Analysis Topic: Politics & Social Trends
The analysis published under this topic are as follows.
Wednesday, September 03, 2008
New Cold War and the Threat to Corporate Security / Politics / New Cold War
By: STRATFOR
A lot has been written about last month's conflict between Russia and Georgia, and the continuing tensions in the region. Certainly, there were many important lessons to be gleaned from the conflict relating to the Russian military , Russian foreign policy and the broader geopolitical balance of power .
One facet of the Russian operations in Georgia that has been somewhat overlooked is the intelligence aspect. Clearly, the speed with which the Russian military responded to the Georgian invasion of South Ossetia indicates that they were not caught off guard. They knew in advance what the Georgians were planning and had time to prepare their troops for a quick response to the Georgian offensive.
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Tuesday, September 02, 2008
Russia Takes Strategic Advantage From America's War Against Islamic World / Politics / New Cold War
By: STRATFOR
The United States has been fighting a war in the Islamic world since 2001. Its main theaters of operation are in Afghanistan and Iraq, but its politico-military focus spreads throughout the Islamic world, from Mindanao to Morocco. The situation on Aug. 7, 2008, was as follows:Read full article... Read full article...
Tuesday, September 02, 2008
America's High Stakes Gamble with Russia / Politics / New Cold War
By: Stephen_Lendman
Prior to entering WW II, US strategists had a clear aim in mind at its conclusion - to hold unchallengeable power in a new post-war global system: military, economic and political in a "Grand Area" encompassing the West and Far East. Essentially most parts outside the communist bloc and exploiting it under disarming rhetoric like being "selfless advocates of freedom for colonial peoples (and an) enemy of imperialism." Championing "world peace (also) through multinational control." Read full article... Read full article...
Monday, September 01, 2008
Governments Cheat Creditors by Devaluing Currencies / Politics / Fiat Currency
By: Dr_Ron_Paul
Many who agree with me on a lot of other issues, do not understand my enthusiasm for gold and sound money or why I spend so much time studying and talking about monetary policy. It's true that I talk about money differently than most, but the fact is sound money offers many benefits. For example - peace. Read full article... Read full article...
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Conventions Lose TV Networks Appeal / Politics / US Politics
By: Walter_Brasch
During the time that Bill Clinton was rocking the Democratic convention, ABC, CBS, and Fox were showing re-runs, NBC was showing the second hour of “America’s Got Talent,” and the CW was showing the second season finale of “Pussycat Dolls Present: Girlicious.”Less than two decades ago, the networks gave the conventions gavel-to-gavel coverage. This year, the networks are giving only four hours prime time coverage to each convention.
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Friday, August 29, 2008
Al-Qeeda 2.0 Threat level Heats Up / Politics / Al-Qeeda
By: STRATFOR
Summer brings with it rumors of attacks on the U.S. homeland. Currently, we are hearing unconfirmed word of plans in place for jihadists to be dispatched from Pakistan to conduct coordinated suicide attacks against soft targets in as many as 10 U.S. cities.
This year, the rumors seem to be emerging a little later and with a little less fanfare than last year, when we saw a number of highly publicized warnings, such as that from Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff and a National Intelligence Estimate saying al Qaeda was gaining strength. Last year also brought warnings from a former Israeli counterterrorism official that al Qaeda was planning a simultaneous attack against five to seven American cities, and of a dirty bomb attack against New York.
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Thursday, August 28, 2008
Kosovo Independence at the Heart of Georgia Russia Crisis / Politics / New Cold War
By: STRATFOR
The Russo-Georgian war was rooted in broad geopolitical processes. In large part it was simply the result of the cyclical reassertion of Russian power. The Russian empire — czarist and Soviet — expanded to its borders in the 17th and 19th centuries. It collapsed in 1992. The Western powers wanted to make the disintegration permanent. It was inevitable that Russia would, in due course, want to reassert its claims. That it happened in Georgia was simply the result of circumstance. Read full article... Read full article...
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Democrats in Denver Should Read the American Monetary Act / Politics / US Politics
By: Richard_C_Cook
How are things going at the Democratic Party National Convention in Denver this week?
Are they talking about the fact that the Western world is run by an international financial elite headquartered in London, the financial capitals of mainland Europe (such as Frankfurt, Hamburg, Amsterdam, Paris, and Milan), and, of course, New York City?
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Saturday, August 23, 2008
Al-Qeeda Targets Pakistan for Total War / Politics / Pakistan
By: Anwaar_Hussain
Whoever started it, however we got involved in it, the time for blame game is long past. This is our battle now and this is a battle to the death.
In the four days after General Musharraf resigned from Pakistan's presidency, more than 130 innocent people have been blown to bits in just two suicide bombings across the country. Scores of others have been maimed for life. The message from the God-men is clear. It is Pakistan they are after; its governments, democratic or autocratic, be damned.
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Saturday, August 23, 2008
World Seeks Geo-political Balance as Americans Remain Indifferent to Iraq War / Politics / GeoPolitics
By: Michael_T_Bucci
I must take issue with the common assumption that a majority of Americans were and are opposed to the Iraq war, or are in large measure "anti-war". While it is true that the Democrat party winning majorities in both houses generated this conception in 2006, this victory had much to do with protesting George Bush on numerous issues, one being Iraq .Read full article... Read full article...
