Uncharted Waters: Global Politics in Disarray

2011 showed that international politics is a mess and no one is strong enough to recover it.

Nothing to Laugh About (Img: Reuters)

Early 20th Century was the time of great statesmen. Even though they have been severely criticized in their time, men like Churchill, De Gaulle, Schumann, Brandt, Roosevelt and Kennedy showed the world how to overcome stalemates, put greater good over short term interests and keep politics on right track. Unfortunately, today’s world is lack of such leadership. Neither Barack Obama nor Angela Merkel and Nicolas Sarkozy have a significant influence on global politics. They do not have effective solutions on the woes of their countrymen let alone global concerns 

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End Game in Damascus

Losing friends makes Assad edgy, but the gloves are yet to be off.

"Arab League likes this" (Peter Schrank - Economist)

      Power perception of Syria’s decennary ruler grows stronger everyday. Assad does not need to look further to realize that this is an illusion. The demise of Gaddafi, for one, should give him a clue on what could happen if he insists on clinging on to power. However, although the point of no return is near, he could still be persuaded to introduce actual reforms.

      The international pressure is rising. Upon Syria’s refusal to accept military and civillian observers to the country, the Arab League, the toothless organization with 22 members, has passed a resolution inviting its members to impose economic sanctions on Syria, a week after country’s membership was suspended. Sanctions include, among others, freezing government assets, cutting off transactions with the Syrian Central Bank and halting Arab government funding for projects in Syria. What’s more suprising for Assad is that the decision was taken nearly with unanimity. (Even repressive regimes as Algeria and Sudan voted for it) Only Lebanon and Iraq, being afraid of losing a significant political and trade partner, voted against the resolution.

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