2006 Archives
Left Turn in Latin America
January 2006
Alex Black
With the recent election of Evo Morales as president of Bolivia, and the possibility of Mexico City’s left-leaning mayor becoming the next president of Mexico, Latin American politics are following the path of Venezuela and Brazil. Alex Black looks at the possibilities for the region and what this political shift will mean for economic development there, as well as for relations with the US.
The Rising West
February 2006Alex Black
With the change in Canadian government following the general election of January 23, Conservatives are again in power after 13 years in opposition, albeit with a minority stake. Alex Black looks at the roots of the new party in western Canada, at its leader, Stephen Harper, and at the issues that will confront the new government as it guides its policies through parliament and negotiates with the eastern provinces and the US.
Going for Bust
March 2006 Malcolm Thomas
Over the last decade, China has developed from a marginal player on the global economic scene to a major force, coming of age with accession to the World Trade Organization in 2001. Such a frantic pace of transformation has inevitably created substantial social and economic stresses in the country, writes Malcolm Thomas, but will the boom outlive the 2008 Olympics in Beijing?
Global Observations
April 2006 Dr. Hans Black
Dr. Hans Black mulls some intriguing questions surrounding the persistent rise in the bullion price.
Iraq: Where we are Today
May 2006 Hans Arthur Black
Three years after the US-led invasion of Iraq, the country is still not stable, writes Hans Arthur Black. While the political structure is in place, the sectarian confrontation between Sunnis and Shiites has yet to find a resolution, with the result that the hand of the extremists is being strengthened. How much can Washington do to keep the political process alive, and are Iraq’s new leaders up to the task?
The World Rediscovers Risk
June 2006Dr. Hans Black
Everything was going so well this year until the stock sell-off in mid-May. Dr. Hans Black takes a look at what happened.
Human Genome Project Update
July 2006 Dr. Hans Black
Dr. Black sifts through the daily news to find the currents at work in the war in Lebanon and the possible directions the war might take.
Lebanon and Beyond
August 2006 Dr. Hans Black
Dr. Black sifts through the daily news to find the currents at work in the war in Lebanon and the possible directions the war might take.
Dubai
September 2006 Hans Arthur Black
Following a recent visit to the United Arab Emirates, Hans Arthur Black describes the forces behind the phenomenal development of Dubai over the last few years.
Dragon Beware
October 2006Hans Arthur Black
In many ways Beijing today represents a model of what is happening across the country. The city's most immediate features - the rampant capitalism, the sense of free-for-all, the horrendous pollution and the lack of planning -are those of the country, too.
Plan B
November 2006 Dr. Hans Black
Eliot Cohen, Robert E. Osgood professor of Strategic Studies at Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies, discusses 6 possible Plan Bs for the US military in Iraq.
The End of Risk
December 2006 Dr. Hans Black
In the last three months, events in the bond market are redefining the perception of risk, argues Dr. Hans Black, to the detriment of those left holding the can in a crisis.