Synopsis: Watch out! ASEAN stands for the Association of South East Asian Nations, a rapidly up-and-coming trade block in Asia which may very well become the foundation stone of the largest free trade zone on the planet. The ten-nation group, while still very young, is set to fashion itself as the EU of Asia…with perhaps even more potential for growth and integration. With associate members like China, India and Australia already aligning itself with the group, this is one to keep your eye on if you want to understand the rapid evolution of Asia as the center for 21st century growth.
Synopsis: Benjamin Netanyahu is the new Prime Minister of Israel. This is much more than a simple changing of the guard of a head of state. Netanyahu and his Likud party represent a serious shift to the political right for Israel…which means a much more hawkish approach to Iran and Hamas, and a virtual end to any peace process with Palestine. The US and the world will have to seriously change their approach to all things Israel with this new leadership in command.
Synopsis: An internationally-brokered power sharing deal to 'redistribute' political power within the crumbling state known as Zimbabwe has just been implemented today. Morgan Tsvangirai, the opposition MDC leader, is now the Prime Minister of the country to Robert Mugabe's president position. The Avenger elaborates on why Mugabe would allow this to happen and why these moves are a total sham.
Kyrgyzstan announced that it was closing a major US air base in their country which is a strategic center of the US-led NATO mission in Afghanistan. This comes one week after a promise of huge amounts of aid to Kyrgyzstan from the Russians, as well as a joint security venture including these two sates and others. But the Russian motives are more complex than just pissing off the US. This move increases western reliance on Russia's aid and influence to fight the Afghan campaign….thereby having a strategic lever by which to get what is wants out of the US/NATO, namely no more NATO meddling in Ukraine and Georgia, and possibly stopping the development of the proposed NATO missile defense shield in eastern Europe.
Synopsis: The Plaid Avenger reports form the US/Mexican border on the serious nature of the current cartel calamity causing consternation to the Mexican government, as well as anyone in the US who is smart enough to know about the issue. The Gulf, Tijuana, Sinaloa, and Federation (combo team-up) drug cartels have become staggeringly powerful due to the $15 to $50 billion illegal drug trade….all of which goes to supply the outrageous US demand. These cartels are increasingly cavorting with gang crime/violence within the US itself. This is now a North American problem that demands increased attention from the US and Canada.
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