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Generational Dynamics Web Log for 28-May-2012
28-May-12 World View -- Young liberals dismayed by 'nightmare scenario' in Egypt

Web Log - May, 2012

28-May-12 World View -- Young liberals dismayed by 'nightmare scenario' in Egypt

Cuba's plans to exploit offshore oil fields

This morning's key headlines from GenerationalDynamics.com.

Young liberals dismayed by 'nightmare scenario' in Egypt
U.N. Security Council resolution condemns Syria's Assad regime for massacre
Tuareg rebels and Islamist militants join forces in northern Mali
Cuba's plans to exploit offshore oil fields

Young liberals dismayed by 'nightmare scenario' in Egypt

Mohammed Morsi and Ahmed Shafeq

Mohammed Morsi and Ahmed Shafeq

Egypt's presidential election, said to be the first free election in 5,000 years, has dismayed the young protesters who began the "Egyptian Revolution" in January of last year now see the entire effort as a waste of time. The "liberal" vote was split among a number of candidates, with the result that the two candidates to survive the first round were Mohammed Morsi of the Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party and Ahmed Shafiq, Mubarak's last prime minister. Some liberals retreated to black humor: "All it takes now is for Mubarak to be released and be made vice president." However, as I wrote last week in "23-May-12 World View -- Egypt prepares for historic presidential election", from the point of view of Generational Dynamics, an Iran-style hardline Islamic revolution is not possible at this time, and it's very unlikely that Egypt's peace treaty with Israel will be abrogated, though it may be modified. Guardian

U.N. Security Council resolution condemns Syria's Assad regime for massacre

I had assumed that Saturday's bloody massacre in Houla in Syria on Saturday, killing 108 people including 49 children, and wounding dozens more, by the regime of Syria's president Bashar al-Assad would be forgotten in a day or two. But, much to my surprise, the United Nations Security Council passed a resolution on Sunday condemning the al-Assad regime. The resolution was passed unanimously, with positive votes by Russia and China, two countries that in the past refused to condemn al-Assad. Russia is Assad's biggest ally, supplying him money and weapons in return for hosting Russia's only Mediterranean naval port. However, the recent massacre was so bloody that even Russia and China apparently felt they had no choice but to endorse the resolution. Guardian

Tuareg rebels and Islamist militants join forces in northern Mali

A billboard in Bamako, the capital of Mali, with crying eyes in the north and a question mark in the south

A billboard in Bamako, the capital of Mali, with crying eyes in the north and a question mark in the south

Just a few months ago, Mali was thought to be one of the most stable democracies in Africa. But after a military coup, followed by the seizure of northern Mali by three competing revolutionary groups, Mali is now one of the most chaotic countries in Africa. One of the revolutionary groups was ethnic Tuareg rebels, led by return fighters from last year's war in Libya declared an independent state of Azawad in northern Mali on April 7."#> A second rebel group was the Islamist group Ansar Dine, who want to impose strict Sharia law in Mali. On Sunday, the Tuaregs apparently acceded to the demands of Ansar Dine, and the two groups announced the formation of an Islamic state. The third rebel group is Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), which would like to go further and use northern Mali as a base for jihad, making the situation in Mali extremely dangerous. VOA

Cuba's plans to exploit offshore oil fields

Cuba is a net importer of oil, mostly provided by Venezuela under a 2000 agreement. However, Cuba is now actively drilling for offshore oil in Cuba's exclusive economic zone (EEZ), just 60 miles from the coast of Florida. It will take 3-5 years before real production could begin. If an accident similar to the BP disaster of 2010 occur, the consequences could be serious for the entire Gulf of Mexico. Council on Hemispheric Affairs

(Comments: For reader comments, questions and discussion, see the 28-May-12 World View -- Young liberals dismayed by 'nightmare scenario' in Egypt thread of the Generational Dynamics forum. Comments may be posted anonymously.) (28-May-2012) Permanent Link
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Generational Dynamics Web Log for 28-May-2012 28-May-12 World View -- Young liberals dismayed by 'nightmare scenario' in Egypt

Young liberals dismayed by 'nightmare scenario' in Egypt

U.N. Security Council resolution condemns Syria's Assad regime for massacre

Tuareg rebels and Islamist militants join forces in northern Mali

Cuba's plans to exploit offshore oil fields

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Generational Dynamics Web Log for 28-May-2012
28-May-12 World View -- Young liberals dismayed by 'nightmare scenario' in Egypt