Monday, March 5th, 2018

After a brief hiatus, CDB is posting again, and we sure have a lot to talk about…

Political Chaos in Italy

Those who follow European politics can add another country to their list of states flirting with the far right. In yesterday’s election, 50% of Italians voted for anti-establishment, anti-immigrant and euroskeptic parties. The 5-Star Movement, led by Luigi di Maio, is now the largest party in Parliament after winning 30% of the vote. Their success is attributed to an ability to tap into widespread anger over Italy’s sluggish economy, high jobless rate — especially among the young — a surge in migrant arrivals, and resentment about loss of sovereignty to the European Union. These sentiments have echoed throughout Europe, culminating in victories for populist parties and even the vote for the exit of the United Kingdom from the EU last Summer.

Even more to the right lies Matteo Salvini’s Far-Right League which ran on racist, anti-immigrant slogans, which picked up 18% of votes. This party formed a coalition with controversial former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who’s ban from Italian politics remains in place until next year. The coalitions combined votes accounted for 37% of total votes cast, just 3% short of what is needed to form a government. Salvini is claiming his right to lead anyway.

Interestingly, both parties are pro-Russia and running on an Italians-first message. The Far-Right League blames a stalled Italian economy on migrants, and the 5-Star Movement has gone as far as to call for their immediate repatriation. The results have been cheered by France’s own far-right leader, Marine Le Pen, who called the election “a new stage in the awakening of the people!” Former Trump strategist Steve Bannon also weighed in, claiming Italy the new global leaders in populism.

It will still be some time before the new government is decided, as no party can claim power without 40%. The new Parliament will now take the lead in negotiating a coalition, but it seems however that is accomplished, far-right leadership will be the future of Italy.*

*It is important to note that Italians change their government nearly every year (they have had 65 governments in the past 70 years), so most political changes are not long-lived.

The World of Trump

U.S. President Donald Trump has made some interesting decisions recently, here’s a recap…

1. In response to Xi Jinping’s repeal of term limits in China last month, Trump, perhaps jokingly said: “Maybe we’ll have to give that a shot someday.”
2. Trump is considering a trip to Jerusalem in May to open the new U.S. embassy. This move to recognize Jerusalem is Israel’s capital has enraged many, especially Palestinians. Protests, some ending in violence have erupted in Gaza and the West Bank. A visit from Trump could prove costly, in security and reputation, for the President.
3. The first Trump hotel to lose the President’s brand since the election was stripped of his name in Panama City, the only Trump hotel in Latin America. This could symbolize Latin American discontent with the rhetoric and policy of this administration or just a delayed removal of conflict-of-interest in the President’s international business details leftover from his business career.

A Symbol of Friendship…and Military Readiness

The USS Carl Vinson docked in Danang today, the first aircraft carrier to visit Vietnam since the war ended in 1975. The last time U.S. warships landed in Danang it was to provide troops aiding in South Vietnam’s fight against the North, kicking off a long and brutal conflict that the U.S. did not come out of victorious. Today, the symbolic visit is a part of the long-term mission to contain China’s aspirations in the South China Sea, or the East Sea, as it is known to the Vietnamese. The carrier’s presence signals the military might of the US and its readiness to come to the aid of allies threatened by Chinese expansionism in one of the most tense geopolitical struggles of the era.

And the Winner Is…

Mark Bridges, a costume designer who won both and Oscar AND a new jet ski in honor of having the shortest speech, clocking in at just 36 seconds.

Quotable Citizen

“I don’t read…I actually can’t”

-an interesting admission from E! Network’s Ryan Seacrest on the Oscar’s Red Carpet

January 10th, 2018

Diplomacy Today: The Good, The Bad, and The Just Plain Strange

New Year, New Diplomacy

Today was the day for the much anticipated talk between North and South Korea, the first official diplomatic contact between the countries in two years. They managed to agree on North Korea’s participation in the Olympic Winter Games, set to begin in just one month. However, South Korea’s attempts to discuss denuclearization of the North appeared to be a non-starter. That being said, any participation of North Korea in global affairs, even when it comes to sports, could be beneficial for future dialogues. The North Korean negotiator ensured those attending the meeting that the regime’s “high end strategic weapons” are only targeting the U.S., as the North Koreans feel their ability to challenge the U.S. with nuclear weapons is critical to their survival. Kim Jong-Un, North Korea’s eccentric leader is pushing the South to negotiate with him without their U.S. allies, a scenario less than palatable to Washington, where the loss of a Korean peninsular ally poses its own security problems. This new effort from the North to return to the diplomatic table is likely resulting from fear that the U.S. may target its missile facilities if they do not appear to be playing nice.

Macron en Chine

French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in Beijing bearing gifts, including a horse from his Presidential Cavalry called Vesuvius, who traveled on his own private plane. Macron presented himself to Chinese President Xi Jinping as an alternative to Trump-style nationalism, ensured his commitment to curbing climate change and promised to “make our planet great again.” Presidents Jinping and Macron are both proponents of a multilateral global community and open world economy, enabling them to work well on many issues. However, Macron has been criticized for being soft on China’s more problematic policies, such as the construction of artificial islands in the South China Sea. It’s no surprise that Macron seeks a closer economic relationship with China, as France currently shoulders a $36 billion trade deficit with the Asian nation, allowing the country to in turn open a great deal of investments and companies on the European continent. It certainly looks like part of China’s ride to the top of world economics may be on a French horse named Vesuvius.

Sonic Boom?

The State Department announced today that it will be opening a formal inquiry into the strange attacks that left many personnel at the U.S. embassy in Havana Cuba sick or injured. It is not absolutely clear what happened to the embassy staff, although many suggest a sort of “sonic attack” based on their symptoms and reports from the diplomats that they heard “high-pitched beams of sound that they described as sometimes incapacitating.” 24 total personnel are experiencing “sharp ear pain, dull headaches, tinnitus, vertigo, disorientation, nausea and extreme fatigue” as well as “mild brain injuries similar to what might happen from a concussion” While most of the injuries are treatable, these actions against American diplomats are souring newly-opened relations with Havana. The inquiry seeks to find out what the government knows about the sonic events, the extent of their involvement and the purpose of the attacks.

And the Winner Is…

Anyone who was lucky enough to see the snow in the Sahara Desert on Sunday. You can check out the photos of this rare weather here.

Quotable Citizen:

“We cannot think of planning a better future, or hope to build more inclusive societies, if we continue to maintain economic models directed to profit alone and the exploitation of those who are most vulnerable.”

-Pope Francis, from his 2018 Address to the Holy See diplomatic corps.