May 4, 2019 – Astute News

May 4, 2019

Putin’s Wholehearted Defense of BRI Puts Him at Serious Odds with Modi

The Russian leader’s wholehearted defense of China’s Belt & Road Initiative at last week’s yearly forum on this global series of megaprojects stands in stark contrast to the position of India’s Prime Minister, thus reinforcing the notion that Putin and Modi are at serious odds with one another when it comes to BRI irrespective of their Great Powers’ mutually beneficial...

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May 4, 2019

America Cannot Save Afghanistan

After nearly two decades of bloodshed, meaningful progress is finally being made towards a conclusion of the war in Afghanistan. Negotiations with the Taliban in Qatar have achieved an uncommon consistency. On the domestic front, a bipartisan resolution matching the Taliban’s proposed timeline has emerged in the U.S. Senate. The main voices opposing peace originate from within the Pentagon and...

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May 4, 2019

China and Russia: Whoopin’ Uncle Sam at His Own Game

Your Geopolitical Quiz for the Day: Two countries are embroiled in a ferocious rivalry. One country’s meteoric growth has put it on a path to become the world’s biggest economic superpower while the other country appears to be slipping into irreversible decline. Which country will lead the world into the future? Country A builds factories and plants, it employees zillions...

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May 4, 2019

Venezuela – Another Failed Coup Attempt – What’s Next?

In the early morning hours of 30 April, 2019, the self-declare “Interim President”, Juan Guaidó, launched what at first sight appeared to be a military coup – Guaidó calls it “Operation Freedom” (sounds very much like a Washington-invented title) – against the democratically elected, legitimate government of Nicolas Maduro. With two dozen of defected armed military from the Carlota “military...

Opinion Comment: 1

May 4, 2019

Let Venezuela Decide Its Own Destiny

“Who would be free themselves must strike the blow… “By their right arms the conquest must be wrought.” So wrote Lord Byron of Greece’s war of independence against the Turks, though the famed British poet would ignore his own counsel and die just days after arriving in Greece to join the struggle. Yet Byron’s advice is the wise course for...

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May 4, 2019

Indian Elections: From Here to Eternity

Elections in India don’t happen in a day. They are rather a month-long affair. The world’s largest democracy, with a 900 million electorate (more than the entire population of Europe) is in the process of electing the 543 members of the 17th Lok Sabha (lower house of parliament), in an election which began on 11th April and is due to...

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May 4, 2019

Pompeo Lies, Cheats and Steals (But He’s Still a Good Christian)

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo recently recounted to an audience at Texas A&M University that when he was head of the Central Intelligence Agency he was responsible for “lying, cheating and stealing” to benefit the United States. “Like we had entire training courses. It reminds you of the glory of the American experiment.” The Secretary made the comment with a...

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May 4, 2019

Russia Is Competing with Poland for Ukrainian “Replacement Migrants”

President Putin’s proposal to make it easier for all Ukrainians to receive Russian citizenship represents a bold effort to court his country’s civilizationally similar neighbors as “replacement migrants” and will lead to a competition with Russia’s historical rival Poland for this valuable “human resource”. Population Trends It’s no secret that Russia has had serious problems maintaining its population levels ever...

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Daily Archive: May 4, 2019

Putin’s Wholehearted Defense of BRI Puts Him at Serious Odds with Modi

America Cannot Save Afghanistan

China and Russia: Whoopin’ Uncle Sam at His Own Game

Venezuela – Another Failed Coup Attempt – What’s Next?

Let Venezuela Decide Its Own Destiny

Indian Elections: From Here to Eternity

Pompeo Lies, Cheats and Steals (But He’s Still a Good Christian)

Russia Is Competing with Poland for Ukrainian “Replacement Migrants”