China is sending a senior minister to the United States to defuse rising tension over the yuan. Right now, says East Asia analyst Rodger Baker, the Chinese are under a lot of stress - politically, economically, and socially. [more]
As the U.S. secretary of state arrives for two days of talk in Moscow, tensions in the U.S.-Russian relationship are playing out in the Baltics and other regions. Analyst Marko Papic discusses the implications, with emphasis on Iran. [more]
Analyst Marko Papic discusses the latest statements from Germany, which is asserting its authority amid a eurozone crisis while also defending its status as an export economy — a stance that some say hurts struggling states like Greece and Spain. [more]
Anti-government protesters in Bangkok turned up the visceral impact of their calls for Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva’s government to be dissolved. Analyst Matt Gertken examines the status of the ongoing rallies. [more]
Mexican drug cartels are suspected in the March 14 killings of three people – including two American citizens – with ties to the U.S. consulate in Juarez. The targeted killings may signal a fresh escalation in the border wars, analyst Scott Stewart says. [more]
Although U.S. President Barack Obama has postponed his visit to Indonesia by three days, the trip - which will be monitored closely by the Chinese and Japanese - is still highly significant. [more]
Security expert Fred Burton examines the surge of violence around Monterrey, Mexico, which has pitted the Gulf drug cartel against its former protection unit, Los Zetas. [more]
Analyst Kamran Bokhari examines the difference between Iran’s long-term goals concerning Iraq and Afghanistan as both Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates visit Kabul. [more]
With the United States preoccupied with two wars, Russia is taking advantage of an opportunity to expand its influence and control over states in its near abroad. The first phase is nearly complete, and analyst Marko Papic says pressure now is growing on the Baltics. [more]
Thailand’s prime minister cancels a trip abroad as the red-shirt opposition movement plans a mass rally in Bangkok, hoping to force another government turnover. [more]
STRATFOR looks at new surveillance technology while analyst Fred Burton discusses lessons learned from the recent assassination of a Hamas operative. In addition, analyst Kamran Bokhari provides insight into the upcoming Iraq elections.
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The March 7 parliamentary election in Iraq will be a significant event for several neighboring countries — including Turkey and Iran, which both want to dominate the region, and Saudi Arabia, analyst Kamran Bokhari says. [more]
Greece announces a fresh round of austerity measures, hoping to encourage a bailout from the European Union. The rescue could come in a series of bond auctions, rather than as a single event, analyst Marko Papic says. [more]
A growing income divide between urban and rural workers and other economic concerns are on the agenda for China’s National People’s Congress. Analyst Matthew Gertken says the premier and president are running out of time to make meaningful reforms. [more]
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh made a rare visit to Riyadh over the weekend, with a two-fold agenda. Analyst Kamran Bokhari says only one of the goals is likely to be achieved. [more]
A tumultuous week in Turkey ended with high-ranking military officers detained on suspicion of plotting a coup. STRATFOR founder George Friedman examines the prospects for relations between Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government and the military and Turkey’s concerning Middle East negotiations. [more]
As new President Viktor Yanukovich takes office, analyst Marko Papic assesses recent policy statements from Kiev and the meaning of a customs union that soon could enfold Ukraine. [more]
Iranian authorities have announced the arrest of Abdolmalek Rigi, the leader of Balochi dissident group Jundallah. Analyst Kamran Bokhari explores theories about the circumstances of his arrest, which might have occurred in Pakistan. [more]
Tbilisi’s offer of a supply route for NATO troops in Afghanistan is more closely tied to Georgia’s national security interests than the Afghanistan mission, analyst Marko Papic says. [more]
