of Man-registered shell companies.” However the charity stated that the shipping companies had not broken the law. It said: “Indeed inadequacies of the legal regulations on arms shipments currently exclude them from legal responsibility.”
Shell companies registered in Britain are among firms involved in the export of armaments which are fuelling the ongoing conflict in South Sudan, Amnesty International warned yesterday. The charity said that T-72 battle tanks used in attacks by the Sudanese armed forces, the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA), had been “clandestinely delivered from Ukraine to South Sudan in 2009, involved transfers via Kenya and Uganda and included shipping companies from Germany and Ukraine and UK and Isle of Man-registered shell companies.” However the charity stated that the shipping companies had not broken the law. It said: “Indeed inadequacies of the legal regulations on arms shipments currently exclude them from legal responsibility.”
Russia gets its armed forces ready in the Caucasus
From: Stratrisks
A peace initiative on Syria of the UN and the League of the Arab States special representative Kofi Annan brought no results. Neither government forces nor the armed opposition agreed to it. The confrontation between them was renewed on even a larger scale and was followed by increase in death numbers. Along with civilians soldiers, officers and generals and their families are fleeing Syria. Turkey only has received more than 33 thousand Syrian citizens. Situation was exacerbated by destruction of a Turkish fighter by the missile defence of Syria. Turkey is a NATO member and Ankara along with Washington demanded adequate measures against Damascus. Syrian President Bashar Assad said his country is in a state of war.
A peace initiative on Syria of the UN and the League of the Arab States special representative Kofi Annan brought no results. Neither government forces nor the armed opposition agreed to it. The confrontation between them was renewed on even a larger scale and was followed by increase in death numbers. Along with civilians soldiers, officers and generals and their families are fleeing Syria. Turkey only has received more than 33 thousand Syrian citizens. Situation was exacerbated by destruction of a Turkish fighter by the missile defence of Syria. Turkey is a NATO member and Ankara along with Washington demanded adequate measures against Damascus. Syrian President Bashar Assad said his country is in a state of war.
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Angola
Cancelada por sugestão das autoridades angolanas uma viagem a Luanda do SG SIRP, Júlio Pereira. Foram formalmente apresentadas razões de inoportunidade de calendário decorrentes do início do período eleitoral. De facto, considerado o momento agitado por que está a passar o sistema de informações, em Portugal.
Friday, April 27, 2012
The ‘Coca Diplomacy’ Of Evo Morales
Alexander Frye
At last month’s meeting of the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs in Vienna, Bolivian President Evo Morales made headlines by dramatically brandishing a coca leaf he had apparently smuggled into the Austrian city between the pages of a book. The coca leaf, which is the unrefined source of cocaine and is considered an illegal substance under the UN’s 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, holds special significance for the Bolivian leader. A former cultivator of the plant himself, Morales swept into the presidency in 2006 with the backing of Bolivia’s cocaleros movement, a syndicate of coca-growers unions Morales has helmed for decades.
At last month’s meeting of the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs in Vienna, Bolivian President Evo Morales made headlines by dramatically brandishing a coca leaf he had apparently smuggled into the Austrian city between the pages of a book. The coca leaf, which is the unrefined source of cocaine and is considered an illegal substance under the UN’s 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, holds special significance for the Bolivian leader. A former cultivator of the plant himself, Morales swept into the presidency in 2006 with the backing of Bolivia’s cocaleros movement, a syndicate of coca-growers unions Morales has helmed for decades.
Monday, April 23, 2012
Speculation In Oil Markets? What Have We Learned?
From: Lutz Kilian
A popular view is that the unprecedented surge in the spot price of oil during 2003–08 cannot be explained by changes in economic fundamentals, but was driven by the increased financialisation of oil futures markets.1 It is well documented that, starting in 2003, there was an influx of financial investors such as index funds into oil futures markets. At about the same time, both spot and futures prices of crude oil began to surge, soon reaching unprecedented levels and peaking at a record high in mid-2008. A popular view among pundits and policymakers is that this sustained oil price increase was facilitated by the financialisation of oil futures markets. Non-academics such as Michael Masters and George Soros testified before the US Congress that financial investors were taking speculative positions that resulted in rising oil futures prices, which in turn were responsible for a surge in the spot price of oil. The accuracy of this view is not obvious at all and much of the academic debate centres on the evidence, if any, supporting this hypothesis.
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Monday, April 2, 2012
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Friday, March 30, 2012
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Can The Islamist Movements Deliver?
From: Arab News
Arab Islamist movements have never been so close to grabbing power through open and democratic elections as they are today. They have already succeeded in Tunisia and Egypt. They are expected to do well in Algeria’s upcoming polls. And if elections are held in Jordan this year, under a favorable voting law, they are expected to reap between 25 to 35 percent of the contested parliamentary seats. Islamist parties are gaining ground in Kuwait and Bahrain. They make up the biggest opposition in Sudan. And in post-Qaddafi’s Libya newly formed Islamist parties will play a major role in the political future of the country.
Arab Islamist movements have never been so close to grabbing power through open and democratic elections as they are today. They have already succeeded in Tunisia and Egypt. They are expected to do well in Algeria’s upcoming polls. And if elections are held in Jordan this year, under a favorable voting law, they are expected to reap between 25 to 35 percent of the contested parliamentary seats. Islamist parties are gaining ground in Kuwait and Bahrain. They make up the biggest opposition in Sudan. And in post-Qaddafi’s Libya newly formed Islamist parties will play a major role in the political future of the country.
China’s Political Transition 2012: Seize, Snap Or Smoothen?
From: Institute for Peace and Conflict Studies
‘Stability,’ ‘political and economic reform’ and ‘improvement in social justice’ remained issues of major concern during the session of China’s National Political Council (CNPC) held from 5-14 March 2012. Without these, the Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao maintained, China could yet again witness a debacle similar to that of the Cultural Revolution. Yet, proponents of democracy argue that the comments made by Wen Jiabao in the closing session of the NPC are a mere distraction and Chinese leaders show no clear intent towards reforms. Critics lamented that the CCP has set a world record by ‘passing all bills tabled in the 63 years of its working session’ which shows its complete disregard of the need for political (implicitly democratic) reform. But is democratic reform really on the Chinese agenda?
Hardly so. At a time when international criticism is at an all time high pillorying China for not implementing democratic reforms despite lip-service by its leaders, the CCP is hard pressed to maintain the symbolism of a united leadership. The concerns highlighted during the session also suggest that historical precedent remains deeply embedded in the CCP’s psyche as they witness transition from one leadership to another. Lin Biao and Liu Shaoqi both failed (and paid with their lives) for trying to succeed Mao; the leadership then being seized by the gang of four. Neither did Hu Yaobang and Zhao Ziyang succeed Deng Xiaoping. The fourth generation leader Hu Jintao was also not chosen by the predecessor Jiang Zemin. The lessons drawn from these instances drive the current attempted smooth transition.
Al-Qaeda In Iraq’s Strategy For 2012
From: Foreign Policy in Focus
It was an ordinary early morning in Baghdad in February 2012. Mothers and fathers were stuck in the grueling traffic of the capital, on their way to work. Their children were all packed up and ready to go to school. Shops were opening up in Baghdad’s market, hoping to profit from the morning rush hour. Then, at a moment’s notice, Iraqis in Baghdad and several other Iraqi cities found themselves in the middle of a coordinated series of terrorist attacks. The streets were literally painted red with blood, human body parts spread all over the concrete. Some of the shops that opened were either completely destroyed or had their windows bashed by the booming effects of the bombs. Frantic Iraqis close to the bombings were quick to get on their phones and call their loved ones, assuring them that they were alive. When the attacks were all said and done, a total of 55 Iraqis were killed in a span of two-hours, with Baghdad the worst hit.
It was an ordinary early morning in Baghdad in February 2012. Mothers and fathers were stuck in the grueling traffic of the capital, on their way to work. Their children were all packed up and ready to go to school. Shops were opening up in Baghdad’s market, hoping to profit from the morning rush hour. Then, at a moment’s notice, Iraqis in Baghdad and several other Iraqi cities found themselves in the middle of a coordinated series of terrorist attacks. The streets were literally painted red with blood, human body parts spread all over the concrete. Some of the shops that opened were either completely destroyed or had their windows bashed by the booming effects of the bombs. Frantic Iraqis close to the bombings were quick to get on their phones and call their loved ones, assuring them that they were alive. When the attacks were all said and done, a total of 55 Iraqis were killed in a span of two-hours, with Baghdad the worst hit.
