We've never seen this in Hong Kong before. Neither during the time of British colonization (1841-1997), nor in the current period of the 'One Country Two Systems' connection to China (HK with its own judicial, economic and political system; Beijing looking after defence and foreign affairs). The population took to the streets on a … Lire la suite de Xi was right to back down in Hong Kong
Does the West wish to offer up Russia to the Chinese?
On June 6th 2019, celebrating the 74th anniversary of their landing in Normandy, the Great Western Allied Powers had invited Germany to the festivities. But no invitation had been sent to Moscow. Yet it was the Russian army that destroyed 80% of Hitler's divisions during the Second World War (with the support of Western equipment … Lire la suite de Does the West wish to offer up Russia to the Chinese?
Iran-America: how to avoid war
On June 2nd, 2019, on an official trip to Switzerland, the US Secretary of State said that the United States was ready to talk to Iran "without preconditions". This is an important statement, capable of initiating a pathway to peace between the two most militarily powerful nations in the Persian Gulf. As absurd as it … Lire la suite de Iran-America: how to avoid war
Environment and immigration: the EU’s two challenges
Abraham Lincoln defined democracy as "the government of the people, by the people, for the people." As the European Union (EU) brings together different peoples, European democracy - as it was created in September 1976 via the Brussels Treaty that established the election of the European Parliament by universal suffrage - should logically be understood … Lire la suite de Environment and immigration: the EU’s two challenges
China will never dominate Asia
Will 21st century China some day dominate Asia? Will it succeed in building its neighbourhood that which the United States, guided by the Monroe doctrine, built in the Americas in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries? My betting is - No. There are ideological, geopolitical and economic factors that will prevent China from subjugating its Asian neighbours. Ideologically, China … Lire la suite de China will never dominate Asia
Elections that are no longer European
More than any other organization on the planet, the European Union (EU) assembles countries whose democracy works well. When you travel in Europe from East to West and North to South, whether you are in Poland or Portugal, Ireland or Greece, and you talk to citizens, the vast majority of them will be able to … Lire la suite de Elections that are no longer European
MACRON’S VERY DELICATE MISSILE BALANCE
Engaging in an act of war is always a serious decision for a head of state. Emmanuel Macron surely did not take lightly the decision to involve France in an American led punitive operation to bomb Syria. We have no reason to doubt the sincerity of the French president when he claims to have irrefutable … Lire la suite de MACRON’S VERY DELICATE MISSILE BALANCE
THE PERNICIOUS TROUBLE WITH DIPLOMATIC PRE-CONDITIONS
Beijing had taken Seoul to task for deploying an American missile defence shield on its territory. The primary target of the High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) is, of course, North Korea’s nuclear ballistic programme. But the Chinese also saw it as an instrument of erosion of their nuclear deterrent. They had started to boycott South … Lire la suite de THE PERNICIOUS TROUBLE WITH DIPLOMATIC PRE-CONDITIONS
A CENTURY ON FROM THE ARMISTICE, SOME PROSPECTS FOR PEACE
This year, we will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the end of the First World War. It was Europe’s suicide, and after a relatively peaceful century (1815-1914), marked by the anchoring of the rule of law, monetary stability, trade, reciprocal cultural influences, industrial development, scientific research, public education. The lesson of this horrible conflict has … Lire la suite de A CENTURY ON FROM THE ARMISTICE, SOME PROSPECTS FOR PEACE
WHY WE NEED TO WORK WITH RUSSIA IN THE MIDDLE EAST
The latest Syrian-Israeli military incident is not simply an unfortunate slip-up. It indicates an escalation in the Middle East, one fraught with danger in the short- and medium-term. On Saturday, February 10, shortly before dawn, a drone guided from Syrian territory entered Israeli airspace. It was immediately chased and shot down by Israeli Defence Force … Lire la suite de WHY WE NEED TO WORK WITH RUSSIA IN THE MIDDLE EAST
