Iraq Kurdistan-US relations

When most Americans think about Iraq, the War on Terror is the conflict that comes to mind. Often the Kurdish population is never thought of or their ongoing battle with the rest of Iraq. The Iraq Kurdistan President, Massoud Barzani is refusing to meet with President Obama because the United States has placed the two main Kurdish political parties on the terrorist black list. The Kurds feel as if this label is unfair and damaging to their people. I found this article interesting because of the Kurds history of opposing Saddam Hussein and favoring the United States during our war in Iraq. The Kurd government reinforced my feelings in the article by pointing out that US forces did not suffer any casualties in the Kurd controlled area during their invasion, and proved thankful towards our forces. This leeds me to wonder why the Kurds were placed on the terror list in 2001?

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/12/iraqi-kurdistan-president-obama-terror-list

Suicide Bomber in Lebanon Kills Three

In Lebanon on Saturday a suicide bomber killed two soldiers and a civilian while passing through a Hezbollah checkpoint. The group claiming responsibility for this attack is called the Nusra Front, which is named after a group that is fighting against the Assad regime in Syria. The Nusra Front in Lebanon is claiming that this attack is in retaliation to the fact that Hezbollah is a supporter of the Assad regime, and regularly sends troops into Syria to fight against the rebels. The checkpoints themselves however, were put into place by Hezbollah in order to crack down on such attacks from many different militant organizations who are unhappy with Hezbollah's stance on the fighting in Syria.
Preventing security breaches like this is one of the many challenges faced by the brand new government in Beirut. However, the government is facing many internal problems, with it being polarized by the Shi'a Hezbollah and its supporters, and the the Western-backed Sunni part of the government. Unfortunately, many experts are saying that the government won't last long due to this bi-polarity and the continuation of attacks like this one may put more stress on the new government than it can handle.

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2014/02/22/uk-lebanon-blast-idUKBREA1L0UF20140222

Oil Output in Libya Drops

Libya's oil production has fallen to 230,000 barrels a day from 570,000 bpd due to the closure of the el-Sharara field following protests, state-owned National Oil Corp (NOC) said. The crisis has already cost the country an estimated 10 billion in losses. "The country's oil production has fallen to 230,000 bpd after the closure on Thursday evening of the oilfield at el-Sharara," which has an output of 330,000 bpd, NOC spokesman Mohamed al-Harairi said on Sunday. The recent decline is the latest blow to the oil-rich North African nation, where the oil sector accounts for 70 percent of GDP, 95 percent of state revenues and as much as 98 percent of exports. Ever since the revolt against Gaddafi the nation's oil industry has often been targeted by rebels in order to undermine the state's authority while gaining international attention. I am curious to see how the fellow Arab League nation's will react to this especially OPEC since Libya is a member nation. Could we see a rise in gas prices?

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2014/02/libya-oil-output-dives-after-key-field-shut-2014223153123479374.html

Morocco Relations in Africa

As a result of Islamist terrorism across North Africa, foreign ministers of 19 countries (including France and much of North Africa) attended a meeting in Morocco's capitol (Rabat) last November to consolidate effort against the AL Qaeda and its followers. This Rabat Declaration implies that there are some major changes coming to Europe and Africa. Regarding Al Qaeda prevention efforts, Morocco and France have acted with the most force; Morocco's efforts were largely diplomatic. Morocco has been heavily ostracized by neighboring Algeria--with Algeria's influence keeping Morocco the only nation on the continent excluded from the African Union and most regional security initiatives. When friction erupted in Mali, nations looked to Algeria to lead efforts to stabilize the country. However, when Algeria was slow to engage efforts, Morocco charged into action and saw a chance to partner with France to address issues as well as lead a coalition against jihadists in Mali.

Since then, Morocco has launched initiatives to boost trade and investments across the region by working with the EU and the USA. With the King of Morocco the head of state and the highest religious authority, the country worked to champion moderation and reform against extremist ideas across North Africa and Southern Europe using religious grounds. As Morocco builds on its success and expands its sphere of influence across Northern Africa and Southern Europe, the country shows no signs of loosing steam as it continues to announce partnerships with countries such as Tunisia, Guinea, and Libya to fight extremist ideas.