New air strikes on South as Sudan quits summit
From: Defence Talk
Sudanese warplanes on Tuesday launched fresh air raids on oil-rich areas of South Sudan, a Southern official said, threatening a tentative rapprochement despite international calls for calm. Earlier, Sudan suspended an April 3 summit between President Omar al-Bashir and his southern counterpart Salva Kiir in Juba following border clashes on Monday, although Southern officials later said the invitation still stood.
"After a day of attacks by air and ground troops on Monday, this morning we heard the Antonov (aircraft) return, and dropped two bombs," said Gideon Gatpan, information minister for South Sudan's Unity state.
He said he believed the air strikes targeted oilfields but there was no apparent damage. Sudanese foreign ministry spokesman Al-Obeid Meruh said the bombing was Khartoum's response to an attack launched by the South with heavy weapons on an oilfield "inside Sudanese territory."
US could fly spy drones from Australian territory
From: Defence Talk
Australia on Wednesday said it may allow Washington to use its territory to operate long-range spy drones, as part of an increased US presence in the Asia-Pacific that has rankled China. The United States and Canberra are planning a major expansion of military ties, with the first of a 2,500-strong Marine deployment to northern Australia unveiled last November by President Barack Obama due to arrive next month. The plan has irked China and worried some Asian countries who see it as a statement by Washington that it intends to stand up for its interests in the region amid concerns of increasing assertiveness by Beijing. Australian media carried reports Wednesday citing a Washington Post story that the United States was considering using the Cocos Islands, an atoll in the Indian Ocean off northwest Australia, to launch unmanned surveillance aircraft. They said the Cocos would replace the present US Indian Ocean base of Diego Garcia, which America leases from Britain and is due to be mothballed in 2016.
Australia on Wednesday said it may allow Washington to use its territory to operate long-range spy drones, as part of an increased US presence in the Asia-Pacific that has rankled China. The United States and Canberra are planning a major expansion of military ties, with the first of a 2,500-strong Marine deployment to northern Australia unveiled last November by President Barack Obama due to arrive next month. The plan has irked China and worried some Asian countries who see it as a statement by Washington that it intends to stand up for its interests in the region amid concerns of increasing assertiveness by Beijing. Australian media carried reports Wednesday citing a Washington Post story that the United States was considering using the Cocos Islands, an atoll in the Indian Ocean off northwest Australia, to launch unmanned surveillance aircraft. They said the Cocos would replace the present US Indian Ocean base of Diego Garcia, which America leases from Britain and is due to be mothballed in 2016.
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
EU - Clash des générations. Les Baby Boomers vs. les Millennials : vers une véritable révolution dans la politique américaine?
From: Diploweb
Géopolitique des Etats-Unis. Comment les différences
entre les générations pourraient-elle peser sur les prochaines élections
aux Etats-Unis ? Politologue américaine, Amy Greene explique ici très
clairement ce qui différencie une population blanche et âgée (les « Baby
Boomers ») et une population jeune et non-blanche (les
« Millennials »). Démographie, politique et géopolitique croisent ici
leurs approches.
Greece’s defense spending, getting things straight
From: Defence Greece
We have written many times for the media
mainly in Europe that in recent months publish articles regarding the
defense spending and the (supposedly) huge amounts Greece continues to
spend amid crisis. Some of these publications are also getting
republished by Greek media.
But now comes the most authoritative source, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (Sipri), which released its annual report on arms exports and imports and things are finally getting straight.
So according to these data, Greece had
already fallen outside the top 20 countries in the list of the largest
importers of weapons since 2009, moved to the 37th position in 2011 and
is forecast to fall even lower in the future. Unlike Turkey, which
remained stable among the top 20 importers and moved to No. 9 position
in 2011.
Iran flies thousands of pro-Palestinian activists to Syria. IDF fortifies borders
From: Debka File
Israel boosted its Syrian and Lebanese border units as special flights carrying thousands of pro-Palestinian activists from Tehran touched down in Damascus Tuesday, March 27 for the international Global March to Jerusalem Friday, March 30. Before taking off, they were split into small groups and tutored by Iranian Al Qods Brigades officers in tactics for breaching Israeli border barriers, bursting through and challenging the Israeli military forces defending the border. On arrival in Damascus, one group of activists was sent by special bus to Lebanon, where Hizballah officers stood by to lead them to villages close to the Israeli frontier; a second is assigned to face Israeli lines on the Golan. These anti-Israeli activists from several countries are being planted at strategic points to carry out the plan hatched together by Iran, Syria and Hizballah to ignite Israel’s two northern borders in solidarity with the annual Israeli-Arab Earth Day next Friday. Earlier reports from Damascus that the demonstrators would keep the Quneitra sector of the Golan and the Lebanese Beaufort were meant to put the Israeli command off its stroke by disguising the real scope of their plans and their objective: a mass assault on Israeli borders. They are programmed to coincide with the outbreaks the Palestinian Authority is preparing for Jerusalem and the West Bank and Israeli-Arab disturbances inside Israel – all on the same day, as debkafile reported earlier Tuesday. The Palestinian extremists of the Gaza Strip will certainly not stand aloof.
Israel boosted its Syrian and Lebanese border units as special flights carrying thousands of pro-Palestinian activists from Tehran touched down in Damascus Tuesday, March 27 for the international Global March to Jerusalem Friday, March 30. Before taking off, they were split into small groups and tutored by Iranian Al Qods Brigades officers in tactics for breaching Israeli border barriers, bursting through and challenging the Israeli military forces defending the border. On arrival in Damascus, one group of activists was sent by special bus to Lebanon, where Hizballah officers stood by to lead them to villages close to the Israeli frontier; a second is assigned to face Israeli lines on the Golan. These anti-Israeli activists from several countries are being planted at strategic points to carry out the plan hatched together by Iran, Syria and Hizballah to ignite Israel’s two northern borders in solidarity with the annual Israeli-Arab Earth Day next Friday. Earlier reports from Damascus that the demonstrators would keep the Quneitra sector of the Golan and the Lebanese Beaufort were meant to put the Israeli command off its stroke by disguising the real scope of their plans and their objective: a mass assault on Israeli borders. They are programmed to coincide with the outbreaks the Palestinian Authority is preparing for Jerusalem and the West Bank and Israeli-Arab disturbances inside Israel – all on the same day, as debkafile reported earlier Tuesday. The Palestinian extremists of the Gaza Strip will certainly not stand aloof.
Charges Brought in Case of Alleged Assassination Conspiracy Against former Greek Prime Minister Exposed by Russian Intelligence
From: Dan Gordon
Greek authorities filed formal charges earlier this month against
“persons unknown” for purportedly plotting to assassinate Kostas
Karamanlis, the Prime Minister at the time of the conspiracy dating from
2007-2009, in order to undermine the government. An anonymous court
official disclosed that the initial inquiry entailed interviews of Greek
police, Secret Service members, and the Karamanlis’ security detail.
Greek law permits charging “persons unknown” in the absence of a named
suspect. The maximum penalty for conviction on the conspiracy charge is
life imprisonment.
Slovakian Security Firm Detects Botnet Cyber-Spying connected to Nation of Georgia's Website
From: Dan Gordon
ESET, a Slovakian security firm, claims that the Georgian government’s website figured in a botnet’s cyber-spying on denizens of that nation. Win32/Georbot infected a small number of computers, approximately 200, primarily in Georgia, with 30% located in the United States, Germany, and Russia. According to ESET researcher Righard Zwienenberg, the Georbot searched on the hard drives for data, and in addition possessed the capacity to obtain audio and video whenever the microphone and webcam of a computer were operating. The remote control of the Georbot furthermore directed the theft of documents and certificates, and the search for particular words in documents, including “service,” “secret,” “agent,” “USA,” “Russia,” “Georgia,” “FBI,” “CIA,” “KGB,” and “FSB.” ESET divulged that the malware’s evolution appeared to be still in progress, since new versions came to light on the 19th of this month.
ESET, a Slovakian security firm, claims that the Georgian government’s website figured in a botnet’s cyber-spying on denizens of that nation. Win32/Georbot infected a small number of computers, approximately 200, primarily in Georgia, with 30% located in the United States, Germany, and Russia. According to ESET researcher Righard Zwienenberg, the Georbot searched on the hard drives for data, and in addition possessed the capacity to obtain audio and video whenever the microphone and webcam of a computer were operating. The remote control of the Georbot furthermore directed the theft of documents and certificates, and the search for particular words in documents, including “service,” “secret,” “agent,” “USA,” “Russia,” “Georgia,” “FBI,” “CIA,” “KGB,” and “FSB.” ESET divulged that the malware’s evolution appeared to be still in progress, since new versions came to light on the 19th of this month.
