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The European Union is an empire. Empires are often unwilling to describe themselves as such. My own effort would be «numbers of ethnically diverse peoples who have a political and economic history together». To that I would add, «History tells us that empires sooner or later collapse when the benefits of a common economy no longer mask the ethnic strains.» Sprinkled into those definitions I would add «ethnicity never goes away»...
Rafe MAIR | 21.05.2013 |
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Just like bouts of poison ivy, every few years we see a watershed visit to Israel by a sitting US president. And every time that happens we’re all supposed to take heart. Then the usual drift sets in, there are international incidents and resolutions of the United Nations. President Obama has just concluded such a session with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and although it depends upon who’s reporting, Mr Obama was seen to be backing Israel while belittling the Palestinians. This is understandable in terms of US current internal politics but is folly for the long term...
Rafe MAIR | 12.04.2013 |
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What Britain has shown since it came into the Common Market, now the EU, on January 1, 1973 is an unwillingness to throw in its lot with Europe when it doesn’t suit them; whether its social policy or fiscal union, Britain has said “no thanks”. Does that mean the public will say “NO” to a referendum held in 2017 or before?
Rafe MAIR | 20.03.2013 |
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In assessing the situation as President Obama begins his second term one very important point must be made – unlike most parliamentary democracies there is no leader of the opposition. Strangely, this works to the disadvantage of Mr. Obama... Probably the president’s biggest problem is to bring the American monetary situation under control... Perhaps Mr. Obama’s biggest problem is what to do with the Middle East...
Rafe MAIR | 04.03.2013 |
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...I see several apparent consequences from Scotland breaking away starting with what will remain afterwards. The economic intertwining of the UK makes it impossible for this non-economist to assess but we do know that Scotland is overrepresented in the UK parliament and receives more money per person than other Britons. Who owns the North Sea oil? If Scotland leaves, can it sustain itself or does she see continued British aid, a sort of divorce with bedroom privileges? What about the European Union? Does Scotland automatically become a member?..
Rafe MAIR | 10.02.2013 |
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The UK will, within the next couple of years, hold a referendum on whether or not to continue its membership in the EU and will vote to get out – if they’re not booted out first. To understand Britain one must remember that they have never really been in...
Rafe MAIR | 05.02.2013 |
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To get down to basics, we have in the Middle East, a four pronged budding crisis, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Iran and Israel. Israel has nuclear weapons, Iran will soon have them and the royal family in Arabia are not long for this world. My crystal ball tells me that Egypt will end the 1979 peace treaty with Israel, Saudi Arabia will be governed by Wahabbi militants, and Iran will become a nuclear power with eyes on Israel which will continue to build, provocatively, settlements on occupied land. What will the US do? The better question is what can the US do?..
Rafe MAIR | 19.01.2013 |
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President Obama has accomplished something that few could have foreseen a mere decade ago – not only is he the first black president, he’s the first to be re-elected taking away the argument that he was just one of those political accidents that come along once in awhile. He has been re-certified as the Commander-in-chief of the world’s richest and most powerful nation. It is, frankly that which delineates his major problem. He must foresee the day when the US is no longer numero uno. He must foresee that which the Soviet Union could not – a diminution of power and prestige...
Rafe MAIR | 15.01.2013 |
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I learned that it was a way to capture oil and gas unobtainable by ordinary means that is caught between layers of shale, often as deep as a mile... In less than a year «fracking» has turned the energy field around such that the US, long dependent on the Middle East and Canada for its supplies gas, is on the brink, perhaps as early as 2016, of self sufficiency and its impact on the Middle East, Russia and Asia, will be enormous given that gas prices will plummet - as they already have in North America...
Rafe MAIR | 04.12.2012 |
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As it has for decades, the Middle East is a simmering pressure cooker and the causes are too many to list...Israel is nuclear armed and quite prepared to use force against any threat to the balance of power which at this moment is Iran. The issue is not a fair deal for Palestinians - no one really cares for them although a settlement would obviously cool tempers. In fact for Israel the Palestinians are a buffer. This is President Obama’s challenge - how would you handle it?
Rafe MAIR | 19.11.2012 |
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