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Sezon 2014
For those of us who have been following the unrest in Ukraine, the last couple of days have been quite hectic. Kiev is in turmoil, Lviv has proclaimed its desire for independence, ethnic
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For those of us who have been following the unrest in Ukraine, the last couple of days have been quite hectic. Kiev is in turmoil, Lviv has proclaimed its desire for independence, ethnic Russian separatism is rising in Crimea and the Euromaiden demonstrations have so far claimed the lives of more than a hundred people. The country is broken, falling apart and fragmenting into smaller entities, some analysts are calling Ukraine the next Yugoslavia. But what exactly is so special about this country? Why are the Europeans even in Ukraine? And what are Russia's interests in Kiev?
It has been a very busy few days for Ukraine's parliament. They just reinstated the 2004 constitution, which basicly turns Ukraine back to a parliamentary system rather than a
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It has been a very busy few days for Ukraine's parliament. They just reinstated the 2004 constitution, which basicly turns Ukraine back to a parliamentary system rather than a presidential one. The parliament also appointed a new interior minister and speaker of the parliament (both which are part of the Fatherland Party, led by the recently freed Yulia Tymoshenko), and now the parliament is moving to impeach measures against former President, Viktor Yanukovych. Or should I say current president? Because even before the impeachment proces started, the parliament dismissed Yanukovych, on grounds that he was incapable of fulfilling his presidential duties.
When Yanukovych came to power in 2010, he led the charge against Tymoshenko for abuse of power. The accusation was that her energy negotiations with Russia were based on her personal
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When Yanukovych came to power in 2010, he led the charge against Tymoshenko for abuse of power. The accusation was that her energy negotiations with Russia were based on her personal interests, and there is certainly some truth to the story. I personnally think that both Yanukovych and Tymoshenko had huge corrupt dealings. But in essence this was a politicelly motivated trial, because Yanukovich nullified his political opponent. And what happened next is even more important, European leaders rallied behind Tymoshenko and condemned it as political persecution. And many of Europe's biggest media entrerprises depicted Tymoshenko as a pro-Western hero, when in fact she never was pro-West, for that matter she wasnt pro-Russian either.
Remember how optimistic the media was during the Arab Spring? For some reason people were expecting the new governments to endorse freedom, liberty and democracy. And remember how
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Remember how optimistic the media was during the Arab Spring? For some reason people were expecting the new governments to endorse freedom, liberty and democracy. And remember how disappointing and violent the Arab Spring turned out to be? The thing is, revolutions are hard to predict, endless media exposure gives the idea that we know what is taking place in the streets, but from past experiences we should know by now that it's often misleading. For example in case of the Euromaidan, did the crowd truly represent every segment of Ukrainian society?
With most of the media focusing on Ukraine, it's easy to overlook the protests in Venezuela, and it's just as easy to assume that both countries face the same issues. In both cases the
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With most of the media focusing on Ukraine, it's easy to overlook the protests in Venezuela, and it's just as easy to assume that both countries face the same issues. In both cases the demonstrators demanded the resignation of the president, but that's were the similarities end. To understand the ongoing protest movement in Venezuela we need to go back to April 2013 when Nicolas Maduro won the presidential election by a one percent difference. The opponent Henrique Capriles refused to accept the results of the election, claiming that there were election irregularities, like ballot stuffing and coerced voting. But the National Elections Council dismissed the calls for a complete review of the allegations. And so the opposition and the government were set on a collision course.
Venezuela has been hit by a wave of economic problems, with the two most pressing issues being the high inflation and the scarcity of goods. Although they are mentioned separately, these
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Venezuela has been hit by a wave of economic problems, with the two most pressing issues being the high inflation and the scarcity of goods. Although they are mentioned separately, these two issues are actually interwoven. In this report we look at how Venezuela's state-run foreign currency exchange bureau, the CADIVI, took measures to fight capital flight by imposing artificial currency rates in 2003. And how this currency bubble is linked to the high inflation and the scarcity of commodities.
In the last couple of weeks the US government promised tough sanctions against Russia. President Barack Obama authorized the Treasury Department to prepare for potential sanctions that
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In the last couple of weeks the US government promised tough sanctions against Russia. President Barack Obama authorized the Treasury Department to prepare for potential sanctions that would freeze the assets of Russian officials and Secretary of State John Kerry elaborated that the other measures include, trade sanctions, a visa ban for politicians and suspending Russia from the G8 summit. But what exacly do these proposed measures entail and just how effective can they be?