Obama Hearts Turkish Leader Erdogan As He Oppresses His Own People and Stabs America in the Back
From: Crethi Plethi
President Barack Obama is continuing his love affair with Turkish Islamist leader Recep Erdogan. As Erdogan continues to undermine Turkish democracy, throw hundreds of moderates into jail, destroy the nation’s institutions, help Iran, throw hysterical tantrums about how much he hates Israel, promote Islamism in the region, and is fresh from still another meeting with Hamas leaders, Obama continues to use Erdogan as his guru.
When the two men met at the Seoul, South Korea, Nuclear Security Summit on March 25, Obama practically slobbered over the anti-American ruler, calling Erdogan his “friend and colleague….We find ourselves in frequent agreement upon a wide range of issues.”
President Barack Obama is continuing his love affair with Turkish Islamist leader Recep Erdogan. As Erdogan continues to undermine Turkish democracy, throw hundreds of moderates into jail, destroy the nation’s institutions, help Iran, throw hysterical tantrums about how much he hates Israel, promote Islamism in the region, and is fresh from still another meeting with Hamas leaders, Obama continues to use Erdogan as his guru.
When the two men met at the Seoul, South Korea, Nuclear Security Summit on March 25, Obama practically slobbered over the anti-American ruler, calling Erdogan his “friend and colleague….We find ourselves in frequent agreement upon a wide range of issues.”
Obama Administration Gives U.S. Forfeited Funds to Mexico
From: Borderland Beat
United States Attorney General Eric Holder and Mexican Attorney General
Marisela Morales Ibáñez today signed a letter of intent for the United States
to share approximately $6 million in forfeited funds with the Office of the
Attorney General of the Republic of Mexico (PGR) to support Mexican efforts to
combat the financial infrastructure of organized criminal groups and to enhance
bilateral cooperation between the two countries in forfeiture matters.
New Counterorrism Guidelines Gives Authorities Vast Access to Private Info of Innocent Americans
From: Electronic Frontier Foundation
On Thursday, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder signed expansive new guidelines for terrorism analysts, allowing the National Counter Terrorism Center (NCTC) to mirror entire federal databases containing personal information and hold onto the information for an extended period of time—even if the person is not suspected of any involvement in terrorism.
Despite the “terrorism” justification, the new rules affect every single American. The agency now has free rein to, as the New York Times’ Charlie Savage put it, “retrieve, store and search information about Americans gathered by government agencies for purposes other than national security threats ” and expands the amount of time the government can keep private information on innocent individuals by a factor of ten.
On Thursday, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder signed expansive new guidelines for terrorism analysts, allowing the National Counter Terrorism Center (NCTC) to mirror entire federal databases containing personal information and hold onto the information for an extended period of time—even if the person is not suspected of any involvement in terrorism.
Despite the “terrorism” justification, the new rules affect every single American. The agency now has free rein to, as the New York Times’ Charlie Savage put it, “retrieve, store and search information about Americans gathered by government agencies for purposes other than national security threats ” and expands the amount of time the government can keep private information on innocent individuals by a factor of ten.
It's Official - The Fed Is Now Buying European Government Bonds
From Zero Hedge:
As if the 'risk-less' dollar-swaps the Fed has extended to any and every major central bank were not enough, William Dudley just unashamedly admitted that the Fed now holds 'a very small amount of European Sovereign Debt'. Explaining this position, as Bloomberg notes:
As if the 'risk-less' dollar-swaps the Fed has extended to any and every major central bank were not enough, William Dudley just unashamedly admitted that the Fed now holds 'a very small amount of European Sovereign Debt'. Explaining this position, as Bloomberg notes:
- *DUDLEY: FED HOLDS OVERSEAS SOVEREIGN DEBT TO MANAGE RESERVES
- *DUDLEY: HIGH BAR FOR ADDITIONAL PURCHASES OF EUROPE DEBT
Monday, March 26, 2012
Hamas: We’ll Stay Out of Iran-Israel War
From: Ryan Mauro
Hamas officials are now making it clear that the terrorist group plans to stay out of any war between Israel and Iran. One unnamed official even said that the group hopes that Israel stops Iran’s nuclear ambitions. When it comes down to it, even Hamas knows that Israel isn’t its greatest threat.
A member of Hamas’ political bureau in Gaza City, Salah Bardawil, said that Hamas would not necessarily attack Israel in response to a strike on Iran. “If there is a war between two powers, Hamas will not be a part of such a war,” he said. He emphasized to the Guardian that Hamas and Iran are from two different branches of Islam and admitted that Iran cut funding to the group two years ago.
Hamas officials are now making it clear that the terrorist group plans to stay out of any war between Israel and Iran. One unnamed official even said that the group hopes that Israel stops Iran’s nuclear ambitions. When it comes down to it, even Hamas knows that Israel isn’t its greatest threat.
A member of Hamas’ political bureau in Gaza City, Salah Bardawil, said that Hamas would not necessarily attack Israel in response to a strike on Iran. “If there is a war between two powers, Hamas will not be a part of such a war,” he said. He emphasized to the Guardian that Hamas and Iran are from two different branches of Islam and admitted that Iran cut funding to the group two years ago.
Al-Qaeda, Iran & the Muslim Brotherhood have a hay day in Yemen
From Ryan Mauro:
Osama Bin Laden (right) had more than a few good reasons to pick Yemen as the best opportunity to create an Islamic state.
Yemeni President Saleh was swept away in the Arab Spring, though the rest of his regime remains intact. The power vacuum that already existed under his rule has grown larger and Iranian proxies, Al-Qaeda and the Muslim Brotherhood are all pouncing on the opportunity at hand.
Osama Bin Laden (right) had more than a few good reasons to pick Yemen as the best opportunity to create an Islamic state.
Yemeni President Saleh was swept away in the Arab Spring, though the rest of his regime remains intact. The power vacuum that already existed under his rule has grown larger and Iranian proxies, Al-Qaeda and the Muslim Brotherhood are all pouncing on the opportunity at hand.
Friday, March 23, 2012
In a Post-Chavez Venezuela, Militant Armed Groups Would Pose Major Threat
If the Venezuelan opposition wins October's elections, pro-government armed groups could become a major threat to stability in the country, potentially evolving into a full-fledged insurgency.
On March 16, the Venezuelan army announced that military operations in the western state of
Tracking the Spread of Crack Cocaine in Sao Paulo and Rio
The market for crack cocaine is booming in
The extent of
BRICS Countries: The Imaginary Alliance
The BRICS (Brazil, Russia,India, China and South Africa) acronym has served to add a dramatic flair to shifting global power structures by envisioning a club of up-and-coming countries challenging a world order built on the bedrock of imperialism. But this isn’t accurate. The accord that is assumed in the BRICS grouping is imaginary. It doesn’t exist.
By Zachary Fillingham
'Los Urabeños' finance boss captured
Colombian authorities have captured one of the leaders of the country’s largest neo-paramilitary organization, "Los Urabeños", reported local media Thursday. Jose Gregorio Martinez Cabana, alias “El Gato,” was charge of the organization’s finances and one of the twenty most wanted criminals in the northern department of Magdalena. He was captured in central Colombia Wednesday. According to criminal investigations, Cabana is suspected of conspiracy, extortion and aggravated homicide in Santa Marta, Magdalena’s largest city, and the municipality of Cienaga, on the Caribbean coast in the south of the department. “El Gato” is allegedly responsible for an attack against five people in Santa Marta early last month as well as the assassination of two people in the Cienaga in March 2011. Cabana was arrested in the municipality of Flanders in the Tolima department in an operation carried out by the National Police.
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Anonymous Hacks Christian Websites in Mexico: “POPE is Not Welcome, OUT! OUT!!!"
Anonymous Hispano, the Mexican
branch of the online hacktivist collective based in Latin America lay
siege to
two Mexican websites on Tue, March 20 in protest of Pope Benedict XVI's
upcoming visit in an cyber-operation referred to as #opFariseo
(hypocrite) on Twitter.
The hackers succeeded in temporarily knocking the websites offline and
defacing
them with their own message: "Hacked system. The POPE is not welcome,
out
out!!!!!"
Anonymous Hispano, the Mexican branch of the online hacktivist collective based in Latin America lay siege to two Mexican websites on Tue, March 20 in protest of Pope Benedict XVI’s upcoming visit in an cyber-operation referred to as #opFariseo (hypocrite) on Twitter. The hackers succeeded in temporarily knocking the websites offline and defacing them with their own message: "Hacked system. The POPE is not welcome, out out!!!!!"
