Last October protesters forced the President of Burkina Faso, Blaise Compaore, from extending his 27-year rule over the country. An interim government has ruled in his place until a military coup d’etat ended that promising beginning of democracy. The coup will likely prevent the elections that had been promised for this coming 11 October. Burkina Faso had emerged as a hopeful sign to other countries in Africa that citizens could overcome the tyranny of a long-standing dictator. Those hopes were dashed by the coup.
Bills to change Japan’s military posture in world affairs appear ready to pass the Japanese Parliament despite large protests on the streets and within Parliament itself. The change proposed by Prime Minister Abe is not a fullscale repudiation of Japan’s disavowal of projective military power. The main bill gives Japan the right to come to the aid of Japan’s allies (presumably the US) if those allies are acting in defense of Japan’s interests. Nonetheless, many, both inside and outside of Japan, interpret the move as a slippery slope in a return to Japan’s militarist past.
The Syrian government has begun to use new weapons supplied to its army by Russia. Very little is publicly known about the weapons but they are an index of Russia’s renewed commitment to supporting President Assad. Using the new weapons, the Syrian has begun to attack the city of Raqqa which has been held by the Islamic State for some time. Not coincidentally, Raqqa is a frequent target of the US-led coalition against the Islamic State. So the US and Russia are de facto allies in the civil war, even though the US continues to insist that Assad must go. At some point, actions speak louder than words.
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