The Mornng Brief - Lignet
Ambassador Miller: Trouble for Global Economic Freedom in 2013
In an exclusive interview with LIGNET, former Ambassador Terry Miller
said the Heritage Foundation's “2013 Index of Economic Freedom” points
to trouble on the horizon for economic freedom in many countries,
including India and China. However, Ambassador Miller was especially
concerned about economic freedom in the United States and said he
believes the U.S. is no longer promoting economic freedom around the
world.
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Argentina: Damage from Kirchner Wrecking Ball Piling Up
The economic policies of President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner have
damaged Argentina’s economy to such an extent that a turnaround is
unlikely in 2013, or even 2014. Ratings agencies say Argentina is headed
for another default on its debt and international investors are running
for the exits. A LIGNET analyst led a trade delegation to Argentina last
year, and gives a first-hand account of the situation there.
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Mali: New Fighting Makes a Quick French Withdrawal Less Likely
French President Francois Hollande has signaled that the French military
will begin to withdraw from Mali in March, but radical Islamists in the
country are far from defeated and French troops are currently facing
stiff resistance from heavily armed Islamist fighters and
guerrilla-style attacks. Paris is thus facing the reality that it will
need to keep its troops in the country for many months and possibly
years if it wants to truly defeat the Islamist rebels and prevent them
from resuming their effort to seize control of the country.
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Vatican Sources: Power Struggle Continues, Cardinals Intent on
‘Governing Reformer’ as Pope
The heated power struggle that marked the period leading up to Pope
Benedict XVI's announcement that he would resign continues in full fury.
Cardinals will soon meet in conclave (possibly next week) to choose his
successor and decide on a clear path forward for the Church.
LIGNET first reported on this power struggle as key to understanding
the full context of Benedict's resignation, noting that the scandals at
the Vatican Bank and allegations of sexual misconduct at the highest
levels of the Church hierarchy played a role in the Pope's decision to
have a younger successor deal with these weighty problems.
Since LIGNET's intelligence briefing of Feb. 20 on these matters, the
Italian and international press have reported numerous new allegations.
Vatican sources tell LIGNET that some of these are true and some are
false, but what is indisputable is that many of the press stories have
been generated from within the Vatican itself. The Holy See is filled
with internal strife and the press, eager to publish lurid stories of
intrigue and conflict, has been used as a tool by competing sides to
influence the selection of the next Pope.
The stage has been set for a truly momentous gathering to choose the
next Pope.
Vatican sources tell LIGNET the cardinals are intent in using this
papal selection to stop the Church's public relations hemorrhaging. The
latest intrigues involving the selection of the next Pope and the four
leading contenders are detailed in this report.
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Italian Election Results Threaten Italian Economy and Euro
Italian elections ended yesterday in a perplexing deadlock with the two
houses of parliament divided between center-right and center-left
parties and a party led by populist leader, former comedian Beppe
Grillo. The results appear to put former Prime Minister Silvio
Berlusconi in a powerful bargaining position, although they probably
will not make him prime minister. The election outcome also suggests a
gloomy outlook for Italy that could affect Europe and beyond, as
deadlock and political instability are likely to prevent the continuance
of policies critical for the Italy’s economic recovery.
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Syria: Opposition Relents on Peace Talks With Kerry
The Syrian opposition coalition reluctantly cancelled its boycott of a
peace conference on the Syrian crisis to be held on February 27 in Rome,
reportedly hoping that the involvement of new U.S. Secretary of State
John Kerry will result in more pressure on the Assad regime and
increased assistance. However, this move was probably mostly in
deference to Kerry’s diplomatic debut and does not reflect any real
expectation by the rebels that international support for their efforts
to overthrow the Assad regime will really change.
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Peace Deal for Congo Unlikely to Bring Big Change
Although the passage this weekend of a UN-brokered peace agreement to
restore order to the Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DRC) unstable east
that was signed by 11 African countries is a step in the right
direction, it appears to be mainly a symbolic move. Much more will need
to be done to address the threat posed by the M23 rebel movement and
other militant groups, which were absent from the recent deal, before
the country will be able to put an end to its chronic instability.
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