Drug Lords Targeted by Fast and Furious Were FBI Informants
When
the ATF
made alleged gun trafficker Manuel Fabian Celis-Acosta its primary
target in
the ill-fated Fast and Furious investigation, it hoped he would lead the
agency
to two associates who were Mexican drug cartel members. The ATF even
questioned
and released him knowing that he was wanted by the Drug Enforcement
Administration.
But
those two
drug lords were secretly serving as informants for the FBI along the
Southwest
border, newly obtained internal emails show. Had Celis-Acosta simply
been held
when he was arrested by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and
Explosives
in May 2010, the investigation that led to the loss of hundreds of
illegal guns
and may have contributed to the death of a Border Patrol agent could
have been
closed early.
Vatican Bank Account Closed At JP Morgan
JP Morgan Chase is closing the Vatican bank's account with an Italian
branch of the U.S. banking giant because of concerns about a lack of
transparency at the Holy See's financial institution, Italian
newspapers reported.
The move is a blow to the Vatican's drive to have its bank included in Europe's "white list" of states that comply with international standards against tax fraud and money-laundering.
The bank, formally known as the Institute for Works of Religion (IOR), enacted major reforms last year in an attempt to get Europe's seal of approval and put behind it scandals that have included accusations of money laundering and fraud.
The move is a blow to the Vatican's drive to have its bank included in Europe's "white list" of states that comply with international standards against tax fraud and money-laundering.
The bank, formally known as the Institute for Works of Religion (IOR), enacted major reforms last year in an attempt to get Europe's seal of approval and put behind it scandals that have included accusations of money laundering and fraud.
As Occupy Arrestees Arraigned, Iris Scans Affect Bail
The first of the more than 70 Occupy Wall Street protesters arrested Saturday afternoon and evening were arraigned yesterday in Manhattan Criminal Court.
Exhausted by a night and day in jail and shaken by the violence of the police response to Occupy Wall Street's six-month anniversary celebration, many burst into tears of relief when they were finally released to the friendly welcome of the movement's Jail Support team.
Unlike many of the other defendants with whom they shared cells, the protesters could feel confident that they would soon be released -- Occupy posts bail for those arrested during movement actions.
But protesters and their legal advisers were surprised yesterday to learn that the size of their bail was being affected by whether defendants were willing to have the distinctive patterns of their irises photographed and logged into a database.
Monsanto’s GMO Corn Causing Weight Gain, Disrupting Organs
Are genetically modified foods making you sick and fat? Monsanto’s genetically modified creations have been pegged for causing a plethora of environmental and human harm, but are they also contributing to one of the country’s fastest growing health problems? A study published in the International Journal of Biological Sciences shows that GM food is indeed contributing to the obesity epidemic.
While being one of the first to report on a comparative analysis of blood and organ system data of rats fed GM corn, the study effectively ends the debate as to whether GMO foods are safe regarding health. The study found that GM corn fed to mice led to an increase in overall body weight of about 3.7 percent, while also increasing the weight of the liver by up to 11 percent.
French Terror Attack: All the Hallmarks of an Intelligence Psy-op and False Flag
Mohammed Merah, the suspect in the killing of seven people outside a
Jewish school in Toulouse, France, fits the pattern of an al-Qaeda
intelligence asset. According to the BBC,
he was on the radar of French authorities because of visits he made to
Afghanistan and the “militant stronghold” of Waziristan in Pakistan.
More specifically, Merah was handled by France’s DCRI intelligence service “for years,” according to Claude Guéant, the interior minister.
Merah, a French citizen of Algerian origin, was arrested on December 19, 2007, and was sentenced to three years in jail for planting bombs in the southern province of Kandahar in Afghanistan.
In April of 2011, the United States admitted it has operated secret military prisons in Afghanistan where suspected terrorists are held and interrogated without charges.
More specifically, Merah was handled by France’s DCRI intelligence service “for years,” according to Claude Guéant, the interior minister.
Merah, a French citizen of Algerian origin, was arrested on December 19, 2007, and was sentenced to three years in jail for planting bombs in the southern province of Kandahar in Afghanistan.
In April of 2011, the United States admitted it has operated secret military prisons in Afghanistan where suspected terrorists are held and interrogated without charges.
The ex-FBI informant with a change of heart: 'There is no real hunt. It's fixed'
Craig Monteilh says he did not balk when his FBI handlers gave him the OK to have sex with
the Muslim women his undercover operation was targeting. Nor, at the
time, did he shy away from recording their pillow talk.
"They said, if it would enhance the intelligence, go ahead and have sex. So I did," Monteilh told the Guardian as he described his year as a confidential FBI informant sent on a secret mission to infiltrate southern Californian mosques.
It is an astonishing admission that goes that goes to the heart of the intelligence surveillance of Muslim communities in America in the years after 9/11. While police and FBI leaders have insisted they are acting to defend America from a terrorist attack, civil liberties groups have insisted they have repeatedly gone too far and treated an entire religious group as suspicious.
"They said, if it would enhance the intelligence, go ahead and have sex. So I did," Monteilh told the Guardian as he described his year as a confidential FBI informant sent on a secret mission to infiltrate southern Californian mosques.
It is an astonishing admission that goes that goes to the heart of the intelligence surveillance of Muslim communities in America in the years after 9/11. While police and FBI leaders have insisted they are acting to defend America from a terrorist attack, civil liberties groups have insisted they have repeatedly gone too far and treated an entire religious group as suspicious.
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Monday, March 19, 2012
Friday, March 16, 2012
China Vs. Taiwan: Battle For Influence In The Caribbean
China’s projection of influence in some previously unfamiliar regions of the world continues to grow, that much is clear. When it comes to Latin America and the Caribbean, Beijing has strengthened its ties, particularly by means of comprehensive trade relations, with countries like Argentina, Brazil, Peru, and Venezuela. This has been done not only to secure non-traditional trading partners and commodity sources like oil and soybeans, but also to corner established markets for its many traditional exports. China’s relationship with the Caribbean is complex, as this region is particularly important to Beijing’s foreign policy goals regarding Taiwan, which has some of its greatest supporters there. Several Caribbean states currently recognize Taiwan as an independent republic, instead of maintaining the “one-China” position that has been endorsed by the mainland government.
SWIFT financial service cuts Iran off
SWIFT, the Brussels based clearing house, announced it will cut services to Iranian banks on foot of European sanctions, in order to comply with the EU Council. The service denial includes Iran’s central bank, which processes Iran’s oil revenues. Some 30 Iranian banks will be blocked from doing international business. The Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication, or SWIFT, is crucial to Iran’s oil and other trade.
Sanctioning India: ‘Strategic suicide’ for US?
The United States depends on India to counterbalance China in the Asia-Pacific region, international affairs expert Sreeram Chaulia told RT. And he believes the US will eventually give in to India’s commitment to buying Iranian oil.
Internet providers to start policing the web July 12
Some of the biggest Internet service providers in America plan to adopt policies that will punish customers for copyright infringement, and one of the top trade groups in the music biz announced this week that it could begin as soon as this summer.
The chief executive officer of the Recording Industry Association of America told an audience of publishers on Wednesday that a plan carved out last year to help thwart piracy is expected to prevail and be put in place by this summer. RIAA CEO Cary Sherman was one of the guest speakers among a New York panel this week and he confirmed that, at this rate, some of the most powerful Internet providers in America should have their new policies on the books by July 12, 2012.
Mauritania: Opposition Protests in Advance of Parliamentary Elections
Mauritania is scheduled to hold parliamentary elections on March 31. The vote, originally slated for last fall, was delayed (French) in response to objections from an opposition coalition called la Coordination de l’opposition démocratique (COD, “The Coordination of Democratic Opposition”). The COD is still unhappy with the regime and with the political environment in Mauritania as a whole.
Jordan witnesses rise in smuggling arms into Syria
Jordan is witnessing a rise in attempts to smuggle arms into Syria to
be used by anti-government armed terrorist groups in that country. According to Jordanian security officials, smugglers are using the
kingdom as a "transit point" to supply weapons from Saudi Arabia to
rebels in the Syrian restive city of Dara’a, located in the south of
Damascus, dpa reported on Thursday.
Nigeria: Even The Terrorists Are Corrupted
Boko Haram has made it clear
that it wants to drive all Christians out of northern Nigeria and then
convert the south, by force if need be, to Islam. Boko Haram said they
would start the process by kidnapping Christian women and forcing their
families to leave the north or the captive would be killed. This would
likely lead to a violent reaction in the Christian south where many
Moslems live. All that could lead to civil war because the oil is in the
south. For over half a century a lot of the oil money has gone north.
