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Friday, May 31, 2013

Russian-Czech Agreement on Temelin Power Plant to Irk US


Russian-Czech Agreement on Temelin Power Plant to Irk US
Energy Tribune
Infrastructure investment projects like Temelin nuclear power plant could be the cornerstone of successful bilateral cooperation. Temelin NPP means not only thousands new jobs, but also affordable energy for the Czech industry. It can truly be a safety ...http://www.energytribune.com/77333/russian-czech-agreement-on-temelin-power-plant-to-irk-us#sthash.8SXde0tr.dpbs

US imposes sanctions on Iran's petrochemical industry

US imposes sanctions on Iran's petrochemical industry

Al-Arabiya - ‎47 minutes ago‎
The Nouri petrochemical plant is seen in Assalouyeh, 1,000 km (621 miles) south of Tehran, January 27, 2011. (Reuters). Tweet. Timothy Gardner - Reuters, WASHINGTON. The United States blacklisted on Friday eight companies in Iran's petrochemical ...http://english.alarabiya.net/en/business/economy/2013/06/01/U-S-imposes-sanctions-on-Iran-s-petrochemical-industry.html

John Kiriakou Pens “Letter from Loretto” | The Dissenter

 

John Kiriakou Pens “Letter from Loretto” | The Dissenter


Former CIA agent John Kiriakou, who blew the whistle on the US government’s use of torture under the Bush administration, is currently serving a 30 month sentence at the Federal Correctional Institution in Loretto, Pennsylvania.

Economic Storm Clouds Ahead by Robert Reich

Economic Storm Clouds Ahead


http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/05/31-12

UK poised to supply arms to Syria rebels this summer



UK poised to supply arms to Syria rebels this summer
The UK is poised to ship arms to some rebel factions in Syria as soon as this summer if a planned peace conference in Geneva this month fails to make significant progress, according to British officials
http://link.ft.com/r/EB8122/7ZSXUR/IYD9ZO/XHUDCH/SUW0JI/XL/h?a1=2013&a2=5&a3=31

WPR Articles 28 May 2013 - 31 May 2013

WPR Articles 28 May 2013 - 31 May 2013

Despite Similarities, Bolivia's Morales Breaks the ALBA Mold

By: Christopher Sabatini | Briefing
Bolivian President Evo Morales’ successful push to clear the way for a potential third term has reinforced the fears of many observers who, ever since he was first elected president in December 2005, have lumped him in with the populist, anti-democratic leaders in Venezuela, Ecuador and Nicaragua. But in important economic and political ways, Bolivia was and remains different from its ALBA allies.

Global Insights: Need for New Thinking in Russia-NATO Relations

By: Richard Weitz | Column
The May 23 Moscow European Security Conference, which gathered government representatives and analysts to discuss the range of issues confronting policymakers for European security today, highlighted the many areas of divergence between Russia and the West on matters of European and global security. But it also offered some opportunities for renewed engagement and dialogue on these often divisive issues.

Honduras Gang Truce, Modeled on El Salvador’s, Unlikely to See the Same Success

By: Catherine Cheney | Trend Lines
In Honduras, the Central American country with the highest homicide rate in the world, the two largest and most dangerous street gangs declared a truce Tuesday. The agreement between MS-13 and Barrio 18 is modeled after one that took effect last year between the same gangs in El Salvador.

Mongolia’s Presidential Election Could Be Pivotal for Balancing Future Growth

By: Jonathan Berkshire Miller | Briefing
On June 26, Mongolians will go to the polls to elect their next president, with incumbent Tsakhia Elbegdorj predicted to return to office with a renewed mandate. The election's outcome will have significant international implications. Mongolia's continued growth remains uncertain due to an overdependence on the global commodity market and investor concerns about rampant corruption and pegged contracts.

Qatar, Saudi Arabia Diverge in Battle to Shape Changing Middle East

By: Brian Katulis | Briefing
Since the start of the Middle East uprisings, the region has slipped into uncertainty, with a battle for political influence and legitimacy stretching across state borders. Two rich countries in the Persian Gulf, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, have operated with different and sometimes divergent strategies for trying to shape the political transitions in Egypt and impact violent struggles in places like Syria.

