In terms of assessing the situation in the Indo-Pacific region, two recent events that happened over a one-day interval (February 18 and 19) are especially noteworthy. These were the online forum held between the foreign ministers of Australia, India, the United States, and Japan (that form the so-called “Quad”), and the Munich Security Conference…
Politics
Southern Asia - India
27.02.2021
The Cold War Unleashed by Biden has Turned into Freezing Temperatures in Texas
The new ruler of the White House used his first foreign policy speech since taking office – given at the international online session of the Munich Security Conference, devoted to relations between Europe and the United States – not to deliver a call to become involved in constructive activity, something objectively needed…
USA in the World
26.02.2021
Biden's First Foreign Policy Speech Vows Forever Wars
US foreign policy has clearly continued in the same direction, without missing a beat. Unlike in previous transitions in the White House, this time US President Joe Biden has not even really tried to promise even the faintest hope that it wouldn’t. There were a few glimpses of remote hope – particularly regarding the possibility the US wouldn’t abandon its last arms…
USA in the World
26.02.2021
Is Biden going to Re-Set US-Saudia Ties?
The newly elected US president Joe Biden appears to be in the middle of formulating a “new” policy vis-à-vis Saudi Arabia. Biden has already put arms sales to the Kingdom under “procedural review”, although there is no certainty that he will actually cancel the deal at some point in the future. While the “review” appears to be a hoax, Biden still appears poised to ignore Saudi…
Middle East - Saudi Arabia
26.02.2021
Has South Korea been Passing Military Technology to Islamic Terrorists?
Some time ago, the author had a discussion with a famous political scientist from the ROK who was keen on proving the following hypothesis. The DPRK government was capable of passing on military secrets, even those required to make a nuclear bomb, to international terrorist networks, and even if the leadership chose not to do…
Eastern Asia - South Korea
26.02.2021
Biden Fine-Tunes the Saudi Trombone
No one doubts today that Biden is not a promising politician, but his one-term administration. As such, he is not making any far-reaching plans, for him it is important to change the vector of American policy, rejecting, in particular, the “Trump era”. So, despite the fact that the new head of the White House is obviously not counting on a long-term personal stay at the helm…
Middle East - Saudi Arabia
25.02.2021
Afghan-Iranian Oil Fire: The Match That Sets “Too Many” Things Ablaze!
The oil fire which devastated the Afghanistan- Iran border crossing at Islam Qala on February 14th was widely reported. Like something out of a Chuck Norris film, hundreds of tankers carrying oil, gas and other items were set ablaze, causing millions of dollars of damage on the spot and millions more in longer term economic affects…
Central Asia - Afghanistan
Economics
25.02.2021
Australian-Indian Economic Cooperation a Counterweight to the Belt and Road Initiative
There has long been a struggle for economic and political dominance in the Indo-Pacific Region (IPR), in which the most powerful players and main competitors are China and the United States. Many regional states are concerned about China’s rapid economic and political expansion, as well as its growing military power. This concern…
Asian-Pacific region - Australia
24.02.2021
The Significance of China Surpassing US as EU's Top Trade Partner
Over the course of last year, China surpassed the United States as the European Union’s top trade partner. It was significant news and noted as such across Chinese media. But in the West, this news was somewhat muted. One of the few articles featuring this news comes from Politico titled, “China topples US as EU’s top trade partner over…
Eastern Asia - China
24.02.2021
Life in Debt in the Former Soviet Space
The world is standing on the edge of a very real debt pit: according to calculations of the Institute of International Finance (USA), the total world debt is approaching $275 trillion, or 365% of world GDP. Because of the high level of debt of governments, businesses, and the population, the world economy is on the brink of a massive crisis. The problems…
Central Asia
23.02.2021
Texas ‘Deep Freeze’: Urgent Climate Warning but Not How You Think