But much of the oil income has been stolen, more of it by Christians
(who are closer to the oil) than northerners. This has always been a
source of contention and a factor in the 1968 civil war. A lesser threat
is local al Qaeda goals of establishing a multistate religious
dictatorship stretching from Mauritania on the Atlantic coast to Somalia
on the Indian Ocean coast. Too many tribes and nations are involved for
any such unification to succeed but it motivates a lot of the al Qaeda
violence in the region.
Counter-Terrorism: Europeans Are More Flexible
Italy is
angry at Britain for not consulting with the Italian government before
launching a commando raid on May 8th to rescue a Briton and
an Italian that had been kidnapped last May and held in northwestern
Nigeria. The men holding the captives murdered them before the rescue
attempt got under way (because members of the kidnap gang were arrested
the day before). The raid was ordered when Nigeria obtained information
that indicated the captives were going to be killed anyway.
Qaradawi Candiate For Egyptian President Threats To Cut-Off U.S. Interests in Egypt; Says He Will Never Recognize Israel
Abdel-Moneim Abul-Futuh, formerly a senior Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood leader and now a presidential candidate backed by Global Muslim Brotherhood leader Youssef Qaradawi, has given a TV interview in which he said that if the U.S. cuts off aid to Egypt, “we will cut off its interests in Egypt.”. According to a MEMRI translation, Abu-Futuh also that that he would never recognize Israel:
Imprisoned U.S. Muslim Brotherhood Leader Testifies That Muslim American Society Is Muslim Brotherhood
The Investigative Project has reported that imprisoned U.S. Muslim Brotherhood leader Abdurrahman Alamoudi has testified that the Muslim American Society (MAS) is, in fact, a branch of the Muslim Brotherhood. According to the IP report:
Egyptian Parliament votes Israel out as Moslem Brotherhood opens door to IMF austerity
The newly elected Egyptian Parliament has passed a
measure to halt natural gas exports to Israel and to expel Israel’s
Ambassador in Cairo. A Parliamentary report describes Israel as Egypt’s
number one enemy.
Moreover, Egypt’s new Islamic-majority parliament has decided to vote
on ending aid from the United States, which, it says, has no respect
for the country’s sovereignty.The MPs made the decision in the People’s Assembly on Sunday, reacting to the March 1 departure from the country of six US defendants in a case of 43 workers of unlicensed NGOs, which are accused of illegally using foreign funds to fuel unrest in Egypt.
Press TV talked with Webster Tarpley, an author and historian from Washington, to further explore the issue.
The video also provides the insights of two other guests, Ayman Salama, with the Egyptian Council for Foreign Affairs, and Hani al-Basous who is a professor at the Islamic University of Gaza.
The following is a rough transcript of the interview.
Gulf Arabs offered bribe to Russia for yes vote on Syria
Informed diplomatic sources have reported to the Wayne
Madsen Report (WMR) that Bahrain, representing the six-nation Gulf
Cooperation Council (GCC), offered Russia a bribe of $5 billion if it
did not use its veto in the Security Council to defeat an Arab
League-sponsored resolution calling for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad
to step down. In the February 4 vote on the resolution, Russia, along
with China, used their vetos to shoot down the resolution. U.S.
ambassador to the UN Susan Rice called the vetoes "disgusting" and
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton referred to the Russian and Chinese
action as "despicable," with Germany’s UN ambassador Peter Wittig
calling the vetoes a "disgrace."
Advanced Israeli Drone May Spy on Mexican Drug Cartels
Israel isn’t keeping its latest advanced spy drone for itself. It’s going south of the U.S. border, probably purchased by the Mexican government. The cartel war may be about to get a lot more robotic.
For some reason, Israel isn’t disclosing which “Latin American government” bought an unknown number of unarmed Hermes 900 drones for $50 million. But Danger Room pal Paul McLeary of Aviation Week suspects it’s Mexico, and has spotted documents from Mexico’s finance ministry that might prove it. One document dated Dec. 20, 2011 and available on the ministry’s website, sought to fill an order worth about $50 million for “unmanned aircraft, ground segment and additional payloads for the Federal Police.”
Brasil se prepara para la guerra cibernética
Brasil se lo
está tomando en serio: el ejército brasileño anunció recientemente la compra de
nuevo software para seguridad y prevención contra ataques cibernéticos.
Las medidas forman parte de
un planteamiento más amplio del gobierno brasileño para establecer un sistema
de defensa contra posibles amenazas a páginas de internet y redes
institucionales o de protección de datos sensibles."Hoy tenemos una preparación mínima para escenarios de ataque. Tenemos un gran red, la EBnet, que reúne los cuarteles en todo el país, y está bien blindada, pero tiene puntos de vulnerabilidad", le dijo a BBC Brasil el general Antonio Santos Guerra, director del Centro de Comunicaciones y Guerra Electrónica del Ejército (Ccomgex).
Zetas Corruption Case Could Reflect Changing Tactics
A recent series of arrests casts light on the Zetas’ infiltration of state and federal government in north
On Monday, Deputy Attorney General Jose Cuitlahuac Salinas Martinez announced that at least 11 current and former officials in the Mexican border state of Coahuila served as a kind of “protection network” for the Zetas drug gang. In exchange for allowing the group to operate more or less freely in the region, the officials allegedly took between 60,000 and 1.7 million pesos a month ($4,700 - $130,000). According to
Thursday, March 15, 2012
The Political and Social Crisis in Mexico
While in Mexico in March as part of a labour union delegation from
the United States to meet with Canadian and Mexican union officials, I
was given this book by a professor of history and design at the National
Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). She is also a labour and
political activist, and, in fact, one of the book's authors. Written in
Spanish and difficult to acquire outside of Mexico, it is doubtful that
you will ever buy and read it; still I wanted to share my impressions
because I think it gives us some insight into how people on the Mexican
left who consider themselves to be radicals, leftists or socialist are
explaining their support for the campaign of Andrés
Manuel López Obrador (or AMLO) for president. And it
becomes the occasion here for a discussion of the state of Mexican
politics on the left at this moment only a few months from the national
presidential, congressional, and gubernatorial elections.
Europe: Will ACTA Treaty Pass After Protests?
As of the end of the month of February 2012, the mobilization efforts of Internet users against the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) [en] were still going strong. In fact, they may have begun to bear fruit. By including infringements against the author's rights in its scope, this international treaty, which addresses intellectual property rights, also affects Internet content. The ratification debates which were placed on the European Parliament's agenda on February 29, were put on hold in expectation of the opinion of the European Court of Justice (ECJ). The issue of the treaty's conformity with European Community law was brought before the court on 22 February by the European Commission.
No War for Iran
It is increasingly unlikely that the United States, or Israel, will
engage in a military
confrontation with Iran over its nuclear program in view of
significant political changes within the Islamic Republic and the
growing isolation of the Israeli government vis-à-vis its position on
Iran. At no time
since the hostage crisis from 1979 to 1981 have relations between the
West and Iran been so tense. Then as now, the United States was engaged
in a debate over whether or not to launch a military strike to topple
the budding Islamic Republic. The Carter administration went as far as
attempting a rescue mission, which failed when a helicopter carrying the
special armed units that were supposed to secure release the hostages,
crashed in the desert. While the hostages were American and tensions
between the Islamic government and the United States were very high, the
actual motivations behind the hostage taking had much more to do with
the power games within the revolutionary administration than any
difference of ‘opinion’ with Washington. The crisis was encouraged,
behind the scenes, by Ayatollah Khomeini and the mullahs in order to
weaken the interim government led by Mehdi Bazargan, who was interested
in maintaining good relations with the outside world (…well perhaps not
so much with Israel).
China-West: A New Trade War?
The United States has sued China in the World Trade Organization over tougher quotas for rare earth metals exports. Washington argues that export restrictions on rare earths, in particular wolfram and molybdenum, are pushing prices for rare earth minerals up. The European Union and Japan supported the lawsuit. Meanwhile, Beijing rejected the accusations. The Commerce Ministry explained on Thursday that the export quota regulations were needed to reduce the impact of rare earth metals production on the environment and enable China to control its nonrenewable resources.
The South Caucasus: A New Showdown For Iran
The conflict between Iran’s National Intelligence and Security Organization (SAVAK) and Israel’s Institute for Intelligence and Special Operations (Mossad) has become more visible since the beginning of 2012.
