Iranian Issue Emboldens Europeans
Synopsis: As Iran continues to develop its nuclear energy industry, the US and Team West as a whole are increasingly worried that the Iranians are actually wanting to develop a nuclear weapon. The P5 +1 (5 members of the UN Permanent Security Council + Germany) are debating about increasing sanctions and/or incentives on Iran in order to reel in their nuclear ambition. Whether any of the P5 + 1 actions will actually work is anybody’s guess, but the Plaid Avenger wants you to be aware that the whole situation marks a new era in assertive foreign policy for two of the EU’s super-powers: Germany & France. Merkel & Sarkozy: a new axis of ass-kicking foreign policy?
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Western Powers Push For Fresh Iran Sanctions
Keywords: P5 + 1, Iran, US, Angela Merkel, Germany, Nicolas Sarkozy, France, IAEA, nuclear energy, nuclear weapon, Russia, China, UK
New American Latitudes, New American Attitudes!
At 60, NATO turning into NOT-O
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
-----Gargantuan Global Gathering: G-20
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
Hugo Almost Hu-Gone
Synopsis: Controversial Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez has successfully lobbied his country to scrap their constitutional clause on presidential term limits, thus allowing him to run for the office indefinitely. However, the Plaid Avenger argues that the world economic recession (which has not yet fully impacted Venezuela) combined with plummeting oil prices are going to seriously affect Chávez's ability to continue to prop up his 'Bolivarian' socialist revolution. This will in turn erode his support base, leading to an extremely close election in 2012…and perhaps Hugo's last.
Chavez steps up state control in food sector
Chávez orders takeover of US agriculture giant
Chavez Wins Referendum to Scrap Venezuela Term Limits
Chavez wins referendum vote as Venezuela's crisis deepens
