Erdorgan waves his refugees trump card in Europe’s face
by Rashmee
Posted on February 28, 2020
Today (Friday, Feb. 28), Turkey’s president Erdogan has been speaking to US President Donald Trump, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron about the situation in Syria. The sub-text of any conversation with the Europeans is: Or else. Or else, we’ll release the refugees we hold into Europe. Mr Erdogan’s party, the Justice … Continue reading “Erdorgan waves his refugees trump card in Europe’s face”
Read MoreLibya arms embargo is a ‘joke’, said a UN envoy. But it’s peace-making that is a farce
by Rashmee
Posted on February 26, 2020
Now that European foreign ministers have agreed on a new Mediterranean naval mission to enforce the widely breached UN arms embargo on Libya, it’s worth thinking what it might really mean. The mission, which will replace Operation Sophia that was derailed last year, is still to be finalised. A senior UN official recently called the … Continue reading “Libya arms embargo is a ‘joke’, said a UN envoy. But it’s peace-making that is a farce”
Read MoreWith Donald Trump’s visit, US-India chemistry can no longer be dismissed as fiction
by Rashmee
Posted on February 25, 2020 / The National
There were bespoke broccoli samosas in Ahmedabad in western India; a watermelon carved with the faces of Donald Trump and Narendra Modi in Theni in southern India; sand art featuring Mr Trump and his wife Melania on Puri beach in eastern India and the “Trump collection” of specially designed gold and silver-plated tableware in Delhi … Continue reading “With Donald Trump’s visit, US-India chemistry can no longer be dismissed as fiction”
Read MoreWho’s afraid of Bernie Sanders?
by Rashmee
Posted on February 24, 2020
After Nevada, it’s time to get serious about Bernie Sanders’ Democratic Socialism. How does it differ from social democracy? And is Mr Sanders a menace to America? There are two possible answers. One, was delivered after the Nevada caucuses by Pete Buttigieg, Senator Sanders’ rival to be the Democratic Party’s nominee for president. Mr Sanders, … Continue reading “Who’s afraid of Bernie Sanders?”
Read MoreMAGA: Make America Go Away
by Rashmee
Posted on February 22, 2020
Henry Mance of the Financial Times has a new slogan (paywall) to fit MAGA: Make America Go Away (for a bit). It sounds amusing until one examines the serious subtext. Mr Mance starts out by saying something that is true for many of us I suspect: “I sometimes wonder if there is any moment when … Continue reading “MAGA: Make America Go Away”
Read MoreFrom un-diplomat to un-intelligence chief
by Rashmee
Posted on February 21, 2020
Fox News commentator and Trump groupie Richard Grenell arrived in Berlin as US envoy, “tweets blazing” in the memorable phrase of a Politico profile. In the years since, he never let the Germans forget that he was Donald Trump’s envoy and represented America First-ism. He pressed the case for Germany to turn right (and change … Continue reading “From un-diplomat to un-intelligence chief”
Read MoreFrench public life is becoming more ‘Americanized’ and British public life more French
by Rashmee
Posted on February 20, 2020
Everyone’s talking about the alleged “Americanization” of French public life, but almost no one is mentioning the almost parallel Gallicization of British public life. Let me explain. Just days ago, for the first time in France’s modern history, a politician resigned because his sex life was publicly exposed. Benjamin Griveaux, one of President Emmanuel Macron’s … Continue reading “French public life is becoming more ‘Americanized’ and British public life more French”
Read MoreTrump and the lucky man syndrome
by Rashmee
Posted on February 19, 2020
Everyone’s marvelling at Donald J Trump. He may dissemble, lie, cheat, bully, blunder, but he has the damndest luck. Imagine, he was serially bankrupt but can now claim to have led the sound management of the world’s largest economy. He’s a serial philanderer who can now claim to speak about God and the values so … Continue reading “Trump and the lucky man syndrome”
Read MoreTrump’s invisible wall is not just for Muslims
by Rashmee
Posted on February 15, 2020 / The Arab Weekly
The virtual wall takes the United States back to a century ago, when being white was key to acquiring US citizenship. The battle to replace Donald Trump in the White House got properly under way with the Democratic Party primary election in New Hampshire, so it’s worth examining the state of Trump’s signature campaign promise … Continue reading “Trump’s invisible wall is not just for Muslims”
Read MoreMr Trump’s proposed NATOME will be in the Middle East. That’s as ludicrous as the acronym
by Rashmee
Posted on February 14, 2020
It’s hard to see the rationale for Donald Trump’s call on the NATO alliance to increase its involvement in the Middle East. He’s dreamt up a name for the mission – NATOME (NATO plus the initials of Middle East) – but beyond, there’s no clarity on anything very much. NATO is primarily focused on collective … Continue reading “Mr Trump’s proposed NATOME will be in the Middle East. That’s as ludicrous as the acronym”
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Rashmee has lived and worked in several countries in the past decade, including Afghanistan, India, Haiti, Tunisia, the UAE, US and UK