International Politics

[Irish YJ]

Tired of putting everything international in the US foreign policy thread....


Stuff is getting out of hand in France lol. Macron did backtrack on the ecotax, and the protest went from anti-gas tax to anti Macron. With an approval rating at 23%, one has to imagine that his globalist vision is going no where.

Emmanuel Macron goes AWOL as protests, violence plague Paris
https://www.foxnews.com/world/emmanuel-macron-goes-awol-as-protests-violence-plague-paris

 

[Irish YJ]

Macron begs French employers to give bonuses to angry citizens
https://www.foxnews.com/world/macro...-riots-in-paris-result-in-nearly-1000-arrests

Brexit in turmoil as UK's May pulls vote to seek changes to EU divorce
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...mentary-vote-on-her-brexit-deal-idUSKBN1O90X7

Macron is floundering. For a gov/country who has one of the highest tax burdens, he seriously asks companies to bonus employees more. Interesting situation given it seems like socialists protesting socialism...

Wouldn't be shocked if the UK is the next to see significant uproar and protests. Merkel done, Macron near done, and May is walking through a minefield.

 

[loomis41973]

Thought Trudeau was this biggest wimp in power until this Macron soyboy opened his mouth.

 

[Irish YJ]

PM May survives party confidence vote but Brexit deal still teetering
https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-...but-brexit-deal-still-teetering-idUSKBN1OB0K1

LONDON (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Theresa May survived a confidence vote by the Conservative Party on Wednesday, but a mutiny by more than a third of her lawmakers indicated parliament was heading towards deadlock over Brexit.

While 200 Conservative lawmakers voted in support of May as leader, 117 dissented, indicating opposition not only from several dozen supporters of a hard Brexit but also from many more pragmatic lawmakers - and signalling that she was no nearer to passing her EU divorce agreement.

It was not the robust affirmation she needed as she heads to Brussels on Thursday to ask the other 27 EU leaders, who have made room for her at a summit, for clarification of the deal to reassure the doubters.

On Monday, May had cancelled a parliamentary vote on her deal, struck after two years of negotiations and designed to maintain close future ties with the bloc, after admitting it would be heavily defeated.

With Britain due to leave the EU on March 29, parliament’s opposition has suddenly opened up possibilities including a potentially disorderly exit with no deal or even another referendum on membership.

Speaking in Downing Street after the vote, May said she would listen to those who had voted against her and seek legal assurances on the most controversial part of her deal - an insurance policy to prevent a hard border between EU member Ireland and the British province of Northern Ireland. Many in her party fear that these “backstop” measures could last indefinitely.

continued............

 

[Legacy]

UK to ramp up ‘no-deal’ Brexit preparations amid impasse (AP)

 

[Irish YJ]

UK to ramp up ‘no-deal’ Brexit preparations amid impasse (AP)

Like I've mentioned several times... The US is not the biggest shit show in the world right now. The EU has several.... Not surprised of the "no-deal" potential. The EU went too far to fast. Hard to undue all the shit.

My favorite...

There was even a warning that Britain could be at greater risk from falling space junk, because the U.K. will no longer receive data from the EU Space Surveillance and Tracking Program.

 

[Irish YJ]

The Ven military just did an about face and switched sides.

Maduro tried to pull out more than 1B in gold from the UK this week, and was blocked. Was probably hoping to take a little with him his retirement homes in China and Russia...

Gives AOC a sadz.

 

[Irish YJ]

George Soros says Europe faces 'oblivion' as right-wing parties set to win big in European election
https://www.foxnews.com/world/georg...g-parties-set-to-win-big-in-european-election

of course he signals "we're all gonna die" when his financial efforts to impact European politics fail.

 

[Irish#1]

George Soros says Europe faces 'oblivion' as right-wing parties set to win big in European election
https://www.foxnews.com/world/georg...g-parties-set-to-win-big-in-european-election

of course he signals "we're all gonna die" when his financial efforts to impact European politics fail.

Wouldn't be surprised if he's losing millions by the day and is trying to stop it.

