Saudi Arabia: Aid to Lebanese Armed Forces Reflects Reduced Confidence in US Policy
Ending 2013 on a high note, the Lebanese Republic (Lebanon) announced that its armed forces would receive a grant of $3 billion from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 2014; … Continue reading
Syria: Russia Outmaneuvers the United States but …
Yesterday’s news that the former Soviet Union and Syria had agreed to an off-hand proposal by US Secretary of State John Kerry that Damascus turn over its chemical weapons to … Continue reading
Syria: The Best Solution is Exile for Assad
I generally don’t write about the same country multiple times in a week but was forced to make an exception in the case of Syria since it looks like the … Continue reading
India: Cuts in Defense Spending Neither Surprising or Permanent
New Delhi recently announced plans to cut its 2013-14 fiscal year defense budget by over $2.5 billion as part of an overall $21 billion spending reduction. These cuts are due … Continue reading
Algeria: Government Shuts Militants Down and Sends Message to Terrorists in One Fell Swoop
Algeria’s military action against those who had taken over the British Petroleum (BP) facility at In Amenas has been much discussed recently. These conversations have centered around the fact that, … Continue reading
France: Adieu Depardieu, They’ll Always Love You
Almost every European and American government is trying desperately to raise revenues while attempting to contain spending and manage the anger of its residents. The US legislature, for example, is … Continue reading
France: You Guys Seriously Don’t Support Same-Sex Marriage!
Despite large scale demonstrations expressing support for same-sex marriage, French president Francois Hollande’s administration remains mired in trouble regarding this issue. The newly elected president, already reeling from the negative … Continue reading
France: Credit-Rating Downgraded but Impact Uncertain
Moody, in a widely expected decision, downgraded France’s credit-rating from Triple A to AA1 on November 19. The ratings agency said it took this decision because “France’s long-term economic growth … Continue reading
All Sorts of Things 