2014-11-22 By Kenneth Maxwell The burgeoning crisis at the state-controlled Brazilian oil giant Petrobras, the arrest of leading construction company executives, allegations of embezzlement for personal gain, kickbacks paid for over-invoiced contracts, and the accusation that this involved payoffs to leading Brazilian politicians, including members of congress, governors, ministers, as well as political parties, strikes at…

2014-11-11 Murielle Delaporte is visiting the French base in Djibouti. Djibouti is at the crossroads of Asia and Africa and a very important transit route. France has a long history in Djibouti. Djibouti was obtained as a colony by France in 1862 and officially controlled Djibouti until it received independence…

2014-11-03 The Marines this year are celebrating their 239th birthday. A good way to honor the Marines would be not only to remember the battle of Dong Ha, Vietnam, but to honor the men who fought there. The entire Second Line of Defense team wishes to support the suggestion of…

2014-11-03 By Richard Weitz The United States and South Korea just completed their most important series of national security meetings this year. On October 24, the South Korean and U.S. foreign and defense ministers held their third so-called “2+2 meeting,” which was the first such ministerial since Park Geun-hye became…

2014-10-29 by Julien Canin Recently, the German press has underscored the perilous condition of the Bundeswehr. In part due of the Euro crisis, the government has made economies on the supply chain and spare parts with, for result, the currently atrophy of German capabilities. Indeed, between 2008 and 2014, the defense…