ISDEI Instituto de Seguridad, Defensa y Estudios Internacionales

By Eric Margolis February 02, 2014 - Sochi seems a strange place to hold the Olympic games. First, it’s almost subtropical. To find snow, one must travel up to the Caucasus mountains. The Black Sea resort is charming and exotic. But Sochi is a beach resort. No one knows if there will be enough snow for the skiing and snowboarding events being held on the low mountains behind. Let me stop here and say that I consider all Olympic games a titanic waste of money that leave behind white elephant buildings and debts that never get paid off. Bread and circuses. Russia is blowing over $3 billion on this extravaganza. The games are just a huge commercial jamboree with faux patriotic overtones. Second, there is the big security scare facing Russia from violent militants in the North Caucasus. The US government, trying to rain on Vlad Putin’s parade, actually warned American visitors to take extreme caution or just not go to Sochi because of the dangers of “terrorism.” Two US destroyers have been

By Reza Kahlili February 02, 2014 - A top commander of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards boasted Saturday that his forces have plans in place to attack the United States from within, should the U.S. attack the Islamic Republic. “America, with its strategic ignorance, does not have a full understanding of the power of the Islamic Republic,” Brig. Gen. Hossein Salami said in a televised interview . “We have recognized America’s military strategy, and have arranged our abilities, and have identified centers in America [for attack] that will create a shock.” Reports indicate that "terrorist" Hezbollah forces — allies of Iran — have infiltrated the U.S. and have mapped out targets. This article was originally published at Daily Caller Updated February 02, 2014 at 8:33 pm PST IRGC: Iran Recognizes No Boundary for Responding to Any Possible US Attack February 02, 2014 - " Farsnews " - “The US (threat of using the) military option is of no care to us. They can use this option bu

The decline of Central Asia's Aral Sea , located on the Kyrgyz-Uzbek border, is a dramatic example of the consequences of water mismanagement. The two rivers that feed the lake, the Syr Darya and the Amu Darya, originate primarily in the neighboring countries of Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Afghanistan. The heavy use of the rivers' waters for crop irrigation reduced the flow of the rivers into the Aral Sea, reducing water levels starting in the 1960s and increasing salinity. By 1990, the lake separated into two halves as the water levels dropped. The lake's decline effectively eliminated a once vibrant fishing industry. With assistance from the World Bank, Kazakhstan began restoring the smaller northern portions of the lake in 2001. Other countries could take similar isolated actions, but historical tensions and unequal distribution of resources in the region make true trans-boundary water resource management highly unlikely. The downstream nations -- Kazakhstan, Uzbeki

Anti-government protesters march in Bangkok on Jan. 30. (PAULA BRONSTEIN/Getty Images) Analysis Amid turmoil in international markets , there are a host of countries whose economic circumstances will be shaped ultimately by their geopolitical circumstances. A rush of repositioning in global capital markets has exposed very clear financial vulnerabilities in several countries. Though few countries are completely safe from the current economic turmoil, those caught in moments of political transition are particularly vulnerable. Indonesia, Ukraine, Thailand, India and Turkey are all countries where geopolitical shifts are intersecting with international economic volatility in a potent mix of potential instability. Ukraine Ukraine's geopolitical plight provides significant opportunities but includes extreme risks. Ukraine suffered a 14 percent contraction of its gross domestic product in 2009 and has recovered poorly, despite portfolio and direct investment inflows. Growth in 2012 and

For the second year in a row, North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un made mention of improving inter-Korean relations in his New Year's Address. Pyongyang followed by proposing a three-pronged approach to easing tense inter-Korean relations. The document released by the North's National Defence Commission (NDC) called for both Koreas to halt all mutual criticism and slander starting from the Lunar New Year on January 30. Additionally, the proposal called for halting all provocative military acts between the two sides and suggested that authorities in Seoul scrap the scheduled US-South Korea joint military exercises that take place annually between February and April. Contrary to past rhetoric, the NDC highlighted how the denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula is a common goal, and suggested that practical measures be taken to avert a nuclear military conflict on the Korean Peninsula. Seoul responded coldly to the proposal, prompting the NDC to publish an open letter to th

Thousands of army troops are being deployed in Bangkok ahead of Sunday's election which the opposition plans to disrupt. The government has pressed ahead with the Feb. 2 election, which protesters say they'll disrupt [EPA] Thailand's army says it will increase the number of troops in the capital on standby to 10,000 ahead of Sunday's election that anti-government protesters say they will disrupt as part of their campaign to overthrow Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra. The government's decision to press ahead with the February 2 election has inflamed tensions in the capital, Bangkok, where the protesters have blockaded main intersections and forced many ministries to close their doors this month. "In addition to the 5,000 soldiers we have already deployed in and around Bangkok to help monitor security, we will be increasing troops around protest sites as there are people trying to instigate violence," army spokesman Winthai Suvaree told Reuters news agenc

An undated file photo shows abandoned ships sitting on the sand, where the Aral Sea retreated, near the Kazakh city of Aralsk. AFP/VICTOR VASENIN/Getty Images Summary The decline of the Aral Sea over the past 50 years is one of the most dramatic examples of the consequences of water mismanagement. Although the Aral Sea is not likely to be restored to its former state, Kazakhstan's efforts over the past decade have gradually restored a small portion of the lake. Individually, Central Asian countries could incrementally improve water management, but regional cooperation, which is necessary for significant restoration of the Aral Sea, is unlikely, given historical tensions in the region regarding water rights. Growing populations and increasing demand will continue to intensify pressure on the region's already stressed water resources, causing the antipathy between neighboring nations to rise further. Analysis The Aral Sea, once one of the four largest lakes in the world, is loca

The Naval Update Map shows the approximate current locations of U.S. Carrier Strike Groups and Amphibious Ready Groups, based on available open-source information. No classified or operationally sensitive information is included in this weekly update. CSGs and ARGs are the keys to U.S. dominance of the world's oceans. A CSG is centered on an aircraft carrier, which projects U.S. naval and air power and supports a Carrier Air Wing, or CVW. The CSG includes significant offensive strike capability. An ARG is centered on three amphibious warfare ships, with a Marine Expeditionary Unit embarked. An MEU is built around a heavily reinforced and mobile battalion of Marines. Carrier Strike Groups The USS Harry S. Truman CSG with CVW 3 embarked is underway in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility supporting maritime security operations and conducting theater security cooperation efforts. The USS Carl Vinson with CVW 17 embarked is underway in the Pacific Ocean for a Tailored Sh