Germany must exit the increasingly dysfunctional eurozone to allow its other members to benefit from a cheaper euro
It’s time for Germany to abandon the euro – to save the European Union. The euro is the official currency of the eurozone. It’s used by the institutions of the European Union (EU) and by 19 of its 28 members. It’s the currency of around 400 million people – the second most traded money and reserve…
While former KGB agent Vladimir Putin no longer reports to anyone, that doesn’t mean a demotion might not be in his future
Russia intervened in the Syrian Civil War in September 2015, with the deployment of a range of 65 bombers and fighters, 16 attack helicopters and roughly 4,000 personnel, including a contingent of Russian Special Forces. At the time, the Assad government was experiencing significant losses to the Syrian rebels and seemed on the verge of…
Expanded co-operation with the West and an increase in Russia’s role in combatting jihadism would come at a steep price — for both sides
During the 2016 presidential election, Donald Trump roiled the foreign policy establishment by praising Russian President Vladimir Putin. He suggested it was time for a comprehensive re-evaluation of U.S.-Russian relations and broader co-operation between the two countries, especially in the fight against jihadists. In doing so, Trump raised political and strategic issues. By praising Putin…
Tectonic shifts may be in the offing in the wake of a startling Northern Ireland election result and with Brexit hanging menacingly over Ireland
The Chinese curse “May you live in interesting times” may be apocryphal but it fits the circumstances facing Ireland. In a way few would have imagined 12 months ago, forces are loose that could dramatically upend the status quo. One of these is the result of the election for the Northern Ireland Assembly held earlier…
NATO needs to return to the basics, dust off the old manuals from the Cold War, and think through what is really required to successfully defend Eastern Europe
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is heralded as the world’s most successful military alliance. However, it finds itself under pressure from within and without. Some people in NATO countries do not understand the importance of its goal: to safeguard its members’ freedom and security by political and military means. This goal is executed through…
NATO needs to redefine the kinds of threats it is designed to oppose to reflect the current tactics in the Kremlin’s playbook
Founded in 1949, the 28-member North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) aimed “to keep the Russians out, the Americans in and the Germans down.” Those were the words of Lord Ismay, its first Secretary General, and those goals largely defined NATO’s mission over its first 40 years. Since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1989, however,…
The bad news is that the long roller-coaster ride over the trade deal with Europe isn't over – ratification may still hold some surprises
The Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) is the right deal for Canada's economy now – and it's essential for the nation's future prosperity. The near-death experience of CETA, the trade deal between Canada and the European Union (EU), exposed the economic frailties of negotiating multi-boundary free-trade deals. The more countries around the table, the…
In an increasingly protectionist world, finding trade partners for agricultural products is difficult, although the benefit can be huge
Canada's new Liberal government is learning the hard way that in multilateral trade agreements, agriculture and food always create a recipe for contentious debates. Farmers in Belgium have stalled the European Union’s ratification of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) by voting against it. Many other factions within France, Poland, Spain, Bulgaria and Austria…
A collection of labour organizations, environmentalists and other groups oppose CETA by ignoring the economic benefits
Riots against Canada – in Germany? Canadians like to think we are an example of how a country should be: peaceful, prosperous, democratic, clean and mainly green. We state proudly that the world needs more Canada, especially when compared to nations like Zimbabwe, Syria, Nigeria and other failed states facing tyranny, war, famine and disease. And if anyone demonstrated…
Fiscal constraint and placing public budgets on a forced weight watchers diet is only half of a sound economic plan
Summer 2016 marks a dubious anniversary. One year after the near collapse of the Greek economy last summer, the economic indicators reveal that it continues its downward spiral. In fact, during the past 12 months, Greece’s modern economic tragedy has exacerbated. Unemployment has soared above 30 per cent and disposable income has plummeted by more…