In the unfolding extreme winter tragedy in Texas as well as many other regions of the United States not prepared for severe winter weather, a notable point is that much of the vast windmill batteries across the state, supposed to generate 25% of the state electric power grid, have frozen and are largely useless. The recent severe winter weather…
USA in the World
15.02.2021
Australia’s China Relationship Facing New Challenges
Some years ago the late Prime Minister of Singapore Lee Kuan Yew predicted that Australia would become “the poor white trash of Asia.” His words at the time shocked the Australian body politic and were fiercely denied. After all, Australia at the time was enjoying its largest trading boost with its Asian neighbours and nobody in the country could envisage…
Asian-Pacific region - Australia
15.02.2021
The WEF Agenda Behind Modi Farm Reform
In September 2021 the UN will hold a Food Systems Summit. The aim will be to reshape world agriculture and food production in the context of the Malthusian UN Agenda 2030 “sustainable agriculture” goals. The recent radical farm laws from the government of Narenda Modi in India are part of the same global agenda, and it’s all not good. In Modi’s India, farmers…
Southern Asia - India
12.02.2021
Food Insecurity and the Prospects for Emerging Players
With the inauguration of Joe Biden, and the coming post-Covid era being bound to create uncertain new realities, people are taking the time to assess what this future will look like, so they can take advantage of it before others do. The combination of a generally very negative environment, and change occurring within it, is leading people to wonder if the new world…
Africa
Society
23.02.2021
US Loses Yet Another War
The United States has not won a single war since the defeat of Japan (which, incidentally, was defeated with the active support of Russia). Moreover, the US was beaten by Third World armies in Korea and Vietnam, and in the 21st century, when it invaded Afghanistan, almost 20 years later it was also defeated by lightly armed Taliban units. Armed invasion of Iraq resulted in yet another defeat…
USA in the World
22.02.2021
Sputnik V Finds Approval in the Middle East
The cabinet of Qatar tightened measures to stem the spread of the novel Coronavirus at the beginning of February due to the rise in COVID-19 cases. Further restrictions have been imposed on various institutions and their operations, and the number of individuals allowed to attend large gatherings and entertainment events. Similar steps have…
Middle East
20.02.2021
“Do Women Talk Too Much?” or a Scandal at the Japanese Olympic Committee
A recent comment made by head of Tokyo Olympics organizing committee Yoshiro Mori sparked a political uproar, seemingly disproportionate in scale, which was eventually followed by his punishment that did not fit the crime. It is worth highlighting that once the chief was forced to resign on February 12, the scandal…
Eastern Asia - Japan
18.02.2021
ROK Authorities Try to Bring Park Sang-hak and his Associates into Line, but the US Gets in the Way
Remember how the actions of anti-Pyongyang NGOs provoked the aggravation of the summer of 2020, when North Korea finally got fed up with the “fighters for a free North Korea,” led by the odious defector Park Sang-hak, launching balloons with leaflets and other propaganda across the border in…
Eastern Asia - South Korea
17.02.2021
Who Can Fill the Power Gap US Abuses Have Created?
Relationships between states differ over time, depending on a wide variety of factors. Poland was warmly welcomed into the EU when it got rid of Communism, but its veer towards an unpleasant form of nationalism now makes it a less than desirable partner. Tens of thousands of Portuguese died to kick the French out of their country, and now French citizens have an automatic right…
Canada
16.02.2021
China Ousts the BBC Based on UK's Own Media Standards
In a move that was entirely predictable after the UK’s Office of Communications (Ofcom) banned China’s CGTN from operating in the UK, China has reciprocated by banning BBC World News from broadcasting in China. The BBC in its own article titled, “China bans BBC World News from broadcasting,” would claim: China has banned BBC World…
Eastern Asia - China
11.02.2021
Sputnik V Diplomacy: A Race Won As Humanity Continues Losing
Holy cow! The American expression most often reserved for stunning revelations suits a recent New York Times shocking headline. Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine may be worth a try, no less. When I read the headline, I dropped my morning cappuccino. That’s right, the bible of Putin and Russia haters has written a Psalm about Russia…
Europe
