Another Long-Term Forecast Starting in 2008

Posted by Matt in January 8th, 2008 | no comment

Published in Americas, Brazil, China, Iran, Israel, Middle East, Russia, general

Stratfor.Com just provided their 2008 forecast. Below is a longer-term forecast that will allow you to put things perspective.
Overall, I think that giving us general trends for the next five to ten years, then giving us the 2008 forecast in context with the larger trends would be better. Although, this might lead to different conclusions [...]

Annual Forecast 2008: Beyond the Jihadist War

Posted by Matt in January 8th, 2008 | no comment

Published in China, Islam, Russia, general

By George Friedman
Editorâ€™s Note: This weekâ€™s Geopolitical Intelligence Report is the introduction to Stratforâ€™s Annual Forecast for 2008. Following the introduction are links to each regional section of the 35-page forecast. Weâ€™ve also created a report card of our 2007 forecasts highlighting where we were right and where we were wrong.
There are three major global [...]

Is America Slouching Towards Protectionism?

Posted by Matt in January 8th, 2008 | no comment

Published in Trade, U.S.

Declining wages and the unchecked outsourcing of jobs are cause for concern in the United States. The doctrine of free trade, the core of US economic policy, is faltering. Has the age of protectionism begun? By Gabor Steingart in Washington, D.C. more…

SPIEGEL 360: Gabor Steingart’s West Wing
War for Wealth: The Global Grab for Power and [...]

Barak: Hezbollah’s rocket arsenal bigger than before war

Posted by Matt in January 8th, 2008 | no comment

Published in Israel, Middle East, hezbollah, Lebanon

Barak: Hezbollah’s rocket arsenal bigger than before war
Jewish Telegraphic Agency,Â NYÂ - 10 hours ago
Hezbollah’s rocket arsenal is bigger now than before its 2006 war with Israel, Ehud Barak said. “Hezbollah has learned the lessons of the Second Lebanon war …
Israel botched chance to free kidnapped soldiers Ha’aretz
Israel’s Barak says Hezbollah stronger than ever: report AFP
American Israeli [...]

China to launch 15 rockets, 17 satellites in 2008

Posted by Matt in January 8th, 2008 | no comment

Published in China, Satellites, Space

China is to launch 15 rockets, 17 satellites and its third manned mission in 2008, flexing its muscle in space in a year in which it will host the summer Olympics.
Read More…
China ramps up its space programme Register
China to launch 15 rockets, 17 satellites and 1 space craft in 2008 People’s Daily Online
all 92 news [...]

India to test new long-range ballistic missile in 2009

Posted by Matt in January 8th, 2008 | no comment

Published in India, Missiles

India is to test a new version of its longest-range ballistic missile capable of hitting targets more than 5,000 km away, its top military scientist said on Tuesday.
…
Last year, India successfully tested the Agni III, which is capable of carrying a nuclear warhead more than 3,000 km, scientists said.
Read More…
5000-km range Agni to be tested [...]

China’s navy: Expanding capabilities, evolving roles

Posted by Matt in January 8th, 2008 | no comment

Published in China, Military

The Chinese navy has gone through tremendous changes and improvements since the 1995/96 Taiwan Strait crisis. The growing Chinese naval capability is likely to stir a naval arms competition; only time will tell if this will lead to a regional collision. From RSIS.
Since the 1995/96 Taiwan Strait crisis, the Chinese navy, or the People’s Liberation [...]

China planning to secure North Korea’s nuclear arsenal

Posted by Matt in January 8th, 2008 | no comment

Published in China, Koreas

China has contingency plans to dispatch troops into North Korea and secure nuclear weapons in the event of instability in the hardline communist state, according to US experts who have talked to Chinese military researchers.
Any intervention by Beijing would be done as far as possible after consultations with the United Nations, but unilateral action was [...]

Mocscow Raises Stakes in Iran Game

Posted by Matt in January 8th, 2008 | no comment

Published in Amazon.Com, Iran, Russia

In the last days of 2007, Moscow made several purposeful steps that barely registered in the West, where the Christmas break was already well underway. The first step was the delivery of fuel elements to the nearly completed nuclear power station in Bushehr, which could start the reactor perhaps as early as mid-2008 (Rossiiskaya [...]