Democratic.net: [RED DEMOCRATICA] CFR.org Daily Brief, July 22, 2009

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

[RED DEMOCRATICA] CFR.org Daily Brief, July 22, 2009

July 22, 2009

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

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

-Secretary Clinton on Iran, North Korea
-Protests in Pakistan over power outages
-Kenya to bolster troops on border with Somalia
-Iran protesters arrested.

Top of the Agenda: Secretary Clinton Warns Iran, North Korea

Speaking from Thailand, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton warned Iran on Wednesday that the United States will take “crippling action” against it if it seeks nuclear weapons. She said the United States is prepared to raise a “defense umbrella” (Jerusalem Post) over the region. The United States could boost the military capacity of local U.S. allies, making a nuclear weapon for Iran less valuable, she said in an interview with Thai television.

Clinton is in Thailand attending the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN conference. North Korea is sending a delegate to the ASEAN conference, but had no meeting with Clinton planned (NYT).

Clinton said on Tuesday that U.S. concern is growing over possible military ties between North Korea and Myanmar (WashPost). Clinton said military cooperation between North Korea and Myanmar would be “destabilizing for the region.”

Background:
Clinton addressed U.S. policy toward Iran in a speech at CFR last week. Video and a transcript of the speech are available here.

This CFR Backgrounder profiles ASEAN.

MIDEAST: New Iranian Protests

Iranian police clashed violently with protesters (Deutsche Welle) and arrested dozens at fresh demonstrations for political reform in Tehran on Tuesday.

In an interview with CFR, Iran expert Shaul Bakhash says last week’s speech by former President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, and former President Mohammad Khatami’s call for a referendum, have boosted the opposition.

Translation of political content of Rafsanjani's speech is available here.

Iraq: Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki arrives in Washington for talks with President Barack Obama on Wednesday. The Wall Street Journal has an interview with Maliki focusing on Iraq's security and political challenges.

PACIFIC RIM: South Korea Autoworkers, Police Fight

South Korean riot police clashed on Tuesday with laid-off autoworkers who have been occupying the Ssangyong plant (Korea Times) for nearly two months. Ssangyong, South Korea’s fifth-largest automaker, has been under bankruptcy protection (al-Jazeera) since February.

SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA: Protests over Power Outages in Pakistan

Violent protests erupted (Dawn) in several parts of the country on Tuesday over frequent power outages. Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani appointed a ministerial committee to look into the matter.

India: The last living gunman from terrorist attacks in Mumbai last year asked on Wednesday to be hanged (Hindu) for his part in the attacks, which he pled guilty to on Monday.

AFRICA: Kenya to Add Troops to Somali Border

Kenya has said it plans to bolster its troops (BBC) on the border with Somalia, citing a number of recent abductions in the area, as well as an increase in the number of illegal weapons entering Kenya.

Sudan: The Permanent Arbitration Court in The Hague redrew on Wednesday the borders for Abyei (AP), a hotly contested region that is surrounded by oil fields, and that sits along the line between northern and southern Sudan. The BBC reports that by ruling that several areas - including the Heglig oilfied - were not part of Abyei, and therefore reducing the size of Abyei as compared to 2005 proposals, the court has effectively awarded more land and mineral wealth to the north.

AMERICAS: Fed Chief Testifies

U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said Tuesday that the economy is showing signs of improvement (NYT), but U.S. interest rates will remain low. Bernanke began two days of testimony before the House Financial Services committee, in which he was to outline the Fed’s strategy for withdrawing liquidity, when the time comes, in order to stem inflation.

Defense: The U.S. Senate voted on Tuesday to cancel the $1.75 billion in funding for the F-22 fighter jet program (WSJ), which Defense Secretary Robert Gates says are not useful in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

This CFR Backgrounder looks at other possible major changes to U.S. defense spending during the Obama administration.

EUROPE: Georgia Preps for Biden Visit

Georgia's President Mikheil Saakashvili on Tuesday unveiled a plan (Telegraph) for democratic reform ahead of a visit by U.S. Vice President Joe Biden. Saakashvili also called on the United States to supply Georgia with defensive weapons (WashPost) to discourage a Russian invasion.

Ukraine: Biden visited Ukraine on Tuesday, where he reassured Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko that the United States supports Ukrainian sovereignty (VOA). Biden reiterated the U.S. position that Ukraine should be able to join NATO if it wants to, regardless of Russian opposition.

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