Farewell, NATO

Posted by Matt in August 31st, 2008 | no comment

Published in Europe, Anti-Americanism, Cold-War, Continent, Creed, Decades, Earth, Farewell, NATO, Nato Countries, Peace, Plain Nuts, Rocking Chair, Secularism, Socialism, spine, United Nations, United States, Untruth, Western Europe, Western European Countries

What is the purpose of NATO? Western European countries can’t get out of their rocking chair long enough to be of much use to anybody, let alone themselves. Interestingly, the one place they get a spine is in their anti-Americanism.
I wonder if the people in Western Europe are just plain nuts, and how long do [...]

Russia warns it will respond to “aggression”

Posted by Matt in August 31st, 2008 | no comment

Published in Russia, Aggression, Confrontation, Dmitry Medvedev, kremlin, moscow, Russia

Russia does not want confrontation with the West but will hit back if attacked, Kremlin leader Dmitry Medvedev said on Sunday, a day before EU leaders meet to draft a response to Moscow’s actions in Georgia.
Read Me…

Russia threatens to supply Iran with top new missile system as ‘cold war’ escalates

Posted by Matt in August 31st, 2008 | no comment

Published in Iran, Russia, Air Defence System, Air Force, Bargaining Chip, Cold-War, Defences, Intelligence, Iran, kremlin, Missile System, NATO, Nato Membership, Pentagon, Pentagon Adviser, Planes, Russia, S 300, Sunday Telegraph, Targets, tehran, Western Neighbours

Russia is deploying the threat to sell a “game changing” air defence system to Iran as a high stakes bargaining chip in its new “cold war” with America, The Sunday Telegraph has learned.
US intelligence fears the Kremlin will supply the sophisticated S-300 system to Tehran if Washington pushes through Nato membership for its pro-Western neighbours [...]

Russia anounces ‘spheres of interest’

Posted by Matt in August 31st, 2008 | no comment

Published in Russia, Appetite, Borders, Cms, Conflict, Conflicts, Dmitry Medvedev, Foreign Policy, Gauge, Intention, Key Map, Lt, moscow, Moscow Russia, Neighbouring States, Political Temperature, Russia, Russia Map, Russian Minorities, Spheres, Spheres of Interest, Television Interview

Russia’s president Dmitry Medvedev on Sunday announced Moscow’s intention to preserve geographical spheres “of privileged interest” on or near its borders as part of a five point foreign policy statement in a television interview.
The announcement, in the wake of the recent conflict in Georgia, is likely to raise the political temperature in neighbouring states, especially [...]

Taiwan to cut military spending amid warming China ties: report

Posted by Matt in August 30th, 2008 | no comment

Published in Taiwan, beijing, China Ties, Civil War, Decline, Defense, Democratic Progressive Party, Formal Independence, Japan, Military Expenditures, Military Spending, Taiwan, United States

Why is the United States bound to defend a nation that won’t defend itself? America, dump Taiwan now!
From the article:
“I’m worried that the decline in military expenditures may send a wrong signal to the United States and Japan that Taiwan is short of determination to defend itself against China,” said Tsai Huang-lang of the pro-independence [...]

Iran Claims to Have 4,000 Working Nuclear Centrifuges

Posted by Matt in August 29th, 2008 | no comment

Published in Iran, Nuclear, Ali Reza, Foreign Minister, Iran Nuclear, Iranian Official, Sheik, Uranium

A top Iranian official say the country now has 4,000 working nuclear centrifuges.
Deputy Foreign Minister Ali Reza Sheik Attar made the claim to Iranian state media Friday, saying another 3,000 centrifuges will soon be installed at Iran’s main nuclear site in Natanz.
The centrifuges could significantly boost Iran’s ability to produce enriched uranium.
Read More…

The real China threat

Posted by Matt in August 23rd, 2008 | no comment

Published in China, Economy, C Fred Bergsten, China Economy, China Threat, Chinese China, Economist, Fundamental Tenets, Global Economic System, Raw Materials, World Economy

The real threat from China lies elsewhere. It is that China will destabilize the world economy. It will distort trade, foster huge financial imbalances and trigger a contentious competition for scarce raw materials. Symptoms of instability have already surfaced, and if they grow worse, everyone — including the Chinese — might suffer.
China is now “challenging [...]

The problem is Putin, not the missiles

Posted by Matt in August 23rd, 2008 | no comment

Published in Israel, Russia, Syria, bushehr, China, damascus, Hurdles, Hysteria, Islamic Republic, Israel, Israeli Attack, jerusalem, Missiles, Nuclear Reactor, Proposals, putin, Russia And The United States, Sanctions On Iran, Sending A Message, Strategic Game, Syria, Un Security Council

The hysteria over the expected arms deal between Russia and Syria should be directed elsewhere. Israel may indeed find it harder to strike Syria every time it feels like “sending a message” to Damascus. What should worry Jerusalem more, however, is the fact that it, and Syria, are now at the center of the great [...]

China’s one world?

Posted by Matt in August 23rd, 2008 | no comment

Published in China, Military, 1970s, Beijing Olympics, China, Chinese Military Modernization, Element, Extent, Modernization Programs, Nuclear Submarines, Olympics, Pla Navy, Russia, Strategic Objectives, Truce

With all the world’s attention focused on the Beijing Olympics and to a lesser extent, the “truce” in Georgia, we should not underestimate the serious implications for U.S. strategic objectives posed by the Chinese military modernization programs, (Russia’s announced modernization programs is another element).
…
By 2010, the PLA Navy could have about 60 very modern to [...]

Will Russia Force Rebirth of Realism?

Posted by Matt in August 23rd, 2008 | no comment

Published in Russia, American Foreign Policy, Aspirations, Central Europe, invasion, Missile Defense Systems, NATO, Radio Free Europe, Realism, Rebirth, Russia, Russian Support, Scheunemann, Senator Mccain, Ukraine

To understand just how unsettling Russia’s invasion of Georgia is to American foreign policy, it’s useful to highlight a short exchange that Senator McCain’s leading foreign policy advisor Randy Scheunemann had with a reporter from Radio Free Europe in April.
Scheunemann was asked whether the U.S. should be willing to “trade off” Georgia and Ukraine’s NATO [...]