Monday, December 30, 2013
Διεθνείς ανακατατάξεις και η εντεινόμενη ανασφάλεια, του Ιωάννη Μιχαλέτου
"Το 2020 η κατανομή εξουσίας στο κόσμο θα είναι πολυπολική και η στρατηγική των ΗΠΑ θα συνίσταται στο πως θα διατηρήσουν το ρόλο του ρυθμιστή του συστήματος και όχι του κυρίαρχου"
Τάδε έφη Χένρι Κίσινγκερ, ήδη από το 1995…
H αυτοκρατορική υπερεξάπλωση των ΗΠΑ
Η διεθνής πολιτική σκηνή βρίσκεται σε ένα σταυροδρόμι εξελίξεων που θα σημάνουν κατά πάσα πιθανότητα σαρωτικές γεωπολιτικές ανακατατάξεις με άνοδο κάποιων πλανητικών δυνάμεων και την πτώση κάποιων άλλων. Στη συγκεκριμένη περίπτωση οι ΗΠΑ φαίνεται να οδεύουν σε μία φάση παρακμής λόγω μίας πλειάδας ιστορικών νομοτελειών, ενώ η νέα εποχή που διανοίγεται αναμφισβήτητα επισείει το φάσμα της ανασφάλειας για πολλά έθνη μεταξύ των οποίων και το Ελληνικό.
Μία παλαιά Κινεζική κατάρα λέει «Μακάρι να ζήσεις σε ενδιαφέροντες καιρούς» και σίγουρα αυτό μπορεί να ειπωθεί για τη γενιά της μετά-ψυχροπολεμικής εποχής που ανδρώνεται τις πρώτες δεκαετίες της δεύτερης Χιλιετίας.
Sunday, December 29, 2013
Η χρηματοδότηση της τρομοκρατίας και η αντιμετώπιση της, του Ιωάννη Μιχαλέτου
Ένας από τους πλέον αφανείς πολέμους που εκτυλίσσονται σε καθημερινή βάση είναι ο έλεγχος μυριάδων τραπεζικών πράξεων από τις παγκόσμιες αρχές ασφαλείας και πληροφοριών προκειμένου να ανεβρεθούν τρομοκράτες μέσω της μεταφοράς κεφαλαίων.
Ενώ η χρηματοδότηση που απαιτείται για μια τρομοκρατική πράξη μπορεί ανέρχεται σε ένα μικρό ποσό, η διαδικασία στρατολόγησης, εκπαίδευσης και συντήρησης μιας τρομοκρατικής ομάδας επί χρόνια απαιτεί σημαντικά χρηματικά ποσά.
Ενώ η χρηματοδότηση που απαιτείται για μια τρομοκρατική πράξη μπορεί ανέρχεται σε ένα μικρό ποσό, η διαδικασία στρατολόγησης, εκπαίδευσης και συντήρησης μιας τρομοκρατικής ομάδας επί χρόνια απαιτεί σημαντικά χρηματικά ποσά.
Οργανωμένο έγκλημα στο Καύκασο και τη Κεντρική Ασία, του Ιωάννη Μιχαλέτου
Αρμενία
Αναφορές κατά καιρούς της Ιντερπόλ και του Αμερικανικού ΥΠΕΞ , χαρακτηρίζουν την Αρμενία ως πηγή προέλευσης εμπορίου γυναικών για σεξουαλική εκμετάλλευση στη Γερμανία, την Ελλάδα, τη Ρωσία, την Τουρκία, καθώς και τα Ηνωμένα Αραβικά Εμιράτα. Παρά θέση της χώρας κατά μήκος της διαδρομής παραδοσιακών ναρκωτικών από την Ασία προς την Ευρώπη το κλείσιμο των συνόρων της με το Αζερμπαϊτζάν και την Τουρκία, ως αποτέλεσμα του Ναγκόρνο – Καραμπάχ, έχει εξ’αποτελέσματος περιορίσει τις διαδρομές των τοπικών λαθρεμπόρων.
