What on Earth is going on in the world today? It's gone mad

[shawnbm]

Not that much, honestly, but it can't be denied that, for whatever reason, the current administration has not been as in sync with some longstanding allies as the USA has been for the last twenty or so years. Our relationship with Israel is not as eye-to-eye as it has been. Russia? We have had strained relations these last years in part because of the conflict in Syria over Assad. In my view, the USA took the wrong side in that conflict and there has been a price to pay. The NSA intelligence gathering debacle with Germany and others certainly did not help from a public relations standpoint. I just get the feeling the current administration is a bit in over its head with international affairs. As for North Korea--yet, they are a laughing stock, but they are dangerous and insular. The people are cut off from the world and they are highly militarized. I do not underestimate what nutty thing could happen over there, particularly with South Korea or even Japan--whose prime minister is so concerned there has been talk of reviving the military in contravention of the constitution. It just seems to me that there is quite a bit more "international tension" than has been present in decades. Just look at the fires raging throughout the world.

 

[Kieran]

The brutal reality of the Middle East. 40,000 now displaced by the "Islamic State." This horror group is only bringing into focus what has happened to non-Muslims for centuries in the Middle East. The Christians in Mosul were culled, but the media has a pet-hate in the region and so this wasn't so loudly reported, let alone marched against.

The plight of the small Yazidi sect is particularly worrying... :nono

 

[shawnbm]

Yes, Kieran, this is akin to the first genocide of the twentieth century by the fading Ottoman Empire against the Armenian people. It is of that kind of scale and every bit as brutal. It is of such a nature and so relentless, it would warrant joint military action to stop it. But, sadly, that won't happen. It did not happen with the Armenians, with the Jews in central Europe or now with the Christians and non-Sunnis under ISIL/ISIS/IS. Tragic.

 

[shawnbm]

Since I last posted, the US and the French leaders have appeared to agree on some intervention via air strikes, but will definitely fly in humanitarian aid. My first thought is--it's about damn time, and a gesture of thanks and gratitude (assuming they actually follow through and not take two more weeks to do so).

 

[Kieran]

That's great news, Shawn!

 

[TsarMatt]

Well, the Russian imposed sanctions will cost Australia (my country) a good $401 million, but they have every right to exercise their own sanctions. Let's just hope this does not prove detrimental to the Russian people, and, of course, the Australian economy. I am sure Putin does not care for agricultural shortages in his own country as long as he gets his message across. Still, Australia expressing their ardent disapproval for Russian sanctions is a bit ironic. Why are we complaining when we sanctioned Russia first? Did we merely expect them not to retaliate? Of course they'll respond. People should know by now that Russia do not compromise to Western orders, so this apparent shockwave spiralling across Australia is ludicrous.

We're currently experiencing economic warfare. Sanctions could only be the beginning. I think people understand that there is no point in two nuclear powers engaging in conventional military conflict, so they're being restrained in that aspect.

 

[Kieran]

It's not ironic, Australia disapproving Russian sanctions: Australian sanctions were justified by Russian aggression. Russian sanctions are justified only by their own spite. Putin will regret all this, if he doesn't already. Russia is not a wealthy country, and will only lose in the long term, if an economic war plays out.

He has made a huge mistake annexing a neighbours land... :nono

 

[Kieran]

I've got to give credit to Obama, since I spend a lot of time slating the fellow. He's taken the high road with Russia and I think it'll pay off, and now he's ordered military help for the victims of ISIS in Iraq.

On this second one, I don't know what the long term implications will be - who does, in the ME? - but what a tangled web there is in that region, and it just gets darker and darker. However, hopefully this intervention will have a positive effect...

 

[Murat Baslamisli]

Since I last posted, the US and the French leaders have appeared to agree on some intervention via air strikes, but will definitely fly in humanitarian aid. My first thought is--it's about damn time, and a gesture of thanks and gratitude (assuming they actually follow through and not take two more weeks to do so).

It is going to get tricky though. If your everyday Sunni , who have been left out of the political process and feel like US is pro-shiite sees this as another blow to his people, he might turn to a group like Isis. That's what you don't want at all. You have to keep Isis small, marginal. The Iraqi army is mostly Shiite as well. You have to include everyday Sunnis in the political process. Or they might go elsewhere...

 

[Kieran]

Since I last posted, the US and the French leaders have appeared to agree on some intervention via air strikes, but will definitely fly in humanitarian aid. My first thought is--it's about damn time, and a gesture of thanks and gratitude (assuming they actually follow through and not take two more weeks to do so).

