Posts
Sen. Marco Rubio, FOXRUBIO: "The president doesn't have clean
hands in this because, as I said yesterday on the floor of the Senate
"¦ this administration has created a culture of intimidation."
Michele Kearney's Snuffysmith's Blog Major Foreign Policy, Economics, Energy, and Irrelevancies of the Day
Saturday, May 18, 2013
Benghazi, Petraeus, and the CIA
Deceptions and Lies About the CIA's Operations in North Africa
Benghazi, Petraeus, and the CIA
NAPOLITANO: Dark clouds over the White House
NAPOLITANO: Dark clouds over the White House
A pattern of government lies shows disregard for the Constitution
PRUDEN: Obama’s indifference to incompetence regarding Benghazi
PRUDEN: Obama’s indifference to incompetence regarding Benghazi
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/may/17/pruden-obamas-indifference-to-incompetence-regardi/?utm_source=feedly
EDITORIAL: Rotten fish at the IRS
EDITORIAL: Rotten fish at the IRS
Only Congress is likely to get to the source of the stink
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/may/17/rotten-fish-at-the-irs/?utm_source=feedly
Seizure of AP Phone Records Continues Obama Admin’s Attack on Whistleblowers
Seizure of AP Phone Records Continues Obama Admin’s Attack on Whistleblowers
http://dissidentvoice.org/2013/05/seizure-of-ap-phone-records-continues-obama-admins-attack-on-whistleblowers/?utm_source=feedlyThe Economy Continues To Send A Ton Of Bearish Signals
The Economy Continues To Send A Ton Of Bearish Signals
http://www.businessinsider.com/bearish-on-stocks-2013-5?utm_source=feedly&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+clusterstock+%28ClusterStock%29Global economy lacks strong source of demand growth FT
Timothy Geithner Is Key To IRS Scandal
Timothy Geithner Is Key To IRS Scandal
Cross-posted from Testosterone Pit. Contributed by Chriss Street: Specialist in corporate reorganizations and turnarounds, former Chairman of two NYSE listed companies. His latest book, The Third Way,
describes how to achieve management excellence and financial reward by
moving organizations from Conflict and Confrontation to Leadership and
Cooperation. He lives in Newport Beach, CA.
Lambert here: Of course. Tim Geithner [slaps forehead].
Lambert here: Of course. Tim Geithner [slaps forehead].
Sheila Krumholz and Danielle Brian on How Money Rules Washington
Sheila Krumholz and Danielle Brian on How Money Rules Washington
Bill Moyers
is joined by the heads of two independent watchdog groups keeping an
eye on government as well as on powerful interests seeking to influence
it. Sheila Krumholz, executive director of the Center for Responsive Politics and OpenSecrets.org, and Danielle Brian, who runs the Project on Government Oversight, talk to Bill
about the importance of transparency to our democracy, and their
efforts to scrutinize who’s giving money, who’s receiving it, and most
importantly, what’s expected in return.
Read more at http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2013/05/sheila-krumholz-and-danielle-brian-on-how-money-rules-washington.html#wDIjeVW6ZvB4yvpl.99
Alberione Angels
Alberione Angels
Do you remember 1969? The Vietnam War was raging.
Hippies were wearing flowers in their hair. In Chicagoland, Yippies
nominated a pig for President of the United States.
In that exciting year, I was an unhappy student at the University of
Illinois. College seemed irrelevant. The world was jumping with action.
Shouldn't I be out in the thick of it? I called my mother with the news.
I was dropping out of college. She was devastated.
In turmoil, I went to the university bookstore. Something drew me to a paperback copy of Jude the Obscure by Thomas Hardy. I bought it and what a providential buy it was!
The protagonist, Jude, was a farmer with a burning desire to acquire a college education. He longed to leave his rural life behind and become a man of letters.
Jude’s yearning turned something in my own troubled heart. My mother had longed to go to college too. She had sacrificed so that her children would be able to do what she could not. How could I throw away a gift so valuable to her—and to Jude? Education suddenly seemed important. I called my mother. I would stay in school and finish my education.
Blessed Father James Alberione—Founder of the Daughters of St. Paul and the Pauline Family—once wrote that a good book can “become a church and pulpit.” In 1969, I certainly was not attending church. I didn’t hear any sermons. It was this unlikely novel that became the “church and the pulpit” through which God reached out to me and gave direction to my life. I call moments such as these “Alberione moments.” Do you have such Alberione moments in your life?