Website: http://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ians/morocco-modern-islam-and-the-future-of-africa-comment-special-to-ians-114022300072_1.html

Kuwait continues pro-media by welcoming media to Arab summit

Kuwait continues to be a leader in free and fair media in the Arab world, welcoming Al-Jazeera TV and numerous other media outlets to openly cover Arab Summit which will be held later in March. Kuwait's Minister of Information and State Minister for Youth Affairs Sheikh Salman Sabah Salem Al-Sabah welcomed the media delegation expressing Kuwait’s excitement and support of a free press. Kuwait sets a strong tone by welcoming media, confirming their support and belief in freedom of expression. While many Arab nations add additional restrictions to press and political expression, Kuwait hopes to encourage other heads of state to lessen restrictions after the summit.

Trials in Egypt Stir Unrest

On Saturday Mohamed Morsi, the deposed president appeared in court. He has been charged with prison breaks that freed over 20,000 inmates back in 2011 during their 18-day revolt. This revolt was responsible for toppling the autocratic Hosni Mubarak. He is one of 130 being charged with this, including members of the Palestinian Hamas and Lebanese Hezbollah. Morsi was one of the many inmates freed back in 2011 and became the first ever freely elected president in 2012.

During his appearance Morsi urged the people to “continue their peaceful revolution”. Morsi is a member of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt which continues to stage weekly protests. However, these protests have been cracked down on recently and over 1400 people have been killed since July.

Six police officers are also being acquitted and are being charged of killing 83 protestors during the 2011 revolution. Many rights groups feel this is not adequate punishment and that many police officers who killed protestors are not being brought to justice.

These court cases are bringing back a lot of feelings and unrest in Egypt over what happened in 2011 and what is still happening today. This unease will not disappear until the groups feel they have gotten what they want. This does not bode well for their opposition and for the rest of the Middle East which really does not need more unrest right now.

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2014/02/egypt-morsi-urges-revolution-from-court-2014222132155680303.html

Kuwait-Legislators Likely to Vote No on Gulf Secuirty Pact

Legislators in Kuwait's parliament likely to vote down recent Gulf Security Pact proposal, stating that the pact will limit constitutional freedoms, particularly in terms of press and political demonstration. The pact calls for the extradarion of anyone accused of carrying out political or security activies against a member state. Kuwait boasts a tradition of free press and political expression in comparison to its neighbors and fears the limits the pact places on personal freedom. With general session not opening until October, Speaker of the House Ali Al-Rashed asks government officials not to push for immediate ratification and to positively note the concerns of the  legislators.

http://www.arabnews.com/news/526931

EU Development Comissioner visits Mauritania

The EU development commissioner, Andris Piebalgs is going to announce soon that the EU is giving 195 million euros to Mauritania for food security, rule of law and healthcare. This money will be doled out between 2014 and 2020. During the commissioners visit he is scheduled to meet with both President Abdel Aziz and Prime Minister Moulaye Ould Mohamed Laghdhaf. During this meeting they are going to discuss different areas of security for Mauritania including their ongoing cooperation with the EU to help improve Mauritania’s fishing, development and security.

This visit is the first from a Commissioner since 2008, and is not happening this week by accident. The EU-Africa summit will take place on April 2^nd and 3^rd in Brussels. Mauritania is currently the African Union president, and will play a key role in this summit. The EU is also currently looking to Mauritania to help keep the Sahel region stable. The Commissioner said that he wished “to congratulate the country on all the work it is doing to make the country, and the wider region, more stable".

While in Mauritania the Commissioner will participate in launching a project that will rehabilitate and enlarge the Naoakchott-Rosso road, which is almost 200km long and is the key transportation route for Mauritania and Senegal. The EU has donated 51 million Euros along with the funds the Mauritanian Government is already providing and the World bank is donating. This will play a key role in trade and help to improve access to markets for the farmers along this route. This is a good example of what can be done when different groups partner up in this region.

The commissioner will also be able to get a firsthand look at what EU projects are doing  in Mauritania. One example is a school for girls in the Toujounine village and a police training school.

