Kenya (more famously) and Nigeria have both been dealing with fraught internal negotiations regarding the inner workings of government. The stalemate over the composition of the cabinet (and thus the dynamics of power) continues in Kenya. Outside observers, including the British, have advised that Mwai Kibaki's side be willing to give up some seats in order to bring about peace. Not surprisingly, Kibaki's people don't seem enamored of the idea. For peace to prevail, someone is going to have to yield. Kibaki feels he ought not to be the one because he is the President. Odinga's side argues, not without merit, that Kibaki's victory was illegitimate and that Kibaki ought to relent. Whether and how this stalemate is resolved will go a long way in determining Kenya's future.
Meanwhile in Nigeria a similiarly contentious divide seems to have been closed. President Umaru Musa Yar-Adua and his opponents have come to an agreement over the budget crisis that has been hovering over the country. Nigeria's status as a stable state continues to be tenuous. Suffice it to say that if that situation goes awry it has the potential to make the troubles in Kenya and Zimbabwe pale by comparison.
A few months ago, I wrote about the early stages of the conflict in Ukraine through the lens of Sun Tzu’s The Art of War. While it appears likely that the war will carry on into the foreseeable future, enough time has passed for us to make an honest assessment of each side’s relative […]
The Ukrainian Army has made dramatic strides in the last few weeks. Ukraine’s tactical commanders have outfoxed their Russian counterparts, and by issuing a feint towards the south the UA has been able to earn substantial gains in the north of their country. The impact of these efforts have been compounded by the steady stream […]
In mid-May the Irish political party, Sinn Féin, won the plurality of seats in the Northern Ireland Assembly. Many American readers might not fully understand the significance of Sinn Féin’s political victory- but rest assured that subjects of the United Kingdom and a wide range of political movements the world over have heard the message […]
The first wave of the Russian offensive in Ukraine has fallen short of Russian autocrat Vladmir Putin’s ambitions. Most analysts deduced that Putin had hoped to achieve a decapitation strike of the Ukrainian government- taking Kiev and replacing Ukrainian President Vladimir Zolinski with a pro-Kremlin voice. Kiev has been threatened repeatedly through the course of […]
On the weekend of March 26th, the notorious MS-13 gang went on a massive killing spree in El Salvador which left more than 70 people dead by Sunday. Even for a country where powerful gangs hold massive sway, this recent tragedy stands out considering that it was the bloodiest day on record since the civil […]
