Wall Street Journal (April 15)
North Korea’s new leader Kim Jong Eun addressed the public for the first time in a speech lasting 20 minutes. “The speech stuck close to the hard-line orthodoxy of the Kim family regime, which has controlled North Korea since its founding in 1948, that is built around extreme race-based nationalism, Confucian hierarchy and a nominal embrace of socialism.” Military might remains top priority.
Tags: Hard line, Kim Jong Eun, Military, North Korea
Economist (April 7)
China’s military buildup is causing concern. “As America and the big European powers reduce their defence spending, China looks likely to maintain the past decade’s increases of about 12% a year…. The country is on course to become the world’s largest military spender in just 20 years or so.”
China’s military buildup is causing concern. “As America and the big European powers reduce their defence spending, China looks likely to maintain the past decade’s increases of about 12% a year…. The country is on course to become the world’s largest military spender in just 20 years or so.”
Tags: China, Defense spending, Europe, Military, U.S.
New York Times (January 6, 2012)
“President Obama has begun to bring more rationality to military planning.” The Times broadly approves his plans to scale back the military “With his new defense strategy, President Obama has put forward a generally pragmatic vision of how this country will organize and deploy its military in the 21st century, while also addressing its deep fiscal problems.”
Tags: Fiscal crisis, Military, Obama, U.S.
New York Times (February 12)
“The Egyptian protesters inspire us all.” Largely peaceful protests achieved “a stunning accomplishment” in the resignation of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. Even as the world cheers this peaceful revolution, worries arise about the next phase. “The cheering won’t last long if the military council does not quickly follow through on its pledges.” The U.S. and other countries need to provide their full support and stand “ready to press for full democratic change.”
Time (January 13)
In China, the split between the military and government leadership may determine global events. “The Chinese military…seems to consider the U.S. as China’s sworn enemy and to believe that a conflict between Beijing and Washington is inevitable. So the big question for U.S.-China relations right now is, …does China’s Communist Party control its military?”
In China, the split between the military leadership and government leadership may determine international relations. “The Chinese military…seems to consider the U.S. as China’s sworn enemy and to believe that a conflict between Beijing and Washington is inevitable. So the big question for U.S.-China relations right now is, …does China’s Communist Party control its military?”
