Potential threats from China, Russia, and America

With the aim to defend the so called old continent from potential threat from other countries, such as China, Russia and America, the French President recently proposed the idea of an European army .

Actually, Emmanuel Macron  thinks that there is a threat of cyber war from the U.S. to Europe, and he wants EU's answers to this threat. On the one hand, he doesn't think the European states have build an army against the U.S., considering that France is a member of the North Atlantic Alliance (NATO), which is an intergovernmental military alliance between North American and Western  European states. On the other hand, French policy makers are aware  about the cyber war, as Europe has already been attacked by China, Russia, and America. 

In this perspective, France is not scared by any threat from U.S. military aggression against Europe, but it is interested in cyber offences by China, Russia, and America. Moreover, the creation of an European army is not a new idea, as it was proposed by the previous French President some years ago.

According to figures, in 2017 Europe's military spending reached 342 Billion Dollars or 20% of global cost, which reached 1,739 Trillion Dollars in the same year.   

A quarter of all the global arms exported is sold to North Africa and Middle East, where some Gulf States, such as Saudi Arabia,  UAE and Qatar, have been increasing weapon expediture in the past five years. For instance, France and Qatar recently confirmed 14 Billion Dollars fighter jet and weapon deal. Consequently, 70 % of Middle East weapon sales are by France, U.K., and U.S., which are so committed in the defence industry, although seven of the world's top ten defence companies are based in America.

It's very worring that members of the U.N. Security Council, that should bring peace to the world, are also the countries selling military machines to the world: unfortunately, most of the global weapon deals  involve five members of the U.N. Security Council.   

Contradictory statements about Khashoggi death

On 19th October, seventeen days after the Khashoggi's disappearance, the Saudi government said the journalist had been killed. 
According to the Turkish government this brutal crime, which hurts the human consciousness, has been planned. The killing of the Saudi journalist continues to provoke reactions around the world, as some EU countries are calling for a credible investigation. Germany has stopped Saudi weapon deal and France has suspended all diplomatic visit to the kingdom. 

The U.S. is adopting negative measures towards Saudi Arabia, although at first President Trump said Saudi explanation was credible, stressing to important relations with the kingdom. He also said that Millions of American jobs are more important than imposing sanctions. 
Meanwhile Saudi government still continues to give contradictory statements. Who ordered Jamal Khashoggi's savage killing? He was killed by eighteen Saudi nationals, who have been detained in Saudi Arabia: who sent them to Turkey? And where is the body? The world needs  answers.
What happened with the Saudi Journalist Jamal Khashoggi tell us that human rights is a major issue in the Arab world and today in Saudi Arabia.

Disappaerance of the Saudi journalist, Khashoggi.

On October 2nd, Jamal Ahmad Khashoggi disappeared while he was in Istambul. According to Turkish officials, the prominent Saudi journalist, who chose to live in self-imposed exile in the U.S., was killed inside the Saudi consulate in  Istambul. It seems that he was butchered by members of a security team working for Saudi Royal family.

As it is known, Saudi government buys a lot of U.S. weapons, and Saudi Arabia sells cheap oil to the United States. From a wider perspective, the country which imports more weapons is the largest exporter of oil. Unfortunately, said trade relationship beween Saudi Arabia and the U.S. means impunity for Mohammad Bin Salman who may feel free to assassinate whoever he wants. 

After saudi Journalist had been killed, Mohammad Bin Salman talked about the possibility of a conspiracy to divide between Saudi Arabia and Turkey. On the contrary, now Saudi Arabia acknowledges Jamal Ahmad Khashoggi died inside the consulate. It's a full reversal from the Saudi government's repeated and vehement denials that anything had happened to the Saudi journalist in the consulate.

