The Morning Brief - Lignet
Boston Bombings: Congress Raising Concerns About Missed Signals
Initial congressional inquiries into the Boston Marathon bombings are
raising serious questions about whether crucial information was being
shared between intelligence agencies and why Russia’s warning about one
of the bombers apparently was not acted on or may have been downplayed.
These allegations are preliminary and it is too early to draw
conclusions on what if any mistakes were made by U.S. intelligence and
law enforcement agencies.
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France: Investigation Threatens Sarkozy’s Comeback
Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy is being investigated for
allegedly taking $61 million in illegal campaign contributions from
former Libyan dictator Muammar Qaddafi. The probe is likely to shatter
Sarkozy’s chances of defeating President Francois Hollande in the next
election, and together with a corruption probe into the Hollande
administration, is casting a pall over French politics.
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How Limiting Banker Pay Could Make EU Banks Stronger
In a bold move, the European Union on April 16 voted to severely
restrict bonuses that EU banks can pay their executives, to hike reserve
requirements and to require more “real economy” lending over purely
financial speculation. If the new rules work as hoped, European banks
could realize a long-term competitive advantage by delivering enhanced
stability across EU financial institutions.
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Is Germany Getting Ready to Re-Arm?
Germany’s rapid increase in arms trade with Arab states in the Persian
Gulf is a sign of its efforts to protect defense jobs and diversify its
customer base. But it also portends a changing military culture in
Germany. Chancellor Angela Merkel is betting that the electorate is more
accepting of a Germany that is able to wield military might instead of
relying solely on peaceful conflict resolution. Is she right? Is Germany
ready to re-arm?
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In Cracking Down on Dissent, Kuwait Takes a Step Backward
Kuwait is taking a two-track approach in dealing with a new wave of
protests, on the one hand vowing a firm response while simultaneously
moving to ease tensions by making surprising accommodations. But it
likely won’t be enough: The return of popular discontent is likely to
hurt the country’s economic growth.
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Comras: Sanctions Against Iran Are ‘Too Late’
Long-time U.S. diplomat Victor Comras told LIGNET in an exclusive
interview that Western sanctions on Iran are not directed at putting the
kind of pressure on the Iranian regime necessary to achieve results. He
also explains that sanctions are too late to stop Iran’s pursuit of a
nuclear weapon.
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Somalia: IMF Recognition Builds Future Hope for Troubled Present
Somalia appears primed to reap the rewards of a decision by the
International Monetary Fund (IMF) to re-establish diplomatic ties with
the war-torn country after 22 years. Although the IMF recognition opens
the door for donors and development aid to assist Somalia’s on-going
recovery, the troubled nation is likely to struggle to overcome its
persistent problems of deeply entrenched poverty and widespread unrest
that will likely prove nearly insurmountable in the near term.
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Foiled Canadian Terrorist Plot Shows Continuing Threats from
Al-Qaeda and Iran
A plot announced by Canadian officials yesterday to derail a passenger
train reportedly running between Toronto and New York highlights the
determination of al-Qaeda to commit acts of terrorism in the West and
confirms suspicions about Iranian links to al-Qaeda. This is not the
first attempted terrorist attack by al-Qaeda in Canada and it
illustrates that the United States is not the only target for violence
by radical Islamist groups.
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Understanding the Boston Bombing Begins in Chechnya
The Tsarnaev brothers, native Chechens, spent years in America before
carrying out last week’s bloody attack in Boston, but their early lives
in southern Russia were part of a larger mosaic of a region gripped for
centuries by violence and rebellion against authority. Chechens have
struggled for much of the past two centuries to free themselves of
Russian rule, in the process engaging in bloody wars and countless acts
of terrorism.
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China-Japan: Downward Spiral in Relations Likely to Continue
Relations between China and Japan continue to spiral downward following
Beijing’s refusal to accept Tokyo’s offer of humanitarian assistance
after an earthquake in Sichuan Province that killed nearly 200. Adding
fuel to the fire from the perspective of Beijing was a visit by Japanese
Deputy Prime Minister Taro Aso to the Yakusuni Shrine, which honors
Japan’s war dead including WWII heroes. With relations bottoming out to
their lowest point in decades, it is likely that economic as well as
cultural relations will be strongly affected. On the security front, it
is also almost certain that tensions over disputed islands will remain
high.
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EU: Loosening of Bailout Terms May Not Be a Trend
The EU has agreed to extend payback periods for bailout loans to Ireland
and Portugal to reward generally good behavior by both states in abiding
by their loan agreements. While there are some signs this leniency could
indicate the EU may be reconsidering the strict austerity terms it has
demanded for eurozone bailouts to encourage economic growth, it is
unclear whether similar treatment will be extended to states that are
not abiding by their bailout packages.
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