Geopolitics

Geopolitics, Nationalism and Dual Citizenship

By George Friedman Geopolitics is central to STRATFOR’s methodology, providing the framework upon which we study the world. The foundation of geopolitics in our time is the study of the nation-state, and fundamental to this is the question of the relationship of the individual to the nation-state.

The Kyrgyzstan Crisis and the Russian Dilemma

By Peter Zeihan STRATFOR often discusses how Russia is on a bit of a roll. The U.S. distraction in the Middle East has offered Russia a golden opportunity to re-establish its spheres of influence in the region, steadily expanding the Russian zone of control into a shape that is eerily reminiscent of

Germany, Greece and Exiting the Eurozone

By Marko Papic, Robert Reinfrank and Peter Zeihan Rumors of the imminent collapse of the eurozone continue to swirl despite the Europeans’ best efforts to hold the currency union together. Some accounts in the financial world have even suggested that Germany’s frustration with the crisis could c

Europe, Nationalism and Shared Fate

By George Friedman The European financial crisis is moving to a new level. The Germans have finally consented to lead a bailout effort for Greece. The effort has angered the German public, which has acceded with sullen reluctance. It does not accept the idea that it is Germans’ responsibility to s

Kyrgyzstan and the Russian Resurgence

By Lauren Goodrich This past week saw another key success in Russia’s resurgence in former Soviet territory when pro-Russian forces took control of Kyrgyzstan. The Kyrgyz revolution was quick and intense. Within 24 hours, protests that had been simmering for months spun into countrywide riots as t

China: Crunch Time

By Peter Zeihan The global system is undergoing profound change. Three powers — Germany, China and Iran — face challenges forcing them to refashion the way they interact with their regions and the world. We are exploring each of these three states in detail in three geopolitical weeklies, highli

Round up the Usual Suspects

Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou claims “unprincipled speculators” have threatened to bring about a new global financial crisis by attacking Greek debt. At its recent sale of 10-year bonds Greece paid a 3.0% premium over Germany to borrow for a decade. But, according to Mr. Papandreou, it

The Meaning of Marjah

By Kamran Bokhari, Peter Zeihan and Nathan Hughes On Feb. 13, some 6,000 U.S. Marines, soldiers and Afghan National Army (ANA) troops launched a sustained assault on the town of Marjah in Helmand province. Until this latest offensive, the U.S. and NATO effort in Afghanistan had been constrained by o

Germany’s Choice

By Marko Papic and Peter Zeihan The situation in Europe is dire. After years of profligate spending, Greece is becoming overwhelmed. Barring some sort of large-scale bailout program, a Greek debt default at this point is highly likely. At this moment, European Central Bank liquidity efforts are prob

2009 in Review: The Year of Obama

By George Friedman President Barack Obama’s speech in Oslo marking his receipt of the Nobel Peace Prize was eloquent, as most of his speeches are. It was also enigmatic — both for its justification of war and for his speaking on behalf of the international community while making clear that as co