Hong Kong’s Chief Executive, Leung Chun-ying, refused to step down from his post in a signal that the Chinese Central government is not willing to make concessions to the protesters. The hardline has divided the protesters, as some wish to compromise while others seem to have dug in their heels. The number of protesters is likely to dwindle as a consequence, but those who remain will probably refuse to make any compromises at all. The likely outcome is that the central government will take stronger action against the smaller numbers, and we should hope that violence can be avoided in the confrontation.
The new center-left government of Sweden has announced that it is going to recognize Palestine as a state. It will be the first “west” European state to do so–the other European states that recognize Palestine (Poland, Slovakia, and Hungary) did so while aligned with the Soviet Union during the Cold War. The move represents a significant break from previous European policies which was to follow generally the lead of the United States in not recognizing Palestine. Given Sweden’s reputation within Europe, the move will inspire a broader conversation within the European Union as a whole.
The Islamic State has just beheaded another hostage and is also fiercely attacking the Syrian city of Kobani which is right along the Turkish border. The two actions clearly suggest that the IS is deliberately goading both Turkey and the West into getting involved in a ground war in Syria and Iraq. The strategy is a high-risk one, but the IS obviously believes that it could trap the West in a quagmire that would definitely boost its standing among those who might be leaning toward supporting the Caliphate. It remains to be seen whether Turkey and the West have the political ability to avoid walking into the trap.
World Politics News 
Leave a comment