Never Forget! 9-11 2020
Some 9/11 cartoons courtesy of Cagle Cartoons.
Tag: geopolitics
Iran Launches Satellite
While everyone is distracted by the pandemic crisis one of America’s archenemies defied Donald Trump and launched a satellite into orbit. Trump is not only chaotically trying to get a handle on the economic crisis facing Americans because of the Covid-19 disaster, but he is now dealing with unconfirmed reports that North Korea’s leader, Kim… Read More Iran Launches Satellite
The Oil Economy Disaster Under Corona
Many of you may have noticed that the price of gasoline has gone down considerably over the last few weeks. Readers may be tempted to believe that the Corona Virus as the cause of the low prices of gasoline. It is part of the reason because of reduced consumption. However, the low price of gasoline… Read More The Oil Economy Disaster Under Corona
The Age of COVID-19
We are amid major changes in the global economy and the way we live our lives. Those of us that have lived through the currency devaluations of our countries or other major economic changes mostly understand what is to come. We have lived economic chaos before. Most Americans do not understand how lives will change… Read More The Age of COVID-19
Understanding the US-Mexico Relationship
There exists a disconnect about the relationship between México and the United States. In México, the U.S. is generally seen as the Goliath to the north, while in the U.S., Americans see México as the source of drugs and undocumented immigration. The U.S.-Canada border is the largest land border between two countries. It gets very… Read More Understanding the US-Mexico Relationship
Two Things Donald Trump Accomplished With Iran
Donald Trump and his supporters believe that he is a great “negotiator” with business acumen that no one can touch. Trump has also argued that he knows more than some generals. He also said he would bring the troops back from the Middle East. Let’s look at the inconvenient facts. What did Donald Trump accomplish… Read More Two Things Donald Trump Accomplished With Iran
Trump Capitulates to Russia Publicly
Donald Trump publicly capitulated to Russia yesterday on live television. Yesterday, Trump declared that the cease fire in the Turkish incursion of Syria is now “permanent”. Trump also announced that the United States has lifted sanctions against Turkey. As they say, fiction is stranger than reality. This latest debacle poignantly illustrates this. Let’s see why.… Read More Trump Capitulates to Russia Publicly
Venezuela, the United States and the Two Faces of AMLO
Venezuela is in turmoil. Venezuelan opposition leader, Juan Guaidó has managed to get an unknown number of the Venezuelan military to back him on his quest to overthrow Nicolás Maduro. Maduro refuses to give up power leading to clashes between pro-Maduro and pro-Guaidó supporters. Like all civil wars, the situation is fluid. And like all… Read More Venezuela, the United States and the Two Faces of AMLO
The Real Problem is Julian Assange
Yesterday, British authorities were allowed into the Ecuadorian embassy by Ecuador and they arrested Julian Assange on an American warrant. On the surface it looks like a simple case of America violating freedom of speech by targeting Assange for his journalistic activism. Focusing on journalistic activism misses the whole point of why Assange is under… Read More The Real Problem is Julian Assange
Roma Collides With History and Migrant Caravan
A new movie, Roma, by Mexican director Alfonso Cuarón is reminding Mexicans of a history many would rather forget. Poignantly, the history points to a seldom discussed issue about American foreign policy and the migrant caravan that has been making headlines over the last month, or so. Cuarón is best known for movies like the… Read More Roma Collides With History and Migrant Caravan
Wait In Mexico, Not
There was contradictory news reporting over the weekend that México and the United States reached an agreement to allow asylum seekers to remain in México while their asylum request is processed by the American government. The White House says the agreement was reached, while the incoming AMLO government denied it after first confirming the report.… Read More Wait In Mexico, Not
Atrocities Over Money
It is now the official policy of the United States to embrace regimes that care nothing about human life or decency if they keep American workers employed. That is the clear message Donald Trump delivered on Tuesday. Everyone agrees that Jamal Khashoggi was savagely killed by the Saudi Arabian government. Rather than decry the inhumanity… Read More Atrocities Over Money
U.S. Border Military Deployments
Shortly before the Midterms, Donald Trump ordered the U.S. military to the border in response to the “invaders” heading to America. Many, including some Republicans, have called the military deployment a “stunt”. The so-called “invaders” – migrants in a caravan trekking through México – didn’t make it to the border until after the Midterms. Even… Read More U.S. Border Military Deployments
Asylum and The Caravan
The migrant caravan was in the news before the midterm elections and although it is not the topic of the day, the refugees are still trekking towards America. One splinter group, made up mostly of LGBT members, arrived in Tijuana late Monday night. Donald Trump signed an order last week ordering that the refugees who… Read More Asylum and The Caravan