This is important for how Mauritania will interact with the rest of the Arab League. If they have interest in working with other international organizations this may change how they go into Arab League meetings, and it may change how they voice their opinions. This may also make them begin to work on improving their human rights problems which will make them more appealing to other International Organizations which can also bring more attention to the Arab League.

http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-14-126_en.htm

EU Mauritania Relations Remain Strong

EU pledges 195 million euro for food secuirty and healthcare resources to Maurtinaia, stating that Mauritania's stability and security is crucial to the Sahel region. Additionally Commishioner Piedbalgs will be visiting Maurtinaia for the first time since 2008 later this year. This visit underlines the strong relationship between the EU and AU. The EU recognizes Maurtinaia's role in facilitating regional trade and maintaining security. The 195 million euro is part of a 6.4 billion euro commitment from the EU to the west Afircian region.

http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-14-126_en.htm?locale=en

Hope for the Latvian Hockey Team

All of the biggest stories written on Latvia this week were about their chances of medaling in the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics Hockey Tournament.The teams coach is Bob Nolan, a Canadian who's been a successful coach in the NFL for over 15 years. The Latvian team will face Switzerland in the first round, and then has a chance of playing either the Czech Republic or Sweden, so Latvia is definitely the "underdog" of the group, but that doesn't get Nolan down. "You never know. We took Finland to overtime at the world championships last year," he said. "We're a hard-working team. And now they're starting to believe. And that's a deadly combination once in a while." One of the techniques that Nolan uses to foster team unity is to stipulate that only Latvian be spoken in the locker room, other that English or Russian or another language. Nolan realizes the importance of language in bringing people closer together, and even has learned some Latvian in order to communicate to his players in their own language. Nolan's coaching is helped by Sandish Ozolinsh, a former NHL star who was convinced to come out retirement to play in Sochi. Nolan credits Ozolinsh as being a "game-changer" for the team. Although Latvia is nobody's favorite, Nolan's coaching may have them pulling out a couple of surprises.

http://abcnews.go.com/Sports/wireStory/nolan-message-latvian-hockey-team-22418790
http://www.canada.com/olympics/news/former-nhl-star-ozolinsh-leads-latvia-at-sochi-olympics

Scottish Independence: hail to Norway

WHO: The finance secretary of Scotland John Swinney
WHAT:  The scheduled to visit Norway this upcoming week for a conference on social enterprise which coincides with nation's 200th anniversary of their constitution in which they broke free from the control of Demark. John Swinney is looking at the Norway as a model for social enterprise specially child care which the nation has had huge success with. This comes 7 months before Scotland's independence referendum is set which is highly controversial and leaves the people of Scotland divided.
WHERE: Oslo, Norway
WHEN: This week (February 10th-14th)
WHY: It seems as if the secretary is looking to build allies in nations who have gone through a similar transformation and have been successful. John Swinney is quoted in the article claiming, “We believe that it is possible for us to leapfrog forward from our current position in Norway, and are excited to think this might be possible through finding future collaborative projects through which we can further develop our competence regarding the potential of social enterprise in the housing sector.” Whats interesting about this is the fact that Norway gained independence 200 years ago and whether or not that can be seen as a model in the 21st century seems wary. This also will be big for NATO relations in the upcoming future I wonder if countries will be for or against the independence movement in Scotland. Its safe to say that Scotland is fostering its relationship with Norway and sees them as a supporter. How do you think this will all pan out as we move closer to the referendum?

source: http://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/top-stories/scottish-independence-john-swinney-hails-norway-1-3300038

New Turkish Internet Law Leading to Protests Across the Country

Turkey has had a problem with internet censoring by its government for a while now, not as much as China but a recent report by Economic Policy Research Foundation of Turkey (TEPAV) says that Turkey is actually second in terms of internet censoring right after China. A new law is currently trying to be passed which would allow the Telecommunications Communciations Presidency (TIB) in Turkey to block access to websites without that the TIB deems “insulting”. This could be done without the necessity of a court order, meaning the TIB would have complete control over what internet sites they wanted to ban and the bans would not be checked.

This law was passed by the Turkish Parliament on Feburary 6^th and is now being passed to the Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan to be signed. This past week there have been many protesting demonstrations held throughout Turkey. This past week there was a strong call by social media for the people of Turkey to stand up for their rights and protest. Many institutions and human rights groups are particularly upset about the prospects of this new law and many of the protestors are members of these groups.

It is being reported that police equipped with riot shields and body armor have begun attacking the crowds with tear gas, rubber bullets and pressurized water.

