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.
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