Iranian scientist Mostafa Ahmadi Rosha was assassinated in Tehran in January 2012. Following this incident, many stories appeared in the media regarding Mossad and Iran’s search for retaliation. However, the interesting part of this story is that the parties have chosen the South Caucasus for this competition. According to Azerbaijani reports, two people linked to Iranian intelligence were arrested in January. The story became more complicated following the statements of officials that these two suspicious people were planning to attack the Israeli embassy in Azerbaijan and a Jewish rabbi. In response to this event, Iranian National Security and Foreign Policy Committee member Esmail Kowsari blamed Baku and claimed that Baku is a known safe haven for the CIA and Mossad. At the same time, Kowsari emphasized that they are uncomfortable with the activities of Israeli and American spies along Azerbaijan’s border with Iran.
Maritime Security In Asia: What The EU Can Do
Maritime security may be the defining issue for Asia’s geopolitical and security architecture in the twenty-first century. As Europe’s growth is contingent on Asia’s prosperity, ensuring unrestricted navigation in Asia’s waterways is thus of the utmost strategic interest to the European Union. Given that Asia’s geopolitical hotspots will increasingly revolve around maritime zones, the EU needs to begin engaging on the issue of maritime security.
Spain: Whither Cooperation Policy?
During the weeks of campaigning in the run-up to the Spanish general election on 20 November 2011, the then-presidential candidate, Mariano Rajoy, repeatedly highlighted two key aspects for the 10th Parliamentary Term which has just begun. First, the need to ‘do things properly’, which would seem to mean boosting the quality, efficiency and effectiveness of the public services provided by the Central Government; and this against a backdrop of budget cutting. Secondly, in several interviews Rajoy hinted that the focus of the new Government would be the economy, and that this would also permeate foreign policy.
The formation of a slimmer government (in terms of the number of Ministries and Secretaryships of State), but with several economic departments (a Tax and Public Administrations Ministry; a Ministry for Economic Affairs and Competitiveness; an Industry, Energy and Tourism Ministry; and the appointment of a Minister with experience in European monetary affairs at the helm of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation) appears to confirm the new Government’s commitment to austerity and economic reform as the way out of the current financial and economic crisis, and to Europe as the centrepiece of its foreign policy.
China’s Defence Budget 2012: Implication’s For India’s Security
‘However, its less the size of China’s defense budget than its composition that alarms beyond its borders. China’s military spending privileges the navy, air force and strategic nuclear forces—instruments of advanced power projection—rather than traditional defensive capabilities. No Chinese leader has yet explained how these capabilities contribute to China’s peaceful rise”. — Daniel Twining, Washington, USA.
Introductory Observations
China’s Defence Budget 2012 announced in the first week of March 2012 significantly draws global and regional attention in that China has shot through its defence expenditure over the $ 100 billion mark, making China’s military expenditure at the global level, second only to that of the United States, even though there exists a wide differential between the two.Tibetan Unrest Spreads From Sichuan To Qinghai: Students Join Protests In Large Numbers
The Tibetan unrest against the repressive policies of the Chinese authorities has spread from the Tibetan areas of Western Sichuan to Qinghai. According to details received of late, Qinghai has been in a state of growing unrest since the beginning of February with large numbers of Tibetan monks and students frequently protesting in the streets — separately as well as jointly. The situation in Qinghai since February last is slowly getting to resemble that in Western Sichuan since March last year.
The spreading wave of unrest started in the Nangchen county in Qinghai province’s Yulshul prefecture on February 8, 2012. At a local stadium, a large number of students and other civilians gathered and shouted slogans such as “Freedom for Tibet” and “Long Live the Dalai Lama.” The same day, another large group of Tibetans, including many monks, gathered in the main monastery in Nangchen town, and chanted prayers for the return of His Holiness.
Al Qaida au Sahara et au Sahel. Contribution à la compréhension d’une menace complexe
À l’initiative d’une entité terroriste islamiste
algérienne, le Groupe salafiste pour la prédication et le combat-GSPC
(intégré dans la nébuleuse Al Qaida en 2007 sous l’appellation Al Qaida
dans les pays du Maghreb islamique-AQMI), les violences se multiplièrent
dans l’espace saharo-sahélien à partir de 2003. Alors que les centres
de pouvoir se trouvent au nord, le déplacement au sud du pays qui donna
naissance à cette organisation criminelle - et hors de ses frontières -
semble a priori surprenant. Pourtant, l’analyse géopolitique
montre combien ce choix est, hélas, judicieux. En premier lieu, il
s’inscrit dans un espace géographique propice, véritable sanctuaire
dédié aux activités illégales. Ensuite, une partie de la population
locale peut apporter, directement ou indirectement, une précieuse
assistance. En outre, il existe de multiples contentieux qui
entretiennent de profonds ressentiments aisément manipulables. Enfin, la
région suscite les convoitises de nombreux acteurs extérieurs,
étatiques ou non, ce qui accroît la valeur des enjeux et multiplie les
manœuvres.
Greece bought over 1 bln euros of arms from EU countries in 2010, really?
Independent online news site EU Observer recently reported that Greece had
purchased over 1 billion euros’ worth of arms from countries within the
European Union at the same time as negotiating its first bailout back in
2010. Citing figures from recently released
European Council data on arms licences granted by member states, the EU
Observer’s Andrew Rettman reported that France was by the biggest
seller, with a 794-million-euro aircraft deal and sales worth 58 million
euros in missiles and 19 million euros in electronics used for aircraft
countermeasures and target acquisition.
U.K., U.S. Outline Future Cyber Cooperation
Coinciding with a visit by U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron March
14, the White House released a document outlining areas for continued
cooperation between the U.S. and U.K. in the ongoing effort to improve
cybersecurity and thwart cyber crime. The document, described as a
joint fact sheet, listed six points of emphasis agreed to by U.S.
President Barack Obama and Cameron. “Recognizing there are few
areas where partnership across borders is more urgent or necessary, the
President and Prime Minister noted with satisfaction the deep level of
cooperation that exists between the United States and the United Kingdom
in ensuring networked technologies continue to empower our societies
and economies, and those around the globe,” the document said.
North Korea’s Kim tells military to ‘wipe out’ enemies
North Korea's new leader Kim Jong-Un has overseen an attack drill and ordered the military to "mercilessly wipe out" their enemies in case of war, according to Pyongyang's official news agency.
The agency in a report dated Wednesday did not say when or where Kim launched the "combined strike drill" by the army, navy and air force, which comes amid high tension with South Korea.
Many of the country's top military and civilian officials attended the exercise, which featured a simulated attack by planes, ships and artillery on enemy warships.
Iran threatens N. Israel with bombardment from Lebanon
Tehran has begun capitalizing on its allies” two perceived victories: Bashar Assad’s success in seizing Idlib from rebel hands and the Palestinian Jihad Islami’s triumphal missile assault from Gaza. The Iranians are now moving forward with plans to match the Palestinian assault on southern Israeli with an offensive on the north from Lebanon. This is reported by debkafile’s exclusive sources in the wake of a visit paid by high-ranking Iranian and Hizballah officials Wednesday morning, March 14, to the Lebanese-Israeli border region opposite Metulah, Israel’s northernmost town at the tip of the Galilee Panhandle. The Iranian group, led by Ali Akbar Javanfekr, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s spokesman, arrived in a heavily guarded convoy at the Fatma outpost opposite Metulah for its rendezvous with Hizballah military intelligence officers.
Vatican confirms second hacker attack, Anonymous claims responsibility
The Vatican has confirmed that its website
suffered a second hacker attack in the space of six days but declined to
comment on the event. "It happened, but we have no comment to
make on it," the Vatican spokesman, Father Federico Lombardi, said. The
Anonymous hacker collective claimed responsibility for the attack
Monday, which cut off access to the Vatican website www.vatican.va for
several hours and violated data on the Vatican Radio computer system.
News International security chief arrested in phone hacking case
Add one significant -- and different -- title to
more than 30 current and former employees of News International, the
News Corp. subsidiary that publishes Rupert Murdoch's British
newspapers, who have been arrested
in a phone hacking scandal.
