ISDEI Instituto de Seguridad, Defensa y Estudios Internacionales

The MB's third Amazonas-class OPV, Araguari, was delivered from builders BAE Systems on 21 June. Source: IHS/Alex Pape Key Points A funding crunch has generated questions about the future of PROSUPER's frigate element and other large procurements Some notable acquisitions for the MB are nonetheless moving forward The Brazilian Navy (Marinha do Brazil - MB), despite budget constraints, has maintained some comprehensive investments intended to considerably improve its fleet power through acquisitions of ships, helicopters, missiles, armour, and other hardware. Along with safeguarding Brazil's natural resources and 3.5 million km 2 of maritime domain, the naval service is also working to expand its regional influence and become a more active player internationally - a position the government views as fitting for the world's sixth-largest economy. Accordingly, the navy implemented the PAEMB (Plano de Articulação e Equipamentos da Marinha do Brasil) modernisation effort as

Boko Haram attacked an air base in Maiduguri , the capital of the northeastern Nigerian state of Borno, on Dec. 2. According to reports, more than 300 Boko Haram fighters attacked the base, reportedly riding trucks and an armored vehicle captured from the military, and attempted to destroy vehicles and infrastructure by using explosives, rocket-propelled grenades and fire. The attack was launched around 2:30 or 3 a.m., with firefights continuing for approximately five hours. Although Boko Haram has launched significant attacks before, operations by such large groups of militants have grown less frequent as ongoing Nigerian military operations have attempted to disrupt the militants' movements and staging. Nigerian security forces have been conducting ground operations meant to locate and destroy pockets of Boko Haram fighters. Therefore, this attack does not demonstrate a new capability for the militant group; rather, it highlights the ineffectiveness of Nigerian military eff

Anti-government protesters remove a barricade in Bangkok on Dec. 2. (LAM YIK FE/Getty Images) Summary The rapid escalation of anti-government protests in Thailand is a reminder of the many fault lines beneath the country's deeply polarized political landscape. Even if the unrest manages to unseat Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra's popular government , the same political and economic problems that have repeatedly troubled the country could return under the next government. At a time when Thailand is attempting to change its regional role, its fragile political situation continues to threaten its relevance in the increasingly important region of Southeast Asia. Analysis The massive, weekslong protests in Thailand quickly descended from relatively peaceful to violent over the weekend. After protesters had occupied several state ministries and key business districts for four days, violence erupted in the suburbs of Bangkok on the evening of Nov. 30 between protesters and the Red

Soldiers stand outside the 79 Composite Group Air Force base that was attacked in Maiduguri, Nigeria, on Dec. 2. STR/AFP/Getty Images Summary An attack on a Nigerian air base shows that ongoing military operations in northeastern Nigeria have not prevented Boko Haram from mounting attacks in the urban centers of the northeast, despite government claims to the contrary. However, the attack -- notable for both its size and target -- does not necessarily note new capabilities or a departure from the previous pattern of attacks. Boko Haram continues to be primarily active in northeastern Nigeria and does not yet pose an existential threat to the Nigerian government itself. Analysis Boko Haram attacked an air base in Maiduguri, the capital of the northeastern Nigerian state of Borno, on Dec. 2. The attack was launched around 2:30 or 3 a.m., according to local reports, with firefights continuing for approximately five hours. While the air base seems to have been the main target in the atta

Summary The British government recently announced plans to make it more difficult for foreigners to access unemployment benefits in the United Kingdom. The announced move reflects anti-immigration and Euroskeptical sentiments that are growing across the European Union. In the short term, London will probably focus on preventing so-called benefit tourism, since Britain can realistically do little to stop immigration from EU nations. Brussels will probably not object substantially to these specific measures, especially since the Netherlands and Germany have also expressed concern about the issue. In the long run, the United Kingdom will push to modify the European Union's legal framework to apply more efficient limits to the free movement of people within the union. Analysis British Prime Minister David Cameron is once more putting immigration at the core of his political agenda. In an opinion article published by the Financial Times on Nov. 26, Cameron said he is worried about the p

There are dozens of examples, one of whom is the author of a post this week at Pando.com which accuses me and Laura Poitras of having "promptly sold [the Snowden] secrets to a billionaire", By Glenn Grenwald December 01, 2013 - The other day I referred to those who "evince zero interest in the substance of the revelations about NSA and GCHQ spying which we're reporting on around the world", but "are instead obsessed with spending their time personally attacking the journalists, whistleblowers and other messengers who enable the world to know about what is being done." There are dozens of examples, one of whom is the author of a post this week at Pando.com which accuses me and Laura Poitras of having "promptly sold [the Snowden] secrets to a billionaire", Pierre Omidyar, and claims we made "a decision to privatize the NSA cache" by joining Omidyar's new media organization and vesting it with a "monopoly" over those do

By Finian Cunningham December 01, 2013 - The escalation of military tensions between Washington and Beijing in the East China Sea is superficially over China’s unilateral declaration of an air defense zone. But the real reason for Washington’s ire is the recent Chinese announcement that it is planning to reduce its holdings of the US dollar. That move to offload some of its 3.5 trillion in US dollar reserves combined with China’s increasing global trade in oil based on national currencies presents a mortal threat to the American petrodollar and the entire American economy. This threat to US viability - already teetering on bankruptcy, record debt and social meltdown - would explain why Washington has responded with such belligerence to China setting up an Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) last week extending some 400 miles from its coast into the East China Sea. Beijing said the zone was aimed at halting intrusive military maneuvers by US spy planes over its territory. The US has

Social Democratic Party chief Sigmar Gabriel (L) shakes hands with Christian Social Union head Horst Seehofer (R) on Nov. 27 at the Bundestag while German Chancellor Angela Merkel (C) looks on. (SEAN GALLUP/Getty Images) Summary Germany's status as a NATO member and one of the most important members of the European Union stands in contrast to its interest in a strong bilateral relationship with Russia. The issue returned to the fore early Nov. 27, when German Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democratic Union, its Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union, and the Social Democratic Party reached a coalition agreement . Apart from agreeing on new domestic policies such as the introduction of a minimum wage, the agreement outlines the parties' foreign policy priorities. As in the past, one of these priorities is to broaden collaboration with Russia. Next year the bilateral relationship is unlikely to see any drastic change. However, apart from preserving the cohes