Thursday, December 10, 2009

[RED DEMOCRATICA] CFR.org Daily Brief, December 10, 2009

 

From the Council on Foreign Relations

December 10, 2009

View this newsletter as a web page on CFR's website.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

- Obama Accepts Nobel Prize.
- Iraq reshuffles security forces.
- Pakistan arrests five U.S. men.
- France and UK agree on bank reform.

Top of the Agenda: Obama Accepts Nobel Prize

U.S. President Barack Obama arrived in Oslo Thursday to formally accept the Nobel Peace Prize amid criticism of his plan to send more troops to Afghanistan. The president responded to critics (Bloomberg) who consider the awarding of the prize to be premature, saying, "The goal is not to win a popularity contest or to get an award--even one as esteemed as the Nobel Peace Prize. The goal is to advance American interests, make ourselves a continuing force for good in the world--something that we have been for decades now." He said the honoring of Dr. Martin Luther King in 1964 had "a galvanizing effect around the world, but also lifted his stature in the United States in a way that allowed him to be more effective." Aides to Obama said his acceptance speech would address the paradox of accepting the peace prize only nine days after announcing that he would send another thirty thousand American troops.

Norwegians are upset (Guardian) over Obama's cancellation of many celebratory festivities, including a dinner with the Norwegian Nobel committee, a press conference, a television interview, appearances at a children's event promoting peace, and a music concert. He also turned down lunch with the king of Norway. The Norwegian Nobel committee dismissed the criticism, saying, "Obama has to govern the U.S., and we were told early on that he could not commit to all of [the events]."

Analysis

According to a new CNN/Opinion Research poll (LATimes), nearly one in five Americans believe Obama has accomplished enough to deserve the Nobel prize, down from one in three who believed the president was deserving two months ago.

In Der Spiegel, Andrew Curry says Obama has already succeeded in changing the tenor of America's relationship with the world and that German commentators hope he will still earn the prize in the coming years.

In the Guardian, Sash Abramsky says the dissent about Obama's award should be a lesson to Nobel committees that awarding sitting presidents can create a hosted of unintended troubles for the recipient.

In an interview, CFR's Walter Russell Mead says "there isn't a lot of evidence that having a Nobel Prize helps presidents get their agendas through."

MIDDLE EAST: Iraq Security Reshuffle

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki reshuffled (al-Jazeera) the country's security forces leadership following a series of coordinated bombings in Baghdad that killed 127 and wounded roughly 500.

Iran: In a report on the Iranian government's crackdown on election protesters, Amnesty International says human rights violations in Iran are as bad as they have been in twenty years (AFP).

PACIFIC RIM: China's Economic Cooling

The Chinese government stepped up efforts to cool the country's overheated real estate market by eliminating (GlobalTimes) certain tax incentives on home sales and promoting low-income housing.

North Korea: After a three-day visit to North Korea, U.S. envoy Stephen Bosworth said North Korea and the United States reached a "common understanding" (Yonhap) on the need to resume six-party talks and implement a deal on the country's denuclearization.

SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA: Americans Arrested in Pakistan

Five U.S. men were arrested (al-Jazeera) in Pakistan's Punjab province on suspicion of wanting to join a "holy war." Pakistani news reports say the suspects were being investigated for links with the banned Jaish-e-Mohammad group that has links with al-Qaeda and the Taliban.

A CFR Backgrounder examines Pakistan's new generation of terrorists.

India: India's government announced (TimesofIndia) that a separate state, Telangana, will be formed as part of Andhra Pradesh, leading sixty state assembly members to resign in protest.

AFRICA: African Countries in Copenhagen

African countries at the UN climate change conference were so incensed by the leaked Danish draft of a climate agreement considered unfair to developing countries, it is rumored they might walk out (BusinessDay) of the conference in protest.

A CFR Backgrounder examines Copenhagen's many agendas.

Nigeria: In an effort to gain a 49 percent stake in Nigeria's oil reserves, China offered (ThisDay) a $50 billion deal to the Nigerian government that includes incursions into Royal Dutch Shell oil block.

AMERICAS: Zelaya Departing Honduras

Ousted Honduran leader Manuel Zelaya is negotiating to leave the Brazilian Embassy in San Salvador to go to Mexico, but so far he has refused (LATimes) to seek political asylum because he wants to travel as the legitimate president of Honduras.

EUROPE: French-UK Ties

Attempting to patch up shaky relations over an EU appointment, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and French President Nicolas Sarkozy issued (BBC) a joint letter ahead of an EU summit pressing for global reform of financial markets.

Greece: The European Commission called on (EUObserver) Greece to do more to cut its deficit spending after the country's credit rating was cut.

TRANSNATIONAL: Global Economic Recovery

Doubts over rising debt levels in some of the world's governments--including Dubai, Greece, the UK, and Russia--are highlighting the fragility of the global recovery, the Wall Street Journal reports.

CFR's Sebastian Mallaby says the nonchalance over the bankruptcy of Dubai World, the emirate's flagship investment company, is an alarming sign of a growing bubble and more sovereign defaults to come, which threaten global financial stability.

 

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