Most people think that totalitarianism destroys all forms of art and culture. In fact that's one of the characterizations of totalitarianism. And in a way that's true, but what the
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Most people think that totalitarianism destroys all forms of art and culture. In fact that's one of the characterizations of totalitarianism. And in a way that's true, but what the author of Totalitarian Art, Igor Golomstock, explains is that totalitarian regimes also promote their own distinctive form of art, off course this comes with a political agenda
One of the very foundations of political science is the principle that geography determines destiny. In the same way that the British Isles determined the naval culture, and the
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One of the very foundations of political science is the principle that geography determines destiny. In the same way that the British Isles determined the naval culture, and the frontier affected the American culture, Russia too, can be defined by its geographic characteristics. The most obvious element of Russia's geography is its enormous size. However, the truth is that Russia's size is both an advantage as well as a liability. The very core of the Russian Federation, the Moscow region, is simply indefensible. There are no mountainous ranges; no rivers or oceans, there are no swamps or deserts. Only the forests of Moscow and the inhospitable climate can be defined as geographic obstacles. The only thing the Russians can do in event of an invasion is to drag out the war and bleed the enemy out. It is for this reason that Russia's history is largely about surviving invasion after invasion.
Back in the final days of the Cold War, the United States and the Soviet Union negotiated an agreement. The Soviets would withdraw from Eastern Europe and dismantle the Warsaw Pact, and
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Back in the final days of the Cold War, the United States and the Soviet Union negotiated an agreement. The Soviets would withdraw from Eastern Europe and dismantle the Warsaw Pact, and in return the Americans would stop the NATO expansion and the encirclement of the Soviet Union. Both sides were to ease the tensions and build up relations. However, what happened next was that the Soviet withdrawal from Eastern Europe triggered a series of nationalist revolts throughout the USSR. The unintended consequence here was the break-up of the Soviet Union. In the aftermath of this collapse, NATO quickly moved into the former Warsaw Pact member states and even expanded into the former Soviet states in the Baltics. From the perspective of the new NATO members, joining the alliance made sense, given their past experiences with the Soviet Union. But from Russian perspective this was an utter betrayal.
In the first part of Russia's geopolitics we talked about the external objectives of the Kremlin, and how these objectives shape Russia's foreign policy. Equally important are Russia's
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In the first part of Russia's geopolitics we talked about the external objectives of the Kremlin, and how these objectives shape Russia's foreign policy. Equally important are Russia's internal dynamics, and the answer to this is connected with the historic decisions that transformed Russia into a centralized autocratic empire. As unpleasant that empire was, that is how Putin's administration is governing the country today. Even though a decentralized Russia which endorses freedom and liberty can theoretically exist, the last and only time Russia attempted to form a democratic and free society was during the Yeltsin era in the 1990s. That era is remembered for the great economic depression, massive urban migration and the nationalist religious secessionist movements in North Caucasus, which nearly broke Russia apart. For the Russians, this was evidence that Western values and principles could not work in Russia.
2014x12
Review: Memoirs of Babur by Zahir-ud-din Muhammad Babur
Episode overview
Babur Nama or Memoirs of Babur, is considered a novel, a journal, a historic document, whatever it may be, it is the remarkable story of Zahir-ud-din Muhammad Babur, a descendant of the
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Babur Nama or Memoirs of Babur, is considered a novel, a journal, a historic document, whatever it may be, it is the remarkable story of Zahir-ud-din Muhammad Babur, a descendant of the Mongol conqueror Genghis Khan and the Turkic conqueror Tamerlane. And more importantly Babur was the founder of the Mughal Empire. Yes, this is a five hundred year old journal. Originally written in Turkic Chagatai, a language that is now extinct; it has since been translated into dozens of languages. Babur Nama is one of the earliest examples of autobiographies in the world. In fact it's one of the finest ever written. It presents a precise and a vivid picture of late medieval life in Central Asia and the Indian subcontinent. It is the true story of an impoverished yet highly educated king who, against all odds, established one of the greatest dynasties the world had ever seen
Russia supplies more then 25 percent of Europe's hydrocarbon needs. Ever since the natural gas cutoffs in 2006 and 2009, the European countries have been searched for ways to reduce
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Russia supplies more then 25 percent of Europe's hydrocarbon needs. Ever since the natural gas cutoffs in 2006 and 2009, the European countries have been searched for ways to reduce their dependency on Russian oil and natural gas. In this context, the crisis in Ukraine has sparked a new drive for the search for alternative sources of energy. One project that is of particular interest, but underappreciated in the media, is the Trans-Caspian pipeline. If realized it would significantly change the energy map of Europe in the long term.
