[BOOK REVIEW] Taiwan’s military prowess laid bare

Posted by Matt in January 13th, 2008 | no comment

Published in Amazon.Com, China, Military, Taiwan, War

‘Taiwan’s Security: History and Prospects’ looks at how Taiwanese land, air and sea defenses and offensive strategies stack up against the competition
In Taiwan’s Security: History and Prospects, US Navy veteran Bernard Cole (unrelated to this reviewer) offers an unusually in-depth assessment of the many facets of Taiwan’s defense establishment. While many publications have approached the [...]

US navy clash exposed rise of Iran’s hardliners

Posted by Matt in January 13th, 2008 | no comment

Published in Iran, Military, U.S.

Hardliners bent on confrontation with the West are presenting President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran with a serious challenge to his authority.
Watch: Iranian footage of stand-off with US warships
Government insiders say the clash in the Strait of Hormuz between American warships and Iranian gunboats last week exposed a power struggle at the heart of the regime [...]

Timeline: Iran’s nuclear program

Posted by Matt in January 13th, 2008 | no comment

Published in Iran, Nuclear

Timeline: Iran’s nuclear program
ReutersÂ - 3 hours ago
June 2003 - An IAEA report, after February inspection of Natanz and Arak, says Iran has failed to comply with nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. …
Good progress made in resolving nuclear row: ElBaradei Tehran Times
Iran says will clear up nuclear issues with IAEA by late February -2 RIA Novosti
Iran critical of [...]

China’s Soft Power

Posted by Matt in January 13th, 2008 | no comment

Published in China

Much that is discussed about China’s foreign policy and security posture these days revolves around military matters-warships and fighter planes bought from Russia, 1300 missiles aimed at Taiwan, and the latest maneuvers of the People’s Liberation Army.
There’s another side to China’s emerging might, however, what some pundits call “soft power” or “smiling diplomacy” or the [...]

China’s dark triumph

Posted by Matt in January 13th, 2008 | no comment

Published in China

The success of its economy poses a serious challenge to liberal democracy.
The China model is not just attractive to the new elites of coastal China. It has a global appeal. African dictators, or indeed dictators everywhere, who walk the plush red carpets laid out for them in Beijing love it. The model is non-Western, and [...]

Taiwan: Pro-China Party Wins in a Landslide

Posted by Matt in January 13th, 2008 | no comment

Published in China, Taiwan

Taiwan’s pro-China opposition were savouring their landslide election win on Sunday, hoping the momentum will carry over to presidential polls in March and lead to closer ties with the mainland.
The Kuomintang (KMT) party, who insist that better relations with China will help the island’s stuttering economy, crushed the ruling party of President Chen Shui-bian, whose [...]

Lives of Poverty, Untouched by Chinaâ€™s Boom

Posted by Matt in January 13th, 2008 | no comment

Published in China

In this region of southern Henan Province, in village after village, people are too poor to heat their homes in the winter and many lack basic comforts like running water. Mobile phones, a near ubiquitous symbol of upward mobility throughout much of this country, are seen as an impossible luxury. People here often begin conversations [...]

Brazil, The Super-Power?

Posted by Matt in January 13th, 2008 | no comment

Published in Americas, Brazil

Not only is Brazil going to be an oil powerhouse, it’s working on becoming a farming powerhouse, too. It has developed its own Uranium enrichment technology and is working on a nuclear powered submarine.
How Brazil out-farmed the Americans
Fortune Magazine has an interesting article about how the Brazilian farmers are catching up fast to the American [...]