 

[Legacy]

‘Brexit is aggressive and dangerously nostalgic. The UK is in for a brutal chastening’
AFTER THE BREXIT REFERENDUM, LEADING IRISH WRITERS RESPONDED WITH THEIR THOUGHTS ON WHAT IT WOULD MEAN FOR BRITAIN AND IRELAND. TODAY, ON WHAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN BREXIT DAY, THEY RETURN TO THE SUBJECT (Irish Times)

On June 27th, 2016, a few days after the referendum in which the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union, I published an article, headlined UK was groomed: Irish writers throw book at Brexit, which featured the response of a broad cross-section of leading Irish writers living north of the Border and in Britain to this momentous decision. To mark March 29th, the date on which the UK was supposed to leave the EU, I asked them to reflect again on Brexit.

And how has this language become acceptable once more? It’s all over the press and on social media – I even got called it by a Dublin cab driver last week because I told him I live in London. Whatever actually happens on Brexit Day, and however its consequences play out over the next months, years and decades, I can’t help thinking this sanctimonious rage will be its most appalling, most damaging legacy.

And how can we ever get back from this dark place? From this childish, binary way of engaging with and talking about those we disagree with? How do we live with those who have embraced this breakdown of civil society to such an extent they feel free – emboldened even – to express their racism and anti-Semitism, their misogyny and homophobia, their angry, righteous ignorance publicly and with impunity? I really grieve for what has been so carelessly and thoughtless thrown away. For all those carefully constructed bridges between people, communities, countries, ways of life and thought, which have been burned, or are about to be burned, down. So when I look to the future my question is; will it ever again be possible for us not to be angry all the time?

 

[Irish YJ]

‘Brexit is aggressive and dangerously nostalgic. The UK is in for a brutal chastening’
AFTER THE BREXIT REFERENDUM, LEADING IRISH WRITERS RESPONDED WITH THEIR THOUGHTS ON WHAT IT WOULD MEAN FOR BRITAIN AND IRELAND. TODAY, ON WHAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN BREXIT DAY, THEY RETURN TO THE SUBJECT (Irish Times)

You do realize the Irish Times is an ultra progressive daily, and that all the "authors" of this piece are mostly poets, with a few lib novelist sprinkled in. Oh, and one x footballer (now a writer) who called for the ban of singing "God Save The Queen" before games...

And what progressive doesn't want open borders and more government overlay...

 

[Legacy]

The subject is more important than the source. Look up Brexit hard landings and other choices. The Irish border with N. Ireland is a sticking point. Supply chains are having to be rerouted. Large container ships are being bought. Financial institutions are planning for difficulties with trade. People and businesses are stockpiling.

Aren't all media progressive to some? Maybe Fox will get around to this some day.

Eliminating "God Save the Queen" in Ireland sounds like a good idea.

Good articles in that progressive National Review on "Trump, Trade, and the Border" and "Brexit Chaos: How It Spiraled Out of Control".

 

[GowerND11]

Just found out that the Republic of Macedonia officially changed its name to the Republic of North Macedonia in February as part of an agreement with Greece of the dispute of the name of the country.

 

[Irish YJ]

The subject is more important than the source. Look up Brexit hard landings and other choices. The Irish border with N. Ireland is a sticking point. Supply chains are having to be rerouted. Large container ships are being bought. Financial institutions are planning for difficulties with trade. People and businesses are stockpiling.

Aren't all media progressive to some? Maybe Fox will get around to this some day.

Eliminating "God Save the Queen" in Ireland sounds like a good idea.

Good articles in that progressive National Review on "Trump, Trade, and the Border" and "Brexit Chaos: How It Spiraled Out of Control".

McVeigh was a North Ireland footballer. So part of the UK.... not a very good idea to bag on your own queen.

But if you feel like the UK should get out of NI, then you wouldn't like the IT at all....

To add, IT is a protestant paper, and was opposed to home rule for the Irish (wanted Ireland to stay beholding to the UK). They've also been at odds with Catholics.

