By Felix Imonti March 01, 2013 "Information Clearing House" - "OilPrice" -  Russia is back.  President Vladimir Putin wants the world to acknowledge that Russia remains a global power.  He is making his stand in Syria. The Soviet Union acquired the Tardus Naval Port in Syria in 1971 without any real purpose for it.  With their ships welcomed in Algeria, Cuba or Vietnam, Tardus was too insignificant to be de ...

Posted by Faheem Belharvi Friday, March 01, 2013 - Despite a long drawn and contentious nomination process, twice wounded Vietnam War veteran Chuck Hagel has finally been confirmed by the Senate as the new US Secretary of Defense, succeeding Leon Panetta. Chuck Hagel’s narrow 58 to 41 vote confirmation came about after delays because of objections to his views on Middle East security and the administration’ ...

Posted by Faheem Belharvi Supports grand jirga efforts for promoting peace in FATA   APC calls for immediate peace talks with Taliban Friday, March 01, 2013 - Islamabad—The All Parties Conference (APC) organized by Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman (JUI-F) has issued a declaration which backs efforts of the grand jirga for promoting peace in FATA. “Pakistan’s government should take immediate ...

By: Sikander Shaheen Hallmarked with renewed commitments, reprioritised relationships, invariable highs and sinking lows, Pakistan’s defence sector had been the centre-stage of dramatic turn of events in the year 2012. Not only the external strategic pressures but the challenges from within as well predominantly marked the chronology of happenings on the defence side. With the standoff between Islamabad and ...

IT WAS 34 years ago that Park Geun-hye left Cheong wa Dae (the “Blue House”), South Korea's presidential mansion. Her father, Park Chung-hee, was the autocratic strongman who led the "miracle on the Han river" in the 1960s and 70s. From 1974 until 1979, when he was assassinated, his daughter served as his first lady. Since she won a perfectly democratic election in December 2012, she returned to the Blue Ho ...

New analysis from Environmental Working Group shows carcinogenic chemical lurking in nation's public water  - Andrea Germanos, staff writer When you pour yourself a glass of tap water or even take a shower, you may be among over 100 million Americans exposing yourself to carcinogenic, "toxic trash." Chemicals linked to a range of health problems including bladder cancer and birth defects have been found mun ...

By Pat Buchanan Regularly now, The Washington Post, as always concerned with fairness and balance, runs a blog called "Right Turn: Jennifer Rubin's Take From a Conservative Perspective." The blog tells us what the Post regards as conservatism. On Monday, Rubin declared that America's "greatest national security threat is Iran." Do conservatives really believe this? How is America, with thousands of strategi ...

Posted by Faheem Belharvi Gas pipeline serves two nations’ interests: Nejad Pipeline must advance despite US opposition Thursday, February 28, 2013 - Tehran—Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Wednesday told the visiting Pakistani president that a much-delayed $7.5 billion gas pipeline project must go ahead despite US opposition. “The Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline is an important example of Tehran- ...