AFP: Russia pledges to continue arms supplies to Iran

Posted by Matt in October 22nd, 2009 | no comment

Published in Russia, Afp, Controversial Contract, Implements, International Obligations, Islamic Republic Of Iran, Legislation, Military Cooperation, Missiles, moscow, Republic Of Iran, Russia, Russian Federation, Strict Accordance, Technical Cooperation, tehran, Thumb, Unease

Russia’s policy is the stick their thumb in the eye of America.
Russia on Thursday said it would continue military cooperation with Iran amid widespread unease in the West over Moscow’s controversial contract to sell advanced anti-aircraft missiles to Tehran.
“The Russian Federation implements and plans to further implement the military-technical cooperation with the Islamic Republic of [...]

Israel Is Wary of Calm Days That May End in Turmoil – NYTimes.com

Posted by Matt in August 11th, 2009 | no comment

Published in Israel, Calm Days, Decade, False Calm, Israel, Nytimes, Public Discourse, Sigh Of Relief, Turmoil, Unease, Violence

Israel is flourishing this summer, and one might imagine its people and leaders to be breathing a sigh of relief after nearly a decade of violence and unease. That, however, is far from the case. On every front, Israel is worried that it is living a false calm that could explode at any moment. Its [...]

Pentagon, Eyeing Iran, Wants to Rush 30,000-Pound Bomb Program – Bloomberg.com

Posted by Matt in July 31st, 2009 | no comment

Published in Military, Bloomberg, Bomb Program, Bombers, bombs, Budget, Bunker Buster Bomb, Committees, Comptroller, Deployment, Formal Request, Iran, North-Korea, Nuclear Threats, Pentagon, Pound Bomb, Robert Hale, Rush, Unease

The U.S. Defense Department wants to accelerate by three years the deployment of a 30,000-pound bunker-buster bomb, a request that reflects growing unease over nuclear threats from Iran and North Korea.
Comptroller Robert Hale, in a formal request to the four congressional defense committees earlier this month, asked permission to shift about $68 million in the [...]

A new cold war in the Middle East

Posted by Matt in June 10th, 2009 | no comment

Published in Iran, Middle East, Central Axis, Cold-War, Egypt, Fear, Gaza Strip, Hamas, hezbollah, Iran, Israelis, Lebanon, Loyalties, National Identities, Nuclear Weapon, Retaliation, Samuels, Saudi-Arabia, Syria, Unease, War In The Middle East

In one sense, the Lebanese election was the latest episode in what is becoming a fairly clear cold war in the Middle East. On one side of this cold war are the US, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and, despite Arab unease with them, the Israelis. On the other side are Iran, Syria, Hezbollah and Hamas, which [...]

Venezuela’s Missile Buildup Worries US

Posted by Matt in June 2nd, 2009 | no comment

Published in Missiles, Venezuela, arsenal, Colombia, Credible Evidence, FARC, Farc Rebels, Government Officials, Guerrillas, Hugo Chavez, Missile, Missiles, Money, President Hugo Chavez, terrorists, Unease, Venezuela, Weapons Buildup

Venezuela’s recent purchase of the most lethal shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missiles in the Russian arsenal is sharpening U.S. concerns that parts of President Hugo Chavez’s massive weapons buildup could wind up in the hands of terrorists or guerrillas in neighboring Colombia.
Washington’s unease is well-founded, U.S. government officials say, because of credible evidence that three top Venezuelan [...]

Making sense of modern China

Posted by Matt in June 2nd, 2008 | no comment

Published in China, Economic Growth, Excitement, Games, Hosts, Modern China, Neighbours, Olympics, Ring Roads, Sports Stadiums, Three Decades, Underground Stations, Unease

Winning and then staging what are sure to be spectacular and successful games will help justify the party’s continued rigid authority, and let it bask in most Chinese people’s excitement to be hosts.
But the games will also be seen as one of history’s most expensive, and well-orchestrated, coming-out parties.
After three decades of breakneck economic growth, [...]

Australia welcomes China with half-open arms

Posted by Matt in May 6th, 2008 | no comment

Published in Australia, China, Ascendancy, Australia Open, Billions, Chinese Dragon, Coal, Desert Camps, Dragon, Dusty Desert, Economic Boom, Fly, Insatiable Appetite, Iron Ore, minerals, Mining Engineers, Raw Materials, Signs, Stock Exchange, Truck Drivers, Unease, Unemployment

It has fuelled a 17-year economic boom in which truck drivers can earn £60,000 a year, property prices have soared and there are not enough pilots to fly desperately needed mining engineers into dusty desert camps.
Australia is growing rich from China’s insatiable appetite for raw materials, selling billions of pounds worth of iron ore, coal [...]