The Rise of the Petroyuan and the Slow Erosion of Dollar Hegemony

http://www.worldfinancialreview.com/?p=2621

The Rise of the Petroyuan and the Slow Erosion of Dollar Hegemony

by Flynt Leverett and Hillary Mann Leverett 

For seventy years, one of the critical foundations of American power has been the dollar’s standing as the world’s most important currency.  For the last forty years, a pillar of dollar primacy has been the greenback’s dominant role in international energy markets.  Today, China is leveraging its rise as an economic power, and as the most important incremental market for hydrocarbon exporters in the Persian Gulf and the former Soviet Union to circumscribe dollar dominance in global energy—with potentially profound ramifications for America’s strategic position.   http://www.worldfinancialreview.com/?p=2621

http://occupiedpalestine.wordpress.com/2014/07/29/gazaunderattack-israeli-soldier-leaks-accounts-of-revenge-attacks-against-civilians-by-troops-in-gaza/

Israeli Soldier Leaks Accounts of Revenge Attacks Against Civilians by Troops in Gaza

July 29, 2014 by occupiedpalestine 0 Comments
 Tuesday July 29, 2014 12:49 by Celine Hagbard – IMEMC News
A member of the Israeli group ‘Breaking the Silence’ has published accounts of Israeli soldiers being authorized by their commanders to carry out revenge attacks against civilians in the Gaza Strip “to enable the soldiers to take out their frustrations and pain at losing their fellow soldiers”.
Eran Efrati reports, “Soldiers in two different units inside Gaza leaked information about the murdering of Palestinians by sniper fire in Shuja’eyya neighborhood as punishment for the death of soldiers in their units. After the shooting on the Israeli armored personnel carriers, which killed seven soldiers of the Golani Brigade, the Israeli army carried out a massacre in Shuja’eyya neighborhood.http://occupiedpalestine.wordpress.com/2014/07/29/gazaunderattack-israeli-soldier-leaks-accounts-of-revenge-attacks-against-civilians-by-troops-in-gaza/

Obama curbs nuclear security goals as bomb-building budget grows

Obama curbs nuclear security goals as bomb-building budget grows

https://www.publicintegrity.org/2014/07/29/15164/obama-curbs-nuclear-security-goals-bomb-building-budget-grows

The Forces Shaping Transition in Afghanistan: 2014-2016

By Anthony H. Cordesman

Jul 30, 2014

Mr. Chairman, Members of the Committee,
If there is any lesson I have learned during the time between Vietnam and the present, it is that we perpetually seek simplicity and good news in wars that are extraordinarily complex, and we spin the facts into some simple justification of what we are doing rather than face the far more challenging mix of problems and risks that actually shape a conflict.


http://csis.org/publication/forces-shaping-transition-afghanistan-2014-2016

J Street Statement: End the war; defend Kerry

View this email as a web page.

For more than three weeks now, fierce violence has raged between Israel and Hamas, taking an enormous toll in human life and suffering. J Street is deeply shocked and saddened by the losses suffered in this round of violence, from dozens of Israeli soldiers and civilians to the more than a thousand Gaza residents dead, and thousands more wounded. Our hearts go out to the families of all those who have died or been injured, in particular the children whose lives have been cut short by this deadly conflict. The devastation and homelessness in Gaza must be addressed immediately or the suffering there will only continue to lay the seeds for further and deeper violence. J Street’s position on the violence and our recommendations for actions to end it are as follows: It is time for the fighting to end through a sustainable cease-fire agreement. J Street strongly supports Israel’s right to defend itself proportionately against the threat of relentless rockets and to destroy tunnels leading into Israel. We agree with Shimon Peres and other Israeli officials that the military objectives have largely been exhausted and it's now time for Israel to look for a way out of Gaza.  Unltimately, there is no military victory over an ideology and no military solution to a fundamentally political conflict. We adamantly oppose calls for Israel to “reoccupy Gaza”. We support efforts by President Obama and Secretary of State Kerry as well as the engagement of other countries such as Egypt to bring about an immediate cease-fire. Any such cease-fire must account for Israel’s security concerns, specifically from rockets and tunnels, as well as Palestinian humanitarian needs, and should be structured to lead to negotiations to establish arrangements related to security, political issues and humanitarian assistance. We support the inclusion of the Palestinian Authority in the cease-fire and in the negotiations around security, political arrangements and humanitarian assistance. We are deeply offended by attacks on and mischaracterizations of the Secretary’s efforts to resolve this crisis and his relationship to the state of Israel. We believe his pursuit of not only a cease-fire but a two-state solution represents the highest possible form of friendship to Israel and all the people of the region, and we salute and support the Secretary for his efforts. Every effort should be made to establish arrangements that minimize the chances that another round of violence erupts again in two years. A real solution for Gaza must (a) address Israel's legitimate security concerns from both rockets and tunnels, (b) establish a structure that brings the West Bank and Gaza together politically and allows Palestinian differences to be settled politically, and (c) address the serious humanitarian issues that face the civilian population in Gaza including greater freedom of movement for people and goods for non-military purposes. J Street supports those suggesting that cease-fire negotiations be used to advance prospects for a Palestinian unity government committed to early elections and demilitarization in Gaza. Allowing the previously-signed reconciliation agreement between Palestinian factions to move forward as part of the cease-fire deal might pave the way for a Palestinian government with a broad mandate and committed to a long-term cease-fire. The ongoing conflict between Israelis and Palestinians and the violence it spawns cannot be addressed without looking at the deeper issues at stake in the underlying Israeli-Palestinian conflict. This conflict didn’t start when the latest rockets began flying three weeks ago or with the terrible kidnapping and murder of three teenagers or Israel’s response to that incident. The roots of this conflict remain the tragic fight between two peoples over one land and the unresolved status of territory won by Israel in the 1967 war that has been occupied since and on which the Palestinian people will one day build their state. Failure to address and resolve these underlying issues through a two-state solution condemns both peoples to a never-ending spiral of violence that will only deepen as technology improves and hatred festers. We remain absolutely committed to achieving a comprehensive diplomatic resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that results in two states for two peoples. A never-ending and deepening cycle of violence will do nothing to advance that cause. Only a two-state solution that resolves the underlying conflict will ensure Israel’s safety, security and legitimacy as the democratic homeland of the Jewish people and provide the Palestinian people with freedom, dignity and self-determination.