Fast forward to 2013. I am a lay member of the Pauline Family founded by Blessed Alberione, a promised Pauline Cooperator. Together with my brother and sister Paulines around the world, I strive to use the new forms of media as “church and pulpit,” that is, as channels of grace bringing life to the world.
“We must always lead others towards heaven,” Father Alberione insisted, “but we must lead those who live today, not those who lived ten or more centuries ago.” Throughout my life, I have discovered what a spiritual gift the media can be.
Learn more about Blessed James Alberione
Looking back, I can see that reading Jude the Obscure was not the only “Alberione moment” in my life. There have been many others. I am no longer a college student, but life can still deal unexpected blows. In the course of ministry, I alienate a good friend and fellow Catholic. She feels betrayed. I feel betrayed. We talk, we pray, we forgive each other’s harsh words. But we cannot reach peace. The rift is real and painful. I fling myself into the arms of Jesus Master in the Eucharist. My Alberione angel visits me again. This time it is a film, Wes Anderson’s Rushmore.
The movie tells the story of three people: high school prodigy, Max Fischer; millionaire, Herman Blume; and teacher, Rosemary Cross, with whom both men fall in love. An improbable romantic rivalry ensues which is both hilarious and heart-breaking.
Max pursues life with optimism, enthusiasm, and a fierce intelligence. He gives his heart away to both Mr. Blume and Miss Cross. When he thinks they betray him, his heart breaks.
As my heart broke when I felt betrayed by my friend.
Unlike me, Max decides to wreak full-throttle vengeance on his friend. He informs Mr. Blume’s wife of her husband’s marital transgressions. He unleashes angry bees through the air vents of Mr. Blume’s hotel room. He rigs a tree to fall on Mr. Blume and crush him. But in the end, he gives up and tells Mr. Blume the reason why. Max says it doesn’t matter because Miss Cross will never love him, as he loves her.
Max acts out the anger he feels and gives in to revenge, but he is reconciled with both Mr. Blume and Miss Cross by the end of the movie. Slowly, dealing with the forces unleashed by the situation, Max comes around. He even reaches out to Mr. Blume to help him through his own dark night of the soul.
Pauline Cooperator
Delaware http://store.pauline.org/SinglePages/AlberioneAngels/tabid/279/Default.aspx
In turmoil, I went to the university bookstore. Something drew me to a paperback copy of Jude the Obscure by Thomas Hardy. I bought it and what a providential buy it was!
The protagonist, Jude, was a farmer with a burning desire to acquire a college education. He longed to leave his rural life behind and become a man of letters.
Jude’s yearning turned something in my own troubled heart. My mother had longed to go to college too. She had sacrificed so that her children would be able to do what she could not. How could I throw away a gift so valuable to her—and to Jude? Education suddenly seemed important. I called my mother. I would stay in school and finish my education.
Blessed Father James Alberione—Founder of the Daughters of St. Paul and the Pauline Family—once wrote that a good book can “become a church and pulpit.” In 1969, I certainly was not attending church. I didn’t hear any sermons. It was this unlikely novel that became the “church and the pulpit” through which God reached out to me and gave direction to my life. I call moments such as these “Alberione moments.” Do you have such Alberione moments in your life?
Fast forward to 2013. I am a lay member of the Pauline Family founded by Blessed Alberione, a promised Pauline Cooperator. Together with my brother and sister Paulines around the world, I strive to use the new forms of media as “church and pulpit,” that is, as channels of grace bringing life to the world.
“We must always lead others towards heaven,” Father Alberione insisted, “but we must lead those who live today, not those who lived ten or more centuries ago.” Throughout my life, I have discovered what a spiritual gift the media can be.
Learn more about Blessed James Alberione
Looking back, I can see that reading Jude the Obscure was not the only “Alberione moment” in my life. There have been many others. I am no longer a college student, but life can still deal unexpected blows. In the course of ministry, I alienate a good friend and fellow Catholic. She feels betrayed. I feel betrayed. We talk, we pray, we forgive each other’s harsh words. But we cannot reach peace. The rift is real and painful. I fling myself into the arms of Jesus Master in the Eucharist. My Alberione angel visits me again. This time it is a film, Wes Anderson’s Rushmore.