Finishing the Job: Security Sector Reform After the Arab Spring

By: Omar Ashour | Feature
The Arab Uprisings were principally sparked by the brutality of the security sector in almost every single country where they occurred. Now, those security services must be fixed. Following the removal of dictatorships in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya and Yemen, security sector reform became an immediate objective of both revolutionary and reformist forces, regardless of ideological or political affiliation. How this reform process plays out will be decisive in determining the future of Arab democracy.

Global Insider: For Iceland’s Public, EU Accession Remains a Divisive Issue

By: The Editors | Trend Lines
In an email interview, Maximilian Conrad, an assistant professor of European politics at the University of Iceland, discussed Iceland’s recent decision to suspend European Union accession talks.

In the Crossfire: Police Reform in Central America

By: Mark Ungar | Feature
The countries of Central America’s northern triangle—Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras—have become a center for illegal narcotics transshipment. The combination of weak institutions, political instability and corrupt police in these countries makes the region an ideal base for traffickers. And with astronomical crime rates, the national police are too overwhelmed to take on the cartels. To address this mounting citizen security crisis, these three countries have adopted a range of responses.

The Forgotten Force: Police-Building in Iraq and Afghanistan

By: Walter C. Ladwig III | Feature
Developing competent local police forces is an absolute imperative to stabilize a fragile state. Yet, the U.S. government frequently seems to honor this principle in the breach. The U.S. experience with police-building in Afghanistan and Iraq makes it clear that the development of effective indigenous police forces is too important a task to leave to the uncoordinated half-measures of the interagency process or the well-intentioned improvisation of troops in the field.

After Obama Meeting, Turkey's Erdogan Recalibrates Syria Policy

By: Yigal Schleifer | Briefing
Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan’s mid-May Washington visit played out differently than many observers expected, with the U.S. president getting the Turkish prime minister to publicly support an international conference next month on solving the conflict, which Erdogan had previously dismissed. Erdogan’s changed tone is an indication of a wider recalibration of Turkey’s Syria policy.

Strategic Horizons: Don't Count on U.S. Security Partnership With Nigeria

By: Steven Metz | Column
Theoretically the U.S. could help Nigeria in its battle against Boko Haram. Nigeria's economic, political and military potential make it a prime candidate for a close partnership, and there are unconfirmed reports of small deployments of U.S. military advisers to the country. Chances are, though, this won't amount to much, as the obstacles to an expanded partnership outweigh the need for it at this point.

World Citizen: Virtue Versus Economic Policy in the Netherlands

By: Frida Ghitis | Column
When news of economic troubles in Europe started emerging in 2009, the prevailing narrative in the Netherlands blamed the troubles in Greece on a lack of discipline, understandable considering the temptations of leisure along the sunny Mediterranean coast. Today, however, Europe’s economic woes have reached the North Sea shores, sending a chill through one of the most disciplined economies of the EU.

The Realist Prism: Before Arming Syrian Rebels, U.S. Must Weigh Consequences

By: Nikolas Gvosdev | Column
The termination of the EU embargo on providing military equipment to Syria's rebels, combined with renewed efforts in the U.S. Congress to goad the Obama administration into providing arms to the anti-Assad fighters, suggests that the West will soon become more directly involved in the Syrian civil war. If so, they ought to proceed with their eyes fully open, having weighed all the possible consequences.
background
See more Articles at World Politics Review

There Are Four Big Military Developments In China That Startle The US

There Are Four Big Military Developments In China That Startle The US


http://www.businessinsider.com/chinas-military-concerns-pentagon-2013-5?utm_source=alerts&nr_email_referer=1

The Latest National Security coverage from FP 5/31

The Latest National Security coverage from FP

How Beijing Can Reassure Its Neighbors in the South China Sea

How Beijing Can Reassure Its Neighbors in the South China Sea
Carla Freeman Article May 30, 2013

Summary
Regional stability is vital to sustaining the vibrancy of the Chinese and regional economies. It is in China’s interest to take steps to prevent further militarization of these disputes.
Competing territorial and jurisdictional claims in the resource-rich South China Sea have once again brought states in the region into direct confrontation. Maritime tensions have spilled over into broader regional interactions, injecting new frictions into relations among ASEAN members.

China’s substantial maritime claims in the resource-rich waters put it at the center of these disputes. Beijing’s claims overlap extensively with those of Vietnam, while the Philippines and several other states ringing the South China Sea have competing claims as well. In recent years, more assertive action by claimants, including China, to promote or reinforce their maritime stakes has increased the risk of conflict emerging that could destabilize the region.