The Last Time America Picked a Side It Resulted in 9/11
The last time the American government picked one country over another it resulted in the 9/11 attacks. The murder of Jamal Khashoggi is another example of America picking one country to curtail another. The Trump Administration, like its predecessors, kowtows to the Saudis. The U.S. government made the same choice in the 1980’s when it… Read More The Last Time America Picked a Side It Resulted in 9/11
Saudi Arabia Is The Enemy
I had the very unpleasant experience of spending a little less than 48 hours at the airport in Riyadh. By far, it is the worst experience I’ve experienced in any country that I have visited. As such it has surprised me over the years how Americans generally see Saudi Arabia in a different light from… Read More Saudi Arabia Is The Enemy
Venezuela Accuses Mexico of Regime Change
In an unprecedented turn of events and an unintended consequence of México’s engagement in world affairs it has been accused of an attempted regime change and the attempted assassination of a foreign leader. As if that wasn’t enough, the Mexican government has been accused of being “right-wing” by Venezuela’s Maduro. Venezuela is facing a serious… Read More Venezuela Accuses Mexico of Regime Change
Mexico is Rising
There are some fundamental changes going on in México, that because of the Donald Trump noise, hasn’t been noticed by many. It is change that has been occurring because of a governmental long-term plan that was embarked upon about a decade ago, but its tempo increased recently because of Trump. México has traditionally looked inward… Read More Mexico is Rising
The Mexican Military Industrial Complex
Looking at the aerospace industry in México yesterday, we saw how México is growing its aerospace manufacturing prowess through strategic partnerships with manufacturers. We also noted how the Mexican military has embarked on the plan to reduce its military reliance on foreign equipment. The annual budget for the Mexican defense budget is expected to continue… Read More The Mexican Military Industrial Complex
The Mexican Aircraft Industry
Airplanes are made up of thousands, if not millions, of specialized parts that require sophisticated and exacting manufacturing. The Boeing Company says that its 747 is made up of over 6 million individual components. México is known for its automotive export market and the recently negotiated NAFTA 2.0 agreement has demonstrated México’s robust industrial market… Read More The Mexican Aircraft Industry
America Has No Manned Space Capability
Since the Space Shuttle program was retired in 2011, American astronauts have been at the mercy of Russian spaceships to get to the International Space Station (ISS). American astronauts (Expedition 56) Richard R. Arnold, Serena M. Auñón-Chancellor and Andrew Feustel are dependent on the Russians to return to Earth after their stint on the ISS… Read More America Has No Manned Space Capability
El Paso, Pancho Villa and The Mexican Narrative
On January 7, 1914, The New York Times led with the story that the Mutual Film Company had signed a contract with Pancho Villa to make a movie. It was supposed to be a spectacle like nothing before it. In the end, several newsreels of the Pancho Villa were released as well as a feature… Read More El Paso, Pancho Villa and The Mexican Narrative
Cooperation is Key to U.S.-Mexico Relationship
The problem with Donald Trump’s antagonism of México is that friendly relations between nations brings cooperation. When Trump attacks Mexicans or México it results in Mexicans rethinking their cooperation with the United States. In addition to México being the third-largest trading partner with the United States, México’s cooperation on several levels secures America. Donald Trump… Read More Cooperation is Key to U.S.-Mexico Relationship
Korean Peninsula Geopolitics
Donald Trump gets credit for the Korean Summit because he happens to be president when the meeting was held. That is the nature of politics, the individual at the helm of the political body gets to take credit for the activity that happens. But, and this is important, many times the activity is the result… Read More Korean Peninsula Geopolitics
The Korea Summit Document
It is now obvious that Donald Trump is desperately trying to use the North Korea Summit as his signature issue to recover some dignity from the disaster that is the Donald Trump administration. Putting aside the rhetoric and self-serving hyperbole there are only two things we know for sure about the summit. The first is… Read More The Korea Summit Document
What North Korea Wants is Security
In a strategy class I took years ago there was a guest lecturer who was a psychiatrist. I wasn’t looking forward to the lecture and expected it to be boring. The psychiatrist jumped into a lecture about how an individual’s point of view drives their understanding of their worldview. My first thought was, what does… Read More What North Korea Wants is Security
One Picture Sums It All Up
As the adage, says, a picture is worth one thousand words. There is one picture that started circulating across the internet that sums up the Donald Trump administration better than any words can. As you likely know, the G7, the richest seven nations in the world, held a meeting in Canada a couple of days… Read More One Picture Sums It All Up
