Tag: Russia

Written by lookingbeyondborders

Russia Attacked by Masons! Aliens! Americans!

Many educated and highly placed Russians tend to see sinister enemy plots behind the international financial crisis, the collapse of the Soviet Union and the growing protest movement. Wherever we turn, from informal conversations to official pronouncements and state-controlled television programs, Russians are told that the Pussy Riot performance and the international reaction to the verdict against the group were part of a coordinated campaign designed to undermine Russian values […]

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Written by lookingbeyondborders

Race Is On as Ice Melt Reveals Arctic Treasures

With Arctic ice melting at record pace, the world’s superpowers are increasingly jockeying for political influence and economic position in outposts like this one, previously regarded as barren wastelands. At stake are the Arctic’s abundant supplies of oil, gas and minerals that are, thanks to climate change, becoming newly accessible along with increasingly navigable polar shipping shortcuts. […]

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Written by lookingbeyondborders

In Sickness and in Health

No one likes to go to the doctor. But for a political leader, even the news of such a trip can sound the death knell for his political career. It is small wonder therefore that a leader’s health is the most important state secret in many countries and why. Read Here – Foreign Policy

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Written by lookingbeyondborders

Russia’s ‘Big Bang’ In Central Asia

A period of intense high-level exchange is commencing this week between Russia and its Central Asian allies – and Pakistan. What characterizes the Russian strategy is a robust attempt to develop comprehensive partnerships with these countries in preparation of the post-2014 scenario in Afghanistan with the expected withdrawal of the troops of the North Atlantic […]

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Written by lookingbeyondborders

A Strong Military Doesn’t Mean A Strong Nation

Russia is moving toward a major military buildup even though the external military threat is at an all-time low. The Moscow leadership is committed to pursuing this military course in one form or another, convinced that a strong army is needed in the unfolding world order and that the buildup will stimulate the country’s development. Meanwhile, many adhere to the conventional theory that maintaining a large military force is […]

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Written by lookingbeyondborders

How Politics and Perceptions Trump Economics (In Russia)

If you were to measure the recent economic performance of the world’s major countries — say, those that comprise the Group of 20 — you might be surprised to find Russia among the top performers by most common metrics. This outcome is a fact. For example, based on data compiled by The Economist, Russia’s real growth in gross domestic product in the first half of 2012 at 4.4 percent exceeded all […]

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Written by lookingbeyondborders

Why It’s Time For Environmentalists To Stop Worrying And Love The Atom

Not long after a tsunami washed over Japan‘s Fukushima nuclear power plants in March 2011, causing a partial meltdown, it appeared to many that humankind’s half-century experiment with nuclear power might be in permanent jeopardy. Although nuclear energy provides 15 percent of the world’s electricity, all without spewing greenhouse gas emissions, many countries seemed ready […]

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Written by lookingbeyondborders

In 1979, The Arctic In September Had More Than 7,000,000 Sq Km Of Ice. This September, When The Melting Season Ends In A Few Days’ Time, It Is Likely to Have Less Than 3,500,000 Sq Km.

To see the ice disappear this quickly is unprecedented. The 2012 melt has comprehensively broken all previous records. We are now heading into uncharted territory because the Arctic helps to cool the climate and regulate our weather patterns. Read Here – The Independent

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