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Pakistan Geopolitics: The Implications of Musharraf's Resignation / Politics / Pakistan
By: STRATFOR
Kamran Bokhari writes: Pervez Musharraf, who ruled Pakistan for nearly nine years, was forced to resign Monday in the face of moves by the South Asian country's recently elected coalition government to impeach him. Musharraf's resignation has been a long time coming, with stops along the way over the last nine months during which he was forced to give up control over the military and then the government.Read full article... Read full article...
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
The Real New World Order / Politics / New World Order
By: STRATFOR
On Sept. 11, 1990, U.S. President George H. W. Bush addressed Congress. He spoke in the wake of the end of Communism in Eastern Europe, the weakening of the Soviet Union, and the invasion of Kuwait by Saddam Hussein. He argued that a New World Order was emerging: “A hundred generations have searched for this elusive path to peace, while a thousand wars raged across the span of human endeavor, and today that new world is struggling to be born. A world quite different from the one we've known. A world where the rule of law supplants the rule of the jungle. A world in which nations recognize the shared responsibility for freedom and justice. A world where the strong respect the rights of the weak.” Read full article... Read full article...
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
How Foreign Policy Affects Gas Prices / Politics / Gas - Petrol
By: Dr_Ron_Paul
We've heard how the value of the dollar affects gas prices - and indeed the price of everything. I was pleased that my request for a hearing on such was granted by the Financial Services committee and we were able to hear some very informative testimony. Certainly domestic policies, regarding off-shore oil drilling bans, ethanol mandates, refining capacity, and CAFE standards are interventionist and harmful enough in the energy market.Read full article... Read full article...
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Russia Georgia Conflict- Sequence of Events and Analysis / Politics / New Cold War
By: Nadeem_Walayat
The Russia-Georgia conflict that exploded on the scene on Friday of last week, following the Russian invasion of initially South Ossetia and later Abkhazia and Georgia proper. Now a week on the sequence of events are becoming much clearer as to what actually transpired, and presents a picture of a resurgent Russia, finally emerging from the collapse of the Soviet Union which at one point threatened the disintegration of the Russian Federation itself.Read full article... Read full article...
Friday, August 15, 2008
Russia Georgia War: Putin Walks Into Quagmire Trap / Politics / New Cold War
By: Mike_Whitney
The American-armed and trained Georgian army swarmed into South Ossetia last Thursday, killing an estimated 2,000 civilians, sending 40,000 South Ossetians fleeing over the Russian border, and destroying much of the capital, Tskhinvali. The attack was unprovoked and took place a full 24 hours before even ONE Russian soldier set foot in South Ossetia.
Nevertheless, the vast majority of Americans still believe that the Russian army invaded Georgian territory first. The BBC, AP, NPR, the New York Times and the rest of the establishment media has consistently and deliberately misled its readers into believing that the violence in South Ossetia was initiated by the Kremlin. Let's be clear, it wasn't. In truth, there is NO dispute about the facts except among the people who rely the western press for their information. Despite its steady loss of credibility, the corporate media continues to operate as the propaganda-arm of the Pentagon.
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Friday, August 15, 2008
Bush's Dirty Little Medicare Secret / Politics / US Debt
By: Mike_Stathis
We already know about the lies orchestrated by the White House to justify the invasion of Iraq . But there is a bigger secret that has not yet hit the mainstream media. And it probably never will until it's too late. Those of you who read my book already know about it because I discuss it at length. For those of you who haven't had a chance to read America's Financial Apocalypse , I'm going to expose this secret now. Read full article... Read full article...
Thursday, August 14, 2008
American Heroes Don't Last / Politics / US Politics
By: Mike_Stathis
Politicians use several means to hide the real problems from voters. One of their biggest partners in this deception is the media, which helps deliver messages they want the public to hear. When critical issues are discovered within the administration, this often leads to replacement of politicians who simply tried to serve the best interests of voters. For these politicians, a forced resignation is the price of loyalty to voters.Read full article... Read full article...
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Social Security Is Morally Bankrupt / Politics / US Economy
By: Alex_Epstein
August 14 marks Social Security's 73rd birthday--placing it eight years past standard retirement age. But, despite the program's $10-trillion-plus dollar shortfall, no politician dares to suggest that this disastrous program be phased out and retired; all agree on one absolute: Social Security must be saved. While the program may have financial problems, virtually everyone believes that some form of mandatory government-run retirement program is morally necessary.Read full article... Read full article...
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
The Russia Georgian War and the Balance of Power / Politics / New Cold War
By: STRATFOR
The Russian invasion of Georgia has not changed the balance of power in Eurasia. It simply announced that the balance of power had already shifted. The United States has been absorbed in its wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as potential conflict with Iran and a destabilizing situation in Pakistan. It has no strategic ground forces in reserve and is in no position to intervene on the Russian periphery. This, as we have argued, has opened a window of opportunity for the Russians to reassert their influence in the former Soviet sphere . Read full article... Read full article...
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Barack Obama's Poor Decisions a Threat to His Success / Politics / US Politics
By: Mike_Stathis
Let me clear about a few things. First, regardless who wins the upcoming presidential election, there will be no real change in America . In order to really understand why you have to know what is going on in this country. The problems extend much deeper than the current economic problems. Both parties are essentially the same and neither will address the real problems that are destroying America – free trade, the free market system and health care – because there is too much money to be made by the powerful forces that continue to exploit consumers, namely corporate America and their wealthy shareholders.Read full article... Read full article...