European economies powered by fuel too?

Europe, the continent of natural beauty and rapid economic developments….This is the imagery one makes when thinking and discussing about Europe. The mention of this continent’s name does not ring the idea of rapidly increasing oil and food prices, as well as economy related demonstration on the streets…

However, lets face it. The USA, where the economy is powered by fuel, isn’t the only victim of the global shortage and increase in the price of crude oil. The European countries have also experienced similar scenario, if not on the same scale as North America.

The fact is that crude is traded in United States dollars is itself an indication of the impact of rising fuel prices on the global scale. Any changes in the US dollars affects fuel prices world over and this further stamps the idea that we are truly living in a global village…the name “globalization” is no longer a sci-fi.

Increase in fuel prices also impacts the prices of food. Everywhere in Europe, we see the trend of increase or decrease in the price of consumer foods whenever the price of fuel fluctuates.

The trend in Europe is now of car-sharing (people sharing cars), people cycling or walking to reach their destinations or using the public transport instead of their own motor vehicles. For people who live in the vicinity of their work place, this has become a normal trend.

There have been scattered but strong demonstration all over Europe in the wake of fuel price increase. Europeans are not keeping quiet; they are making their voices heard.

But isn’t it time to concentrate our energies in the quest for alternative fuel sources? Our dependency on crude has crippled our ability to become innovative in the energy industry. Lets ditch the crude and take alternative energy sources on board…

Another Round of USSR… or Cold War?

Its getting more and more clear now! Russia is reluctant to lose its neighbors to the “Western Bright Lights”. Russia’s aggression against the Sovereign state of Georgia was an indication that they ready to crush any uprising against their state beliefs.

Who is next target in Russia’s own “war on sovereignty”. Could it be Ukraine as many media have speculated. Analysts have a strong belief that Ukraine could be the next flash point between the Russian Federation and the West. No matter who or what the circumstances, I strongly believe an emergence of another superpower known as Russia is imminent. What would be the consequences if this situation materializes?

United States strong stand against Russia’s unilateral action in Georgia has added “more fuel to the fire”. The two major players in the world affairs have had their already weakening relationship damaged further in this incident.  With the Whitehouse on a support spree in the former Soviet Republics, could we see a further standoff between Moscow and Washington DC?

Russia is strongly opposed to any NATO expansion to include Eastern European States, and Moscow is furious that Ukraine and Georgia have been told that,they have a strong possibility of being offered membership. However, the United States, unconditionally supports the inclusion of the two states into NATO. Will this cause a further strain in the fragile “friendship” between the two military powers?

Whatever happens, hope we do not see another Cold War which may not be so cold this time around…..

Kosovo’s Independence - A Bitter Reality

Politicians jumped on this. What’s better than running your own country. Politicians, when confronted with the question of universality of human rights, often tend to refer to the specific nature of the situation in the region and in individual countries, considering such behavior as politically useful. As long as in the political culture of a country the word we denotes only those belonging to one ethnic group; and as long one ethnic group claims special rights over another, there is neither understanding of human rights nor a modern sense of multi-ethnic citizenship as the basis for the national identity. Political stability in Kosovo required democratic, stable and functioning local institutions. The common objective was to build effective, transparent and accountable institutions to the benefit of all communities.

Politically, as we shall see, the Americans needed the Russians more than the Russians needed the Americans. Moscow’s calculus was that this was the moment to strike.

Internet information also cannot provide what is perhaps the most important element of operational planning: an understanding of human behavior. If the target is a person, the surveillance team is looking not just for static facts, but for patterns of behavior that will predictably place the target in an ideal attack site at a specific time. International law, as interpreted by judges at the International Court of Justice in the Hague, takes account of what is called ’state practice . In other words, keeping countries united within their borders is considered to be an important way of avoiding chaos.

Albanians are not a majority in Serbia. If put to a vote in the entire country for there to be a succession of Kosovo from the rest of Serbia then it would never pass. Albanian nationalism remains as the most dangerous obstacles for stability and peace in SE Europe. With democratic processes going on after the arrest of Milosevic in Kosovo it becomes more and more evident that Albanian leaders see Kosovo only for the Albanian ethnicity.

Serbia, which considers Kosovo its long-established prep added to spiritual heartland — insists it much belongs to Belgrade. “Serbia views Kosovo in that its southern land,” Serbian President Boris Tadic. On account of 1999, Kosovo’s completion genealogical Albanians add-on childhood Serbs be born with struggled to pass over their differences. Serbs and Albanians will never get along with one another. NATO’s forces will have to be there forever if the ‘cluster-bombed’ peace is to hold. Serbian extremists are violently protesting Kosovo’s succession, while claiming that she is the “heart” of the country of Serbia.

Serbian nation was 19century creation, in the process similar to Mazzini’s Italian project. Serbia effectively gave Kosovo up during that war by its policies, by its brutal treatment of the people of Kosovo and by its lack of attention and regard over the last eight years. There’s only one option, and that is independence.