Politics
Politics
Fair Observer's analysis of political issues, events and trends and their national, regional and international consequences.
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According to Alexander Coward, Obama saves the really crucial arguments of his campaign for the following debates in order to fight back big time. Before Mohamed Ali went into the ring against George Foreman for the Rumble in the Jungle in 1974, he said that he was going to dance, that he was going make Foreman look slow, that he was going to float like a butterfly and sting like a bee. Instead he lay low on the ropes for 7 whole rounds, leaning back so far it looked like he might fall out of the ring. He soaked up punch after punch, body-blow after body-blow, leaving people scratching their heads. Where is the real Ali? Is he tired? Was he expecting an easy fight? His supporters were...
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A crucial step in understanding the debate over mining is to examine the costs involved. Economics will help uncover the true benefits of the mining practices as it stands while evaluating any potential growth factors. Mining operators are required to set aside funds to compensate for damages and assume the risk of any potential adverse impacts. Since the same affected or at-risk stakeholders also share in mining revenues, there should be a net economic benefit to them; conflicts regarding costs should be negotiated not only for measurable economic losses, but also for environmental and social costs that are immeasurable in monetary terms. While conducting cost-benefit analyses, damage...
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Morocco / Politics / 360° Context / Middle East / AfricaAlthough Morocco's king enacted modest constitutional reforms to appease protestor demands, the Islamist-led government is struggling to deliver tangible results on social justice issues. Background Morocco has a history distinct from that of its North African neighbors. It never became a part of the Ottoman Empire which ruled vast parts of the Arab world for centuries. Morocco thus has a long tradition of independence. The current ruling Alaouite dynasty claims to trace its ancestry back to the Prophet Mohammed and has ruled the country since the 17th century. After 44 years as a French Protectorate, Morocco re-gained independence in 1956. In 1961, Hassan II became king. His 38-year-...
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In the face of the controversial blasphemy laws in Pakistan, the second of this two part article examines the parameters of capital punishment in Islamic theology. The Way Forward In Pakistan, the arrest of the local Imam for framing blasphemy charges against Rimsha Masih has been a promising development. But the debate on the “blasphemy enterprise” has only just scratched the surface. The girl and her family are still in need of protection from mob violence. The fate of the local cleric remains unclear. Reforms may lie ahead, but many dare not touch the question of death penalty for blasphemy in Pakistan. In light of the recent developments turning the blasphemy case on its...
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360° Analysis / Politics / BRIC / AmericasBy Trevor CohenBrazil’s experience in alleviating poverty has given the country major international credibility. Economic expansion has multiplied the influence of Brazil’s traditional soft power approach to diplomacy, highlighting the interactions between power both hard and soft. Can a superpower rise from soft foundations? Throughout history, powerful states have projected their might using military force. The weapons of war have spread culture, commerce and ideas, sharing the softer side of dominance beyond the conquest. But can a world be conquered through culture, commerce and ideas alone? Brazil has become a major diplomatic player without the show of military force, and through...
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360° Analysis / Bahrain / Egypt / Iran / Iraq / Israel / Libya / Palestine / Politics / Tunisia / United States / Yemen / Middle East / AfricaBy Uri MarantzIn summer 2009, Obama gave a rousing speech in Cairo addressed to the Muslim world, entitled “A New Beginning”. Far from signalling a radical shift in US foreign policy, it was the first step down the by-now familiar path of Obama’s continued circumspection. Pundits on both sides of the ideological spectrum, in America and abroad, are quick to label President Barack Obama’s policies as complete “successes” or “failures” based on their own political leanings, without much regard to substantive discussions of policy. This is easy because the situation is so complex, rendering prediction and comprehension rare commodities in a market of...
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In the face of the controversial blasphemy laws in Pakistan, this two part article examines the parameters of capital punishment in Islamic theology. There are times when we, the actors of our stage, seek to dictate our collective narratives, for better or for worse. And then there are those occasions when, with the sleight of a hand of the Master Storyteller, we find ourselves implicated in the stories of our own fabrication. Such seemed to have been the case for the local village cleric, Hafiz Mohammed Khalid Chisti, who filed the First Information Report against a young Christian girl, Rimsha Masih, last month on the charges of desecrating the Qur’an. The world watched, aghast, as...
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Politics / United States / Europe / Focus Article / Arts & Culture / Middle East / Americas / Africa / Asia / OceaniaFair Observer's five best articles for September. For those of us in the northern hemisphere this is the time of autumn. On the east coast of North America, it is a time of russet, yellow and gold. In Europe, it is a time of “mists and mellow fruitlessness” as described by Keats in Ode to Autumn. In India, it is a time when the monsoons have ended and festivals such as Durga Puja and Dussehra are around the corner. At Fair Observer, we think this is an apt moment for us to introduce to you what we believe to be the five best articles of the month. We chose the articles after much editorial debate. Needless to say, it is an imperfect list and many of you will disagree with...
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360° Analysis / China / Politics / Africa / AsiaBy Nora LanganIs China’s growing influence in Africa really benefitting everyone involved? Although Sino-African diplomatic relations were first established in the mid-1950s, ties have only recently grown significantly stronger. During the late 1980s and 1990s, China began concentrating on Africa because of its rapidly growing domestic economy and export-focused manufacturing sectors, which specifically prompted trade ties with many countries in the commodity-rich continent. Because of this, China has made Africa a high priority: in 2005 the Chinese Communist Party promised to select the continent as the destination for every year’s first major high-level diplomatic trip. It may sound...