China striking hard in Tibet
Chinese authorities are keeping a watchful eye on Tibet, wary of a repeat of last year’s demonstrations and riots. The recently initiated “Strike Hard” campaign adds to the pool of evidence that Beijing has no interest in engaging with the Dalai Lama to reach a negotiated solution to the Tibet problem.
End game in Sri Lanka
Fueled by the growing civilian carnage, worldwide protests by Tamil emigrant groups and sympathizers are echoing calls by the UN and international aid organizations to restore the Norwegian-brokered ceasefire unilaterally violated by the Sri Lankan government in its campaign against the Tamil Tigers. Yet the world’s political powers remain unmoved, and the Sri Lankan government has vowed to press on towards imminent victory.
Warsaw Pact redux
Flexing its growing international clout while American geopolitical power continues to decline precipitously, Russia is further developing the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) into a post Cold War Warsaw Pact.
Escalating inter-Korean tensions
The hostile tone in DPRK statements reverses a brief period of détente during the last year of the Bush administration, a period that witnessed the DPRK’s removal from the U.S. State Sponsors of Terrorism List. The causes of DPRK hostility could stem from internal succession politics or geopolitical considerations, impacting the East Asian security situation.
Iran foils U.S.-backed coup
Iran announced a secret court’s guilty verdict against four Iranian nationals convicted of organizing a “soft regime change” in Tehran at the behest of the Bush administration. The Iranian announcement follows reports of a U.S. covert-ops program targeting Iranian nuclear facilities.
U.S. & the Afghan vote
Afghanistan’s Independent Election Commission (IEC) has cancelled the nation’s presidential elections, ostensibly to allow U.S. President Barack Obama’s troop surge to take full effect and improve Afghan security. However, the delay will enable U.S. troops to manipulate the election and oust President Hamid Karzai from power in order to stem the Taliban insurgency.
Iraq: Divided They Prosper
While it’s expected that it will be the Kurds who separate from Iraq, the real beneficiaries from a break-up of the country would be the Shia. They’re the ones who control 80 percent of the country’s oil wealth, and they would prefer not to share it with hostile neighbors.
The Commendable Courage of Steve Bullock
The governor’s stance on gun rights may pay off in the long run.
Emerging Markets Report (10-05-2018)
After a new sell-off in emerging markets around the world, all eyes are on today’s US jobs report.
Battle of the Seats: Developing Nations and International Arbitration Centers
With new centers cropping up throughout the developing world, big changes are afoot for the international commercial arbitration sector.