Standard & Poor’s has reduced Japan’s rating from stable to negative. The cut is in regards to Japan’s sovereign debt (things like bonds).
S & P says the cost of rebuilding after the March 11 disasters, will raise Japan’s estimated debt load beyond 2013.
There are rumors that President Barack Obama is ready to change his military and national security staff.
Current Defense Secretary Robert Gates wants to leave. He could be replaced by current CIA chief Leon Panetta. The position of chief of the CIA could go to current Army General David Petraeus, who is about to finish his tour of duty in Afghanistan. Petraeus’ old job, Commander of Coalition Forces in Afghanistan, could go to Marine Lieutenant General John R. Allen.
There seems to be a clear pattern of ladder climbing. Obama is expected to name a new ambassador to Afghanistan, someone who is from the Bush Jr camp (as is Robert Gates); Ryan C. Crocker.
Crocker has lots of experience being an ambassador. Obama even gave him the highest civilian award, the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Crocker is currently the dean of the Bush School of Government and Public Service. Guess who else was dean of that school? Current Defense Secretary Robert Gates.
So even with all the staffing changes there might not be much change to U.S. foreign policy.
At a press conference in United Kingdom, U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates admitted there were no set plans for troop withdrawal from Afghanistan.
“I expect that (the recommendations) will be coming in the not-too-distant-future.”-Robert Gates
Gates said he was still waiting for recommendations from General David Petraeus. President Obama had announced that troops would start coming home in July, 2011. But in February, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton made statements that the U.S. would be in Afghanistan “beyond 2014“.
“Iran reserves the right to hit back.”-Ramin Mehmanparast, Iran’s Foreign Ministry
Bahrain has ordered the second secretary in the Iranian embassy, Hujatullah Rahmani, to leave within 72 hours. They accuse him of being a spy for Kuwait.
Of course the accusation comes after Kuwait seemingly switched sides. Originally Kuwait supported the Saudi Arabian led invasion of Bahrain, but has backed off, and even made statements, in conjunction with Iran, condemning Bahrain.
Ironically Kuwait has also made statements supporting the Bahraini government. It seems Kuwait is trying to play on both sides of the fence. Iran has expelled three Kuwaiti diplomats, and is threatening to expel Bahraini diplomats as well.
The United States accuses Iran of interfering with Syria, and Iran accuses the U.S. of interfering in Bahrain.
The Japanese Coordinating Committee for Earthquake Prediction, said seismic activities started to increase off eastern prefectures, from Miyagi to Ibaraki, three years before the massive 9.0 quake.
Professor Koshun Yamaoka added that research shows that the focus of small quakes two days before March 11, moved closer to what became the epicenter of the massive earthquake.
Japan’s Geospatial Information Authority of Japan says not only did coastal areas of Miyagi and Chiba prefectures sink during the quake, but some rose five to eight centimeters after the quake. This is a sign the tectonic plates are still shifting.
Officials at the meeting stated that while “big” earthquakes are always predicted for Japan, no one expected a 9.0 quake.
The Law of Mother Earth. If it passes, it will be historic. Bolivia’s legislature is debating the new bill, which many believe will be passed.
First Vice President Mohammad-Reza Rahimi has shown his ignorance of world history, in statements made regarding Japan.
Rahimi said Japan should not bow to imperialist countries. Hello, Japan is an imperialist country, they have an Emperor!
Rahimi also said Japan “…should not pursue the wrong policies of the bullying governments because the same powers hindered the progress of the Japanese nation by conducting atomic bombings against the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.” Hello, it’s called the Second World War! Japan bombed Pearl Harbor first. By the way what Japan was doing in World War 2 was attempting to expand its Empire (reference above).
Venezuela has officially quite the economic union “Andean Community”. It’s made up of Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru.
Venezuela said it quite the trade group because of free-trade agreements signed with the United States and Andean pact members Peru and Colombia.
Venezuela now hopes to join MERCOSUR, a trade group made up of Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay.
A U.S. Pew poll said 54% of Egyptians want an end to the Egyptian/Israeli peace treaty.
The survey shouldn’t be taken too seriously, after all only 1,000 Egyptians were surveyed.
The survey also said that 79%of Egyptians don’t like the United States, and 64% don’t like Obama.
Iraqi Prime minster Nuri al-Maliki, made several statements in the recent past, saying Iraq does not need U.S. troops. Now it seems Maliki is caving into demands from the Obama administration.
His latest statements are that Iraq does not need U.S. help for “internal” security, but help is still needed for training, weapons and financing. “If we talk about the internal need, our security forces are capable now to maintain the situation. But regarding the external challenge, yes, the Iraqi military still needs weapons to defend its sovereignty, especially for the air force.”-Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki
Maliki also added that the Iraqi government must be unified in wanting the U.S. to stay: “No deal will happen unless there is a national unified stand. Otherwise everything will remain as it is and this pact will be terminated by the end of this year. A deal of any military cooperation with the United States, Britain, France or any other country will not happen unless everyone agrees.”