Αναφορές κατά καιρούς της Ιντερπόλ και του Αμερικανικού ΥΠΕΞ , χαρακτηρίζουν την Αρμενία ως πηγή προέλευσης εμπορίου γυναικών για σεξουαλική εκμετάλλευση στη Γερμανία, την Ελλάδα, τη Ρωσία, την Τουρκία, καθώς και τα Ηνωμένα Αραβικά Εμιράτα. Παρά θέση της χώρας κατά μήκος της διαδρομής παραδοσιακών ναρκωτικών από την Ασία προς την Ευρώπη το κλείσιμο των συνόρων της με το Αζερμπαϊτζάν και την Τουρκία, ως αποτέλεσμα του Ναγκόρνο – Καραμπάχ, έχει εξ’αποτελέσματος περιορίσει τις διαδρομές των τοπικών λαθρεμπόρων.
Tuesday, December 24, 2013
Albania, EU accession and security issues, by Ioannis Michaletos
Note to readers: From time to time R.I.M.S.E will provide analysis and information on wider security issues not directly related to the main scope of research which is “Radical Islamism in Southeastern Europe”. R.I.M.S.E, strongly adheres in a holistic review of security subjects, so it provides to the readers other spectrums of the security analysis such as organized crime and terrorism, in order to cover a wide range of illicit sectors which may possibly be related to each other and in any case are of much use both to the specialized researcher, and to the general public as well.
The present state of affairs in Albania regarding its impeding EU accession is far from rosy judging amongst other by the hesitation of countries such as UK, Germany, Netherlands and Czech Republic to accept an eventual inclusion of that country in the EU.
The present state of affairs in Albania regarding its impeding EU accession is far from rosy judging amongst other by the hesitation of countries such as UK, Germany, Netherlands and Czech Republic to accept an eventual inclusion of that country in the EU.
Thursday, December 19, 2013
Southeast Europe 2014: Emerging Security Threats, by Ioannis Michaletos
2013 has been a year of global “transition.” It represents a later stage in the post-recession and upheaval era since 2008, in which major geostrategic shifts of power took place, in the midst of revolutions, destabilization and economic downturn nearby.
Southeast Europe was a relatively stable region during that period when compared to the neighboring Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Nevertheless, a set of emerging security threats looms across the Balkans and mainly derive from the aftermath of the aforementioned global developments.
Southeast Europe was a relatively stable region during that period when compared to the neighboring Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Nevertheless, a set of emerging security threats looms across the Balkans and mainly derive from the aftermath of the aforementioned global developments.
Sunday, December 15, 2013
Saudi jihadists flow into Syria, by As Safir
From Al-Monitor
Summary: An increasing number of Saudis have traveled to Syria to participate in jihad.
Hardly a day goes by without another Saudi arriving to Syria to join jihadist groups and fight in their ranks. Although the jihadists in Syria hail from various nations, Saudis are the source of jihadist leadership and a reservoir of suicide bombers, distinguishing them from the others.
While we may know that the most recent Saudi to arrive in Syria was 17-year-old Mouaz al-Maataq, we will never know the identity of the first Saudi to go to Syria to join the fighting, or the exact date of his arrival.
Summary: An increasing number of Saudis have traveled to Syria to participate in jihad.
Hardly a day goes by without another Saudi arriving to Syria to join jihadist groups and fight in their ranks. Although the jihadists in Syria hail from various nations, Saudis are the source of jihadist leadership and a reservoir of suicide bombers, distinguishing them from the others.
While we may know that the most recent Saudi to arrive in Syria was 17-year-old Mouaz al-Maataq, we will never know the identity of the first Saudi to go to Syria to join the fighting, or the exact date of his arrival.
Saturday, December 14, 2013
Turkey, Saudi ties less than meet the eye, by Semih Idiz
From Al Monitor
An overly ambitious Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu boasted during a speech to the Turkish parliament less than two years ago in April 2012 that Turkey was the principal pacesetter in the region. “As Turkey, we will continue to guide the winds of change in the Middle East and be its leader,” a self-assured Davutoglu said. He added that from the streets of Cairo, Tripoli and Beirut, all the way to Jerusalem and Tunisia, Turkey was admired as a country that had the capacity to determine the region’s future order based on peace and brotherhood. “No matter what anyone says, the leader and the spokesman for this new peaceful order will be Turkey,” Davutoglu said back then.
