Slouching Forward! — Few Notes on the Global Order

After years of reluctance, President Barack Obama appears to have finally re-embraced America's critical role in shaping the Global Order. Will his actions match his rhetoric? Or, will he once again succumb to his ideological inhibitions? — After years of reluctance, President Barack Obama appears to have finally re-embraced America’s critical role in shaping the Global Order. Will his actions match his rhetoric? Or, will he once again succumb to his ideological inhibitions?

The competition that America and Western Europe are facing on a global level from Russia and China, and the local level from a host of countries including Iran, India, Korea, Brazil, etc., is not meant to change the nature of the game, that is, the game of power projection through military and economic might, including operating viable nuclear programs, exercising control over energy sources and routes, involvement in arms production and sales, and engaging in imperialist actions under different guises and while offering all different sorts of justifications.

Continue reading “Slouching Forward! — Few Notes on the Global Order” →

Everybody loves Al-Qaeda – Part Two

Read Part One here.

Through their reactive kneejerk policies over the last few years, policies that conform both to their inherent nature and parochial interests, Russia, Iran, the Assad regime, Turkey, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and all other Middle Eastern regimes managed to create a situation in Syria where the United States had no choice but to intervene to midwife a process that will eventually secure the interests of most of these regimes, most of which will survive the current mayhem with little or no change.

Fighters of al-Qaeda linked Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant parade at Syrian town of Tel Abyad — An ISIS parade in the Syrian town of Tal-Abyad

Continue reading “Everybody loves Al-Qaeda – Part Two” →

Collateral Damage

It pays to do this little comparison to see why the rebels are so focused on Assad, despite the world's obsession with ISIS. — It pays to do this little comparison to see why the rebels are so focused on Assad, despite the world’s obsession with ISIS.

The Syrians, yes, even those who are now in danger of being harmed as a result of U.S. strikes, would have been much more forgiving, had the strikes come earlier and had Assad being in the visor as well, and not only ISIS and Al-Nusra. But seeing that the strikes came so late in the game and only in response to a potential threat to U.S. security, and that there do not seem to be any plans for targeting Assad and his loyalist militias as well, Syrians in target regions have little reason to be sympathetic to America’s plans. Even the Kurds, and after their initial euphoria, seem skeptical now, because ISIS’ positions around Kobani remain untouched, and its assault on the Kurdish town is still unfolding.

Continue reading “Collateral Damage” →

Prodemocracy Activists & the Global System

Prodemocracy activists in Hong Kong marking the 25th anniversary of Tiananmen Square Massacre, June 1, 2014. (Photo: Jessica Hromas, Getty Images)

I have visited this theme before, and I will probably do it again, because the hypocrisy and/or ignorance involved here is simply unforgiveable, and because I need to stake out my position more clearly on the matter.

Continue reading “Prodemocracy Activists & the Global System” →