Russia attaches “refusenik” tag on to the West.
Perceived as rustic in character but recidivist on the global stage, Russia has had to act unscruplously at times when most forcibly harangued by the international community.
After earnestly signing a formal decree giving independence to the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, President Dmitry Medvedev has received some fairly acerbic reactions from world leaders in retaliation to this one immediate political decision, and to what prospective circumstances this action may in itself create.
Amongst the voices who have been disparaging about Medvedev’s actions is President Mikheil Saakashvlli of Georgia.
He has diligently maintained that these territories still remain the duel properties of Georgia, and that Russia in mediation French representatives has ridden roughshod over what settlement principles were agreed to.
Further Reading:
http://www.eurasianet.org/departments/insight/articles/eav082508.shtml
http://www.president.gov.ge/?l=E
World alerted to Russia’s historic presence of mind.
If ever the issue of a country’s territorial integrity gets bullet-pointed for discussion at the tables of the UN Security Council, this would undoubtedably make a country feel terribly vunerable.
Top level discussions about annexing land masses, changes over border thresholds or valuable strategic and defence points; must prove difficult to enter into. Acting to defend it’s citizens in the South Caucuses, Russia has been blamed of launching a military campagian to emasculate fellow Eastern European neighbours.
Yet, coming from a different angle of the equation, America has antagonizingly signed agreements with the Polish Government to build a Nuclear Defense System within its territory, evoking with some success memories of how Cold War Relations were throughout the twentieth century.
Tensions that perhaps more firmly existed on parochial grounds beforehand, have drastically been exploited during the time of this conflict. People belonging to regions in both Abkhazia and South Ossetia have become refugees and now find themselves, posed at the opening of a political abyss fraught with the prospect of experiencing national humiliation.
For further reading see:
http://www.caucaz.com/home_eng/
http://www.eurasianet.org/resource/georgia/
http://www.themoscowtimes.com/index.htm
http://www.russiafoundation.org/
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aG8XJK1T9tkw&refer=home
General Pervez Musharraf faces Pakistani public mood and music.
Stuck between Iraq and a hard place.
Elements of Pakistani politics to the untrained eye have always appeared well camouflaged, with reasons for corrupt mismanagement of the economy having a partial basis within other people’s seditious outlook towards the state.
Broadcast under a blanket of speculative public interest, a browbeaten and beleaguered Pervez Musharraf (Ex-President) gave a resignation speech which was wriggled with some personally repugnant omissions.
As impressions go, on television he clearly looked troubled, visibly demonstrating that what was written in front of him was difficult to articulate.
Mr Musharraf obtained the reigns of power in a military takeover, appointing himself first Chief Executive and later President. Coming with initial promises to redress an ailing economy and fight corruption.
Allocating Musharraf three years to reform judicial processes and restore democracy, the military takeover evidently led to the international community isolating the country, disrupting most previous political negotiations upheld by Pakistani ministries.
In April 2002, a referendum was staged enabling Pervez Musharraf to extend his presidency until 2007, with his position as Chief as Army Staff intact. Parliamentary elections in October 2002 were regarded as “flawed” by the EU Electoral Observation Mission (EOM) as opposition parties ultimately felt that they were sidelined under conditions few had control over.
After long delays the newly established National Assembly granted constitutional amendments stupendously strengthening the role of the President. Two-thirds majority was achieved only with the added support of religious parties.
For further reading see:
- http://www.theage.com.au/world/will-musharraf-stay-or-go-pakistan-waits-20080815-3wf3.html
- http://www.nation.com.pk/
- http://www.dawn.com/2008/08/20/index.htm
- http://www.xiber.com/xiber/pakistanpage.htm
- http://www.ft.com/world/asiapacific/pakistan
- http://www.osce.org/odihr-elections/item_12_21269.html
Development Milestones for Afghanistan
The war in Afghanistan has proved to be something of a preliminary endurance test for the present group of coalition countries who are aiming to bring democracy to the region.
Although some formidable challenges do lay ahead for huge swathes of the world to solve, the outlook is not entirely negative. Right now in 2008 GDP growths are likely to exceed 9%, although this itself remains unevenly distributed given that the south of the country is faring with much worse due to what persistent physical engagements still carry on.
In helping to stabilize the country again, Afghanistan’s prospects depend largely on security situations showing marked improvement. Exports satisfactorily grew by 31.45 in 2005, whilst putting bad forecasts aside the strength of the nation’s fiscal and monetary policies are holding out against all the adversity its experienced.
Working through this cataclysmic montage, strategies countering economic mismanagement along with efforts to reduce political instability are operating in tandem and reversing trends whereby Afghanistan has’nt benefited from global economic growth.
Reconstruction, after a war is as important to the maintenance of public morale as any reason is for entering into conflicts in the first place. No matter how frustrating problems are over the next few years, the international community do accept that some firm committments have to be met with action.
For futher reading see:
www.imf.org/external/np/ms/2007/111507.htm
http://www.undp.org.af/WhoWeAre/UNDPinAfghanistan/Projects/sbgs/prj_lotfa.htm
http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900sid/SODA-7FJ8JR?OpenDocument
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