By Robbin Laird Recently, The Financial Times published an interview between their editor and their Berlin bureau chief and Chancellor Merkel. It was interesting for both what it said and what it did not say about the challenges facing Germany and Europe in the period ahead. Unlike President Macron, the…
By Kenneth Maxwell Social and Racial Divisions The social and racial divisions have not improved over the past 15 years since Tuca Vieira took his iconic photograph. It was in Paraisopolos, now the second largest favela in São Paulo, where 100,000 people live, that nine young people, attending the weekend…
By Kenneth Maxwell Brazilian Society Brazil is now overwhelmingly an urban society. Yet the countryside matters, and is now dominated by agribusiness, which is a major source of president Jair Bolsonaro’s political support. He appointed a major friend of agribusiness, Tereza Cristina, as head of the agriculture ministry. Agribusiness likes…
By Kenneth Maxwell Politics in Brazil are already polarized and will continue to be so in 2020. The Brazilian President, Jair Bolsonaro, owed his election to this polarization. He will stoke it further. It is in his political interest to do so. It is entirely in his character to do…
On Thursday, Jan. 9, while conducting routine operations in the North Arabian Sea, USS Farragut (DDG 99) was aggressively approached by a Russian Navy ship. Farragut sounded five short blasts, the international maritime signal for danger of a collision, and requested the Russian ship alter course in accordance with international…
During the past year, Pierre Tran, based in Paris, has provided our readers with insights on the evolution of French and European defense policies. The series of articles has provided insight into how the Macron Administration has been addressing European defense policy as well, as in the case of Australia,…
By Debalina Ghoshal A few weeks before the US killing of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) head, Maj Gen. Qassem Soleimani, there were reports that Iran was placing short range missiles in the chaotic Iraq to affirm its strategic position in the region. Placing of short range missiles would have…
By India Strategic Washington DC. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh visited the Naval Air Station (NAS) Oceana and Naval Station Norfolk on December 17. The visit highlighted the depth of the US-India defence partnership and the close ties between the Navies of the two countries. During the visit to NAS Oceana,…