Yet, regional stability is vital to sustaining the vibrancy of the Chinese and regional economies. In an era of international uncertainty and global security challenges, it is in China’s interest to take steps to prevent further militarization of these disputes. Beijing should take steps to foster cooperation with neighbors with which it has maritime disputes.
Carla Freeman is an associate research professor at the Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies, where she also serves as the associate director of the China Studies Program and executive director of the Foreign Policy Institute.http://carnegieendowment.org/2013/05/30/how-beijing-can-reassure-its-neighbors-in-south-china-sea/g7c4

When the dragon comes calling SRINATH RAGHAVAN

http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/when-the-dragon-comes-calling/article4766718.ece

The Hindu

OPINION » LEAD

May 30, 2013

When the dragon comes calling

SRINATH RAGHAVAN

The new Chinese leadership wants to reach out to India and New Delhi should make the most of the opportunity to move forward on the strategic and economic fronts

Diplomatic scorecards are notoriously difficult to draw up. The game goes on for too long and the points scored are often incommensurable. Yet the temptation to pronounce an immediate verdict is difficult to resist. Indeed, during the Chinese Premier’s recent visit, the only question that seemed of interest was: who got the better of the other? However, any serious assessment of the visit should focus on questions of continuity and change. After all, India will have to deal with this Chinese leadership for the next decade or so.

The Diffusion of Soft Power, Gangnam Style

The Diffusion of Soft Power, Gangnam Style


http://www.milkeninstitute.org/publications/review/2013_4/05-13MR58.pdf

Anonymous Claims Responsibility for Downing Monsanto Site

Anonymous Claims Responsibility for Downing Monsanto Site
http://www.darkgovernment.com/news/anonymous-claims-responsibility-for-downing-monsanto-site/

Hackers from the Anonymous collective claimed to have infiltrated the website
for the biotech giant Monsanto, which has been the subject of recent
international protests.

The cyber-attack was carried out as part of #OpMonsanto, an attempt to
demonstrate against Monsanto’s reach into every aspect of the food industry,
from nature to farmers to consumers. The corporation’s [...]

Top U.S. Tax Breaks to Cost 12 Trillion Over a Decade

Top U.S. Tax Breaks to Cost 12 Trillion Over a Decade
http://www.darkgovernment.com/news/top-u-s-tax-breaks-to-cost-12-trillion-over-a-decade/

The top ten U.S. tax deductions, credits and exclusions will keep $12 trillion
out of federal government coffers over the next decade, and several of them
mainly benefit the wealthiest Americans, a new study from the Congressional
Budget Office shows.

The top 20 percent of income earners will reap more than half of the $900
billion [...]

Experimental GMO Wheat Found in Oregon Farm, Japan Cancels Order

Experimental GMO Wheat Found in Oregon Farm, Japan Cancels Order
http://www.darkgovernment.com/news/experimental-gmo-wheat-found-in-oregon-farm-japan-cancels-order/

LONDON (MarketWatch) -- Japanese authorities have cancelled a tender offer to
buy wheat from the U.S., after unapproved genetically modified wheat was found
in an Oregon field, Reuters reported on Thursday.

Other major wheat importers South Korea, China and the Philippines also said
they were monitoring the situation, after the find stirred concerns that the
[...]

Iran Terror Sponsorship Rising


Iran Terror Sponsorship Rising
http://www.darkgovernment.com/news/iran-terror-sponsorship-rising/

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Iran's sponsorship of terrorism overseas underwent "a
marked resurgence" in 2012, reaching levels not seen in 20 years, the U.S. State
Department charged on Thursday in its annual report on trends in political
violence.

The report cited a series of actual and planned attacks in Europe and Asia
linked to Hezbollah, Iran's Lebanon-based [...]

Eurozone Hits Record 12.2% Unemployment

Eurozone Hits Record 12.2% Unemployment
http://www.darkgovernment.com/news/eurozone-hits-record-12-2-unemployment/

In April a further 95,000 people across the eurozone lost their jobs, says
Eurostat. This marked another all-time high unemployment rate, with the total of
19.38mn people now out of work.

April's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate stood at 12.2%, up from 12.1%in
the previous month, according to the  European Commission's statistics office.

Southern states like Greece, Spain [...]

