Wednesday, May 6, 2009

[RED DEMOCRATICA] CFR.org Daily News Brief, May 6, 2009



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May 6, 2009

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

- Af-Pak summit opens in Washington; violence in Swat, air raids in Afghanistan.
- Biden makes pointed comment at AIPAC meeting.
- Controversial NATO exercises begin in Georgia following troop mutiny.
- Explosion in Baghdad kills ten.

Top of the Agenda: Afghanistan-Pakistan Summit

A trilateral summit bringing together the leaders of the United States, Afghanistan, and Pakistan opens today in Washington, fresh on the heels of major U.S. air strikes in Afghanistan and a Pakistani military campaign in Swat Valley. A Background Briefing from MSNBC outlines the schedule for the meetings and says the primary goal for the United States will be to reiterate its stance that all three countries share the same common threat--Islamic extremism. http://m1e.net/c?101077382-TdhCV/t5Moi5A%404220899-2dY2owRlANLLI

U.S. officials restated their support yesterday for the governments of both countries, while Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari and Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai pushed for increased aid and a broadened understanding of the political dilemmas they face (WashPost). http://m1e.net/c?101077382-cOlRvk6fOFrzI%404220900-AqaRslWUfsQ9%2e

The meetings comes amidst fresh violence in both countries. Pakistani troops launched heavy attacks today on Taliban militants in Pakistan's Swat Valley, aiming to retake government buildings seized yesterday by militants (FT). http://m1e.net/c?101077382-KFQeXQLDqYFb.%404220901-.I3eoHn9NPNC6 Dawn reports the violence--and early signals from the government that major raids were imminent--have led some 40,000 civilians to flee the Swat region. http://m1e.net/c?101077382-pvFTMB/OOYX5U%404220902-VsqBsmKE0r/1g Al-Jazeera reports Pakistani Taliban have declared a cease-fire agreement they signed earlier this year with the provincial government to be void, given the attacks. http://m1e.net/c?101077382-25QPBNDeVBTRg%404220903-4Bau1/U6VlmXE

Meanwhile in Afghanistan, U.S. air raids in Farah province killed scores of people. Different news sources reported different death tolls, but the BBC says reports of civilian deaths could hang heavily over today's summit talks. http://m1e.net/c?101077382-umieMZeCkUXzo%404220904-Mo59z7NZEBamU The Red Cross reports dozens of civilians were killed in the raids, the BBC article says. Al-Jazeera reports as many as one-hundred civilians may have been killed in the attacks. http://m1e.net/c?101077382-ZzybPvuT6TmAM%404220905-NJmn.3DxqqtK6 Quqnoos, an Afghan news source, says the number of civilians killed may be as high as 120. http://m1e.net/c?101077382-O7EKxvB.FEnKM%404220906-ak2zCtpukMnZc

Background:

- In a new interview with CFR, Bruce Riedel, who chaired a special interagency committee to develop President Obama's policy for Afghanistan and Pakistan, says concerns about internal violence in Pakistan are rapidly escalating and that the United States should quickly ramp up aid to Pakistan. http://m1e.net/c?101077382-t.gKLdb.pcIBs%404220907-cWm4nSwJTbJrA

- In a recent policy options paper, CFR's Daniel Markey says the United States should shift its "Af-Pak" strategy to focus more squarely on Pakistan. http://m1e.net/c?101077382-WizxuogAv3jhQ%404220908-pSEV4KzjKXGJw

The Obama administration's White Paper describing its Af-Pak strategy is available here: http://m1e.net/c?101077382-avNYkfFXYFmr6%404220909-jFKjJn2UZKj.M

MIDDLE EAST: Biden on Israel

Speaking at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC)--the main pro-Israel lobby group in the United States--U.S. Vice President Joseph Biden said "Israel has to work towards a two-state solution."
http://m1e.net/c?101077382-bHhAvaMt1RkXA%404220910-nx4AlQO51Z6Tc

The Boston Globe reports the speech signals Washington is intent on pushing Israel on the issue, a point some analysts had questioned. http://m1e.net/c?101077382-fD27eyx2q6eig%404220911-HGIfy9yCDCc9s