Some journalists around the world say the Saudi Prince has become more dangerous than other dictators, such as Qaddaffi or Saddam Hussein, because he has Billion of Dollars to spend in lobbing as well as in consensus. He kidnapped Lebanese Prime Minister Hariri, who was forced to resign, he bombed an entire country, and two months ago he destroyed a schoolbus in Yemen killing forty children.

What  will he do next? He might do anythink thanks to the President Trump who doesn't blame him.

 

Italy's populist budget

Since last week the EU has warned that Italy will end up worse off under the populist government's spending plan. It's easy to see that the EU establishment and its media system define "populist" all  Member states who disagree with their policy about immigration and unemployment. Actually, the new Italian goverment want to raise the public debt by 8.5 Billion, as the Prime Minister would like to introduce jobseeker's payments.  

As it is know, the UK, Germany, Ireland, and other UE countries, have introduced jobseeker's payments and unemployment allowances since very long time. And from 2011 to 2017, while the two previous Italian governments were raising public debt by 400 Billion, the EU and its establishment didn't say anything. The two governments were not defined as populist, and the EU agreed with their policy. On the contrary, after the EU Budget commissioner had said three months ago "financial market would show Italians how to vote",  Italy's "populist" budget began to draw concern from the UE. 

I can't understand who give them the right to say that to the Italian people.

 

Russia and China's war games.

From 11 to 13 September this year Russia and China conducted joint military live fire exercises in Siberian far East. It was the largest war game by Chinese and Russian troops since the 1991, considering that there were three thousand troops, thirtysix thousand tanks and army vehicles, and a thousand of planes and ships.

Russia and China's leaders say they will increase bilateral relations, as boost to ties were announced at Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok this month.

Since last decade the two giants have cooperated on various levels, as Moscow is looking to China as alternative Russian energy customer. In this perspective, in May 2015 the two world powers cooperated at a military level in the Mediterranean sea, where their interests coincide: China is interested in its gateway in Greece to distribute goods across central and eastern Europe, and Russia wants to protect its small naval port on the Syrian coast. Moreover, Russia gave a demonstration of power and influence in the Middle East. 

No deal is better than bad deal

London, Gracechurch Street

This week the Director of the International Monetary  Fund, Christine Lagarde, has warned of dire consequences if no deal is reached before 28 March 2018 between the UK and EU, as leaving the EU with no deal would be costly for the British economy. Actually, Mrs. Lagarde has said: "The larger the impediments to trade in the new relationship, the costlier it would be". She has pointed out a black picture if there is no-deal Brexit, considering the negative impact it could have on the UK in terms of "Shock to supply" of goods. In the case of  no-deal Brexit the EU is obliged under WTO rules to impose tariffs on goods which will be imported from the UK.

In 2016 British people would given the option to remain or to leave, but they didn't think how to leave the EU. It has become increasingly clear that people didn't know  what they were voting for, and some people now are regretting having voted the way they voted.   

Being part of the EU or not has been an issue into the UK's political framework for decades. In addition, it isn't easy to understand at this stage how pro-Europe or anti-Europe voices within the parliamentary majority are stronger this days. And while the government is still divided on this issue, EU leaders have warned UK that it can't cherry-pick aspects of membership.

In the meantime, the UK's Prime Minister, Theresa May, who has accused the EU of not treating the UK with respect, has said "No deal is better than bad deal". She knows there is not much time left until the deadline on 28 March next year.

No deal or bad deal

Most people who live in London think there is no consensus about how Britain leaves the EU. Actually, they are afraid of the impact on the public finance and private businesses related either to a "no deal", or a "bad deal" scenario.

In this perspective, the mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has called for a new vote on membership of the EU, considering that the UK have to leave the EU on 29 March 2019. The Prime Minister, Theresa May, has said a second vote would be an action that betrays British democracy.

Actually, the clock wouldn't strike on 29 March 2019, if all 28 EU member states agreed about a 6-month estension of time.

Furthermore, if we see a "good deal" scenario, other member states, such as Ireland and Greece, will follow the UK out of the EU.