2014x14
Human rights and internal power struggle in Saudi Arabia
Episode overview
Saudi Arabia is globally recognized for three things. One, deserts form a major part of the geography, two the country is a top producer of oil and three, the country has a fiercely
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Saudi Arabia is globally recognized for three things. One, deserts form a major part of the geography, two the country is a top producer of oil and three, the country has a fiercely conservative government and society. But the third notion is not necessarily true and is subject to change and that change is now knocking on Saudi Arabia's door. Because even though the government has conservative regulations, that forbid basic women's rights, there is also a growing segment of the society that is asking for change. Especially among the youth of the country. But this reformist view is also shared by many of the top figures in the House of Saud. Despite all of this, the country has not implemented any meaningful change. So what exactly is holding Saudi Arabia back?
As the crisis in Ukraine continues, countries in Russia's immediate proximity are being confronted with difficult choices. That is to join NATO or not. This debate is especially notable
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As the crisis in Ukraine continues, countries in Russia's immediate proximity are being confronted with difficult choices. That is to join NATO or not. This debate is especially notable in Sweden and Finland. Where public support for the alliance has risen. A survey in Finland showed that support for NATO membership increased from 20 percent in 2013 to 22 percent in 2014. A similar survey was held in Sweden, which showed an increase from 30 percent to 36 percent in 2013 and 2014 respectively. Now it's important to note that these numbers vary slightly from poll to poll, but one thing is certain, the overwhelming majority in both countries opposes joining NATO. And it is for this reason that both countries have held no referendum's regarding this subjects, simply because the local political parties fully know, they would lose such a referendum. Those who do support joining NATO argue that the alliance would protect Finland or Sweden from Russia.
The Rise of Turkey: The Twenty-First Century's First Muslim Power by Soner Cagaptay is an excellent geopolitical book about Turkey. You might ask yourself why Turkey? Turkey is perhaps
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The Rise of Turkey: The Twenty-First Century's First Muslim Power by Soner Cagaptay is an excellent geopolitical book about Turkey. You might ask yourself why Turkey? Turkey is perhaps one of the most underappreciated countries in the field of geopolitics. Many people will look at Turkey and see just another NATO member with no significant foreign policy of it’s own. But the truth is Turkey has historically been at the centre of the Islamic world. The Ottoman Empire shaped the identity of Muslims, shaped their cultures, economies, and social structures for the good and bad.
In the aftermath of the invasion of Iraq in 2003, Saddam Hussein, the man who ruled the country with an iron fist, was captured. He was then executed by the new Iraqi government.
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In the aftermath of the invasion of Iraq in 2003, Saddam Hussein, the man who ruled the country with an iron fist, was captured. He was then executed by the new Iraqi government. However despite what most people believe, taking out Saddam wasn't the problem, taking out his political party - was. In June 2003, the US-led Coalition Provisional Authority of Iraq banned the Iraqi Ba'ath party and all its members. This was the most ill-conceived decision in the whole invasion of Iraq affair, as it completely upset the fragile balance of power that existed in the Middle East.
Back in the month of September the American President, Barack Obama, said that the US intends to destroy the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, or ISIS for short. Obama managed to
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Back in the month of September the American President, Barack Obama, said that the US intends to destroy the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, or ISIS for short. Obama managed to assemble an impressive coalition against ISIS, including countries such as France, Germany, the UK and even Saudi Arabia. But at the same time the coalition lacks certain key players. Notably Iran and Turkey. Furthermore the coalition’s military interventions are limited to airstrikes. So just how feasible is the military intervention against ISIS. And what will put an end to the transnational jihadist threat.
Of all the recent books about the Russian president, Fragile Empire: How Russia Fell In and Out of Love with Vladimir Putin by Ben Judah stands out for a number of reasons. First of all
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Of all the recent books about the Russian president, Fragile Empire: How Russia Fell In and Out of Love with Vladimir Putin by Ben Judah stands out for a number of reasons. First of all it’s not quite a biography but instead it’s more like a history book with the Vladimir Putin as the central character. Second, unlike many other books on Russia, the author Ben Judah, actually travels throughout Russia and early on establishes that Moscow isn’t Russia. Instead Moscow is a multicultural metropolis that is completely disconnected from the impoverished small towns and cities where most Russians live. So the book underlines the growing gap in the Russian society.
Ever since the independence of the Republic of Turkey, the military faction has played a decisive role in the politics, economics and society of the country. During the 1960s, 1970s and
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Ever since the independence of the Republic of Turkey, the military faction has played a decisive role in the politics, economics and society of the country. During the 1960s, 1970s and the 1980s, the military ensured the secular nature of the republic through a series of military coups. And eventhough the role of the Turkish military has diminished since the rise of the Justice and Development Party under the leadership of Erdogan, the rise and fall of the Turkish military is part of the geopolitical objectives of a reasserting Turkey.
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