Starving Zambia Refuses Shipment of GMO's

Starving Zambia Refuses Shipment of GMO's
http://www.darkgovernment.com/news/starving-zambia-refuses-shipment-of-gmos/

The Zambian Government has finally decided not to accept a donation of
genetically modified food for nearly three million of its people facing famine.

The decision was taken after the Zambian Government despatched a team of
scientists around the world to study the potential effects of importing GM
crops.

The food aid was initially offered by the [...]

Russia to Sell 10 MiG Fighter Jets to Syria

Russia to Sell 10 MiG Fighter Jets to Syria
http://www.darkgovernment.com/news/russia-to-sell-10-mig-fighter-jets-to-syria/



MOSCOW — Russia's MiG aircraft maker said Friday it plans to sign a new
agreement to ship at least 10 fighter jets to Syria, a move that comes amid
international criticism of earlier Russian weapons deals with Syrian President
Bashar Assad's regime.

MiG's director general, Sergei Korotkov, said a Syrian delegation was in Moscow
to discuss [...]

Upcoming: A Five Part Series on F-35 Unit Cost

On Monday, June 3, Time magazine's Battleland will start running a five part series I have written on the past, present, and future unit cost of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.  The series will appear at about 9:00 AM each day next week at http://nation.time.com/category/battleland/.
Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, F-35 Program Manager Lieutenant General Christopher Bogdan and DOD's new F-35 Selected Acquisition Report all assert the cost to buy an F-35 is coming down.  As a result, of course, they imply the US and its foreign partners should continue with their commitments to buy it.   
The empirical data say otherwise.  In fact, F-35 unit costs, which are now on average above $200 million per copy, are going up, and -- even more against the grain of the newly optimistic conventional wisdom -- promises that the F-35 will become affordable defy history, reason and the available data.
This five part series will address –
1)      The new era of good feelings for the F-35 being rolled out by Secretary Hagel, General Bogdan, the new SAR, and even GAO.
2)      How the Defense Department’s official documents, and others, cook the books on F-35 costs.
3)      What does a generic F-35 actually cost today?
4)      Does the story change when you look at the Air Force’s and Navy’s F-35 variants, and what are the most likely future trends?
5)      What conclusions and recommendations can observers take from the actual F-35 cost history?
 
As the series rolls out, I welcome any comments or questions.
_____________________________
Winslow T. Wheeler
Director
Straus Military Reform Project,
Center for Defense Information at the
Project On Government Oversight (POGO)
301 791-2397 (home office)
301 221-3897 (cell)

The Latest from FP 5/31

There Are 4 Million U.S. Job Openings: Why Are The Positions Unfilled?

By Adam Lewis

Top Marine Says America Will Be At War For A Long Time

While President Barack Obama has time and again claimed that the War On Terror is coming to an end, Marine Corps Commandant General John Amos gave a bleaker outlook during a speech Wednesday at Brookings. According to Amos, the war on terror is far from over.  Sandra Erwin, editor of Defense News, even went so far as to use the headline, "Top Marine Sees a Future of Perpetual War." "Sooner or late

Americans Are Not Even Close To Making Up What They Lost In The Recession

  American households have regained less than half of the wealth lost during the Great Recession (2007 to 2009), according to a new analysis from the St. Louis Federal Reserve. The researched found that U.S. households accumulated net worth totaling $66 trillion at the end of last year, down 55 percent from the peak in 2007 when adjusted for inflation and population growth. The report found that

Japan Blocks Huge US Wheat Import After Genetically Modified Crop Discovery

  Japan Blocks Huge US Wheat Import After Genetically Modified Crop Discovery
 Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/japan-blocks-huge-us-wheat-import-2013-5#ixzz2Us6gX2eA
http://www.businessinsider.com/japan-blocks-huge-us-wheat-import-2013-5?utm_source=feedly&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+businessinsider+%28Business+Insider%29

What Is Concierge Healthcare?

With healthcare institutions throughout the world increasingly stressed, the wealthy are regularly not inclined to rely on these public systems – at least not in the ways the masses rely on them. Instead, the wealthy are more and more able and likely to pay for a higher if not always exceptional standard of care. The term for this is concierge healthcare.

