United States

CFR: Botched Rocket Launch Demoralizes New North Korea Leader

April 13, 2012 (Vietnamica) — North Korea’s attempt to put a $1 billion satellite into orbit failed on Friday when its rocket booster exploded in mid-air shortly after liftoff. Prior to launch, the United States and its allies had condemned the launch as a pretext to test controversial ballistic missile technology. The disaster marks a public humiliation for the new government of Kim Jong-un, which was using the event to commemorate the 100th birthday of the country’s founding patriarch Kim Il-sung. Washington has suspended some 240,000 tons of much-needed food aid in response to the North Korea provocation (NYT)....

Read more »

“Bearish Channel” Escaped as Gold Heads for Weekly Gain Despite China Data, But “More Safe Haven Performances Needed” as Euro Concerns Mount

April 13, 2012 (Vietnamica) — U.S. dollar prices to buy gold traded sideways just below $1680 an ounce during Friday morning’s London session – back up at levels last seen ten days ago – while stock markets and industrial commodity prices edged lower and government bonds gained.

Read more »

Understanding Brazil

April 12, 2012 (Vietnamica) — In a 45-minute interview with Geopolitical Monitor, Dr. Hewitt offers critical insight into Brazil’s role in the 21st century and its ascendency to global power.  Dr. Hewitt addresses a wide spectrum of issues ranging from the history and shape of Brazilian-Canadian relations to what Canada can learn from Brazil’s technological advancement and expertise. Dr. Hewitt is a Professor of Sociology at the University of Western Ontario in London, Canada and Visiting Public Policy Scholar at the Brazil Institute at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, D.C.

Read more »

Iran’s Strategy

April 10, 2012 (Vietnamica) — For centuries, the dilemma facing Iran (and before it, Persia) has been guaranteeing national survival and autonomy in the face of stronger regional powers like Ottoman Turkey and the Russian Empire. Though always weaker than these larger empires, Iran survived for three reasons: geography, resources and diplomacy. Iran’s size and mountainous terrain made military forays into the country difficult and dangerous. Iran also was able to field sufficient force to deter attacks while permitting occasional assertions of power. At the same time, Tehran engaged in clever diplomatic efforts, playing threatening powers off each other.

Read more »

CFR: U.S. to Ease Myanmar Sanctions

April 5, 2012 (Vietnamica) — The Obama administration will begin to lessen financial, foreign aid, and travel sanctions (LAT) on Myanmar’s military-backed civilian government, while dispatching an ambassador to Naypyidaw, in response to Sunday’s parliamentary by-elections, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced yesterday. Myanmar’s longtime pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi and her National League for Democracy party won an overwhelming majority of the contested seats (BBC). At the same time, the U.S. administration called on Myanmar’s leaders to release all political prisoners, cut ties with North Korea, and cease crackdowns on ethnic minorities.

Read more »

America’s Pacific Logic

April 4, 2012 (Vietnamica) — The Obama administration “pivot” to the Pacific, formally announced by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton last November and reiterated more recently by the president himself, might appear like a reassertion of America’s imperial tendencies just at the time when Washington should be concentrating on the domestic economy. But in fact, the pivot was almost inevitable.

Read more »