7th June, 2013
The United Nations’ drone investigator says he expects a “significant reduction” in the controversial strikes by the US in the next 18 months.
Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category
UN drone investigator expecting ‘dramatic’ decrease in US strikes
Posted by seumasach on June 9, 2013
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged: End drone strikes!, Obama agenda, Obama's realist turn | Leave a Comment »
US discloses Israel’s top-secret military base
Posted by seumasach on June 5, 2013
US discloses Israel’s top-secret military base outraging Tel-Aviv
4th June, 2013
The US government has inadvertently revealed the details of a top-secret Israeli missile base in published bid requests, leaving military officials in Tel-Aviv in the state of shock.
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged: Obama's realist turn | 1 Comment »
Congress blocks Obama over Guantanamo
Posted by seumasach on June 4, 2013
Congress may supposedly block plans to close Guantanamo
3rd June, 2013
On Monday the Chairman of the U.S. Congress’ Armed Services Committee Howard McKeon introduced a bill that would attempt to prevent any plans by President Barack Obama to close the illegal U.S. prison at Guantanamo Bay Cuba. He also suggests banning the transfer of prisoners abroad.
Read more
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged: Obama agenda, Obama v. congress, Obama's realist turn | Leave a Comment »
Revolt in Turkey
Posted by seumasach on June 3, 2013
Erdogan’s Grip on Power Is Rapidly Weakening
3rd June, 2013
For a decade, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has had a tight grip on power. But it suddenly looks to be weakening. Thousands have taken to the streets across the country and the threats to Erdogan’s rule are many. His reaction has revealed him to be hopelessly disconnected.
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged: turkish spring | Leave a Comment »
Lobbying scandal
Posted by seumasach on June 3, 2013
Since the power of the lobbies is at the heart of British oligarchy these moves could certainly be significant
Nick Clegg pledges anti-sleaze reforms will not be abandoned
3rd June, 2013
Anti-sleaze reforms will not be abandoned, Nick Clegg vowed after two peers were suspended by their party and another quit his party’s whip over claims they breached parliamentary rules.
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Hans Blix: End Trident
Posted by seumasach on May 27, 2013
Hans Blix urges Britain to relinquish Trident nuclear programme
Former UN weapons inspector Hans Blix has said it is time for Britain to relinquish its Trident nuclear programme.
Posted in Global peace process, Uncategorized | Tagged: global demilitarisation, trident | Leave a Comment »
‘Russian arms defend Syria’
Posted by seumasach on May 18, 2013
18th May, 2013
On 11 May, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov claimed that his country was completing its delivery of surface-to-air missiles to Syria. “Russia is not planning to sell – Russia has sold and signed contracts a long time ago, and is completing supplies of the equipment – which is anti-aircraft systems, according to the already signed contracts,” Lavrov told reporters in Warsaw.
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Netanyahu picks China for first destination
Posted by seumasach on May 4, 2013
M.K.Bhadrakumar
3rd May, 2013
If Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu wanted to deeply disappoint his Chinese hosts for a third time in a row by calling off his visit, he had a very good alibi this time — Israeli foreign ministry is on a labour strike with diplomats fighting for more pay and better working conditions and protesting their department’s ‘downgrading’ by being divested recently of key roles that have been handed to other government institutions. (Such strikes can happen in Israel.)
But the labor union refused to oblige ‘Bibi’, saying in a statement, “Out of consideration for Israel’s diplomatic standing, the historic importance of the trip, and the long-term damage that would be caused by canceling it, it has been decided to allow the visit [to China] to go ahead as planned.”
So, ‘Bibi’ is packing bags to hit the road for a five-day (May 6-10) China visit, finally, with halts of two days each in Shanghai and Beijing. The China Daily report, here, duly noted that this is Netanyahu’s first visit abroad since he took office for a third term in late March.”
His spokesman Mark Regev told Xinhua in Tel Aviv, “The fact that he has chosen China as his first destination demonstrates clearly the importance that the israeli government attaches to our relations with China.”
Both Chinese and Israeli reports harped on the strong economic content of Netanyahu’s mission to China. But an intriguing detail is that China is also hosting the head of the Palestine Authority Mahmoud Abbas nest week.