$16 Trillion Only Reduces Unemployment From 8% to 7.5%

There has been a recovery of $16 trillion in household wealth since early 2009 according to the latest Federal Reserve figures due in great part to Ben Bernanke's quantitative easing program. But it has not generated real fundamental economic growth. Instead, it has buttressed the stock portfolios of wealthy people and the residential home values of the middle class. In fact, it went mostly to the

A History of the Job Market For New College Grads

College graduation -- sure, it's an occasion to celebrate for most undergrads, but in this economy we know it's also a time of gnawing, career-oriented dread for plenty others. Even at Harvard, where Oprah is sharing some words of wisdom at commencement today, just 61 percent of soon-to-be grads told the Crimson that they had an actual job lined up. One in ten said they had no set plans for the fu

Virtually Entire US Media Boycotts "Off The Record" Meeting With Eric Holder

The New York Times, The Associated Press, The Huffington Post, CNN and now, of course, Fox News: these are the media organizations, superficially from across the political spectrum, which have said they will boycott a meeting with the DOJ's embattled head, Eric Holder, on the topic of the DOJ's (not to mention the NSA's) Nixonian abuse of the first amendment and eavesdropping wherever and whenever

A Proxy War Is Raging In Syria

“Our” Sunni Terrorists Are Fighting “Their” Hezbollah Terrorists Right now inside Syria, Hezbollah terrorist fighters – backed by the Syrian government, Iran and Lebanon – are fighting Al Qaeda, Hamas and Muslim Brotherhood terrorist fighters – backed by the U.S., Israel, the Eurozone, Saudi Arabia and Qatar. BBC reports: The military chief of the main umbrella group of Syrian rebels … claimed th

Are Washington, Moscow, and Beijing Creating a New Cold War?

Imagine for a moment that in 2010, China’s leaders had announced a long-term, up to $60 billion arms deal with an extreme Islamic fundamentalist regime in the Middle East, one that was notoriously repressive to women and a well-known supporter of the Taliban.  Imagine as well that the first $30 billion part of that deal, involving 84 advanced jet fighters, was [...]

Why China Is Not the Solution to the Korean Crisis

By Mitchell Lerner


http://thediplomat.com/2013/05/31/why-china-is-not-the-solution-to-the-korean-crisis/?utm_source=The%20Diplomat%20List&utm_campaign=253dd3b2da-Diplomat%20Brief%202012%20vol19&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_359f367095-253dd3b2da-280258325

The US war on terror is not yet over

The US war on terror is not yet over In some countries drones are the only face of US foreign policy. They will not help it or other countries deal with the symptoms of terrorism
http://link.ft.com/r/TWK799/K9GF85/XTL8JY/TUF53O/IE03LP/N9/h?a1=2013&a2=5&a3=31

China Has Drones. Now What?

China Has Drones. Now What?

Andrew Erickson and Austin Strange
The time to fret about when China will acquire drones is over: it has them. The question now is when and how it will use them. But as with its other, less exotic military capabilities, Beijing has cleared only a technological hurdle -- and its behavior will continue to be constrained by politics. Readhttp://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/139405/andrew-erickson-and-austin-strange/china-has-drones-now-what?cid=nlc-this_week_on_foreignaffairs_co-053013-china_has_drones_now_what_3-053013

Testing Turkey

Testing Turkey

Soner Cagaptay
Turkish officials had high hopes of using soft power to establish their country as a leader in the Middle East. But the civil war in Syria revealed that Turkey is no match for Iran and that it needs U.S. protection more than ever. Readhttp://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/139409/soner-cagaptay/testing-turkey?cid=nlc-this_week_on_foreignaffairs_co-053013-testing_turkey_3-053013

Obama Passes the Buck


Obama Passes the Buck

Jack Goldsmith
President Obama's counterterrorism speech didn't earn its hype. Far from changing the country's counterterrorism policy, it will only preserve the status quo. Readhttp://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/139403/jack-goldsmith/obama-passes-the-buck?cid=nlc-this_week_on_foreignaffairs_co-053013-obama_passes_the_buck_3-053013

Thursday, May 30, 2013

Where Are The Liberal Hawks?

Liberal Hawks Were Vocal On Involvement In Iraq But Have Been Quiet On Syria -- Washington Post For interests on both sides of Syria’s civil war, this has been the week to increase the pressure. Hezbollah sent reinforcements to the troops of President Bashar al-Assad, and Russia reiterated its intention to furnish the regime with weapons. At the same time, Republican Sen. John McCain secretly

Assad Confirms: Syria has Received Advanced Anti-Aircraft Missiles from Russia


Assad Confirms: Syria has Received Advanced Anti-Aircraft Missiles from Russia
http://www.darkgovernment.com/news/assad-confirms-syria-has-received-advanced-anti-aircraft-missiles-from-russia/

BEIRUT, Lebanon — President Bashar al-Assad of Syria said in a television
interview to be broadcast on Thursday that Russia has delivered S-300 air
defense missiles to his country, weapons that Israel has said present a threat
to its security and against which it is willing to use force.

