[RED DEMOCRATICA] CFR.org Daily News Brief, March 4, 2010

 

March 4, 2010 View this newsletter as a web page on CFR's website. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY - Violence Haunts Early Voting in Iraq - Turkey, Brazil May Oppose Iran Sanctions - China's Military Spending Slows - Germany Sentences Four Islamic Militants Top of the Agenda: Violence Haunts Early Voting in Iraq Hundreds of thousands of Iraqis begin early voting (AP) ahead of Sunday's parliamentary elections, amid continued violence and preparation to draw down U.S. forces. The elections will determine who will run the country once U.S. troops leave and will signal whether the country can overcome sectarian tensions. Three explosions across Baghdad Thursday targeted voters, killing seventeen people. U.S. and Iraqi officials have warned that insurgent violence could disrupt the vote. The United States has failed to neutralize (WashPost) the powerful Shiite militant group Asaib Ahl a-Haq, which threatens to complicate the U.S. drawdown by allying with other Shiite militias to attack Iraq's Green Zone and U.S. military bases. Violence surrounding the country's elections could complicate (NYT) the pace of American withdrawal and compromise U.S. President Barack Obama's political support. Analysis: In the Christian Science Monitor, Zalmay Khalilzad, former U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan, Iraq, and the UN, says sectarian parties are stoking fears that would cause Iraqis to vote their identities. The Washington Institute's J. Scott Carpenter and Ahmed Ali say the Obama administration needs to remain flexible about the U.S. withdrawal despite inevitable delays in forming the next Iraqi government. In this CFR interview, Iraq analyst Nir Rosen says the coalition led by Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki is likely to lead in the elections. Background: This CFR Backgrounder examines Iraq's political landscape. MIDDLE EAST: Turkey and Lebanon May Oppose Iran Sanctions The United States fears Turkey and Lebanon, along with Brazil, will oppose (WSJ) Iran sanctions at the UN Security Council, as it continues seeking China's support. PACIFIC RIM: China's Military Spending Slows China will increase its defense budget (Xinhua) by 7.5 percent in 2010, roughly half of last year's planned growth of 14.9 percent. Indonesia: Indonesian Defense Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro said the country will increase security (Reuters) in the Malacca Strait after warning about threatened attacks on oil tankers. SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA: New Command Plans in Southern Afghanistan The United States and its allies are working to create (WSJ) a new American-led military command in southern Afghanistan in preparation for a large-scale offensive in Kandahar. Pakistan: One in three people killed (Telegraph) in U.S. predator drone attacks in Pakistan's tribal areas is a civilian, according to a report by the New America Foundation. AFRICA: No Early End to EU Sanctions in Zimbabwe Britain is demanding (Reuters) further progress on human rights and democracy in Zimbabwe before the European Union lifts sanctions against President Robert Mugabe and his allies. Congo: The United Nations began talks (BBC) with the Democratic Republic of Congo on withdrawing its peacekeeping mission, which is the largest UN operation in the world. AMERICAS: Brazil Snubs U.S. on Iran Sanctions Brazil and the United States could not agree (MercoPress) on how to rein in Iran's nuclear ambitions during bilateral talks, and Brazilian President Lula da Silva warned against pushing "Iran into a corner." U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton faces a difficult task persuading Brazil to support tougher UN sanctions on Iran, amid a series of important regional meetings, says CFR's Julia Sweig. United States: President Obama called for (NYT) an "up or down" vote on healthcare legislation in the next few weeks, a last-ditch effort to push through reform. EUROPE: Germany Sentences Four Islamic Militants A German court sentenced (DeutscheWelle) four Islamic militants to up to twelve years in jail for a failed plot to attack U.S. targets in Germany. Turkey: A U.S. congressional vote on how to define the 1915 slaughter of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire is testing (WSJ) U.S.-Turkey relations. TRANSNATIONAL: The Banking Crisis and Globalization Forbes.com features an edited version of a speech Peter Mandelson gave at NYU, examining the effects of the banking crisis on globalization, and the political commitment to open trade and markets.

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