In Lula’s Shadow

Brazilians will be heading for the polls come October to elect a new president. For the first time since democracy was returned to the Latin American country in the 1980s, the name of Luiz Inácio da Silva will not appear on any ballot. But for the major party candidates, it’s hard to escape the shadow […]

China, Taiwan to Sign Free Trade Accord

China and Taiwan are expected to agree to a preliminary free-trade agreement later this month in a effort to normalize relations across the Strait after more than six decades of bickering and mistrust. According to The Economist, the proposed Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) calls for cuts on 539 categories of Taiwanese exports to China […]

British Withdrawing from Sangin, Afghanistan

The United Kingdom will withdraw parts of its forces from the hotly contested Helmand Province in Afghanistan later this year. The region around the town of Sangin, notorious as a Taliban powerbase and a center of the opium trade in the south of the country, has seen heavy fighting in recent months, demanding several casualties […]

Freedom of the Press, Speech and Liberty

Independence Day, for me, is symbolic of the ability to freely express opinions; the hallmark of a free society. It was Thomas Jefferson who wrote, in 1791, that, “Government being founded on opinion, the opinion of the public, even when it is wrong, ought to be respected to a certain degree.” In the United States, […]

Charter Schools a Setback, Despite Success

Education in the United States can seem a bit bewildering at times. Confronted with the undeniably poor performance of public schools, in the 1990s, an alternative was devised that gave greater freedom to individual teachers and schools while not admitting fully that the free-market option — private schools — are in fact the only viable […]

All Anger on the Republican Front

The Democrats may be falling in the polls and President Barack Obama is certainly unpopular but the Republicans have no reason to take their newfound success for granted. On the contrary. The party has now to stop boasting and define its vision of twenty-first century conservatism lest it risk being thrown into the opposition again […]

The Proper Size of Government

A common charge voiced against libertarians is that they should promote social and political anarchy. “Why don’t you move to Somalia?” critics wonder about proponents of limited government as though the poor East African country were a textbook example of a free society. Such rancor misses the point entirely. Laissez-faire doesn’t prosper in lawlessness. A […]

Open the Borders

Allowing people to move freely across borders is an economic as well as a moral imperative.

Vying for Influence in Central Asia

The United States appear to be scheduling a greater involvement in Central Asia. They should think twice before immersing themselves in this unfortunate quagmire however, boxed in between the conflicting interests of two former Cold War rivals. EurasiaNet reports that the Pentagon is preparing to embark on a small building boom in Central Asia. The […]

Israel Is More Secure Than Ever

After the Israeli Navy intercepted six vessels attempting to circumvent its blockade of the Gaza Strip two weeks ago and killed at least nine on board in the onslaught that ensued, international condemnation came swiftly. Israel doesn’t have to care particularly. Fierce reactions could be expected from the Arab world. Protests broke out in different […]