The Prime Minister however claims that this new law is not censorship by any means it is just a way for the government to make the internet “more safe and free” for the Turkish people. He also denied that authorities would now have access to people’s personal information, which is another concern of the protestors.

Another question being raised over this entire situation is that it comes at a time where the Prime Minister’s entire inner-circle is being looked at for corruption and many wonder if this is a way for the government to silence its critics. This is a very big problem because Turkey already has huge problems with the limits of freedom of pres.

This is something the international community, including NATO needs to be concerned with because it involves the limiting of human rights which is definitely a striking issue for NATO. These internet laws will continue to restrict the freedom of the press in Turkey and pushes the people to take more and more drastic measures, leading them down the path of possible violence and uprising. The Middle East does not need more violence so this is definitely an issue that NATO should keep a close eye on. 

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/europe/2014/02/protests-erupt-turkey-against-internet-law-2014293172399823.html

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkey-ranks-second-in-internet-censors-report.aspx?pageID=238&nID=62219&NewsCatID=339

Romanian Economic Recovery

Despite being the poorest country per capita GDP amongst Slovakia and Czechoslovakia (approximately half the GDP of its European neighbors), Romania has experienced nearly 3% growth from 2012 to 2013, exceeding the country's own government expectations of less than 2% growth. It is widely believed that the Romanian economy could continue to accelerate in conjunction with crucial capitol market developments this year.

Romania's growth is tied to exports as the country seeks opportunities in exports and automotive sectors, in addition to European Union structural funds which sustain economic growth. The country's consecutive years of economic growth has lead it to be classified as a frontier market, which has been proven very beneficial by the fact that investors are giving markets more attention. Although several IPO opportunities for the country are still expected to be announced along with the increasing participation of retail investors, banks in and around Romania remain cautious with lending as interest rates for loans remain steep.

Website: http://www.businessinsider.com/romania-on-the-right-track-2014-2

European Identity

"Polish migrants have been let down by their government," explores the identity crisis taking place throughout much of Europe. The Polish are believed to be insecure about their identity, especially after migrating to a country such as Britain, where they have such a strong identity. It is thought that much of the Polish crisis is rooted from their small size and struggles to feel truly "European" after being under communistic rule. It is not uncommon for immigrants in Britain to feel discriminated against. This has caused the Polish immigrants to speak out about their frustration towards the Polish government for not working to make the lives of those abroad less stressful. This was recently sparked By David Comeron's comments that Polish immigrants are taking advantage of UK benefits.

UK citizens seem to be developing the opposite mind set of the Polish and are favoring their mindset of "Bitishness" rather than "Europeanness."However, this has also bee influenced by large immigrations to Britain. The citizens are in favor of anti immigration policies.

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/jan/13/polish-migrants-government-david-cameron 

Latvia Adopts the Euro

The Latvian government has decided to make the switch from their national currency of the lat to the Euro. As part of the former Soviet Union, Latvia is still feeling the effects of their occupation by the Soviets, as they have only been independent since 1991. They still depend on Russia for energy, and almost 30% of the population identifies as Russian. But with the switch to the Euro, Latvia is hoping to more closely align itself with Western Europe. Latvia has the fastest growing economy in the European Union, of which its been a member since 2004, but it still is considered one of the weaker economies due to the hard hit it took during the 2008 recession. Some Latvians show trepidation at joining the Eurozone, as Russia has a large stake in Latvian banks due to both legal and illegal ventures and any growth due to joining the Eurozone would surely benefit Russia too. Another concern from the Latvian people is the loss of identity that comes with joining the Eurozone. The lat is not only a currency, but a symbol of freedom as it was adopted by Latvians after they gained their independence from the Soviet Union. But most of the top political and business leaders agree that adopting the Euro will only make their country stronger.

http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Europe/2014/0125/Pride-and-trepidation-in-Latvia-as-it-swaps-to-euros

Germany Offers 3rd Austerity Package to Greece

Germany comes to Greece’s rescue once again preparing a THIRD austerity package. The final amount of the bailout is still being discussed; however, the German government will shell out between 10-20 billion euro. Finance minister Woflgan Schauble stated that all future aid packages will be significantly less than the 240 billion euro Greece has received thus far. IMF leaders disagree with the third bailout arguing that Greece has reached its limit. Giorgos Stathakis, shadow development minister and economics professor, is adamantly opposed to any additional austerity measures arguing for debt restructuring verses more raw aid stating that German leaders are “missing the point”. The IMF and other financial giants such as China, Brazil, Argentia, Inida, Egypt and Switzerland have expressed serious doubts about the success of the aid thus far. Grecian unemployment rate oscillates around 28%, with a 60% youth unemployment rate. Additionally, European governments own debt exceeding 176% of Greek GDP.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/02/germany-preparing-third-financial-rescue-greece

Norway has fallen in love with electric cars
but how long will the incentives last?