It's a shame news is partisan at all. Just another group claiming to be unbiased...

 

[Legacy]

The NY Times has some good articles on the implications of Brexit including "What would a no-deal Brexit look like?" and, yesterday for the financial impact, "For many British businesses. Brexit has already happened".

 

[Irish#1]

Just found out that the Republic of Macedonia officially changed its name to the Republic of North Macedonia in February as part of an agreement with Greece of the dispute of the name of the country.

My grandpa was an immigrant from Macedonia. Changed his last name from Stephanoff to Steve when he got here. Was a dirt poor coal miner in SW Indiana. Survived several cave-ins before dyeing from black lung disease when I was ten.

 

[Irish#1]

Saudi Arabia may be pushing the boundaries. Is this in response to the upcoming trial for some of those who are accused of participating in the murder of Jamal Khashoggi?

https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/05/middleeast/saudi-crackdown-us-citizens-intl/index.html

 

[Irish YJ]

Even France is not immune...

Le Pen beats Macron in France as nationalists gain in EU vote
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...as-nationalists-gain-in-eu-vote-idUSKCN1SV0QQ

 

[Irish YJ]

Brexit breakthrough: Boris Johnson agrees 'great new deal' with EU; British MPs to vote Saturday
https://www.foxnews.com/world/brexit-breakthrough-boris-johnson-deal-eu-vote

 

[Legacy]

A New Chinese-Funded Railway In Kenya Sparks Debt-Trap Fears (NPR)

The Standard Gauge Railway station in Nairobi is easily the most impressive public building in Kenya.

While a lot of Kenyan government buildings are drab and functional and date back to colonial days, this station is adventurous. It's all gray and modern. Geometric shapes form an abstract locomotive, and red neon announces the "Nairobi Terminus."

The train runs 293 miles from Kenya's capital city to the port of Mombasa and back twice a day and represents the biggest infrastructure project since Kenya's independence 54 years ago. The Chinese financed it; a Chinese company built it; and the Chinese will operate it for many years to come.

The project, which launched in the summer of 2017, has not only come to signify Kenya's ambitions, but also China's ambitions on the African continent. In the past decade, China has become the biggest lender to governments in Africa. The money has helped build ports, roads, bridges, airports and trains. But critics warn the loans are full of traps that could leave African countries in the lurch. Kenya alone owes $5.3 billion to China.

Africa: What China’s Investing In And Where (graphic follows in article)
China is tapping into Africa’s vast resources and potential for infrastructural development. Since 2005, the bulk of Chinese investments on the continent has gone toward the transportation, energy, real estate and metals sectors.

Chinese firm pays $584 million in Sri Lanka port debt-to-equity deal (Reuters)

China Merchants Port Holdings (0144.HK) has made a $584 million payment as part of a $1.12 billion deal to operate Sri Lanka’s deep sea Hambantota port, a state-run agency said on Wednesday.

Under the deal, signed in July 2017, China Merchants Port (CM Port) will run the $1.5 billion Chinese-built port on a 99-year lease. The $1.12 billion total price is to be used to reduce the Sri Lankan government’s debt to China.

“With this payment, CM Port fulfils the $976 million investment ... CM Port has agreed to deposit a further sum of $146 million being investment to be utilized for port and marine-related activities,” the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) said in a statement. The port is near the main shipping route from Asia to Europe and likely to play a major role in China’s “Belt and Road” initiative. But since it opened in 2010, it has been incurring losses due to a lack of commercial activity.

Sri Lanka also received $292 million in December and another $97 million in January under the deal.

An initial plan to give the Chinese firm an 80 percent stake triggered protests by trade unions and opposition groups. That forced the government to limit China’s role to running commercial operations while Colombo retained responsibility for broader security issues. The Chinese firm will now hold 70-percent stake in a joint venture with the SLPA, part of a plan to convert $6 billion of loans that Sri Lanka owes China into equity. Sri Lanka has said the Chinese firm will invest an additional $600 million to make Hambantota operational. Government and diplomatic sources have told Reuters that the United States, India and Japan had raised concerns that China might use the port as a naval base. The Sri Lankan government and Chinese embassy in Colombo deny this.

