Europe’s Troublesome Neighbors | The Moscow Times

Posted by Matt in January 12th, 2010 | no comment

Published in Europe, Eastern Border, Eastern Europe, Faces, Moscow Times, Prime Minister, Public Health Problems, Russia, Sphere Of Influence, Troublesome Neighbors, Vladimir Putin

But the shifts that have taken place left Russia much diminished in terms of its sphere of influence and military might. To be sure, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin’s Russia is nationalistic, awkward and disposed to dangerous troublemaking. The country faces acute social and public health problems and has 1.3 billion Chinese on its eastern border. [...]

India says troubled by China-Pakistan military ties | Reuters

Posted by Matt in November 27th, 2009 | no comment

Published in India, Antony, Asian Giants, China Military, Defence Minister, Global Resources, India Defence, India Military, India Pakistan, Indian Ocean Region, Military Ties, Neighbourhood, Neighbours, New Delhi, Pakistan Military, Reuters, rivalry, South Asia, Sphere Of Influence, Worries

Growing military ties between China and Pakistan are a serious concern to India, Defence Minister A.K. Antony said on Friday, in the latest display of a prickly rivalry between New Delhi and its neighbours.
India worries about China’s rising influence in South Asia and the Indian Ocean region, a neighbourhood New Delhi has traditionally considered as [...]

The coming war with Iran – Washington Times

Posted by Matt in October 6th, 2009 | no comment

Published in Iran, War, Coming War, Hamas, hezbollah, Hugo Chavez, Iran, Israel, Medium Range, Middle East, Missile Tests, Missiles, Mullahs, Russia, Sphere Of Influence, Syria, tehran, Vassal, Venezuela, Vladimir Putin, War Games, Washington Times

War with Iran is now inevitable. The only question is: Will it happen sooner or later? Tehran’s recent missile tests and war games suggest that the apocalyptic mullahs have reached the same conclusion.
Iran is on the march. Their medium-range Shahab-3 and Sajjil missiles can reach Israel, the entire Middle East and parts of Europe. Tehran [...]

Russia: A neighborhood bully cut loose

Posted by Matt in August 24th, 2009 | 1 comment

Published in Russia, Internal Affairs, kremlin, Moldova, Neighborhood, Political Stage, Powerhouse, Russia Moscow, Sphere Of Influence, Stage Setting, Ukraine, Willingness

While Washington’s eyes are on the Afghan theater, aggressive political stage-setting is underway in Russia’s restless neighborhood. The Moscow powerhouse men are actively testing Washington’s willingness to respond to their diplomatic bullying of countries like Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine, countries that the Kremlin perceives to be in its natural “sphere of influence”. How far can [...]

Russia’s Moves Raise Doubts About Obama’s Diplomatic ‘Reset’ – TIME

Posted by Matt in August 23rd, 2009 | no comment

Published in Russia, Abkhazia, Anniversary, Breakaway, Diplomatic Activity, Doubts, Medvedev, moscow, Obama, Question Mark, Reset Time, Russia, South Ossetia, Sphere Of Influence

While Washington insists that it will not recognize a Russian “sphere of influence,” the moves by Medvedev and Putin place a question mark over the Obama Administration’s ability to check Russia’s determination to forcefully push what it calls its “privileged interests” in its neighboring countries. The flurry of diplomatic activity came symbolically on the anniversary [...]

The Russian Economy and Russian Power

Posted by Matt in July 27th, 2009 | no comment

Published in Russia, American Forces, American States, Analytic Framework, Banking Sector, Barack Obama, Countries Of The Former Soviet Union, Former Soviet Union, George Friedman, High Risk, Joe Biden, Population Base, President Joe, Russian Economy, Russian Power, Russian Talks, Sensitive Countries, Shrinking Population, Sphere Of Influence, Stratfor, Wall Street Journal

By George Friedman at Stratfor.Com
The Russian Resurgence
U.S. Vice President Joe Biden’s visit to Georgia and Ukraine partly answered questions over how U.S.-Russian talks went during U.S. President Barack Obama’s visit to Russia in early July. That Biden’s visit took place at all reaffirms the U.S. commitment to the principle that Russia does not have the [...]

Venezuela’s Hope of More Sway Dims as Riches Dip

Posted by Matt in May 19th, 2009 | no comment

Published in Venezuela, Dims, Energy Industry, Hugo Chavez, Latin-America, Oil Prices, Oil Wealth, Own Energy, Parts America, Political Shift, President Hugo Chavez, Sphere Of Influence, Sway, Venezuela

President Hugo Chávez’s push to extend his sway in Latin America is waning amid low oil prices and disorder in Venezuela’s own energy industry.
In recent years, Mr. Chávez has used his nation’s oil wealth to drive his socialist-inspired agenda at home and draw other countries in the region into his sphere of influence, helping to [...]

Militant Possibilities on the New-Old Front

Posted by Matt in September 17th, 2008 | no comment

Published in New Cold War, Russia, Confrontation, Espionage, Fred Burton, FSB, Hallmark, Intelligence Agencies, Islamist Rebels, KGB, Military Action, North Koreans, North Vietnamese, Propaganda Campaigns, Proxies, Rebels In Afghanistan, Resurgence, Russia And The United States, Russian Power, Russian Strategic Bombers, Soviet Support, Sphere Of Influence

By Fred Burton and Scott Stewart
Over the past several months we have written quite a bit about the Russian resurgence. This discussion predates Russia’s military action in Georgia. Indeed, we have discussed the revival of Russian power since at least 2005, the implications of the FSB’s return since April and the potential return of the [...]

RED ALERT – Georgia Intelligence Guidance from Stratfor.Com

Posted by Matt in August 8th, 2008 | 3 comments

Published in Russia, War, Baltic Countries, Balts, Caucasus, Central Asia, Defining Moment, Dmitri Medvedev, Fall Of The Soviet Union, Georgia, Georgians, Guarantor, Incursion, Level Guidance, Nagorno Karabakh, Russian Intervention, Russian President, Russian Tanks, South Ossetia, Soviet States, Sphere Of Influence, Trump Card, Window Of Opportunity

The following are internal Stratfor documents produced to provide high-level guidance to our analysts. These documents are not forecasts, but rather a series of guidelines for understanding and evaluating events, as well as suggestions on areas for focus.

Given the speed with which the Russians reacted to Georgia’s incursion into South Ossetia, Moscow was clearly ready [...]

Iran’s influence in Latin America worries U.S.

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

Published in Americas, Iran, Allies, Bolivia, Brazil, Countries In Latin America, Cuba, Diplomatic Ties, Friends, Governments, International Isolation, Iran, Islamic Republic, Latin American Governments, Left Wing, Nicaragua, Nuclear Program, Respect, Reuters, Sanctions Against Iran, Shannon, Sphere Of Influence, United States, Venezuela

Left-wing governments in Venezuela, Cuba, Nicaragua and Bolivia have all become allies of Iran in recent years, and other countries in Latin America have diplomatic ties with the Islamic republic.
Shannon said Iran wants to ease its international isolation by showing it is able to win friends in Latin America, which has been historically in the [...]