17-Apr-12 World View -- Spain's bond yields push thru 6%

[John]

17-Apr-12 World View -- Europe fiscal crisis worsens as Spain's bond yields push through 6%


Plans go forward for Israel's attack on Iran's nuclear facilities

** 17-Apr-12 World View -- Europe fiscal crisis worsens as Spain's bond yields push through 6%
** http://www.generationaldynamics.com/cgi ... 17#e120417



Contents:
Europe fiscal crisis worsens as Spain's bond yields push through 6%
Switzerland's bonds sell at negative interest rates
Plans go forward for Israel's attack on Iran's nuclear facilities
Palestinians deliver an ultimatum to Israel on settlements
Argentina's president announced plans to nationalize largest oil firm


Keys:
Generational Dynamics, Greece, Spain, European Central Bank,
ECB, Mario Draghi, Switzerland, Israel, Iran,
Salam Fayyad, Mahmoud Abbas, Benjamin Netanyahu,
Palestinian Authority, Cristina Fernández de Kirchner,
Argentina, YPF, Repsol

[Trevor]

It does indeed look like Spain will be the 2012 Greece. Unlike Greece, though, their collapse will be too much to contain. Numerous countries in Europe are in recession and Spain falling apart will push more.

When it comes to Iran's nuclear program, there doesn't seem to be any good solution. If Israel decides time is running out and makes a strike, Iran will increase aid to Hezbollah and have them strike Israel, possibly encouraging a repeat of 2006. That's not including the Syrian situation.

If they don't and Iran gets a nuclear weapon, other countries will soon follow, like Turkey and Saudi Arabia, both of whom are deep into a crisis era. I would add Iraq to that list as well. Their current government isn't as bad as Saddam, but the memories of the Iran-Iraq are still fresh and they could make the same calculation that Iran has, that they need a nuclear weapon for their own protection.

As for the Palestinians, if Israel goes to war against any of their other neighbors, they could decide that it's too tempting an opportunity and jump in. It's why the entire world is trying to seek a peaceful solution, in a way they didn't for Sudan, Sri Lanka, and others. Whatever their personal opinions might be, whether they consider the Palestinians innocent victims or genocidal maniacs, we keep trying to contain the problem. If we didn't, the two sides would likely already have gone to war.

[Raynote]

Argentina's president announced plans to nationalize largest oil firm

According to Ferfal, an Argentine whose blog "Surviving in Argentina" I read from time to time, Cristine Kirchner and her husband ex-president Nestor Kirchner sold the oil company YPF to the spanish Repsol, for 700 million USD and now she's stealing it back!!! Ferfal says his poor country is looking more and more like Cuba. No wonder he emigrated to Northern Ireland a few months ago.

[John]

Dear Raymonde,

How do you pronounce François Hollande's name?

Is it

frahn-SWAH oh-LAND

or is it

frahn-SWAH zzz-oh-LAND

(avec la liaison)?

I've heard it both ways.

Thanks,

John

[jullien1]

How do you pronounce François Hollande's name? Is it frahn-SWAH oh-LAND

It is. "Hollande" is pronounced as the country (Hollande, Holland). The other possibility you wrote sounds like "Françoise Hollande" which is a feminine name.

[John]

Thanks, Jullien.

John

[Raynote]

Hi John! Of course my answer would have been the same as Jullien's about the pronunciation of our future (according to the media) president's name.

How do you view our presidential election from across the Atlantic?

[John]

Dear Raymonde,

> How do you view our presidential election from across the
> Atlantic?

The interesting thing will be to see what happens to the relationships
of Hollande with Merkel and the other national leaders who have been
freezing him out, hoping to help Sarkozy to win. As you know, I see
Europe spiraling into chaos, along with China and the U.S., and I
don't really think that a victory by either Hollande or Sarkozy will
make much difference.

John

[PresidentCrap]

Perfect! Thank you!

[Raynote]

I don't really think that a victory by either Hollande or Sarkozy will
make much difference.

John

That's exactly what I've been thinking for some time now (partly due to reading Generational Dynamics, I guess). Bad things will certainly happen in a not-too-distant future in Europe and particularly in France. I'm bracing myself for it, preparing somewhat, ...not as much as I should be, though.