National Security | News-Opinion
TOP NEWS: Nat’l Security / Foreign Affairs: May 31, 2012
- For the White House, a Wary Wait as Syria Boils
- In test for euro zone, Ireland votes on fiscal treaty
- Israeli Official Weighs an Imposed Palestinian Border
- Bankia Bailout Cost Too High As Investors Shun Spain Debt
- Image shows clean-up work undertaken at Iran military site: diplomats
Excerpts below
For the White House, a Wary Wait as Syria Boils – Peter Baker, NY Times
President Obama is loath to engage in new military actions, but with each passing incident, the scale of the crisis in Syria grows.
In test for euro zone, Ireland votes on fiscal treaty – Anthony Faiola, Washington Post
The vote on a referendum on a euro-zone treaty that would restrict Ireland’s finances is shaping up to be a litmus test of the willingness of Europeans to more deeply link their economic fortunes.
Israeli Official Weighs an Imposed Palestinian Border – Jodi Rudoren, NY Times
Defense Minister Ehud Barak said Wednesday that Israel should consider imposing the borders of a future Palestinian state, becoming the most senior government official to suggest bypassing a stagnant peace process.
Bankia Bailout Cost Too High As Investors Shun Spain Debt – Charles Penty, Bloomberg
Bankia group risks dragging the rest of Spain into its vortex. As Spain’s third-biggest bank asks Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy’s government for 19 billion euros ($24 billion), international investors are tallying the potential cost for the rest of the industry and betting he won’t be able to foot the bill.
Image shows clean-up work undertaken at Iran military site: diplomats – Fredrik Dahl, Reuters
U.N. nuclear inspectors displayed new satellite imagery on Wednesday indicating that some small buildings had been dismantled and other possible clean-up work undertaken at an Iranian military site they want to visit.
===More News===
Egypt on edge before verdict in Mubarak trial – Dina Zayed, Reuters via Yahoo News
Egyptians could hardly believe their eyes whenHosni Mubarak went on trial for complicity over the killing of protesters last year, but those who toppled him doubt Saturday’s verdict will deliver justice for the almost 850 who died.
What’s Really Behind Europe’s Decline? It’s The Birth Rates, Stupid – Joel Kotkin, Forbes
The labor demonstrators, now an almost-daily occurrence in Madrid and other economically-devastated southern European cities lambast austerity and budget cuts as the primary cause for their current national crisis. But longer-term, the biggest threat to the European Union has less to do with government policy than what is–or is not–happening in the bedroom.
Russia’s Putin heads West with eyes on the money – Vladimir Isachenkov and Yuras Karmanau, Associated Press via Yahoo News
President Vladimir Putin’s first foreign trip after being sworn in for a third term reflects a policy course driven primarily by Russia’s economic interests.
China Goes for (a Little Bit of) Growth – William Kazer, Wall Street Journal
Faced with a raft of less-than-stellar statistics, China’s policymakers are changing gears, placing the emphasis firmly on growth.
India’s economy grew 5.3 percent in March quarter, slowest since 2008 on flagging consumption – Associated Press, Washington Post
India’s economic growth slowed to 5.3 percent in the January-March quarter, the lowest since 2008, as the malaise in manufacturing and other sectors spread to ordinary Indians, who trimmed spending.
Israel returns remains of Palestinian militants – Ali Sawafta, Reuters via Yahoo News
The remains of 91 Palestinian militants whose attacks killed hundreds of Israelis were returned to the West Bank and Gaza on Thursday in a gesture Israel said it hoped could help revive peace efforts.
Mexican youth protest in streets against corporate media and PRI candidate – William Booth, Washington Post
Compared with historic, brutal, high-stakes presidential elections here in the past, this has been an important but blah campaign season in Mexico. But recent protests by college students and other young people have added a spark.
Aung San Suu Kyi Steals the Show – James Hookway, Wall Street Journal
The World Economic Forum in Bangkok this week was supposed to be about finding new economic opportunities in East Asia. In reality though the forum is quickly turning into the Aung San Suu Kyi Show.
