Members of the six-nation Shanghai Cooperation Organization, or SCO, begin military exercises August 9. The nine-day drill, dubbed Peace Mission 2007, involves the military forces of China, four central Asian countries [Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan], and Russia, the host nation. The dominant SCO forces are those of Russia and China, which are also [...]

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Trade: China’s threatening to use the “nuclear option” against the U.S. Another bomb threat? Nope. China says it may dump some of its $900-billion-plus in U.S. investments on the market, creating financial chaos.
Should we be worried? Not really. It’s more hot air and anger over talk of U.S. trade protectionism than it is an actual [...]

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This year, many truckloads of small arms and explosives direct from Chinese government-owned factories to the Iranian Revolutionary Guards have been transshipped to Iraq and Afghanistan, where they are used against American soldiers and Marines and NATO forces. Since April, according to a knowledgeable Bush administration official, “vast amounts” of Chinese-made large caliber sniper rifles, [...]

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WASHINGTON, Aug. 8 (UPI) — Using bombs made from fuel and compressed gas, as terrorists tried to do in London earlier this year, is so difficult even national militaries have failed.
An analysis of the failed attacks of June 28 in London’s West End — in which cell-phone detonators failed to set off two car [...]

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(IsraelNN.com) Contrary to the official Military Intelligence line, according to which Syria does not intend to attack Israel in the near future, many researchers in the intelligence community suspect that Syria is waiting for the right moment to strike, and that the moment may come soon. This is the reason that Israel’s Home Front Readiness [...]

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MOSCOW. (RIA Novosti political commentator Marianna Belenkaya) - In the United States, the debate on pulling out of Iraq has given way to a dispute about the wisdom of supplying the Saudis with the latest American weapons.
A similar situation is taking place in France, where passions are running high around the planned delivery of [...]

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KOLKATA, India (Reuters) - India will embark on a major effort soon to boost air power on the eastern front, a top military commander said on Wednesday, adding new fighter jets among others, in an apparent move to guard against China.
The plans include moving two squadrons or 36 state-of-the-art Russian-built Sukhoi-30 aircraft to an [...]

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Seoul’s agreement to hold an inter-Korean summit is premature because North Korea has made insufficient progress in its denuclearization to justify any reward. South Korean President Roh Moo Hyun’s attempt to secure his legacy and influence coming presidential elections risks undermining multinational efforts to denuclearize North Korea and could strain Seoul’s relationship with Washington, in [...]

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The Venezuelan colonel is willing to spend whatever is needed: $10 million, $50 million, $100 million. The gush of petrodollars is enough to bankroll those imperial spasms. After the triumph in Colombia, Peru will fall of its own weight in the next elections, maybe by the hand of Ollanta Humala — and the conquest of [...]

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Here is their argument:
Since 9/11 the Bush administration has sought to categorize members of Al Qaeda and other jihadists as “unlawful combatants” rather than treat them as criminals. . . .
Treating terrorists as combatants is a mistake for two reasons. First, it dignifies criminality by according terrorist [...]

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Like a gambling addict who bets more to cover previous losses, the Bush administration’s plan to provide $65 billion in advanced weapons to Saudi Arabia, Israel, and Egypt is reckless and poorly considered.
Like a gambling addict who has to keep betting more to cover his previous losses, the Bush administration’s recently announced plan to provide [...]

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Starvation deaths in North Korea have returned to 1990s levels. That means over a thousand people a week dying from lack of food. Over a million people died during the 1990s food shortages. This time around, the shortages are caused by government refusal to allow in food that must have its distribution monitored (making it [...]

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Russia test launches ballistic missile
Xinhua, China - 12 hours ago
7 (Xinhua) — A nuclear-powered submarine of the Russian Pacific Fleet test launched a ballistic missile on Tuesday, the information and public relations …
Russia submarine tests ballistic missile - navy Reuters India
Russia: Sub-Launched Missile Tested Stratfor (subscription)
Russian Submarine Test Fires Missile from Pacific Ocean Kommersant
RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty - Indian Muslims
all 24 [...]

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Russia approves mass production of Bulava missile
India eNews.com, India - 3 hours ago
Moscow, Russia, 02:01 PM IST Moscow, Aug 8 (RIA Novosti) Russia has approved the mass production of nuclear capable Bulava (SS-NX-30) missile, …
Russia approves mass production of cutting-edge Bulava missile RIA Novosti
Bulava Breaks Into The Big Time Strategy Page
Russia approves mass production [...]

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Summary
The Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy continues to push for aircraft carrier capability, despite ongoing internal debate and dissent. While a carrier is a valuable naval asset, China’s pursuit must be understood as an expensive choice that entails considerable opportunity costs.
Analysis
China appears committed to deploying the Soviet-built Varyag aircraft carrier in at least a training [...]

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