 

[Legacy]

As an example of China's investment in African countries, Zimbabwe is one that China has sunk billions into. Zimbabwe has more than diamond, coal and other mineral reserves - also lithium.

China lines up multi-billion projects (January 25, 2019, Zimbabwe Independent)

CHINA has lined-up several multi-sectoral billion dollar investment projects for Zimbabwe for this year, covering mining, manufacturing, steel and hospitality sectors, senior diplomats from both countries said this week.

China, the single largest foreign direct investment source for Zimbabwe in nearly two decades, invested US$3 billion in the country last year. The figure is smaller than what other African countries are attracting from Beijing. Zhao said the Chinese embassy would ensure that Zimbabwe this time enjoys a significant portion of the US$60 billion which Chinese president Xi Jinping pledged to finance projects in Africa in the form of assistance, investment and loans at the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (Focac) meeting in Beijing in September last year. Zimbabwe has been outdone by other African countries in terms of accessing the money.

China invested $150 million in rebuilding the Victoria Falls airport, for instance, giving them leverage in a potential debt for equity deal and political pressure.

Zimbabwe recently has sought to diversify their obligations recently signing contracts with Russia investment in Zimbabwe’s diamond industry, a fertiliser supply contract and two financing deals worth $267m. Russia is, too, investing in Africa countries who generally will never be able to repay.

Throughout Africa, Russia is building influence in Africa and can offer military assistance and security training to Africa strongmen in addition to funding infrastructure, mining and development projects.

This has not gone unnoticed in the U.S. In December, national security adviser John Bolton accused Moscow of buying off African nations. He said,

“The predatory practices pursued by China and Russia stunt economic growth in Africa, threaten the financial independence of African nations . . . and pose a significant threat to US national security interests."

Bolton is gone now, of course, and whether this concern will be continued is unclear.

China has been angered by Zimbabwe's recent deals with other nations and last week has threatened the country's President demanding he resign.

Resign or face action — China ‘threatens Zimbabwe President for looking West’
Beijing has reportedly asked Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa to hand over power to China-leaning Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga.

The Chinese government has told Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa to either “resign or retire” from office or face “political action” from Beijing, according to a report in Spotlight Zimbabwe, an online media publication.

The report said Beijing has also asked Mnangagwa to hand over power to China-leaning Vice-President General Constantino Chiwenga (Retd), who has been in China since July for medical treatment.

Zimbabwe has had an ailing economy for decades and China’s continued economic assistance has been indispensable for the country.

According to a December 2016 report in The Diplomat, China invested in at least 128 projects in Zimbabwe between 2000 and 2012. And Zimbabwe is reportedly China’s third-largest destination for foreign direct investment.

Behind this economic relationship was former president Mugabe’s “Look East Policy”. This policy ensured that Chinese firms got preferential treatment when Harare gave out infrastructure development contracts.

However, after coming to office, Mnangagwa started to gradually unwind Zimbabwe’s economic dependence on China and unleashed an effort to diversify the country’s economic relationships.

“The reason China wants him (Mnangagwa) out is because he has made them angry by reneging on a number of deals he made with Beijing in 2015,” the Spotlight Zimbabwe report quotes a former intelligence minister of the country as saying.

Some of the deals Mnangagwa has reneged on include a major contract, promised to China Railway, “to refurbish and reconstruct a new national railway network for Zimbabwe worth billions”. The contract has now reportedly been given to a Western firm.

“Mnangagwa also undertook to give China exclusive diamonds and platinum claims in the country, but they have lost to Russia on that front,” said the former intelligence minister.

 

[Irish YJ]

As an example of China's investment in African countries, Zimbabwe is one that China has sunk billions into. Zimbabwe has more than diamond, coal and other mineral reserves - also lithium.

China lines up multi-billion projects (January 25, 2019, Zimbabwe Independent)





China invested $150 million in rebuilding the Victoria Falls airport, for instance, giving them leverage in a potential debt for equity deal and political pressure.