The Guardian newspaper reported
yesterday that Scotland Yard had arrested six people, including Mark
Hanna, the media company's director of group security since 2009. While
details are limited so far -- there has been no statement from law
enforcement on what role, if any, Hanna may have played in the phone
hacking -- like the others this week, he was arrested, "on suspicion of
conspiracy to pervert the course of justice," according to the Guardian.The Big Split: The Differences that led Erdoğan and the Gülenists to Part Ways
hen a special prosecutor attempted to bring in five high intelligence officers (including the head of Turkish intelligence) for questioning, he also cracked the veneer of the AKP’s supposedly consolidated hold on power in the country. Indeed, developments in Turkey since Sadrettin Sarıkaya issued his subpoenas have shown with all clarity a deep split in the ranks of the informal coalition on which the AKP bases its power. That split had thus far been growing but never openly manifested; now, a power struggle between the AKP and the Gülen movement is unraveling. It is unlikely to be easily bridged.
Will Obama’s Wars Come Back to Bite Him?
Can President Obama lose in November? The consensus among those who claim to know is No, unless the economy tanks again; and this, the cognoscenti say, is unlikely to happen. Therefore barring improbable contingencies, Obama will win a second term. The rationale is seldom stated, but is plain as can be: Obama will win because Mitt Romney will be his opponent.
Romney will win the election for Obama because, for reasons too obvious to enumerate, nearly everyone – left, right and center – finds him repellent. And, in case that isn’t enough, by parroting his rivals’ positions, his views — the ones he holds when addressing theocrats and Tea Partiers; in other words, Republican primary voters — are repugnant to all but the most reactionary among us.
La Chine, l’Iran, l’Afrique et le pétrole en 2012
Les yeux rivés sur les breaking news du Moyen-Orient, certains analystes attribuent le niveau actuel des cours du pétrole au risque géopolitique iranien. Plus laborieuse, l’analyse froide de l’offre et de la demande globales produit une imagerie plus proche de la réalité. Ses lignes de force montrent que l’Afrique peut tirer profit de l’insécurité énergétique qui gagne les puissances. A une condition.
Countries sign pact to address water issues
China has established a minister level cooperation mechanism with Japan
and the Republic of Korea as the three countries aim to tackle water
problems together, officials announced on Tuesday.
The three countries signed the Memorandum of Cooperation on the
Mechanism of Ministerial Meeting at the 6th World Water Forum in
Marseilles, France, to deepen the coordination of the three countries in
managing water resources and dealing with water disasters.
The mechanism will "unfold a new chapter for the cooperation between
the three countries in the water sector", Chen Lei, China's water
minister, said at the signing ceremony.
Third Putin Term Poses New Foreign Policy Challenges for Russia and Eurasia
The third presidential term of
Vladimir Putin will increase pressure on Russia from Western nations
that have overtly and covertly sought to foment unrest throughout the
Russian Federation. While such a threat is of the most immediate concern
to Russia itself, another threat posed by the West will be the attempt
by the West to pry more nations away from what is now considered by the
military-industrial-intelligence complex in the United States and other
NATO countries to be an emerging Russo-Sino bloc in Eurasia. The United
States and NATO fears that such an emerging bloc will draw a line
against further NATO encroachment in the Central Asian “stans,” Iran,
the Indian subcontinent, and the Middle East.
The outcome of the battle for Syria between Shi’as, Alawites,
Christians, Druze, and Ba’ath Socialist stalwarts on one side and NATO-,
Gulf Wahhabi Sunni-, and Israeli-backed Sunni and Kurdish guerrillas on
the other, will increase big power rivalry in the Middle East. The
Russian naval installation at Tartus cannot be replaced given the new
political geography of the region. The Turkish government of
Islamist-oriented Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has given approval
for NATO to build part of its missile shield on Turkish territory.
Political Divisions Fuel Venezuela's Most Violent Year
In a report that uses data from the police and various civil society organizations, the Metropolitan Observatory on Citizen Security (OMSC) says that
This makes it one of the most dangerous places in the world, surpassed only by
But
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Brazil Must Keep Currency Competitive, Minister Says
While China has been keeping its currency artificially
undervalued for 20 years, Finance Minister Guido Mantega said, “the problem
became generalized to the extent that many other countries adopted expansionary
monetary policies” in response to the global financial crisis
He commented in response to questions from a Senate committee about the Finance Ministry’s recent moves aimed at halting the rise of the real against the dollar.
Paraguay: Guerrillas Step Up Attacks
A recent spate of attacks by
Last week, three alleged members of the Paraguayan People's Army (EPP) stormed a ranch belonging to a Brazilian business in the northern department of
How Arrest of Gang Leader Sparked Chaos in Guadalajara
The capture of the leader of an emerging gang in
Following a shootout on Friday, Mexican Army troops arrested Erick "El 85" Valencia Salazar, the alleged leader of the Jalisco Cartel - New Generation (CJNG), in
In response to the arrest, CJNG members apparently launched a campaign of chaos in Jalisco. According to state officials, 25 vehicles were set on fire and used to block roadways in the hours after the Friday afternoon capture. At least three people were reportedly murdered, though it is not clear how many of those killings were related to
Are Central America's 'Maras' Spreading South?
In recent years, officials have expressed increasing concern about the influence of
On May 25 last year, 19-year-old Peruvian Oscar Barrientos shot and killed his father in their home in
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
An Israeli Attack Against Iran “Would Destroy Chance of Peace for Generations”
In an interview in The Nation, David Grossman, Israel’s leading novelist and moral conscience, expresses the conviction that Bibi Netanyahu and Ehud Barak want a war against Iran:
…He said he had “a very bad feeling” that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak were going to order an attack, even against America’s wishes. “There is a dynamic to all these warlike declarations,” he said.I’ve written often in the past about David Grossman as an admirable, but attenuated figure. As a liberal Zionist who is a moral bellwether for Israeli centrist and leftists, but one who is constrained by many of the limitations inherent in those defending major elements of the Israeli status quo. With Grossman, the glass is always both half empty and half-full. He is someone always willing to sound the alarm about the worst depredations of the rightist governments who have afflicted Israel for the past decade or more.
The Black Swan NO ONE is Talking About: Germany’s “Plan B”
While the Second Greek Bailout may or may not be complete (depending on whether we get a credit event as a result of it), Germany can and will walk from the Euro if it needs to. This is the unforeseen black swan everyone is ignoring. Obviously, Germany wouldn’t want to do this as it would result in Germany being blamed for the Euro failing. So thus far, “Plan A” for Germany has been to offer bailout funds that are contingent on requirements so unpalatable that Greece or any other PIIG would likely end up preferring to walk rather than submit to them. Case in point, before the second Greek Bailout German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble proposed that Greece should postpone its April elections as part of the bailout package.
In simple terms, Schäuble is concerned that the unpopularity of the austerity measures being imposed on Greece as part of the second bailout package would lead to a “wrong” democratic choice.
Broken Promises: Pensions All Over America Are Being Savagely Cut Or Are Vanishing Completely
How would you feel if you worked for a state or local government for 20 or 30 years only to have your pension slashed dramatically or taken away entirely? Well, this exact scenario is playing out from coast to coast and in the years ahead millions of elderly Americans are going to be affected by broken promises and vanishing pensions.
What a War with Iran Really Means
It is quite right to be worried and hesitant about entering a war with Iran. War, as recent events in Iraq and Afghanistan show, is a dangerous, bloody, often dirty mess in which things go wrong, civilians are killed inadvertently, your own side loses people, and goals are not necessarily achieved.
Sometimes war is necessary. That was clearly true in Afghanistan in 2001 but less clear regarding Iraq in 2003. What are the goals? How are they to be gained? In what way can a war be brought to an end? How is victory defined? These are all serious issues.
Regarding a war with Iran, all of the above is especially true. Iran is a large country with almost 80 million people. A sizeable portion of that population — the ones with the guns — is ideologically fanatical. The idea that a few planes will drop bombs, return home, and victory can then be declared is naïve.
Taiwanese military shaken by second spy in just over a year
Taiwan’s military was forced to contend once again with allegations of a spy for mainland China in their midst, amid reports at the end of February of an Air Force captain taken into custody on suspicion of handing over classified information to China, following as they do the highly publicized arrest of Army General Lo Hsien-che on espionage charges in early 2011 and his subsequent confession. According to Next Magazine, a Chinese language publication, the suspect’s last name is Chiang and he was assigned to a regional operations control center (ROCC) in northern Taiwan. It alleged Chiang’s uncle, having business enterprises on the mainland, was involved in turning over secret information pertaining to the Taiwanese early warning radar system and the E-2T/E-2K Hawkeye surveillance aircraft, among other classified materials. Furthermore, Chiang stands accused of disclosing data on Taiwan’s air defense command and control workings, designated 10-1E “Strong Net”, to China. Four ROCCs had been set up across the country in order to augment the central air warning and air combat system in place at the Joint Air Operations Center located on southern Taipei’s Toad Mountain.
