Сбогом, другарю!

Днес изпращаме окончателно Първанов от президентството. Защо това ме радва? Най-вече защото се отваря възможност за намаляне на политическото интригантство в България. Но нека не си правим илюзии за отиващия си президент. Той няма да си тръгне както Царя през 2009 (е ,сигурно ще си вземе вълчицата). Все пак Първанов има много качества, част от които, предлагам илюстрирани с текст и картина.

Светът: Избори 2012

За онези, които следят външнополитическите събития и международната сигурност 2012 може да предложи много неочаквани промени. Значителна част от тях вероятно ще са свъерзани с политическите цикли във водещите икономики, където ще има избори. Съвсем накратко, ето някои от тях, като спискъкът далеч не претендира да е изчерпателен.

В международен план, през 2012 се очаква развързката на Арабската пролет, предстои да видим в каква посока ще тръгнат арабските държави, минали през революции. Те обещаха нова вълна от демократизация, каквато светът не познава през последните 20 години, когато Източна Европа бе в центъра на вниманието. 

Myanmar Reforms – promising but still fragile

Myanmar Reforms – promising but still fragile.

The military junta has ruled Myanmar (then Burma) since 1962. Since then, the resource-rich country has been turned into one of the most impoverished nations in the world. In a earlier post  I have expressed my doubts of any genuine drive for democracy that we can reasonably expect from the military dictators. Events in 2011 open a window for opportunity for the democratic international community to engage with the South Asian country in a way that would take it away from orbiting China and returning it to normal economic development, democracy and international trade.

 

The Republicans – who wants to be a President (Part 2)

The Republican Party after George W. Bush has failed to produce convincing small-state, free-initiative conservatives with a far-reaching appeal among independents. While Mr. Romney may be the least conservative to qualify for the Republican nomination, it is a wide-spread view that he lags behind some of his rivals in the ability to mobilize a strong republican vote (at least stronger than the low 20s). Ron Paul’s appeal on the other hand reaches deep into the republican heart with his principles of small government, hands-off on personal matters and tax policies. He is also pro-life but at the same time does not oppose gay marriages, saying that this should be a matter not to be decided at Federal level. And it is exactly because of these that he has a strong appeal beyond the traditional GOP voter. Instead of threatening to strike Iran or proposing to double the Guantanamo (as some of the other candidates) Paul is making a strong campaign on rule of law and civil liberties. He is fighting to repeal the Patriot Act and has opposed the war in Iraq from the beginning.

The Republicans – who wants to be a President (Part 1)

The new season kicks off with more than intriguing political competition in the USA. Tomorrow, January 3^rd, the Republican Party holds the first caucus. It opens the quest for obtaining the nomination of the GOP in this year’s presidential elections. Obama is not unbeatable, but have the republicans finished their soul-searching after the Bush era? I do not think so, and this is exactly why the republican caucuses will be so interesting. With Ron Paul running as a strong mainstream candidate and Mitt Romney holding his ground (with far from reassuring 20%) it is all very promising.