Israel

Putin Reawakens the Russian Bear

February 13, 2012 (Vietnamica) — Coverage of Vladimir Putin’s impending return to the Presidency of Russia on March 4th has so far focused almost exclusively on the menace posed to Russia’s teetering democracy.  Conspicuously, little analysis has been offered regarding the impact Putin’s eminent reprisal of the Kremlin’s top job is having on Russia’s foreign policy – particularly when it comes to how political events are playing out in Syria and the Middle East.

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Considering a U.S.-Iranian Deal

January 25, 2012 (by George Friedman, Stratfor; Repub. by Vietnamica) — Last week, I wrote on the strategic challenge Iran faces in its bid to shape a sphere of influence stretching from western Afghanistan to Beirut on the eastern Mediterranean coast. I also pointed out the limited options available to the United States and other Western powers to counter Iran.

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Iran, the U.S. and the Strait of Hormuz Crisis

January 17, 2012 (By George Friedman, Stratfor; Repub. by Vietnamica) — The United States reportedly sent a letter to Iran via multiple intermediaries last week warning Tehran that any attempt to close the Strait of Hormuz constituted a red line for Washington. The same week, a chemist associated with Iran’s nuclear program was killed in Tehran. In Ankara, Iranian parliamentary speaker Ali Larijani met with Turkish officials and has been floating hints of flexibility in negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program.

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Stratfor’s Annual Forecast 2012

January 12, 2012 (Vietnamica) –There are periods when the international system undergoes radical shifts in a short time. The last such period was 1989-1991. During that time, the Soviet empire collapsed. The Japanese economic miracle ended. The Maastricht Treaty creating contemporary Europe was signed. Tiananmen Square defined China as a market economy dominated by an unchallenged Communist Party, and so on. Fundamental components of the international system shifted radically, changing the rules for the next 20 years.

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179 Journalists Jailed Worldwide

December 12, 2011 (Vietnamica) – The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) unveiled that 179 journalists were jailed worldwide in 2011. CPJ provided some statistics as follows.

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Israel to Provide TH Milk with Additional Funds of US$100 Mln

November 25, 2011 (Vietnamica) – During the visit of Israeli President to Vietnam Israeli government has signed an agreement on providing TH Milk dairy project with additional funds of US$100 million (DDDN, Nov 25).

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