“Syria has received the first [...]

Top U.N. Official: Ban Killer Robots


Top U.N. Official: Ban Killer Robots
http://www.darkgovernment.com/news/top-u-n-official-ban-killer-robots/

Robots that can attack and kill without human direction should be banned before
they come into existence, according to a senior UN official.
 Lethal autonomous robotics (LARs) have not yet been created but are described
as "the next major revolution in military affairs".

 The Terminator-style weapons systems could select, engage and kill targets
without further [...]

The Syrian Crisis: Enter Lebanon

nasrallah-Assad-Syria-Lebanon
Published on May 30th, 2013 | by Wayne White
0

The Syrian Crisis: Enter Lebanonhttp://www.lobelog.com/the-syrian-crisis-enter-lebanon/

Bill McKibben: It's Time to Stop Investing in the Fossil Fuel Industry

Bill McKibben: It's Time to Stop Investing in the Fossil Fuel Industry
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/05/30-3

"Off the Record" Meetings with DOJ Exposes Deep Subservience of DC Press Corps

"Off the Record" Meetings with DOJ Exposes Deep Subservience of DC Press Corps
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/05/30-5

Haaretz Editorial: Basic Law: Apartheid in Israel

Basic Law: Apartheid in Israel

The proposal put forth by Coalition Chairman Yariv Levin is nothing short of an apartheid law, aiming to provide a solid legal basis for the exclusion of Israel's Arab minority.

| May.30, 2013 | 3:01 AM | 12

http://www.haaretz.com/opinion/basic-law-apartheid-in-israel.premium-1.526711

Defense Contractors Vastly Outnumber Troops in Afghanistan - Nextgov.com

Defense Contractors Vastly Outnumber Troops in Afghanistan - Nextgov.com


http://m.nextgov.com/defense/2013/05/defense-contractors-vastly-outnumber-troops-afghanistan/63995/

4 utilities to apply for early screening for restart of reactors

 

4 utilities to apply for early screening for restart of reactors

http://ajw.asahi.com/article/behind_news/AJ201305300059

Michael T. Klare: The Cold War Redux?

Michael T. Klare: The Cold War Redux?
Did Washington just give Israel the green light for a future attack on Iran via an arms deal? Did Russia just signal its further support for Bashar al-Assad's Syrian regime via an arms deal?http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-t-klare/global-arms-trade_b_3359375.html?utm_hp_ref=daily-brief?utm_source=DailyBrief&utm_campaign=053013&utm_medium=email&utm_content=BlogEntry&utm_term=Daily%20Brief

Corporate Influence at the Center for American Progress?

Corporate Influence at the Center for American Progress?
KEN SILVERSTEIN | The prominent liberal think tank still skirts questions about its donors. http://www.thenation.com/article/174581/corporate-influence-center-american-progress?rel=emailNation#

Asia and Isolationism William Pfaff


Asia and Isolationism

William Pfaff


          May 29, 2013, Paris – When the Barack Obama administration announced that American foreign policy would “pivot” from Europe and the Middle East towards Asia, some European commentators interpreted the announcement as a return to that isolationism which characterized the United States from its foundation to the two world wars. This interpretation made little sense. If anything, the decision was the result of the notion that China was America’s new rival, and even might become an enemy in the future.
The URL for this article is:
http://www.williampfaff.com/article.php?storyid=629

First Shipment Of Russian S-300 Rockets Arrives In Syria

Two days ago we reported that the most recent escalation in the Syrian proxy war involved a bitter exchange between Russia and Israel, where the latter warned the former that it would proceed with destroying any arms shipments from Russia into Syria, specifically referencing the S-300 missiles that has been known to be en route to Damascus for several weeks now. The Israel defense minister warned

Freedom of Speech? Obama Hands Out the Hemlock by PAUL GOTTINGER


Freedom of Speech?

