Political Uncertainty in the Netherlands
After the next parliamentary elections, the only viable option may be a minority government.
Analysis
Long Road Ahead for Spain
Spain is the last major economy of Europe still mired in recession as its government remained committed to socialist doctrine throughout 2009. Massive deficit spending has only worsened the country’s predicament however, forcing Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero to finally start reining in Spain’s mounting debt. Last month, Professor Niall Ferguson of Harvard University […]
The Stagnant Hegemon
Although the United States are mired in recession and political disparity, the end of American ascendancy is not inevitable in the short run.
US Must Be Consistent Toward China
Pestering China won’t get America anywhere. It must be consistent in its policy of “strategic reassurance”.
It Will Still Be an Asian Century
The region still far outperforms Europe and the United States in terms of economic growth.
Conservatives for Freer Schools
A novel idea from British Conservatives: allow schools to set their own standards. Tory Politico reports that the party intends to put an end to government interference with so-called A Level certificates: the internationally-recognized standard for entry into British universities. The A Level’s reputation has been on the decline in recent years, leaving the prestige […]
The Current Problem in the Falklands
An examination of the standoff between Argentina and the United Kingdom.
Rethinking NATO’s Future
It wasn’t too long ago that NATO’s post-Cold War purpose seemed perfectly clear. During the Clinton Administration, the United Stated led allies in humanitarian efforts around the world but in Europe’s backyard especially. Up to this very day, Western forces are actively engaged in peacekeeping in former Yugoslavia and, of course, in Afghanistan. The Afghanistan […]
The PLAN and the Rise of China
Just a couple of decades ago the naval forces of China (People’s Liberation Army Navy or PLAN) was a weakling, barely capable of defending the Chinese Coast. Hong-Kong, a British station until 1997, was almost considered secure by naval if not military means even with just a few British warships at the station. Since then […]
Too Much on Obama’s Plate?
In an interview with Bob Schieffer on CBS’s Face the Nation this Sunday, Colin Powell expressed no regret for endorsing Barack Obama in the 2008 election. Although the president might have taken on too much too soon during the first year of his administration, the country, said Powell, is not less safe. According to the […]
Turkey and Russia, Sitting In a Tree
Europe may be reluctant to embrace Turkey but the country is well underway to establishing itself as a regional power. As a gateway to the West, it engages with nearby Middle Eastern states, signing free-trade agreements with Egypt, Israel, Morocco and Tunisia. It is currently in negotiations with the Gulf states, including Saudi Arabia, to […]
Euro Resentment Demands New Rules
Euroskepticism is abound anew. Where previously economist Paul Krugman argued that Greece could have weathered its fiscal crisis if it had retained its own currency, Judy Dempsey reports that Germans are increasingly nostalgic for their Deutsche Mark. “For Germans,” writes Dempsey, “the mark was more than just currency.” It represented the country’s postwar recovery, the […]
The Return of True Conservatism
On the eve of the Conservative Political Action Committee gathering in Washington DC this Wednesday, over eighty conservative leaders led by former US Attorney General Edwin Meese unveiled a manifesto reaffirming the principles of what they call “constitutional conservatism.” The Mount Vernon Statement is a twenty-first century appreciation of the conscience of America’s Founders. The […]
Iran Moving Toward Military Dictatorship
American secretary of state Hillary Clinton suggested in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Monday that Iran is sliding into a military dictatorship. The country’s Revolutionary Guard, she said, is gaining influence “across all areas of Iranian security policy, and certainly nuclear policy is at the core of it.” The United States propose sanctions therefore, specifically aimed […]
Just How Much Debt Are We In?
After The New York Times revealed on Saturday that Wall Street banks helped Greece keep its mounting debt off the books for many years, Edward Hugh at A Firstful of Euros explains how shady financial constructions allowed several European governments to hide part of their financial trouble. Eurostat, the EU’s agency for statistics, has been […]