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Leading Indicators
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Leading Indicators: Off the Radar News Roundup
Judah Grunstein
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22 Feb 2010
- South Korea and the U.S. are reportedly seeking to finalize negotiations regarding the "strategic flexibility" of U.S. forces stationed in Korea before this year's defense ministerial talks in October. The agreement would allow the U.S. to redeploy Korea-based forces as needed, while maintaining a minimum of roughly 28K at all times.
- Hans Blix picked up a nice side-gig leading the oversight board of the UAE's nuclear energy program. I mention this mainly because it affords an opportunity to wonder out loud: Is there any antidote to a Matt Stone-Trey Parker joke? I can't remember the last time I didn't crack up at the mere mention of poor Hans' name.
- A meeting between Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and World Bank President Robert Zoellick could signal that Russia is ready to throw in the towel and open the North Caucasus to outside development. The obvious tension here is between national pride and cost-to-benefit analysis, but ultimately the willingness to seek outside help shows a certain kind of maturity. Imagine the kind of game-changer a similar meeting between China and the WB over Xinjiang or Tibet would represent.
- He would still have to amend the constitution to do so, but if Colombian President Alvaro Uribe does run for a third term, polling suggests he will likely win.
- The Chinese Embassy in Zimbabwe threw a party in honor of President Robert Mugabe's 86th birthday yesterday, attended by the president himself. It's the first time Mugabe has visited a foreign embassy since the country won independence in 1980, which makes sense, since usually ambassadors come to the president, and not the reverse. But the party demonstrates how shameless the Chinese are, and the fact that Mugabe attended demonstrates how desperate he is.
- The junta that seized power in Niger assured an ECOWAS envoy that it planned to transition back to civilian rule, although no timeframe was set and no elections have been scheduled.
Researched by Kari Lipschutz.