The movie tells the story of three people: high school prodigy, Max Fischer; millionaire, Herman Blume; and teacher, Rosemary Cross, with whom both men fall in love. An improbable romantic rivalry ensues which is both hilarious and heart-breaking.
Max pursues life with optimism, enthusiasm, and a fierce intelligence. He gives his heart away to both Mr. Blume and Miss Cross. When he thinks they betray him, his heart breaks.
As my heart broke when I felt betrayed by my friend.
Unlike me, Max decides to wreak full-throttle vengeance on his friend. He informs Mr. Blume’s wife of her husband’s marital transgressions. He unleashes angry bees through the air vents of Mr. Blume’s hotel room. He rigs a tree to fall on Mr. Blume and crush him. But in the end, he gives up and tells Mr. Blume the reason why. Max says it doesn’t matter because Miss Cross will never love him, as he loves her.
Max acts out the anger he feels and gives in to revenge, but he is reconciled with both Mr. Blume and Miss Cross by the end of the movie. Slowly, dealing with the forces unleashed by the situation, Max comes around. He even reaches out to Mr. Blume to help him through his own dark night of the soul.
Rushmore was a
parable that spoke to my broken spirit. Watching the film, I learned
once more that friendships can break. And although we may, through an
act of will, forgive a wounding friend, our hearts won’t necessarily
mend. As the credits closed, I felt at
peace for the first time in weeks. My Alberione angel had struck again.
How have you been visited by the spiritual gift of a movie, a book, or
some other form of communication?
Rae StaboszPauline Cooperator
Delaware http://store.pauline.org/SinglePages/AlberioneAngels/tabid/279/Default.aspx
Nuclear Iran Unlikely to Tilt Regional Power Balance – Report
Nuclear Iran Unlikely to Tilt Regional Power Balance – Report
http://www.ipsnews.net/2013/05/nuclear-iran-unlikely-to-tilt-regional-power-balance-report/
Let the Iraq Syndrome Kick In
Published on The National Interest (http://
Source URL (retrieved on May 17, 2013): http://
Let the Iraq Syndrome Kick In
May 17, 2013
Leon Hadar [2]
If you decided to take a stroll in Central Park in Manhattan after midnight
and ended up being assaulted, there is a good chance that you won't be
taking that walk again anytime soon. Are you exhibiting the signs of a
Central Park syndrome? Call it what you like, but you would be behaving
in a rational way after learning from your experience: Don't walk alone
in desolated urban areas late at night.Similarly, the Munich and Vietnam "Syndromes" that afflicted Western elites and publics in the post-1945 era reflected the way some of the traumatic lessons of the history of the twentieth century provided basic rules for the American people and their leaders. Sometimes you have to stand up to and even use military force in dealing with aggressors, as with Munich. But on the flip side, don't rush into using military force in response to every real and perceived aggression, as learned in Vietnam.
Notwithstanding Munich, the United States didn't go to war against the aggressive Soviet Union and even tried to accommodate its interests, a practice also known as "appeasing." And despite Vietnam, the United States did pursue forceful military strategies in Afghanistan and in the two Iraq wars.
The lessons of Munich and Vietnam have been demagogued occasionally by both hawks and doves alike and used as political ammunition by leaders warning of "another Hitler" or "a new Vietnam." But there is no doubt that these lessons of history have been burnt into the minds of policymakers.
Glenn Greenwald: Washington Gets Explicit: Its 'War on Terror' is Permanent
Glenn Greenwald: Washington Gets Explicit: Its 'War on Terror' is Permanent
http://www.commondreams.org/
http://www.commondreams.org/
Experts: Fed's Push for More Wiretapping a Recipe for Security Disaster
Experts: Fed's Push for More Wiretapping a Recipe for Security Disaster
http://www.commondreams.org/
http://www.commondreams.org/
Ronnie Cummins: Genetically Modified Democracy: Monsanto and Congress Move to Stomp on Your Rights
Ronnie Cummins: Genetically Modified Democracy: Monsanto and Congress Move to Stomp on Your Rights
http://www.commondreams.org/
http://www.commondreams.org/
Obama Earns His Nobel Prize on Syria
Obama Earns His Nobel Prize on Syria
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jeffrey-laurenti/obama-earns-his-nobel-pri_b_3288558.html
Friday, May 17, 2013
The Day After a Strike on Iran
The Day After a Strike on Iran
|
May 10, 2013
All
eyes are on what it will take to prevent Iran from getting its hands on
a nuclear weapon. If sanctions and diplomacy prove incapable of
containing Tehran’s nuclear ambitions—and soon—a military strike to
destroy or at the very least delay its program is seen as the least bad
option available. Iran gaining a nuclear-weapons capability is a red
line that the United States and Israel just won’t let it cross.http://nationalinterest.org/commentary/the-day-after-strike-iran-8456
Ivo Mijnssen on Russia "Why Putin Let Russia's Richies Take a Bath"
Ivo Mijnssen on Russia
"Why Putin Let Russia's Richies Take a Bath" -- The collapse of the Cypriot banking system reveals much about the complex relationship among ordinary Russians, "offshore oligarchs" and a political system that depends on both.