Obama Hands Out the Hemlock

Why I’m Incorporating Myself

I’m sick of being shoved around by big corporations. They get to pollute the air I breathe; fire my friends, depriving them of health care and retirement funds; pull out of the community I live in, “downsizing” the workforce and leaving the city it probably never paid taxes to in the first place in a shambles, leading to poverty and further job losses; bribe politicians legally and secretly; and g

America in Decline: A Baby Born in Parts of Ohio More Likely to Die Than One Born in North Korea or the Gaza Strip

Infant mortality rates higher than those of countries like Japan or Sweden are one thing— but North Korea? The Gaza Strip?  The following article first appeared in Pacific Standard Magazine. Infant mortality within a three-mile radius around one of the nation’s best children’s hospitals, in Cleveland, Ohio, is worse than that in some third-world countries, Dr. Michele Walsh, neonatology direct

John McCain: War Hero or Something Less?

Two time Medal of Honor recipient Marine Major General Smedley Butler once said “war is a racket.” He might have added that while enriching the few it victimizes and degrades everyone else who is caught up in the meat grinder, soldiers as well as civilians. Consider how accounts of soldiers who are captured and subsequently [...]

US Accused of Politicising Weapons of Mass Destruction

When the United States invaded Iraq back in March 2003, one of its primary objectives was to track down and destroy weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) reportedly stockpiled by the regime of President Saddam Hussein. By its own definition – and by U.N. standards – the United States was frantically searching for WMDs constituting three [...]

An Assault on Freedom of the Press

The firestorm commenced by the revelation of the execution of a search warrant on the personal email server of my Fox News colleague James Rosen continues to rage, and the conflagration engulfing the First Amendment continues to burn; and it is the Department of Justice itself that is fanning the flames. As we know from [...]

After vowing transparency, US silent on drone killing


After vowing transparency, US silent on drone killing
Washington (AFP) May 29, 2013 - A week after President Barack Obama cracked the lid of secrecy on his drone war, the United States refused Wednesday to confirm it had killed a top Pakistani Taliban leader in an airborne attack. Pakistani security and intelligence sources said that Waliur Rehman, deputy leader of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) had perished in an American drone strike, along with at least five other pe ... morehttp://www.spacewar.com/reports/After_vowing_transparency_US_silent_on_drone_killing_999.html

Syria: Obama mulls no-fly zone, Russia sends missiles

Syria: Obama mulls no-fly zone, Russia sends missiles
Beirut, Lebanon (UPI) May 29, 2013 - U.S. President Barack Obama has reportedly asked the Pentagon to draw up plans for a Syrian no-fly zone to cut off the Damascus regime's arms supplies from Russia and Iran. But the window for such an option is getting smaller fast. Moscow has said it will deliver several batteries of Russia's advanced S-300PMU air-defense missile system, purported to be one of the world's most powerful ... morehttp://www.spacewar.com/reports/Syria_Obama_mulls_no-fly_zone_Russia_sends_missiles_999.html

Internet’s Annual Report Card Shows China’s Rise

Internet’s Annual Report Card Shows China’s Rise

The latest version of venture capitalist Mary Meeker’s Internet Trends report arrived this morning, and some of the most interesting of her 117 slides are about the scale and growth of Internet use and businesses in China.

Read more: http://www.technologyreview.com/view/515506/internets-annual-report-card-shows-chinas-rise/#ixzz2UmE3ka00
From MIT Technology Review
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http://www.technologyreview.com/view/515506/internets-annual-report-card-shows-chinas-rise/?utm_campaign=newsletters&utm_source=newsletter-daily-all&utm_medium=email&utm_content=20130530

Ray McGovern: Doubting Obama’s Resolve to Do Right

Ray McGovern: Doubting Obama’s Resolve to Do Right
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/05/29-3

Glenn Greenwald: Will Journalists Take Any Steps to Defend Against Attacks on Press Freedom?

Glenn Greenwald: Will Journalists Take Any Steps to Defend Against Attacks on Press Freedom?
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/05/29-6

Imposing 'No Fly Zone' in Syria Would be 'Act of War' by US

Imposing 'No Fly Zone' in Syria Would be 'Act of War' by US
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/05/29-4

Russia and the Conflict in Syria: Four Myths

Russia and the Conflict in Syria: Four Myths


Those interested in understanding the Russian position on Syria and its consequences for Russian influence in the Middle East may find the analysis at http://mepc.org/journal/middle-east-policy-archives/russia-and-conflict-syria-four-myths to the point.