Monthly Archives: March 2009

Open Thread on Freeman’s Withdrawal

Posted on March 10, 2009 by Michael Chevalier

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/first100days/2009/03/10/intelligence-pick-withdraws-amid-controversy/

Posted in Uncategorized | 49 Comments

Ingolf on CDSs as “zero sum” games.

Posted on March 10, 2009 by Michael Chevalier

Apologies to Cieran, Arun and ISL for using a term (zero sum) which I guess is a kind of financial markets shorthand. Used in this sense, it's meant literally. Each of the parties to a credit default swap in effect … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 34 Comments

National Journal blog – 9 March 2009

Posted on March 9, 2009 by Michael Chevalier

http://security.nationaljournal.com/2009/03/is-al-qaeda-shifting-strategy.php#1305691

Posted in Uncategorized | 3 Comments

Bush “light” in the ME?

Posted on March 9, 2009 by Michael Chevalier

The Washington Post editorial page here declares President Obama's "outreach" to the Syrians and Iranians dead before arrival, and clearly the newspaper rejoices in that self-fulfilling prophecy. On the same page one of the Kagans is given space in which … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 18 Comments

How deep is the CDS hole?

Posted on March 8, 2009 by Michael Chevalier

  By the end of 2007, the CDS market had a notional value of $45 trillion, of which the corporate bond, municipal bond, and structured investment vehicles market totaled less than $25 trillion. Therefore, a minimum of $20 trillion were … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 41 Comments

December, 2011. Remember that?

Posted on March 8, 2009 by Michael Chevalier

I keep receiving mail in which the premise is the notion that there will be 30 to 50 thousand American and other foreign troops in Iraq indefinitely. That is nonsensical.  The signed agreement with the Iraqi government specifies the terms … Continue reading →

Posted in Media | 11 Comments

Open Thread, 7 March, 2009

Posted on March 7, 2009 by Michael Chevalier

I am heartened by the news that President Obama is still considering a policy of minimalist counter-terrorism engagement in Afghanistan rather than full blown COIN with all its manifestations of nation creation and vast expense. At the same time I … Continue reading →

Posted in Open Thread | 21 Comments

The FARA Law

Posted on March 6, 2009 by Michael Chevalier

The "Foreign Agent Registration Act" (FARA) was designed to provide a data base in which are registered all those whose foreign employment or associations place them in a position to be offering policy advice to the government of the United … Continue reading →

Posted in Ukraine Crisis | 20 Comments

Are we serious about Syria?

Posted on March 4, 2009 by Michael Chevalier

"But the dispatch of emissaries, including former U.S. ambassador to Lebanon Jeffery Feltman, would mark the highest-level U.S. administration visit in more than four years to Syria, which has been called a state sponsor of terrorism. Syria has been accused … Continue reading →

Posted in Current Affairs | 21 Comments

Clinton, Ross and the Muslims

Posted on March 3, 2009 by Michael Chevalier

Hilary Cinton has made a big mistake in giving Dennis Ross a role as her advisor for the Gulf and "Southwest Asia." The man is chairman of a foundation that is an arm of the Jewish Agency, the organizational mainspring of … Continue reading →

Posted in Current Affairs | 49 Comments