http://www.truthdig.com/
"Jerry Brown: California's Mystery Man"
Bill Boyarsky on Jerry Brown
"Jerry Brown: California's Mystery Man" -- In a time when America's politicians strive to be everywoman and everyman, Brown goes his own way.
http://www.truthdig.com/
Defense official says U.S. has authority to target terrorists anywhere
Goldsmith, quoted at the bottom, and various confederates of his, are
disingenuous in seeming to call for oversight by Congress. What they are
advocating is a permanent state of war, codified in Federal law, with the
requisite authoritarian government which will be necessitated by that.
Defense official says U.S. has authority to target terrorists anywhere
Some in Congress sharply question how a law that sprang from the Sept. 11 attacks can be applied so broadly. Panel is also told war with Al Qaeda could last 20 more years.
Breaking: National Security Leak Botched a Major al-Qaeda ‘Mission Kill’
Breaking: National Security Leak Botched a Major al-Qaeda ‘Mission Kill’
http://www.thebrennerbrief.com/2013/05/17/breaking-national-security-leak-botched-a-major-al-qaeda-mission-kill/
War With Iran? New Study Shows Massively Distorted Media Coverage of Iranian Nuclear Program
War With Iran? New Study Shows Massively Distorted Media Coverage of Iranian Nuclear Program
http://www.policymic.com/articles/42133/war-with-iran-new-study-shows-massively-distorted-media-coverage-of-iranian-nuclear-programCFR Update 5/17: Obama Opposes Unilateral U.S. Action on Syria
| Daily News Brief May 17, 2013 |
Top of the Agenda: Obama Opposes Unilateral U.S. Action on Syria
During a White House press conference with visiting Turkish prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, President Obama ruled out unilateral action (LAT)
by the United States in Syria and said he has seen evidence, but not
conclusive proof, of chemical weapons being used there. His announcement
came as Russia, which has resisted U.S. and other Western nations' push
for Syrian president Bashar al-Assad's ouster, sent antiship cruise missiles outfitted with advanced radar (NYT) to Syria.
Analysis
"Increasingly, it appears Syria is so badly shattered
that no single authority is likely to be able to pull it back together
any time soon. Instead, three Syrias are emerging: one loyal to the
government, to Iran and to Hezbollah; one dominated by Kurds with links
to Kurdish separatists in Turkey and Iraq; and one with a Sunni majority
that is heavily influenced by Islamists and jihadis," Ben Hubbard
writes in this New York Times analysis.
"What began in Syria as a revolt against an oppressive regime has evolved into a sectarian civil war and, more recently, into a proxy conflict.
In the process, the struggle has become increasingly convoluted, with
conflicting agendas among allies, together with deep-seated communal
tensions, rendering the situation nearly intractable," writes Bernard
Haykel in Lebanon's Daily Star.
"[G]iven the extent to which Syria has already plunged in the direction of state failure and widespread sectarian violence,
it would be equally hard to sustain any agreement that might be
reached. But it's worth the effort, because even if there's only a 10 to
15 percent chance of success, the alternative is just really terrible,"
says expert Frederic C. Hof in this CFR interview.
The Latest National Security coverage from FP 5/17
The Latest National Security coverage from FP
- Obama doubling the number of Marine guards for embassies; POTUS reduces the max sentence for rape in the military; Hand leaves the Pentagon; No free coins for the Navy; Not much carpooling to the White House; Russia sends warships; and a bit more.
