The « Arab Spring » as seen from Paris The foreign policies of France, once guided by the strategic vision of Charles de Gaulle, progressively gave way to the hunt by certain people for some easy money. After having first resisted US imperialism, Jacques Chirac later withdrew from the combat and mixed the affairs of…
Last week I went through just some of the highlights as to why Russia is becoming a destination for global capital. For years it’s been a little lonely out here banging on about how well the Russian state headed by Vladimir Putin has navigated an immense campaign by the West to marginalize and/or isolate Russia…
A week from now, the 29 member states of “the most successful alliance in history” will meet to celebrate its 70th anniversary. Yet all is not well within NATO. Instead of a “summit,” the gathering, on the outskirts of London, has been cut to two days. Why the shortened agenda? Among the reasons, apprehension that…
The US withdrawal from Syria, even if it was immediately corrected, indicates with certainty that Washington no longer intends to be the world’s policeman, the “necessary Empire”. It destabilized without delay all the rules of international relations. We have entered a period of transition during which each major power is pursuing a new agenda. Here…
One year ago, 288,000 protesters took to the streets in over 2,000 locations across France. Dressed in their unmistakable hi-vis jackets, the gilets jaunes (yellow vests) blockaded highways and petrol stations, occupied roundabouts and toll booths, and marched through town centres. The protests were initially sparked by a hike in fuel tax but they quickly came to embody…
As the ‘Yellow Vests’ protests in France come full circle, some vow to keep fighting for a more just society, while others believe the movement has gone too far. Though rattled, the system they rose up against is still in power. Every Saturday for a year now, tens of thousands of people all over France…
