politics

On September 11, 2013, hundreds of thousands of Chileans solemnly marked the 40th anniversary of their nation’s 9/11 terrorist event. It was on that date in 1973 that the Chilean military, armed with a generous supply of funds and weapons from the United States, and assisted by the CIA and other operatives, overthrew the democratically-elected government of the moderate socialist Salvador Allende.

Seven Worst-Case Scenarios in the Battle with the Islamic State

      You know the joke? You describe something obviously heading for disaster -- a friend crossing Death Valley with next to no gas in his car -- and then add, “What could possibly go wrong?”

President Barack Obama escalated the drone war he has conducted for the past five and a half years by declaring his intention to “degrade and ultimately destroy” the Islamic State, also known as ISIS, or ISIL. Since August 8, Obama has mounted at least 154 airstrikes in Iraq. He will send 475 additional US troops, increasing the total number in Iraq to about 1,600. Obama announced he would conduct “a systematic campaign of airstrikes” in Iraq, and possibly in Syria.

Rubén Beltran, Ambassador of Mexico to the Russian Federation from January, 2013. A diplomat by education, he started his career in the Mexican diplomatic service in 1981. Among other positions, he headed General Consulate of Mexico in New York (2007-2010), General Consulate of Mexico in Phoenix, Arizona (2001-2003) and was deputy secretary on Latin America and the Caribbean. 

Luiz Alberto Figueiredo Machado - Minister of Foreign Affairs of Brazil

Strategic partnership with Russia

Russia and Brazil have just celebrated the 185th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations. Mutually profitable strategic partnership has been built on a firm basis within the years becoming even more dynamic lately.

Ukraine became the centre of world attention in the end of November 2013. One step away from signing of the Association agreement between Ukraine and EU, the Ukrainian Cabinet of Ministers has announced the suspension of the European integration of the country.

This was the starting point in the mass protest action on the independence square that led to the change of government. Widespread protest of thousands, now known all around the world as the «euromaidan», in December changed the tone and switched to a demand for the resignation of the government and the President.

In a number of my articles I have explained that the Soviet Union served as a constraint on US power. The Soviet collapse unleashed the neoconservative drive for US world hegemony. Russia under Putin, China, and Iran are the only constraints on the neoconservative agenda.

The Russian National Committee for BRICS Studies will draft a new strategy for emerging world powers.

Out of all Russian foreign policy think tanks that focus on a variety of international issues, there is one that deals with a single but very acute topic. The National Committee on BRICS Studies was founded in 2011 and has since then been dealing exclusively with the Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa economic and political alliance.

Revision of the World Political and Economic Order Is Necessary – Roberto Unger

Prominent Brazilian politician, scientist and philosopher Dr. Roberto Mangabeira Unger answered the questions of VIGIL

VIGIL: Dr. Unger, what is your view of the perspectives of the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and the Republic of South Africa). What can be done by these countries to overcome the negative consequences of the world political-economic crisis?