Statements, comments and forecasts that have no substance, but just might turn out to be relevant.
1.In an interview with Al-Arabiya TV, Elaraby, head of the arab league. said that the 1979 peace treaty between Israel and Egypt can be amended, noting that the accords are "not sacred - they are not the Koran or the New Testament." In a jab addressed at ousted President Hosni Mubarak he noted that no one ever told Israel off under the old regime. "There were violations and they were ignored," he said. PG: Say what you like about Mubarak. He was a man of his word, and once he made a commitment to peace, he kept it with honour and dignity. Clearly something that the arab league finds abominable and foreign to its culture and breeding. Note that the Koran and New Testament are sacred.
2. Pakistan is on the verge of chaos. Infighting amongst different militia, representing rival ethnic groups in Karachi has led to hundreds of deaths in the past few weeks, leaving the local government weakened and at a loss of how to handle the situation. As the fighting intensifies and spreads, this country appears to be facing the possibility of a military coup. PG: This seems to be par for the course for most Islamic countries.
3.Stratfor: Yet another deadline has passed this week for the completion of Iran’s Bushehr nuclear power plant, which is staffed with Russian nuclear scientists. The Iranians continue to claim that everything is according to schedule and testing is proceeding. However, it’s much more likely that Russia will continue to string Iran along in this project, along with many others. Iran announced that it was filing a lawsuit against Russia after the latter backed out of a deal to deliver the S-300 strategic air defense system to Iran. Then, Iran announced that it was kicking Russian energy firm Gazprom out of a major energy deal to develop the Azar oil field project near the Iraqi border. No love lost between these two "allies".
4.The victory celebration in Libya is premature. As sporadic fighting continues, the battle may be won, but the war has just started. Eventually a pathetic NATO (six months to defeat Gaddafi's piddling army!) will have to withdraw and that will let loose the dogs of war....Presently, Gaddafi is the only circumstance uniting the opposition.
5.So Turkey is finally coming off the fence. And who is the first target? Israel of course. The UN Palmer report, basically clearing Israel of Illegal actions, has resulted in Turkey expelling Israel's ambassador and halting military purchases from Israel. News flash Erdogan. Israel quietly suspended military ties with Turkey immediately after the Marmara affair. As for diplomatic front, another Muslim country showing the world a temper tantrum akin to a kindergarten. Who cares? All the huffing and puffing leaves only the smell of bad breath.
6.Turkey sees itself as a potential leader in the Islamic world, competing with Cairo and Teheran. They have also been selling themselves as the mediating voice of reason in the middle east. Not doing so well in Libya and Syria, are they? As for the Israel-Palestinian process, they can kiss that one goodbye. Financially they have taken some big hits in Libya and Syria, while Israel has moved on to bigger and better things. Clearly the islamization thing is not working too well for them.
7.The first really serious competitor to Apple's iphone has arrived. The Galaxy S2 from Samsung is making worldwide waves and is about to land in North America. The galaxy has a 4.3-inch, Super AMOLED 800x480 screen, a dual core 1.2-GHz processor, fast 4G network connectivity, and a sleek, simple design evocative of the iPhone. By contrast, the iphone 4 has a 3.5-inch, 960x640 screen, a 1-GHz processor, and a slower, 3G connection. PG:What we need now is a good old-fashioned price war...
8.RUSSELL: The Keynesian philosophy is fast losing followers. Everybody wants to spend the other guy's money. Socialism lasts until the other fellow runs out of the money you want him to spend! Regardless of your wishes or abilities, you have to spend more money! We finally have arrived at the big picture - Everything has risk. Even during the Great Depression, "The dollar was as good as gold." And please don't forget that. The only problem was that nobody had dollars. Yes, this time it's really different. And maybe even worse!
9. Strange bedfellows. Germany and Russia are drawing closer to each other, mostly because Russia supplies Germany with gas and in return, Germany responds with hi-tech aid. As US influence wavers, Russia, a raw materials giant, is slowly expanding its influence in the former Soviet Union and Europe.
10. The US may be in temporary economic decline, but don't let anybody be fooled that US military power is in the same boat. The US military is stronger, by far than any of its nearest rivals. The US Navy controls international shipping lanes, allowing for International trade to take place without interruption and protecting free trade agreements. Something most people are unaware of. In fact, some of us take the Western way of life for granted, not realising what an important role the US plays in protecting our freedoms.
11. Imagine if the UN accepts a Palestinian State with the 67 borders. The Palestinians would then have to recognise The Jewish State of Israel. They would also have to give up their claim of the right of return. All this is making Hamas a very happy camper. PG: Israel has been through worse times and will power on. After all, the holocaust planted a mighty seed.
When you see a rattlesnake poised to strike, you do not wait until he has struck before you crush him - Franklin D. Roosevelt
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