- Breaking the Kill Chain
- Death Wears Bunny Slippers
- Fox leaving the Pentagon; Mullen, Pickering, get a little testy with Issa; Benghazi e-mails released; Stevens denied military assistance; Little on the “hook-up” culture; Disconnecting the phones at DOD; and a bit more.
- Requiem for a Realist
- David Sedney, leaving the Pentagon; The sexual assault crisis deepens for Hagel; Is the sailor’s kiss on V-J Day a sexual assault? No dressing down at DIA; Chaos aboard the Porter and a bit more.
- A Liberal Case for Drones
- Food Fight
- Hagel will furlough civilians 11 days; Is the Air Force ready in Europe? Dempsey, not big on mil intervention in Syria; Why carrying pens is an occupational hazard for journos at Karzai’s palace; and a little bit more.
- Beijing's 'Bitskrieg'
The major sea change in media discussions of Obama and civil liberties
The major sea change in media discussions of Obama and civil liberties
The controversies over the IRS and especially the AP phone records appear to have long-lasting effects
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/may/15/obama-civil-liberties-sea-change
Russian Warships Enter Mediterranean.... First Time in Decades
Russian Warships Enter Mediterranean.... First Time in Decades
http://www.darkgovernment.com/
A group of warships from Russia’s Pacific Fleet entered the Mediterranean
waters for the first time in decades, a fleet spokesman said on Thursday
“The task force has successfully passed through the Suez Channel and entered
the Mediterranean. It is the first time in decades that Pacific Fleet warships
enter this region,” Capt. First Rank [...]
http://www.darkgovernment.com/
A group of warships from Russia’s Pacific Fleet entered the Mediterranean
waters for the first time in decades, a fleet spokesman said on Thursday
“The task force has successfully passed through the Suez Channel and entered
the Mediterranean. It is the first time in decades that Pacific Fleet warships
enter this region,” Capt. First Rank [...]
Iranian Press Claims Israel Nuked Syria
Iranian Press Claims Israel Nuked Syria
http://www.darkgovernment.com/
Striking evidence of the use of American EPW (Earth Penetrating Weapons) nuclear
weapons in Syria has come to light. Experts say the proof is irrefutable.
Dramatic video footage from Syria has revealed startling evidence that counters
Israel’s claims of “surgical strikes” on weapons headed to Lebanon.
What were said to be air strikes is now proven [...]
U.S. Orders 3D Printed Gun Files Removed From Internet
U.S. Orders 3D Printed Gun Files Removed From Internet
http://www.darkgovernment.com/
The US government has demanded designs for a 3D-printed gun be taken offline.
The order to remove the blueprints for the plastic gun comes after they were
downloaded more than 100,000 times.
The US State Department wrote to the gun's designer, Defense Distributed,
suggesting publishing them online may breach arms-control regulations.
Although the files have been removed from [...]
The Google Bilderberg Merger in Perspective
The Google Bilderberg Merger in Perspective
http://www.darkgovernment.com/
The secretive Bilderberg Group has had more exposure in the past several years
than it has since its founding in 1954.
This is due mostly to the alternative media pushing the issue to the forefront.
Today Bilderberg appears to be grooming itself for a new era and coming into the
open. As reported by Paul Joseph [...]
Suicide Numbers Trump Those of Great Depression
Suicide Numbers Trump Those of Great Depression
http://www.darkgovernment.com/
Higher Numbers of Americans Take Their Lives than During the Depths of the Great
Depression
Suicide rates are tied to the economy.
The Boston Globe reported in 2011:
A new report issued today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
finds that the overall suicide rate rises and falls with the state of the
economy — dating [...]
http://www.darkgovernment.com/
Higher Numbers of Americans Take Their Lives than During the Depths of the Great
Depression
Suicide rates are tied to the economy.
The Boston Globe reported in 2011:
A new report issued today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
finds that the overall suicide rate rises and falls with the state of the
economy — dating [...]
Orthodox Jews Resist Israeli Army Enlistment
Orthodox Jews Resist Israeli Army Enlistment
http://www.darkgovernment.com/
Thousands of ultra-Orthodox Jews have taken to the streets of Jerusalem in
protest over plans by the Israeli government to enlist them in the military.
Many are currently exempt on religious grounds.
