the opinionist

a blog for those hard to find news items, awkward subjects and unwanted conversations.

the opinionist RSS Feed
 
 
 
 

Archive for UN

China Stuck in a Feedback Loop | The Dollar or the Dark Ages? – Tough Call.

The FT published a brilliant article on Monday (May 25) entitled, “Beijing is caught in ‘trap’ over dollar.”
The article suggests the world’s fastest growing economy has placed too much of its hard-won cash reserves in the U.S. debt market and, as a result, has locked itself into a bit of a jam. As the [...]

Burn The Dollar!

Following Vlad Putin’s lovely ‘ditch the Dollar‘ remarks earlier this week .. the United Nations is jumping on the ‘Bash the U.S. Express’ and a panel of ‘experts’ on U.N. Commission of Experts on International Financial Reform.
The Reuters Story here.
Highlights:
Currency specialist Avinash Persaud, a member of the panel of experts, told a Reuters Funds Summit [...]

The Guardian | Leaked Report on Intelligence Failures in Afghanistan

The Guardian Newspaper (UK) yesterday reported on a confidential report leaked to the Press that outlines a ‘bleak picture of a counterinsurgency effort undermined by intelligence failures that at times border on the absurd.‘
This is on topic of recent comments by Army General David McKiernan – the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan – that equally [...]

China to U.S.; Pot, Meet Kettle.

When U.S. Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, concluded her East Asian tour with a highly visible visit to China she demonstrated how times have truly changed. For a ‘Hyper-power’ like the U.S. is forced to bring a begging bowl to a once submissive, introspective, and seemingly naive nation, you know things have truly gone to [...]

U.S. General Says We’re “Stuck in [Afghan] Stalemate” – Despite Enormous Troop Increase?

Associated Press (AP) reports this morning that the “top U.S. commander [Army Gen. David McKiernan] offered a grim view Wednesday of miliarty efforts in southern Afghanistan, warning that 17,000 new troops will take on emboldened Taliban insurgents who have ’stalemated’ U.S. and allied forces.”
This is a huge deal and should raise massive – visible from [...]

A Silver Lining to Economic Crisis – a Quieter Introspective Russia?

With the daily avalanche of doom and hideous gloom battering us from every angle – it’s very difficult (neigh, almost impossible!) to find any silver lining strong enough to tug on with reasonable focus and interest. So when you trip over the odd headline here and foreign-correspondent article there (in quiet corners of the [...]

Sunset for U.S. Global Dominance

Recent stock market declines, an ever-weaker Dollar, and an increasingly loud chest beating by nations beyond the U.S.’s rapidly shrinking sphere of influence suggests one disheartening but rapidly apparent reality. We are witnessing the rapid decline in global dominance – the unipolar / hyper-power world – of the United States of America and the emergence [...]

Riots in Iran Over Gasoline | An Opportunity for Change?

I probably sound rather silly and melodramatic when I state my longing for credible and agenda-free news coverage that focuses on the real issues facing the U.S. and the world. Perhaps extremely silly! So yes, there is indeed a wonderfully diverse news universe out there … but you have to know where to look [...]

France Warns of Multi-Polar Future

The energetic French presidential race concluded yesterday with the election of moderate conservative Nicolas Sarkozy. But even as Sarkozy reaffirms France’s close relationship with the United States, the French will continue in their role as a diplomatic counterweight by reminding the U.S. of the challenges to be faced in the likely multi-polar world of the [...]

Recent Posts

Categories

 

March 2010
M T W T F S S
« Jan    
1234567
891011121314
15161718192021
22232425262728
293031