Analyses
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United States / Europe / Focus Article / BRIC / Middle East / Americas / Africa / Asia / Oceania / Environment & SustainabilityIn the past few years, the political map of Antarctica, a region rich in mineral-fuel resources, has changed immensely. How can the ongoing geopolitical polarization in this region have unfavourable global effects in the long run? Even after 50 years of peaceful multilateral research initiatives, various nations would still like to seize Antarctica. Although annexation of the continent is now difficult, ongoing geopolitics might disable the Antarctic Treaty System (ATS) after it expires in 2048, or even before that date. If Antarctica is seized, either by force or deception, this can lead to a global conflict. The ATS refers to extensive multilateral accords which came into force in 1961....
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australia / carbon market / carbon trading / energy policy / Japan / United States / Europe / Finance & Economics / Focus Article / Oceania / Environment & SustainabilityGlobal carbon trading could potentially be the most effective economic tool to regulate industrial Co2 emissions in the fight against climate change. As concern about global climate change and carbon emissions mitigation is becoming ever more important, governments and corporations across the world have introduced innovative strategies to reduce steadily rising carbon emissions. Some of these strategies such as carbon taxes, energy efficiency strategies, command and control policies and market-based pollution trading mechanisms have been around for some time. However, they were previously used for other pollution control purposes, besides that of carbon emissions mitigation, with varying...
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Chagos Islands / European Court of Human Rights / Politics / United Kingdom / Europe / Focus Article / AfricaBy James Wan Former residents of the Chagos Islands have lost their latest legal bid for the right to return following a European ruling. What next for the islanders? Former residents of the Chagos Islands, located in the middle of the Indian Ocean, have lost their latest legal bid for their right to return home. The islanders’ fight to go back to the archipelago – from which they were brutally and illegally deported by the British government in the late-1960s – has been long and Sisyphean. Following battles in the UK High Court – which the islanders won – and the House of Lords – which they lost – the latest chapter saw the appeal go to the...
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The Central African Republic may come to serve as a spark for what may yet become the "African Spring." Daniel Wagner and Giorgio Cafiero analyze the implications of political change in the country. As was the case in Mali, recent events in the Central African Republic (CAR) have the potential to profoundly impact the dynamics of political change in Africa, where the plethora of failed or failing states provides a ripe breeding ground for extremists to assume power. The CAR's location, being landlocked and surrounded by the failed states of Chad, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Sudan, make it vulnerable and beholden to its neighbors. Being mineral rich makes it ripe for...
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Is America inadvertently rearing another monster with its 'covert' support to al-Qaeda cadres in Syrian rebel ranks? During World War II, the US Office of Strategic Services (OSS), predecessor to the Green Berets and in turn US Special Forces, utilized members of a German dissident group who had fled to France as refugees for unconventional operations against the German Army in conjunction with the OSS. The philosophy of the then OSS Chief General Donovan had been: “Use them as long as they kill Nazis.” This is no surprise when you look at special operations over the years. Use of irregulars, especially natives, by Special Forces has been common practice considering the...
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By Atul SinghEditor-in-Chief Atul Singh argues that gun control is no panacea; American society itself will have to change for school killings to decrease. Wayne LaPierre is the executive vice president of the National Rifle Association (NRA), one of the most powerful lobbies in the US. After the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995, he described federal agents as "jack-booted thugs." This led former President George H. W. Bush to resign his NRA membership. This time LaPierre has surpassed himself. He has called for armed security in every school as a means to make the children of America safe. Even Fox News, hardly a lily livered liberal organization, questioned whether such a measure would be...
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Arab Spring / Arab Uprisings / Book / Politics / Focus Article / Middle East / AfricaAll of us at Fair Observer are delighted to announce the launch of our first book. There are days we mark out as significant in our lives. This is such a day for Fair Observer. After months of effort, we are proud to announce the publication of our first book, The Arab Uprisings: An Introduction. At times the ground beneath our feet shakes and the world as we know it changes forever. These are such times and the Arab Uprisings will mark the start of a new era in world history. For years, Arab regimes have expropriated power and wealth from their people. In the age of the Internet, exploding populations and greater aspirations, these regimes have been increasingly incongruous. People,...
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Christian / Iraq / Kurdistan / Politics / Focus Article / Middle EastOn December 5, 2012, the Columbus School of Law at The Catholic University of America brought together scholars and policymakers to examine the history, challenges and prospects for Christians in Iraqi Kurdistan today. James Quirk provides a detailed description of the topics, panelists and attendees of the conference, entitled “The Status of the Christian Communities in Iraqi Kurdistan.” The complete program can be found on the university’s website, and a digital archive of the conference, including videos, photos, and supporting materials, will be available soon. "In the third millennium BC…" Conference presentations that start with such a phrase seem...
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Politics / United States / Europe / Focus Article / Middle East / Americas / Africa / AsiaFair Observer's five best articles for November. In the northern hemisphere winter has set in. Israel and Palestine are in the news again. In the US, President Obama and the Republicans are battling each other over rival visions of society as the fiscal cliff looms ever closer. China has a new set of leaders who face immense challenges. India is witnessing yet another corruption scandal; this time it involves the son-in-law of the dynasty that has largely ruled the country since 1947. In Europe, unemployment has hit a record high and the continent remains mired in economic crisis. Brazil’s economy is also slowing down to one of its lowest levels of growth in a decade. Clearly,...