Month: February 2011 Page 3 of 5

Here is your R&D for February 15th:

U.S. tries to line up aid to help stabilize Egypt from the Los Angeles Times
U.S. officials are working with allies to create an aid package worth hundreds of milions of dollars for Egypt in order to assist in its political transition in the coming months.  Officials believe the aid will increase American influence in the area.

Iranian lawmakers condemn protests; call for execution of leaders from CNN
Iranian leaders condemned protests that happened yesterday in Tehran and have called for the execution of opposition leaders.  Iran denied foreign visas to journalists who wished to cover the protests.

The Misleading Metaphor of Decline from the Wall Street Journal (courtesy of RealClearWorld)
In this op-ed, Joseph Nye, professor at Harvard, argues that America’s decline is overstated by the global media and international actors.  According to Nye, America is likely to remain powerful for decades, although the number of powerful allies and adversaries is likely to increase.

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Here is your R&D for February 14th:

The Enemies of Good Government from Newsweek (courtesy of RealClearPolitics)
In this op-ed, Newsweek columnist Robert Samuelson discusses why government investment in high speed rail is a poor choice.

China Surges in Americans’ Views of Top World Economy from Gallup
A recent Gallup poll shows that 52% of Americans believe that China is the world’s economic leader.  32% of Americans believe that the United States is the world’s economic leader and only 7% say that for Japan.  Few Americans are confident the U.S. will change the dynamic anytime soon.

Gaddafi tells Palestinians: revolt against Israel from Reuters
Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi has urged Palestinian refugees to mass at the borders of Israel to force the Israeli government to give into their demands to return to the lands they lost in 1948.  Gaddafi hopes that Palestinians can use the recent uprisings in the Middle East to their advantage.

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Here is your R&D for February 11th:

Crisis Flummoxes White House from the Wall Street Journal
U.S. intelligence officials believed that Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak was stepping down yesterday, but he shocked them by taking a more defiant stand.  The move has reportedly thrown the White House foreign policy staff into disarray.

Republican divisions on display at conservative summit from the BBC
The divisions in the Republican Party were apparent at the recent CPAC.  Fiscal, social, and national security conservatives butted heads and reports were that CPAC attendees were not too keen on any of the 2012 presidential hopefuls.

Foot-and-mouth outbreak hits North Korea from the Financial Times
North Korea’s food shortages are expected to get worse after a foot-and-mouth outbreak has reportedly sickened oxen, cattle, and pigs in the country.  It is estimated that more than 10,000 of these animals are infected.

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Here is your R&D for February 10th:

GOP cuts deep as right revolts from Politico
In an effort to appease the Tea Party, House Republicans proposed tens of billions of dollars in spending cuts yesterday, but the cuts have come under fire as hurting minorities and the poor.

Egypt Foreign Minister Warns of Military Intervention from the New York Times
As the Egyptian protests entered their seventeenth day, the country’s foreign minister warned that if the situation becomes more chaotic that the army will intervene.

Shaky Restart to Inter-Korean Talks from the Council on Foreign Relations
Recent talks between North and South Korea appear to be going nowhere, as North Korea continues to accept responsibility for the sinking of the Cheonan and shelling of Yeonpyeong Island.

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Here is your R&D for February 9th:

Republican-led House fails to pass short-term extension of Patriot Act from the Los Angeles Times
In what is seen as the first setback for the House Republican leadership and potentially the first revolt of the Tea Party, the House rejected a short-term extension of the USA Patriot Act yesterday.  Republican leaders sought a vote that would require two thirds approval so that amendments could not be added, but they fell six votes short.  Twenty-six Republicans voted against the measure.

No room at table for Muslim Brotherhood from the Boston Globe
Should the Muslim Brotherhood be able to sit at the negotiating table to fashion Egypt’s new political course?  According to the Boston Globe, no they should not because they are using liberty and justice to abolish liberty and justice within Egypt.

Armenia and Azerbaijan:  Preventing War from the International Crisis Group
Armenia and Azerbaijan have had border tensions for over a decade and international observers worry abut an arms race between both countries.  Read the full report (by clicking on “full pdf report” on the side of the webpage) from the International Crisis Group to get a better handle on the situation.

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