Police said between 15,000 to 20,000 protesters gathered outside the army
recruiting office in Jerusalem, with some throwing stones and other objects
[...]
Russia Supplying Syria with Advanced Air Defense Hardware, Israel is Pissed
Russia Supplying Syria with Advanced Air Defense Hardware, Israel is Pissed
http://www.darkgovernment.com/
Undeterred by pleas and warnings from Israel, Russia made clear on Thursday that
it will go ahead with its planned delivery of a highly sophisticated air-defense
system to Syria’s President Bashar Assad.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly warned Russian President Vladimir
Putin in an emergency face-to-face meeting on Tuesday that Moscow’s sale of
the S-300 missile [...]
Russia Defends Sale Of 'Ship Killer' Missiles To Syria
Russia Defends Sale Of 'Ship Killer' Missiles To Syria
http://www.businessinsider.com/russia-is-stilling-supporting-assad-2013-5?utm_source=alerts&nr_email_referer=1It's Time To Discuss The Secret CIA Operation At The Heart Of The Benghazi Scandal
It's Time To Discuss The Secret CIA Operation At The Heart Of The Benghazi Scandal
http://www.businessinsider.com/the-secret-cia-mission-in-benghazi-2013-5?utm_source=alerts&nr_email_referer=1
Russian Analysis of U.S. Global Strategy
The
Russian International Affairs Council, a two-plus-year-old government
organized non-governmental organization, has produced a very stimulating
analysis of U.S. strategy that will, I think, enjoy wide resonance
abroad. http://russiancouncil.ru/en/
WPR Articles 13 May 2013 - 17 May 2013
WPR Articles 13 May 2013 - 17 May 2013Diplomatic Fallout: A More Hawkish Europe Gives U.S. Second ThoughtsBy: Richard Gowan | Column
Does
the U.S. genuinely want Europe to police its geopolitical backyard?
When it comes to the Syrian crisis, the answer seems to be no. The peace
conference announced last week was a setback for Britain and France’s
more hawkish approach and reflects a paradox: While the U.S. has
frequently called for Europe to take responsibility for its own
security, Washington is often nervous about the results.
Global Insider: Barzani Set to Continue Dominance of Iraqi Kurdish PoliticsBy: The Editors | Trend Lines
In
an email interview, Michael M. Gunter, a professor of political science
at Tennessee Technological University who focuses on Kurdish issues,
discussed the state of internal Kurdish politics.
Russia Tries to Manage Arab Awakening From the OutsideBy: Dmitri Trenin | Briefing
Like
virtually everyone else, Moscow was surprised by the groundswell of
change that began in the Arab world in early 2011. The present “Arab
Awakening,” Russian experts opine, may take decades and is likely to
transform the region. The Russian leadership has two main worries: U.S.
involvement in nominally sovereign countries, and the potential of
spillover from the Arab Spring onto the Russian neighborhood.
China-India Border Incident Highlights Uncertainties in Bilateral RelationsBy: Iain Mills | Briefing
China's
recent incursion into Indian territory along their disputed border in
eastern Kashmir brings to the fore the unpredictability of Chinese
foreign policy implementation and Beijing's frequent recourse to
low-level aggression. Despite a general trend toward deepening
cooperation between China and India, the incident lowers hopes that
China's new leadership will clear up uncertainty in bilateral relations.
The Realist Prism: China the Likely Winner if U.S. Intervenes in SyriaBy: Nikolas Gvosdev | Column
Chinese
strategists likely see the prospect of a U.S. intervention in Syria as
very beneficial to China. This might seem counterintuitive, given that
Beijing has blocked efforts in the U.N. to authorize action in Syria.
But while China is not interested in legitimizing U.S. involvement,
Beijing would quickly seize the opportunity to take advantage should the
U.S. decide to entangle itself in Syria.
|
Guinea Inches Toward Stability
By: Dane F. Smith | Briefing
A
series of violent incidents between opposition protesters and security
forces in Conakry have highlighted the challenges still impeding
Guinea’s political transition since the death in 2008 of longtime leader
Lansana Conte. Despite progress toward stability, Guinea lacks a
functioning legislature, is beset by ethnic tension and is stifled by
corruption, leaving the outcome of the transition uncertain.
Sharif Victory Unlikely to Change Pakistan’s Foreign Policy Priorities
By: Catherine Cheney | Trend Lines
Former
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is beginning talks to form a new government
in Pakistan after winning the country’s general elections held over the
weekend.