An overly ambitious Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu boasted during a speech to the Turkish parliament less than two years ago in April 2012 that Turkey was the principal pacesetter in the region. “As Turkey, we will continue to guide the winds of change in the Middle East and be its leader,” a self-assured Davutoglu said. He added that from the streets of Cairo, Tripoli and Beirut, all the way to Jerusalem and Tunisia, Turkey was admired as a country that had the capacity to determine the region’s future order based on peace and brotherhood. “No matter what anyone says, the leader and the spokesman for this new peaceful order will be Turkey,” Davutoglu said back then.
Thursday, December 12, 2013
The case of the Afghan heroin production and the aftermath of NATO exit, by Ioannis Michaletos
Presentation from the international conference: "Opium Geopolitics": Afghan Drug Traffic And The Fight Against It After 2014.
Organized by the Bulgarian Geopolitical Society and Institute for Balkan and European Studies, Sofia, 7th of November 2013
"Suppose the prisoners were able to talk together, don't you think that when they named the shadows which they saw passing they would believe they were naming things?"
PLATO, The Republic, Allegory of the cave
The "Hidden" geopolitics: The case of the Afghan heroin production and the aftermath of NATO exit.
Preface
The issue of the thriving narcotics industry in Afghanistan and more specifically the tremendous opium production in the country that dominates the illicit global trade of heroin, coupled with the likely exit of US and NATO troops over the coming 18-24 months, will have wide range of impacts across the world that affect not only the international political and diplomatic relations of multitude countries, but also they will reflect heavily in the “hidden geopolitical agendas” of nation states and international non-state actors which own a stake in the developments.
Organized by the Bulgarian Geopolitical Society and Institute for Balkan and European Studies, Sofia, 7th of November 2013
"Suppose the prisoners were able to talk together, don't you think that when they named the shadows which they saw passing they would believe they were naming things?"
PLATO, The Republic, Allegory of the cave
The "Hidden" geopolitics: The case of the Afghan heroin production and the aftermath of NATO exit.
Preface
The issue of the thriving narcotics industry in Afghanistan and more specifically the tremendous opium production in the country that dominates the illicit global trade of heroin, coupled with the likely exit of US and NATO troops over the coming 18-24 months, will have wide range of impacts across the world that affect not only the international political and diplomatic relations of multitude countries, but also they will reflect heavily in the “hidden geopolitical agendas” of nation states and international non-state actors which own a stake in the developments.
Saturday, December 7, 2013
Syria conflict: Foreign jihadists 'use Turkey safe houses', by BBC
BBC News: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-25274886
Foreign jihadist fighters are using safe houses in southern Turkey to cross into Syria to fight against government forces, the BBC has learnt.
A man running one such house near the border town of Reyhanli said more than 150 people - including up to 20 Britons - had used it in the past three months.
Thursday, December 5, 2013
Όχι στο τέμενος, του Φαήλου Κρανιδιώτη
Σε ποιους δίνουμε εξετάσεις με το τέμενος στο Βοτανικό; Στις εγχώριες βαρεμένες ιέρειες της πολιτικής ορθότητας; Στους ξένους, που 39 χρόνια δεν δίνανε δεκάρα για τις λεηλατημένες εκκλησίες μας στην κατεχόμενη Κύπρο και τα 1619 αγνοούμενα αδέρφια μας; Ακόμη αρνούνται να θεωρήσουν την Θράκη και το Αιγαίο σύνορα της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης. Μήπως κρινόμαστε από τις ισλαμικές χώρες με την απόλυτη δυσανεξία στην δική μας πίστη αλλά και σε οποιονδήποτε διαφορετικό από αυτούς;
International tobacco contraband, by Ioannis Michaletos
The contraband of tobacco products internationally, has attracted little interest on a media level, although it constitutes an important and increasing segment for revenues for a variety of illicit actors, be it organized crime figures, terrorists and extremist sects.
In contrast to the narcotics illegal trade or human trafficking, tobacco smuggling constitutes no obvious social threat; nevertheless the proceedings of such activity go into the hands of the same people that conduct the bulk of the other dangerous illicit trades nowadays, while it fuels governmental corruption in developing nations.
In contrast to the narcotics illegal trade or human trafficking, tobacco smuggling constitutes no obvious social threat; nevertheless the proceedings of such activity go into the hands of the same people that conduct the bulk of the other dangerous illicit trades nowadays, while it fuels governmental corruption in developing nations.
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