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Iran's nuclear programme
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The National Intelligence Estimate released by the United States on 3 December 2007 has profoundly shifted the dynamics of the international response to Iran’s nuclear programme. US intelligence agencies now believe that Iran halted work on nuclear weapons in 2003, contradicting the assessment they made in 2005. The halt was, in their judgement, a response to international scrutiny and pressure.
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Iranian influence in Iraq
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Iran has been pursuing a sophisticated and shifting strategy of subversion in Iraq since the fall of the Saddam Hussein regime in 2003. However, the nature of its activities and objectives, as well as its response to efforts to stabilise Iraq, has sparked considerable debate. Iran supports a wide range of proxies, some of which are in direct competition with one another. It is clear that Iran’s leaders want the Iraqi state to remain weak.
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Chinese defence expenditure |
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China’s defence spending has long been the subject of controversy. Beijing continues to resist international pressure to publish accurate data, and instead groups areas of spending under broad and potentially misleading headings in its budgets. While it might be difficult to assess the true extent of defence spending, there is no doubt that the budget has expanded dramatically in recent years.
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Singapore's military modernisation |
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Singapore’s armed forces stand out as the most impressive in Southeast Asia, as a result of steady investment in defence procurement, cultivation of a defence research and industrial establishment, and emphasis on doctrinal development. Maintaining the credibility of its deterrent will require protracted effort, but there is every indication that the city-state will continue to take defence seriously.
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Colombia's conflict
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November 2007 saw the collapse of an attempt by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and Piedad Cordoba, a Colombian opposition senator, to mediate in Colombia’s long-standing conflict with insurgents. President Alvaro Uribe’s government came no closer to securing the release of hostages, and relations with Venezuela were plunged into crisis. Recent events could hamper steps towards a peace and affect regional trade and longer-term stability.
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