trying to figure out my passion(s). maybe this will help.
art, nyc, fashion, italy, history & figuring out finance.. sort of..
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the newb
art, nyc, fashion, italy, history & figuring out finance.. sort of..
• favorites
the newb
Russia’s New Role: The Mediator
4.18.2012
Russia and China continue to use their veto power on the UN Security Council to stall necessary sanctions against Syria’s dictatorial regime. The violent dictator Al-Bahr Assad has tyrannically controlled Damascaus for the past decade and over the past year he was responsible for a civil war that resulted in over 9,000 deaths according to United Nations estimates. The international community’s response to the crisis has been fragmented, primarily due to Russia and China’s refusal to sign a joint resolution which precludes hope for a united international response. Compounding the UN’s ineffectiveness, Europe remains hesitant to support alternative means such as NATO air strikes due to negative aftershocks from the Libyan War. Additionally, the United States is currently focused on presidential elections which has mitigated their international presence in the Middle East. The amalgamation of different agendas has surprisingly catapulted Russia to the forefront of peace brokering operations. Russia’s unilateral approach to the Syrian crisis has the potential to showcase their autonomous foreign policy; however Moscow’s intricate relationship with Damascus’ military may hamper the process and affect Russia’s reputation within the international arena.
Damascus and Moscow have maintained a strong relationship over the past 48 years. On top of maintaining a naval base in Southern Syria, Russia continues to deliver weapons contracts and “light arms” to the Syrian regime. In the past Russia has delivered “ammunition, pistols, sub-machine guns, machine guns, anti-tank missiles and RPGs” according to the Center for the Analysis of Strategies and Technologies. Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov publicly stated— “what we are selling Syria is weapons necessary for national defense and national security.” The U.S. has responded vehemently to the Duma, suggesting these contracts allow Al-Assad to continue crimes against humanity. Lavrov maintains Russia signed these contracts before the crisis and he blames outside powers such as Qatar and Saudi Arabia for repeatedly arming the opposition. Nevertheless, Russia’s lengthy relationship with the Syrian government could prove beneficial in ceasefire negotiations as they know the internal structure and can thus more effectively acknowledge effective pressure points.
If Russia were able to broker a relatively smooth transition from civil strife, they would gain international recognition and position themselves as an autonomous world power, free from western influence. This could have enormous consequences on the newly-elect Putin regime who is currently riding on a wave of promised growth. Russia’s capabilities in the humanitarian sphere could usher new investors to emerging markets and position BRIC countries as capable and stable in the face of international crises. However this scenario contains quite a few “ifs”. Syria is currently under an incredibly fragile cease-fire agreement. Violence has subsided since the truce went into effect on April 12th however, pockets of violence in opposition outposts such as Homs have continued. Yesterday, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Susan Rice, stated “The situation is not improving; the violence is not getting better”. The world will have to wait to see if Russia can walk the fine line as distributor and peacekeeper.
Take This Waltz. Leonard Cohen.
“sometimes enthusiasm overrides sanity”
other-worldly/pretty
A NASA-funded team shot a rocket into the heart of the aurora borealis this past weekend to investigate ‘space weather’. it looks mighty other-worldly/ pretty.
This is not a version of that meme that’s been going around. This is from the 1909 Wellesley Legenda.
(Source: onlyslightly)
co-co mania
Every time I look around there seems to be some new instrument or derivative that allows trouble-ridden banks to delay the inevitable. For example, ABS’ and CMO’s, were instruments that many argue were responsible for the collapse of the United States economy in 2008. Have we learned from our mistakes? Are we prepared to realize the next wave of shaky and misunderstood instruments that may be used to delay the inevitable financial disaster lurking in the Euro Zone? The latest frenzy seems to be co-cos which stands for contingent convertibles. Co-cos are sold as interest-bearing debt that must be paid back, however the debt instrument turns into equity if the lender (banks) experience declining capital ratios. Co-cos are becoming increasingly more popular with Southern European banks who have recently suffered from a lack of capital. Co-cos allow governments to invest in banks without increasing the deficit or issuing controversial cash injections into the banking system. However it seems once the banks must convert the debt into equity this will be seen as a sign of weakness and equity participants will flee, further harming the bank and ultimately limiting the flow of credit.
bah humbug..