Tzipi Livni, Israel's former foreign minister and leader of the Kadima Party, which is now in the country's opposition, discussed Israel's new government in a speech yesterday at CFR. Here is the video. http://m1e.net/c?101077382-s7tBLbxS45mtw%404220912-ypz9PR.HweQUk

IRAQ: An explosion today in a marketplace in Baghdad killed at least ten people, the BBC reports. http://m1e.net/c?101077382-Y5SpAYBWcjYYk%404220913-2UYj9uh.AO.w%2e

PACIFIC RIM: China Military Drill

Xinhua reports China is planning a massive military drill for the latter half of this year that would, for the first time in history, bring together China's four military commands in joint operations. http://m1e.net/c?101077382-o2NgDdQmnYCgY%404220914-xlft6iOTVZpMg

- This Backgrounder looks at what Chinese military modernization means for both East Asia and the United States. http://m1e.net/c?101077382-T.6JiOCzAGgE.%404220915-Fz.xh3hsX8ipY

S.KOREA: President Lee Myung-bak called for swift measures to reform South Korea's ruling Grand National Party after it suffered what Yonhap calls "a crushing defeat" in by-elections last week. http://m1e.net/c?101077382-rojTumP1PH2oM%404220916-sZJi96zmvLTI6

SOUTH & CENTRAL ASIA: Afghan Elections

Afghan President Hamid Karzai defended his choice for a running mate, Mohammad Qasim Fahim, a former guerilla chief, saying Fahim helped bring "stability and unity" to Afghanistan (Reuters). http://m1e.net/c?101077382-aUMSTu1tgprqo%404220917-wQPHrm3Sb34JM

Meanwhile, one of Karzai's main opponents launched criticisms against the president for misusing his authority. http://m1e.net/c?101077382-lb84NHnt2Haz.%404220918-NWIuzDevz2Wyw

MUMBAI: The lead suspect in last year's terror attacks in Mumbai pleaded not guilty on all eighty-six charges levied against him by the Indian government (BBC). http://m1e.net/c?101077382-krYzg/rF4JuPg%404220919-yK1edhF27dEaI

AFRICA: Nigeria Local Election

Nigeria's governing party narrowly won a disputed re-run vote for the governorship of the southwestern Nigerian state of Ekiti (BBC). http://m1e.net/c?101077382-9tPgN24yDxqzs%404220920-Wh7a/1YCiHNso

The Lagos Vanguard reports protests erupted after the results were announced. http://m1e.net/c?101077382-c8G/.2DucnRqo%404220921-ysB7DUJtAdO1I

S.AFRICA: South Africa's parliament is set to select ANC party chair Jacob Zuma as the country's next president today (Business Day). http://m1e.net/c?101077382-ZrH9N8fAz3HWI%404220922-QwIobItJyUriE He would then be inaugurated on Saturday.

AMERICAS: Stress Test Results

The Washington Post reports the Obama administration's strategy of "stress-testing" major U.S. banks has yielded positive results even ahead of tomorrow's release of the findings of the tests. The article says the twelve-week process has "provided a respite" for investors and has allowed federal rescue programs time to start showing results. http://m1e.net/c?101077382-AL96wIobS5yx6%404220923-Upnv1xQRTJJ3Q

MEXICO-U.S.: The Los Angeles Times reports the leader of Mexico's Sinaloa narcotics cartel has given his followers a green-light to fire across the U.S. border if necessary--potentially marking a turn in the cartel's prior stance toward the United States, which was largely non-confrontational. http://m1e.net/c?101077382-BcQoOY0mg63Gc%404220924-J1LNKTwCUZ1Fo

- This Backgrounder outlines what's at stake in Mexico's drug war. http://m1e.net/c?101077382-j7VadsfXt7DpQ%404220925-OSvxW2Pi5fqcM

EUROPE: NATO-Georgia Exercises Begin

Yesterday's mutiny by Georgian troops has been brought under control, the AFP reports, and NATO opened joint military exercises with Georgia today. http://m1e.net/c?101077382-tE2xIjaMvDstg%404220926-QMdLYXmVJNEm2 Russia has termed the exercises a provocation.

CZECH-EU: The BBC reports the Czech senate, one of the few remaining EU countries yet to ratify the European Union's Lisbon Treaty, is set to vote on the treaty (BBC). http://m1e.net/c?101077382-SkIFTA3.Lt1sU%404220927-HF7xDYZxotxBk

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