After Success: Poverty Beyond the MDGs
By: Claire Melamed | Feature
The
U.N. Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) have now been part of the
global conversation for nearly 15 years, and have proved to be a popular
way to think about global development. As the 2015 deadline for
achieving the MDGs looms, the discussion over what the next set of
global ambitions should be is throwing into sharp relief some of the big
changes that have happened in the world of global development policy,
and in the world more generally, since the 1990s.
Global Insights: Sharif’s Victory Offers U.S. Opportunity to Reset Pakistan Ties
By: Richard Weitz | Column
The
victory by former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in Pakistan’s national
elections offers the U.S. an opportunity to develop and execute a
strategy for improving the troubled relationship with Islamabad.
Although the Obama administration has defined detailed goals for what it
would like to achieve in Afghanistan, as well as strategies for
attaining them, U.S. officials have yet to do the same for Pakistan.
The Politics of Poverty: South America's Conditional Cash Transfers
By: Michael Shifter, Cameron Combs | Feature
Over
the past decade in South America, sound policymaking and deepening
concern with social disparities have resulted in dramatic reductions in
the levels of poverty. However, no matter how well designed and
intentioned social programs might be, they are most likely to be
sustainable if carried out within a context of effective democratic
institutions. In this regard, political and institutional factors are
central in accounting for the relative success of social policy
experiments throughout the region.
Trading Up: The Impact of Trade Liberalization on Poverty
By: L. Alan Winters | Feature
Does
international trade liberalization reduce poverty? The question is an
important and relevant one. It was high on the agenda in the late-1990s
and after a decade or so of quiescence it is starting to worry
policymakers again. Fortunately, it permits a fairly definite answer,
one that surprises many people. While there clearly are exceptions, the
answer is “in the long run and on average, almost always, yes, trade
liberalization reduces poverty.”
After Rios Montt Conviction, Guatemala’s Judicial Sector Still Needs Support
By: Catherine Cheney | Trend Lines
Last
week, Efrain Rios Montt, the former Guatemalan dictator who ruled the
country during the most violent years of its civil war, was found guilty
of crimes against humanity and genocide and sentenced to 80 years in
prison.
Strategic Horizons: Benghazi and the Myth of the Invincible U.S. Military
By: Steven Metz | Column
The
controversy over whether the Obama administration lied about the
September 2012 attack on the U.S. diplomatic compound in Benghazi,
Libya, will consume Washington for some time, ultimately influencing the
way the U.S. military responds to crises. But while the emotion
associated with the inability to stop the attack is understandable, it
may push the military to take excessive risks in future crises.
As U.S. Pivots, Britain Hedges Its Military Bets
By: Julian Lindley-French | Briefing
As
the British armed forces rebuild after more than a decade of sustained
military operations, the U.S.-U.K. strategic relationship has come under
intense scrutiny. While London remains committed to working alongside
the U.S., there is deep concern that Washington has become a less than
reliable partner. Were it not for the political and economic turmoil in
the eurozone, U.S.-U.K. relations might be in crisis.
Global Insider: Cuba Sends Doctors to Brazil as Bilateral Ties Grow
By: The Editors | Trend Lines
In an
email interview, John M. Kirk, a professor at Canada’s Dalhousie
University, explained the history of Cuba’s medical diplomacy and its
importance to Cuba’s slowly reforming economy.
World Citizen: In Spain, a Turn to 'None of the Above'
By: Frida Ghitis | Column
The
people of Spain are now living through the fifth year of a deep economic
recession, experiencing a level of unemployment that would have seemed
inconceivable before the bottom fell out. But despite countless protests
and furious debate, the Spanish are becoming disillusioned with all the
options before them. As the recession lingers and the hardships
intensify, the answer increasingly is “none of the above.”
U.S. Delay on Anti-Nuclear Terror Measures Hinders Global Efforts
By: Miles Pomper, Kingston Reif | Briefing
Two
factors, among others, help explain the government’s decision to charge
Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev with the use of a WMD: The
charge is seen by prosecutors as relatively easy to prove, and it can be
punished by the death penalty. This highlights the irrelevance of a
dispute in the U.S. Senate that is holding up important new anti-nuclear
and anti-radiological terrorism legislation.
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