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CFR Daily News Brief 7/30 Russia Reacts to New U.S., EU Sanctions

Daily News Brief July 30, 2014

Top of the Agenda

Russia Reacts to New U.S., EU Sanctions

Russia's central bank on Wednesday (WaPo) promised to help financial institutions targeted by the West, a day after the European Union and United States ratcheted sanctions on Russia's defense, finance, and energy industries. The coordinated measures exacerbate tensions that Russian president Vladimir Putin is balancing between business tycoons and nationalists (FT). Meanwhile, Belarus said it will host talks (Reuters) between Ukraine and Russia, while Dutch-led investigators once again failed to reach the Malaysia Airlines crash site (Bloomberg) even as the Ukrainian army continued to make advances against rebels in the country's east.

Analysis

"There would appear to be inexorable momentum for further sanctions: (1) Europe now is less of a constraint on further U.S. action; (2) Ukraine is achieving success on the battlefield, and without intensified Russian involvement would likely see further gains. If recent evidence of Russian shelling across the border is any indication, Russia has intensified its support in response to developments on the ground, which is justification for further sanctions; and (3) sanctions are likely to be extended over time in response to evasion," writes CFR's Robert Kahn.

"This change of view makes all the more troubling France's continued determination to deliver at least one of the two Mistral-class warships it is building for Russia for 1.2 billion euros, or about $1.6 billion. The Mistral is not heavily armed, but it is a serious military asset," writes the New York Times' board in an editorial.

"An improvement in the international climate is nevertheless unlikely without political change in Russia. For what makes Mr Putin so confrontational on the world stage is, at bottom, an awareness that Russia's post-communist attempt at building a modern state and society is running into the sands," writes the Financial Times in an editorial.

Gaza myths and facts: what American Jewish leaders won't tell you

Myth: Gaza is free. Fact: it has been under Israeli occupation since 1967 to this very day.

By Peter Beinart
http://www.haaretz.com/opinion/.premium-1.608008

A City-Sized Prison-House - Stanford University Press Blog

http://stanfordpress.typepad.com/blog/2014/07/a-city-sized-prison-house.html

A City-Sized Prison-House - Stanford University Press Blog

The no-man’s-land that surrounds the entrance to the Gaza Strip from Israel is a surreal space. Most of the time, it is a hot, flat, quiet place. Tumbleweeds might appear if there was movement in the air and it existed in the Midwest of the United States 200 years ago. But in the Mediterranean of today, the air is still. Only the exposed walk from where the taxi must leave its foreign passenger to the Israeli security point produces a disturbance in the torpor that surrounds this zone.

Is Killing Civilians Part Of Israel's Plan?

Is Killing Civilians Part Of Israel's Plan?

By Jonathan Cook

Keep them preoccupied with the essentials of life rather than demanding, or fighting, for their rights.  

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article39269.htm

Israel's Big Decision: Time to Take Hamas Out?

Israel's Big Decision: Time to Take Hamas Out?

07/30/14

Matthew S. Cohen

Military Strategy, Defense, Security, Israel, Palestinian territories

"The removal of Hamas, an organization that firmly rejects all compromise or accommodation, would enhance the odds that peace could be achieved."

Israel is faced with two opportunities that could help ensure its security for generations. While each offers great challenges, the failure to achieve them both will haunt Israel.

