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Synopsis: NATO celebrated its 60th anniversary last week in Strasbourg, France.  The military/defense group had clarity of purpose back in 1949: stop Soviet aggression/expansion. However, since the fall of the USSR in 1991, the group has lost a bit of focus of mission and today’s NATO is nowhere near the cohesive tight military unit it once was.  The Plaid Avenger highlights a variety of issues that the organization is currently NOT doing so well at, from its relationship with Russia to the current war in Afghanistan.

At 60, NATO Faces Challenges Both Old and New

Kremlin ‘pushing Nato divisions’

NATO Struggles With Conflicting Views on Russia

Lukewarm Afghan commitment raises credibility issues for NATO

Keywords: NATO,  Cold War, USSR, Soviet, Russia, US, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Afghanistan, Obama, Sarkozy, Merkel

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Synopsis: North Korea launched a missile/rocket/space satellite on Sunday April 5, 2009, much to the chagrin and consternation of most of the ‘Western’ world. However, China and Russia are unconvinced of the launch’s motivations, and are therefore stalling any UN condemnation of the act. The Plaid Avenger explains the basis for this difference in world opinion, its historic precedent, and the reasons behind why impoverished North Korea would even attempt these ’satellite’ shenanigans. Even Kim Jong-Il should check this one out!

North Korea’s Rocket Launch Spurs Broad Condemnation

North Korea threatens “strong steps” if U.N. acts

Japan Acknowledges UN Security Council Split on N. Korea Sanctions

China warns US over N.Korea launch

Keywords: North Korea, rocket, missile, satellite, 6-Party Talks, US, Japan, South Korea, Russia, China

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The G-20 met this week, in what the Plaid Avenger predicts will be looked back upon as a hugely historic event. This meeting is the first time a truly representative group of the biggest movers and shakers has gotten together to truly try and solve some global problems. Unlike the UN, this tight 20-entity group has the capacity to actually get stuff done without the bloated bureaucracy bogging it down. It represents big changes in the global outlook of how to solve global problems…perhaps for the first time in history. The G-20 is now the premier institutions for problem solving on the global scale. How exciting!

The G-20: saying farewell to the ‘blue-eyed blond men’?

G-20 Meeting May Give Impetus to WTO Accord

Sarkozy: G20 Results “Beyond His Expectations”

Take heed from the G20’s emerging focus

Keywords: G-20, G-7, G-8, global economy, global issues, UN