Electric cars started as an Oslo phenomenom but they are now selling all over Norway. By the end of Ferbruary we expect to be the first country in the world where 1 in 100 cars on the road are electric," said Sletvold. Incentives include public charging stations, affordability, and access to bus lanes. 

 The Norwegian love affair with electric cars may end sooner than expected. Incentives will be withdrawn, or reconsidered, when 50,000 zero emission cars have been registered or come 2018, whichever is the earliest. At the current rate of sales, the 50,000 figure could be reached within 18 months.

 The vehicles are now so popular that they dominate the bus lanes into Oslo, making up to 75% of the vehicles alowed in them. In addition, it's getting harder and harder to find unoccupied public charging facilities.

Will the government have to remove incentives? How will drivers and owners in Norway feel about this potential change and removal of incentives the peak is reached? All stuff to consider in terms of the future regarding Norway's technology and transportation.

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/jan/29/norway-electric-cars-sale

Hawkish Germany sets Tone during Opening Statements at Munich Security Conference

President Joachim Gauck gave opening statements at the January 31, 2014 Munich Security Conference.

“Shake off WWII”

Gauck encouraged Germans to “shake off” the guilt stemming from WWII and to take more responsibility in international affairs, specifically international security, challenging citizens not to turn a blind eye to those who betray universal values.

UN Troops Should Use Force

Walking the rhetorical tightrope, Gauck equally advocated for UN Troops to have the authorized ability to use force when necessary, but stated that Germany could never support a solely militant approach to any conflict resolution. Gauck called the use of force a “necessary last resort”

Eh? Sovereignty, Shomvereignty.

Gauck warned that “brutal regimes must not be allowed to hide behind the principles of state sovereignty and non-intervention.” Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen and President Gauck took a strong stance against human rights violations stating that Germany will no longer sit on the side lines and allow crimes against humanity to take place. Leyen stated “To sit and wait is not an option. If we have means, capabilities, we have the obligation and we have the responsibility to engage. If we Europeans want to remain a credible actor in security policy, we must plan and act together.”

Bottom Line

Germany is eager to flex its fiscal and military muscles regionally and internationally. As the sole pillar of fiscal stability and an unabashed growing military power, Germany stands to challenge the UKs role in European security and rhetorically provides a strong ally to the US and France in issues of state sponsored terrorism and crimes against humanity.  Despite the thinly masked collaborative tone, Germany is prepared to address regional security threats alone and is anxious to demonstrate its power. The question is, are the German people as ready to pounce as their government?

http://www.dw.de/gauck-opens-munich-security-conference-with-call-for-more-german-engagement/a-17399048

Conference Website: https://www.securityconference.de/en/

Slovakia has difficulty integrating foreigners

Due to critically low numbers of legal foreigners currently living in the Republic of Slovakia, the country has issues integrating them into their society. Out of a population of approximately 5,488,339 (2013 estimate), only a little over 25,500 (2012 estimate) foreign immigrants live in the country, which equates to about 0.46% of the population. In comparison to the United States, approximately 13% of our population is foreign-born.

Although the Slovakia government has tried to enact policies to facilitate integration, all actions are hampered and exhibit little success because foreigners lack adequate information, have difficulty communicating with fellow Slovaks, and encounter stereotypes from other nationalized citizens. Furthermore, when the different population ratios of foreigners from other countries are analyzed, the groups range from several thousand from one particular country to a just a few hundred from another. Despite the fact that some integration efforts seem almost impractical, the Slovak Republic still has the drive to nationalize and integrate legal foreigners and is still in the process of establishing governmental aid for immigrants today.

Website: http://spectator.sme.sk/articles/view/52773/10/slovakia_has_difficulty_integrating_foreigners.html