It is going to get tricky though. If your everyday Sunni , who have been left out of the political process and feel like US is pro-shiite sees this as another blow to his people, he might turn to a group like Isis. That's what you don't want at all. You have to keep Isis small, marginal. The Iraqi army is mostly Shiite as well. You have to include everyday Sunnis in the political process. Or they might go elsewhere...

That's the thing, Murat, and where the west has been spectacularly clueless in the past...

 

[shawnbm]

As to Murat's point, I understand and agree--as to the everyday Sunni. The maniacs in ISIS/ISIL/IS are not everyday anything but terrorizing thugs and killers. They are a distortion of Islam and what we need to see are Sunnis and Shi'ites speaking out together and challenging the Islamic State. I want to see (not just read between the lines based on allocation of money to the Lebanese army--you need that too, but ...) the Saudi kingdom condemn them and Hamas. Let's see the Egyptians and Jordan forcefully say the same thing. Let's see Putin agree to assist with shellacking these criminals and perpetrators of high war crimes. Yes, Malicki should not have kicked out Sunnis on that basis alone, yes he should try and reintegrate Sunnis into positions of power and influence, but the cancer will grow if left unchecked and now possess a dam that could drown Mosul and flood the capital. These guys have proven they have no respect for historical items, relics, buildings, tombs of heroes of all the monotheistic faiths, etc. They cut off heads, order women to be mutilated, rob and pillage--all in the name of a variant of Sunni Islam. But for intervention, this would be Armenia all over again and many nations of the world know that was a precursor to something even worse. So, the road to peace is fraught with traps, but we must walk it with intelligence and a big stick.

 

[JesuslookslikeBorg]

I was thinking the other day..does the whole world seem to be drifting towards more outrage /conflict/whatever ?..or is it just 24/7 meeja and a more tech connected world that is making us all aware of stuff that is going on worldwide ?.

 

[Kieran]

I think the world is the same as it ever was, we just get the news quicker than ever. The media are everywhere, so stuff that was concealed is now out in the open...

 

[shawnbm]

Yes, it appears everything is more instantaneous and that has its pluses, no doubt. Yet, the amount of international tension is alarmingly high in various areas of the world right now. It is not just the Middle East, but a reawakening of Russia as an irritant on a grand scale. You have Crimea, Ukraine, Poland getting nervous, North Korea making all kinds of threats and sending off missiles, Germany and other countries angry at USA snooping, USA and Israel taking swipes at one another and Islamic militant thugs rampaging various areas of sub-Saharan Africa. There is quite a bit going such that the Japanese are planning of rebuilding some semblance of a defense force of its own. There are disputes China wishes to push in terms of territorial seas, sanctions and their effects over the next few months. Things have become alarmingly worrisome in the last couple of years, in particular.

 

[britbox]

Well, the Russian imposed sanctions will cost Australia (my country) a good $401 million, but they have every right to exercise their own sanctions. Let's just hope this does not prove detrimental to the Russian people, and, of course, the Australian economy. I am sure Putin does not care for agricultural shortages in his own country as long as he gets his message across. Still, Australia expressing their ardent disapproval for Russian sanctions is a bit ironic. Why are we complaining when we sanctioned Russia first? Did we merely expect them not to retaliate? Of course they'll respond. People should know by now that Russia do not compromise to Western orders, so this apparent shockwave spiralling across Australia is ludicrous.

We're currently experiencing economic warfare. Sanctions could only be the beginning. I think people understand that there is no point in two nuclear powers engaging in conventional military conflict, so they're being restrained in that aspect.

Sanctions never solved a thing, so it was rather stupid of the west in the first place. The Russians will feel pain from them but apparently they are looking to do deals with BRICS nations to fill the void on goods they are sanctioning themselves.

 

[JesuslookslikeBorg]

Russia are threatening to ban any airliners from flying over its airspace..oh and they've banned polish apples already lol.

 

[TsarMatt]

Was driving this morning and heard a news bulletin that talks about how Russia has banned all poultry, meat, and fruit imports from Australia, but not alcohol.

LOL.

 

[britbox]

Was driving this morning and heard a news bulletin that talks about how Russia has banned all poultry, meat, and fruit imports from Australia, but not alcohol.

LOL.

I guess that will be next when Abbot and Julie Bishop get told to ramp up more sanctions by the U.S.

 

[britbox]

Interesting and well balanced article:

http://nationalinterest.org/feature/how-obama-driving-russia-china-together-10735

 

[britbox]

Not so balanced... but mostly true.

http://scgnews.com/the-ukraine-crisis-what-youre-not-being-told