Nigeria: Deadly Diversity
In Nigeria, thousands of people have been killed in recent months, and tens of thousands in the last decade. It is a fissiparous country whose conflicts have been exacerbated by the increased influence of radical Islam?—?beginning with attempts to apply Islamic law, then the growth of militias, and now the depredations of the vicious al Qaeda-linked Boko Haram movement.
Nigeria has by far the largest population in Africa, some 150 million people, comprising hundreds of ethnic groups, which produces dangerous tensions even without the religious differences. The country is about equally divided between Muslims and Christians, with another 10 percent following indigenous practices. Christians are the majority throughout the South, and Muslims in the North, though with substantial Muslim and Christian minorities in each area, and the two are more mixed in the middle belt, the scene of frequent violence. These conflicts often involve disputes over resources and land use as well as ethnicity, but the religious dimension is increasing.
Greek Debt’s Gordian Knot Remains Tied
A cocktail of responses to the Greek restructuring deal is lending an aura of ‘love, peace and harmony’ – as the German saying goes – to the marathon run to resolve the multi-layered debt crisis. But hardly anyone is convinced that the finish line has been reached.
Open Europe, an independent think-tank calling for reform of the 27-nation European Union (EU), in fact warns that the deal constitutes “a small step forward, but it could prove to be a pyrrhic victory.” Because the debt relief for Greece is far too small: As a result, another default could be around the corner. At the same time, the austerity targets are far from realistic and rather suited to kill growth prospects.
Furthermore, Greece’s debt is set to end up being almost completely owned by Eurozone taxpayers. By exempting official taxpayer-backed institutions from the write-down, the deal has created a distorted, two-tier bond market.
As the London-based think-tank points out, the future of the latest bailout package is far from certain because of upcoming Greek elections at the end of April. Uncertainty arises from the fact that the two main Greek political parties – New Democracy and Pasok – have been losing ground to both far-left and far-right.
Pakistan-China Relations And Xinjiang Unrest
China and Pakistan are indeed all-weather friends. Both have long been allies, but Pakistan has leaned closer to China after its tense relationship with the United States, its major donor, was strained when U.S. forces killed Osama bin Laden and the NATO attack on Salalah check post.
The Xinjiang Uighur autonomous region has become one of China’s most unstable regions in recent years, as well as a source of tension between China and Pakistan, which borders Xinjiang. Beijing has increasingly begun accusing suspected attackers in Xinjiang of being trained by Muslim extremists across the border. Most recently, at least 20 persons including policemen were killed in Xinjiang and in the past one year, at least 25 Tibetan monks and lately civilians have set themselves afire demanding freedom.
Uighurs, many of whom are Muslim and have close cultural ties to the Turks, have carried out a number of attacks against China’s majority Han ethnic group in recent years. In 2009, nearly 200 people were killed during ethnic riots in the Xinjiang regional capital of Urumqi.
EU’s New Candidate: Serbia
Serbia has been granted EU candidacy status at the latest summit of EU leaders in Brussels (March 2, 2012). There is no doubt that the recent constructive foreign policy of Serbia has positively influenced the ultimate decision of the European leaders. Since the application for candidacy in 2009, Belgrade has carried out a series of reforms in line with the EU acquis, taken crucial steps in arresting war criminals and concluded an agreement regarding the representation of Kosovo at regional meetings. Following these positive developments, Serbia has achieved a key step in acquiring EU membership candidacy primarily by obtaining the support of Germany and other EU countries.
U.S. Challenges China On Rare Earth Exports
The United States, the European Union and Japan filed complaints Tuesday with the World Trade Organization charging that China is limiting its export of rare earths, minerals that are vital to the production of technology components. China produces almost all of the world's supply of rare earths but has limited exports in recent years. That worried countries with large technology industries as rare earths are used in a variety of sectors to make hard drives, car parts, electronics, fiber optics — and every smartphone in use today. EU Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht said China's export quotas and export duties give Chinese companies an unfair competitive advantage, and must be removed.
Far-right Le Pen to stand in French elections
French far-right candidate Marine Le Pen has secured the backing of enough local government officials to run in the two-round presidential election, party sources said on Monday. Le Pen, who heads the anti-immigrant National Front party, now has the required 500 signatures from local mayors and other elected officials to stand in the April-May vote, the sources said.
"I have just spoken to her on the telephone and she confirmed it to me," lawyer Gilbert Collard, the head of Le Pen's supporters' committee, told France 2 public television.
What Greece Means
So Greece has officially defaulted on its debt to private lenders. It
was an “orderly” default, negotiated rather than simply announced, which
I guess is a good thing. Still, the story is far from over. Even with
this debt relief, Greece — like other European nations forced to impose
austerity in a depressed economy — seems doomed to many more years of
suffering.
And that’s a tale that needs telling. For the past two years, the Greek
story has, as one
recent paper on economic policy put it, been “interpreted as a
parable of the risks of fiscal profligacy.” Not a day goes by without
some politician or pundit intoning, with the air of a man conveying
great wisdom, that we must slash government spending right away or find
ourselves turning into Greece, Greece I tell you.
The Militarization of the Syrian Uprising
As the United States and its Western allies took turns in warning against military intervention in Syria for various reasons, most Syrian opposition groups kept up their push to raise funds and arms to members of the so-called "Free Syrian Army" that has been trying to defend rebellious towns and cities from a large-scale onslaught by the regular troops of the Syrian regime that claimed the lives of nearly 9,000 people and numbers are rising by the day. Even few Arab and regional countries, especially from the Gulf region, have reportedly stepped in to facilitate the supply of arms, especially anti-armor weapons, to enable the insurgents to defend themselves as well as Syrian civilians who launched a year ago a public uprising to overthrow President Bashar Assad. Arab Gulf officials are reportedly upset with Washington's efforts to block military intervention and aid to help the rebels oust the regime, which would also be a severe blow to Iran's strategy in the region. Saudi Arabia and Qatar have publicly called for arming the rebels. The hesitance by the international community and the veto used by Russia and China to block action by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is seen by many Arab officials and experts as moves that encouraged the Syrian regime to mount fierce military campaigns against the rebels throughout the country in an attempt to crush the revolution.
BRICS members mull future of the US dollar
Russian experts have hailed the decision by BRICS countries to replace
the US dollar by own currencies in mutual credit lines.
An agreement to this effect is expected to be signed during a BRICS
summit which is due to be held in New Delhi on March 29. Experts say
that this agreement will mark an important stage in the development
of the organisation which brings together Brazil, Russia, India, China
and South Africa.
The proposal to move away from the use of the dollar had come from
China, which is currently the world’s largest holder of
dollar-denominated assets. Beijing has repeatedly declared its desire to
reduce the risks associated with the current economic woes in the
United States. With the US’ state debt already exceeding 15 trillion
dollars, Beijing’s stance on the matter is understandable and
consistent, Moscow-based economics expert Alexander Osin said in an
interview with the Voice of Russia aired on Tuesday.
Africa on the Brink of New Shocks
The state powers of North Africa and the Middle East overtly routed,
the process of destabilization in Nigeria and some other Africa South of
Sahara countries moved a little away from the radar screen. But the
recent events taking place in the most populated country of Africa make
themselves be viewed against the backdrop of the «Arab spring», or «Arab
leprosy» to be more precise.
Let’s remember that the situation in Nigeria has started to worsen in
recent months because of terror acts committed by Islamic organizations.
The Boco Haram, that had been engaged in low intensity terror
activities before, intensified its actions by the end of 2010 when the
death toll was 700 in just one week. It’s the territorial scope that
strikes imagination, the activities are spread in a number of states
simultaneously (including big ones like Borno, Yobe, Kano etc).
According to the government estimates the Boco Haram is 500 thousands
members strong. The next surge of terror came on the eve of Christmas
2011, a number of Christian churches were exploded and few hundred
people lost lives.
Laws vs. Color Revolutions in Latin America
The US intelligence is making systematic efforts to energize the
political opposition in Latin American countries deemed unfriendly in
Washington. The strategy encompasses the radicalization of the existing
political parties and groups plus the creation of new ones pursuing ever
more aggressive agendas, and the formation of a network of seemingly
harmless NGOs ready to launch massive attacks against the regimes in
their respective countries whenever their sponsors and curators chose to
unleash them. It is a reality that newspapers and electronic media in
Ecuador, Bolivia, Nicaragua, and Venezuela shower their audiences with
allegations that the ruling populists are completely unable to tackle
the problems of corruption and drug-related crime or to modernize the
economies of the countries where they are at the helm.
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