First, Israel has the chance to remove Hamas’ terrorist government from power; it must take this opportunity. Hamas has never been weaker. Arab nations are distracted by their own unrest following the “Arab Spring” and have turned away from supporting Hamas. New governments are attempting to manage the ongoing threats to their control or power. These factors make Arab states less sympathetic to Hamas or interested in Israel.

Some Arab nations and groups would actually like to see Hamas removed from power. While the Palestinian Authority has publicly stated it wants a cease-fire, they would likely be happy to regain control of Gaza from Hamas. Saudi Arabian media has offered stinging criticism of Hamas, saying Hamas’ actions in escalating the conflict have been “unreasonable and irresponsible.” The Saudi media has argued that Hamas has been willing to sacrifice the lives of Gaza’s citizens by “exposing them to inevitable attacks.”

Read full articlehttp://nationalinterest.org/feature/israels-big-decision-time-take-hamas-out-10975

Solving the Middle East's Refugee Disaster

http://nationalinterest.org/feature/solving-the-middle-easts-refugee-disaster-10976

Russia and the West's Dangerous Clash: Time for NATO & EU Expansion East?

http://nationalinterest.org/feature/russia-the-wests-dangerous-clash-time-nato-eu-expansion-east-10978

What Is at Stake in Ukraine

http://nationalinterest.org/feature/what-stake-ukraine-10979

"A War Crimes Investigation Could Benefit Both Sides in Gaza"

Bill Blum on the ICC
"A War Crimes Investigation Could Benefit Both Sides in Gaza" -- If and when Palestine becomes a member state of the International Criminal Court, Israel should rejoin, and cooperate with any investigation into human rights violations.
http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/a_war_crimes_investigation_could_benefit_both_sides_in_gaza_20140729

Jihadists defend Iraq shrine demolitions

Jihadists defend Iraq shrine demolitions
Baghdad (AFP) July 29, 2014 - The Islamic State group Tuesday defended its destruction of religious sites in the Iraqi city of Mosul on the grounds that the use of mosques built on graves amounted to idolatry. "The demolition of structures erected above graves is a matter of great religious clarity," the jihadist group said in a statement posted on one of its main websites. "Our pious predecessors have done so... The ... morehttp://www.spacewar.com/reports/Jihadists_defend_Iraq_shrine_demolitions_999.html

US plans largest ever sale of Hellfire missiles to Iraq

US plans largest ever sale of Hellfire missiles to Iraq
Washington (AFP) July 29, 2014 - The United States plans to sell 5,000 Hellfire missiles to Iraq in a $700 million deal, officials said Tuesday, as Washington tries to help Baghdad retake ground captured by Sunni militants. The US government, which has been reluctant so far to take military action in support of Baghdad, has rushed hundreds of the missiles to Iraq to help the Shiite-led government counter jihadists, who have ... morehttp://www.spacewar.com/reports/US_plans_largest_ever_sale_of_Hellfire_missiles_to_Iraq_999.html

Aviation officials call for anti-air weapons law, better threat data

Aviation officials call for anti-air weapons law, better threat data
Montreal (AFP) July 29, 2014 - Aviation officials called for better dissemination of flight risks and a UN law restricting anti-aircraft weapons use, at an emergency meeting Tuesday on the downing of Flight MH17 over Ukraine. International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Secretary General Raymond Benjamin and International Air Transport Association (IATA) Director Tony Tyler told a press conference in Montreal that bot ... morehttp://www.spacemart.com/reports/Aviation_officials_call_for_anti-air_weapons_law_better_threat_data_999.html

US vows strict monitoring of any Iran nuclear deal

US vows strict monitoring of any Iran nuclear deal
Washington (AFP) July 29, 2014 - US officials pledged Tuesday that any deal struck with Iran would include a strict monitoring regime to thwart any bid by Iranian leaders to covertly try to develop nuclear weapons. But top US negotiator Wendy Sherman would not be drawn by lawmakers on whether Washington and its partners would seek to extend the complex talks beyond a new November 24 deadline. "Transparency and monitorin ... morehttp://www.spacewar.com/reports/US_vows_strict_monitoring_of_any_Iran_nuclear_deal_999.html

Russia has violated arms treaty by testing cruise missile: US

Russia has violated arms treaty by testing cruise missile: US
Washington (AFP) July 29, 2014 - The United States has found that Russia violated a 1987 arms control treaty by testing a ground-launched cruise missile, a senior US official said late Monday, calling the matter "very serious." The announcement adds a new dispute at a time of already heightened tensions between Washington and the Kremlin over the crisis in Ukraine, with western countries accusing Russia of arming Ukrainian ... morehttp://www.spacewar.com/reports/Russia_has_violated_arms_treaty_by_testing_cruise_missile_US_999.html

Gaza mourns the dead during a joyless Eid

Palestinians in Gaza are spending a somber Eid holiday, as the death toll from Israel's bombardment mounts.

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2014/07/gaza-mourns-dead-during-joyless-eid-201472964843574953.html