Regev vaguely alluded that the Chinese hosts could be setting up something important when he pointedly singled out the israeli-Palestinian peace process as a topic that Netanyahu will discuss with the Chinese leadership.
Regev commented on China’s role — “There is no substitute for direct, face to face negotiations [between Netanyahu and Abbas]. We [Israel] hope that all countries will encourage the expeditious return to direct talks.”
Of late, Netanyahu has been speaking about holding a referendum in Israel on a Palestine settlement. The United States Secretary of State John Kerry has visited Israel thrice already in the past two-month period. Israeli cabinet minister and former foreign minister Tzipi Livni (who is also Israel’s chief peace negotiator), said on Thursday after meeting Kerry that the latter is “completely involved, determined” to restart negotiations and that she herself felt it is “good news” that the Arab peace initiative is negotiable.
Of course, China has repeatedly signaled of late that the Middle East is one area where Beijing and Washington can and should work together as stakeholders in regional security and stability.
However, politics is meaningless for both Netanyahu and his Chinese hosts without the alluring prospect of a big breakthrough in the Chinese-Israeli economic relationship. Trade is steadily increasing and touches $10 billion currently.
But a big-ticket item that can transform the panorama phenomenally will be the proposed construction project on a railway line to Eilat connecting the Red Sea and the Mediterranean as a partial substitute for the Suez Canal.
The project was formally approved by the Israeli cabinet last month just in time for Netanyahu’s China visit. No doubt, it is an ambitious project with 173 kilometre long new track laying and involving 63 bridges and five tunnels (totalling ten kilometers).
The rail link will cut travel time within Israel dramatically and also develop a new transit route connecting Europe and Asia. Unsurprisingly, Chinese companies have shown keen interest in the project. Now, Netanyahu can be expected to probe how much money Beijing can put on the table to meet the estimated $30 billion cost of the project.
Netanyahu must be feeling encouraged that Beijing will be willing to invest in the project, since this is also a communication link of great strategic importance to China, which meshes well with its control over Gwadar Port in Pakistan and its plans to build a naval base Aden on the eastern approach to the Red Sea.
A big business delegation is accompanying Netanyahu to China. Clearly, the two countries are set to work to develop renewable energy technology and in fields such as IT. And of course, energy cooperation looms large on the radar once israel begins export of LNG from its massive Leviathan gas fields (whose revised estimates of reserves stand at a whopping 18.9 trillion cubic feet.)
But having said that, Netanyahu is sure to factor in that Chinese diplomacy in the Middle East is shifting gear and Israel must position itself in anticipation of the appearance of a historically new big power on the horizon.
The Middle Eastern geopolitical chessboard will never be the same again once China engages the region politically and strategically. A backgrounder by the Institute of National Security Studies in Tel Aviv University says it all rather explicitly (here)
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In wake of Boston, Congress calls for greater security ties with post-Soviet states
Posted by seumasach on April 27, 2013
27th April, 2013
The bombing of the Boston marathon has appeared to whet the appetites of some members of Congress to increase cooperation with post-Soviet governments in taking a strong hand against the threat of Islamist radicals.The House Committee on Foreign Affairs held ahearing on Friday, “Islamist Extremism in Chechnya: A Threat to the U.S. Homeland?” And it provided the opportunity for several members of Congress to tout not just greater security cooperation with Russia vis-a-vis Chechnya, but across the post-Soviet space.
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged: global peace process, Obama agenda, Obama's realist turn, peace process | Leave a Comment »
Kennedy, le lobby et la bombe
Posted by seumasach on April 25, 2013
Laurent Guyenot
Il y a exactement cinquante ans se jouait un épisode déterminant dans l’histoire de la « démocratie états-unienne » ; une lutte épique dont le dénouement engagea l’avenir du monde entier. Laurent Guyénot nous en rappelle l’enjeu.
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged: "War on Terror", AIPAC, Kennedy assassination | Leave a Comment »
Obama draws criticism for Thatcher funeral snub
Posted by seumasach on April 18, 2013
17th April, 2013
President Barack Obama’s failure to send any top officials of his administration to former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher’s funeral Wednesday sparked some heated criticism.
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged: Obama's realist turn | Leave a Comment »
In These New Times 