The Estrada Doctrine
Part of the problem that individuals have in understanding issues like the migrant caravan transiting through México is that there are complex national idiosyncrasies at play that are sometimes in opposition to each other. The national doctrines are driven by public policy agendas and national need. Some are generational in nature and others are recent… Read More The Estrada Doctrine
The Merida Initiative
Since Donald Trump is on a tirade about The Wall, immigration and aid to countries, like Honduras, I thought it might be good to update you on the Mérida Initiative. As you might remember, the Mérida Initiative was created by George W. Bush and Felipe Calderón in 2008 to deal with the drug cartel violence… Read More The Merida Initiative
The Brady Bonds
When discussing the use of foreign aid going to México, invariably the notion remains that México is a large recipient of U.S aid and has been so for many years. Much of this notion derives from the financial meltdown in the 1980s that led to the U.S bailout of México’s finances. So, I thought I… Read More The Brady Bonds
The United States Owes Mexico
That’s right, the United States owes México. Now put away the pitchforks and bring your blood pressure back under control and let me explain. Sovereign debt is the money borrowed by a country’s government to fund government operations over the amount of money the country has. A country either issues bonds, backed by its currency,… Read More The United States Owes Mexico
Stop Blaming Mexicans
One of the most often misused words in the United States is “Mexican.” For many it can mean someone of Mexican descent, or a Mexican-American. But what it really means and how it should be used is someone who holds Mexican citizenship. Hyphenated Americans are all American citizens regardless of their country of origin, or… Read More Stop Blaming Mexicans
What Chain Migration Really Is
Many of the readers of my blog know that I am the only foreigner within my nuclear family. Both my parents are naturalized U.S. citizens and my siblings were both born and raised in the United States. Even with those circumstances, I was not able to use “chain migration” to come to the United States.… Read More What Chain Migration Really Is
México and the Almighty Dollar
Enrique Peña Nieto, the current president of México, like his predecessors, is chasing the Almighty Dollar. This is the single most significant reason that Donald Trump can denigrate Mexicans, because the Mexican government would rather play “political niceties” rather than stand up to the bully that Donald Trump is. The Peña Nieto government believes that… Read More México and the Almighty Dollar
How Chain Migration and the Lottery System was Born
Recently, the issue of the immigration “lottery” system and “chain migration” has entered the common vernacular of the immigration debate. The lottery system and chain migration are the result of a broken immigration system that traces back its origin to the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952, wherein the United States codified who was allowable… Read More How Chain Migration and the Lottery System was Born
The Orlando Letelier Affair
On September 21, 1976, a car bomb exploded on embassy row in Washington D.C at 9:35am. Two people were killed, and one was injured from the explosion. Twenty-five-year-old, Ronni Moffitt died, leaving her husband, Michael, of four months widowed. Along with Moffitt, Orlando Letelier, 44, was also killed. Letelier was the target of the bombers.… Read More The Orlando Letelier Affair
Stop Being Hypocrites About Russian Interference in 2016 Elections
One of the things that makes me write about politics is the utter hypocrisy from all politicians and those who support them. It’s the mentality that it’s all good as long as it those doing it agrees with the agenda of the politico. If it’s the other side then its all bad, corrupt, even. In… Read More Stop Being Hypocrites About Russian Interference in 2016 Elections
Henry Kissinger, the Architect of Shit Holes
Richard Nixon’s National Security Advisor, Henry Kissinger is a war criminal. But we’ll get to that in a moment. Let’s focus on today’s politics – Donald Trump and the ongoing immigration debate and how Kissinger is the architect of the divisiveness on immigration. Today’s debate about “shit hole” countries and immigration control hearken back to… Read More Henry Kissinger, the Architect of Shit Holes
Donald Trump Overwhelmingly Rebuked at the United Nations
Quick, what do North Korea and Iraq have in common with Donald Trump? Trump has joined an exclusive club of people who have been overwhelmingly rebuked by the United Nations General Assembly. Yesterday, the General Assembly took up Trump’s insistence in upsetting the tentative peace between Israel and Palestine by announcing the U.S. would be… Read More Donald Trump Overwhelmingly Rebuked at the United Nations
Pearl Harbor and the Mexican Friendship that Extends Beyond Politics
Today is the remembrance of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor that officially brought the United States into World War II. As the day’s remembrances play out today, it is important to note which countries came to the defense of the United States and which were the enemy. For me, as an immigrant, it is… Read More Pearl Harbor and the Mexican Friendship that Extends Beyond Politics