Zimbabwe recently has sought to diversify their obligations recently signing contracts with Russia investment in Zimbabwe’s diamond industry, a fertiliser supply contract and two financing deals worth $267m. Russia is, too, investing in Africa countries who generally will never be able to repay.

Throughout Africa, Russia is building influence in Africa and can offer military assistance and security training to Africa strongmen in addition to funding infrastructure, mining and development projects.

This has not gone unnoticed in the U.S. In December, national security adviser John Bolton accused Moscow of buying off African nations. He said,



Bolton is gone now, of course, and whether this concern will be continued is unclear.

China has been angered by Zimbabwe's recent deals with other nations and last week has threatened the country's President demanding he resign.

Resign or face action — China ‘threatens Zimbabwe President for looking West’
Beijing has reportedly asked Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa to hand over power to China-leaning Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga.

We should really stop fighting them on trade and just be nice. It's obvious they're not bad actors. We should just forget about all the imbalances impacting trade, and just keeping buying everything while they invest heavily in our debt.


Status quo.... is the way to go!!!

 

[Irish#1]

Beijing has reportedly asked Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa to hand over power to China-leaning Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga.[/URL]

China and Russia both want to turn Africa to communism for their own benefit. They realize they cannot sustain themselves without resources outside of their countries.

 

[Irish#1]

Watched a couple of shows on NatGeo about North Korea last night. Interesting how they used propaganda to convince their citizens their dictatorship was best for everyone. The number of people without electricity, heat and running water in their homes is unbelievable.

 

[Legacy]

We should really stop fighting them on trade and just be nice. It's obvious they're not bad actors. We should just forget about all the imbalances impacting trade, and just keeping buying everything while they invest heavily in our debt.


Status quo.... is the way to go!!!

Insightful and breathtaking post on the geopolitical struggle in the "shithole" countries in Africa that some are calling the Cold War II with a differing pairing in pursuit of minerals, political influence, profit over communism, and proxies. Isn't projection wonderful!

 

[Legacy]

China and Russia both want to turn Africa to communism for their own benefit. They realize they cannot sustain themselves without resources outside of their countries.

No. And partly. For the second, look up the history of control of Z's diamond mining as one example of mineral-rich Africa. The Chinese never invest unless they can make a profit.

 

[Irish YJ]

Insightful and breathtaking post on the geopolitical struggle in the "shithole" countries in Africa that some are calling the Cold War II with a differing pairing in pursuit of minerals, political influence, profit over communism, and proxies. Isn't projection wonderful!

Instead of confronting the issues head on directly with China, we should probably go all in on status quo policy and start dumping money in, and propping up governments on the other side of the world. It worked so well in Vietnam, Korea, and the Middle East. Playing hardball directly with China to set new global precedents in trade that could change the geopolitical stage while directly benefiting US economics is just silly.

 

[Irish YJ]

No. And partly. For the second, look up the history of control of Z's diamond mining as one example of mineral-rich Africa. The Chinese never invest unless they can make a profit.

They are not just profiting. They are trying to create reliance, influence, and control. They might not care about spreading communism, but they are trying to manufacture proxy and support on the world stage.

While the US dumps "free shit" all over the world hoping for influence, China is dominating with "infrastructure-for-loan" agreements and straight up buying shit, which leads to both profit and control. It's just another status quo failure by the US.

 

[Irish#1]

No. And partly. For the second, look up the history of control of Z's diamond mining as one example of mineral-rich Africa. The Chinese never invest unless they can make a profit.

Yes. They may not be communistic countries in the purest sense, but they are doing this for control. Your own post stated that China wanted Zimbabwe's leader removed. This isn't rocket science.

 

[Irish YJ]

Yes. They may not be communistic countries in the purest sense, but they are doing this for control. Your own post stated that China wanted Zimbabwe's leader removed. This isn't rocket science.

Yup. They're actually using capitalism globally to further their communist agenda.
The US is using socialism (free shit) and failing to spread our agenda.