I’ve got a bad feeling about this

Posted by Matt in June 10th, 2008 | no comment

Published in Middle East, Nuclear, Conservative Commentator, Ed Markey, George Bush, Massachusetts Democrat, Michelle Malkin, Nuclear Program, Radical Proposal, Saudi-Arabia, Tax Dollars, Twenty Four Hours, White House

Okay, I want to hear the White House response to this, but it looks like twice in twenty-four hours I’ll be agreeing with a Democratic congresscritter. This time it’s Ed Markey, a Massachusetts Democrat, no less, who is advancing the radical proposal that maybe George Bush shouldn’t be committing your tax dollars to developing [...]

U.S. and Allies Threaten More Iran Sanctions

Posted by Matt in June 10th, 2008 | no comment

Published in Iran, Allies, Diplomat, Europeans, Governments, Iran Sanctions, Nations Security Council, Nuclear Program, President Bush, sanctions, tehran, United Nations, United Nations Security, United Nations Security Council, Vow

With Iran unyielding, President Bush presses Europeans to punish Tehran for its nuclear program
The vow of further sanctions ordered up by individual governments—or perhaps across the 27-nation EU—may be the only realistic step left to escalate pressure on Iran. According to a senior European diplomat, the United Nations Security Council is unlikely to take further [...]

Russia’s Phantom Fleet Buildup

Posted by Matt in June 10th, 2008 | no comment

Published in Military, Russia, Construction Effort, Fleet, frigates, Gorshkov, Missile, Missiles, Money, Phantom, Russia, Russian Navy, Seventeen Years, Shipbuilding, ships, Subs

The Russian Navy’s shipbuilding plans are still mostly plans. For the last seventeen years, most of their construction effort went into finishing a few subs, and building for export. Currently building are three SSBNs (the new Borei class, for which the missile is not quite ready yet), one new SSN (attack sub, that has been [...]

Inviting in the Trojan Horse?

Posted by Matt in June 10th, 2008 | no comment

Published in China, Trade, U.S., Ambitions, beijing, Capabilities, China, Gains From Trade, Hoard, Money, Odds, Rivals, Trojan Horse

Beijing and Washington are geopolitical rivals and Beijing has used the gains from trade and investment to strengthen its capabilities. It has been foolish to allow China to amass its dollar hoard through an inattentive trade policy. It would be even more irresponsible to allow Beijing to use its money any way it pleases to [...]

Beijing: A Harder Line on Tibet?

Posted by Matt in June 10th, 2008 | no comment

Published in China, beijing, Cards, Concession, Dalai Lama, Deliberate Provocation, Earthquake, Negotiations, Olympic Torch Relay, Protesters, Protests, Tibet, Tibetan Capital

In fact, some analysts argue that fresh protests could break out as early as this weekend, when the Olympic torch relay passes through the Tibetan capital Lhasa, a route some protesters have claimed was a deliberate provocation. In an apparent concession, Beijing shortened the time that the torch would be present in Tibet but refused [...]

China’s sea-lane clout stirs worry

Posted by Matt in June 10th, 2008 | no comment

Published in China, India, Military, Asia, Bangladesh, China Economic, Clout, Decades, Emerging Giants, Friendship, India, Indian Ocean, Listening Post, Massive Aid, Pacts, Pakistan, Ports, rivalry, Sea Lane, Sri Lanka, Strait Of Malacca, U S Navy, waterway

For decades, the world relied on the powerful U.S. Navy to protect this vital sea lane. But as India and China gain economic heft, they are moving to expand their control of the waterway, sparking a new – and potentially dangerous – rivalry between Asia’s emerging giants.
China has given massive aid to Indian Ocean nations, [...]

The fallacy of Islamic ‘national suicide’

Posted by Matt in June 10th, 2008 | no comment

Published in Iran, Middle East, Academic Departments, Arab, Buzzword, Fallacy, Iran, Muslim Tradition, National Suicide, Regimes, tanks

A new buzzword is arising from the network of Israeli think tanks and security-oriented academic departments bent on instigating a U.S. attack on Iran: “national suicide” The term describes a supposed Arab Muslim tradition of politically motivated suicide at the national, not just individual, level. Arab Muslim regimes have purportedly launched ruinous wars they could [...]

US beef dispute grows into larger crisis in SKorea

Posted by Matt in June 10th, 2008 | no comment

Published in Koreas, American Interests, Anti-Americanism, Bulldozer, Businessman, Dictator, Hostile Countries, Hyundai Construction, mak, Missiles, Panders, President Lee, Protesters, Public Opinion, Rallies, Saudi-Arabia, seoul, Skorea, South Korean, South-Korea, Tip Of The Iceberg

In weeks of street rallies by angry critics of Lee, what had been seen as the former businessman’s strengths have instead been blasted as weaknesses. Nicknamed “The Bulldozer” for decisively pushing through projects as a Hyundai construction CEO and Seoul mayor, Lee has instead been labeled by protesters as a “dictator” who fails to heed [...]

Israel and Hizballah: 2006 and 2008

Posted by Matt in June 10th, 2008 | no comment

Published in Israel, Army, Balance Of Power, Bashar Al Asad, Capability, Conclusion, damascus, Deterrence, hezbollah, Hizballah, IDF, Imad Mughniyeh, Intelligence, Israel, Israeli Air Force, Israeli Defense Force, Nuclear Reactor, Point Of View, rockets, Syria

Almost two years have passed since Israel’s war against Hizballah in 2006, and the balance of power is far from positive from an Israeli point of view. One of the major remaining questions is that of deterrence. Although the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) performed disappointingly during the war, the army’s image and its deterrent capability [...]