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Russia's armed forces |
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Vladimir Putin’s rise to the Russian presidency raised hopes within the Russian military that the acute social and economic problems facing the armed forces after 10 years of ill-executed reforms could be resolved. But Putin’s proposed force-structure changes risk eroding this crucial pillar of support, unless he can also improve living conditions for military personnel and boost employment opportunities for former members of the armed forces. Failure to address these issues could aggravate growing criminality among serving and former military personnel.
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Unrest in Laos |
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Mysterious bombings in the capital Vientiane and other cities, increased attacks by ethnic hill-tribe insurgents in the north and factionalism in the ruling Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP) have turned Laos into the region’s latest potential trouble spot. Both Vietnam and Thailand have publicly expressed concern. Behind the unrest are a shaky economy and increasingly bitter factional disputes among LPRP leaders. International donors are pressuring Laos to carry out reforms, but Vientiane is compounding its problems by refusing to change its rigid political system.
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Prospects for unmanned aerial vehicles |
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The first round-trip, non-stop, unescorted, unrefuelled flight by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) from the United States to Europe in May 2000 highlighted the progress that this increasingly fashionable military technology has made. But the 1999 conflict in Kosovo, during which such systems were used to an unprecedented extent, showed that there are still numerous obstacles – both technological and doctrinal – to their fully effective use in modern conflict. For the foreseeable future, manned aircraft and cruise missiles will remain more capable than UAVs at executing certain tasks. But unmanned craft could eventually become involved in strike roles, rather than just reconnaissance and surveillance.
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Saudi Arabia's royal council |
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Saudi Arabia’s new royal family council may be an attempt to present a united front amid speculation of internal succession struggles. Despite his failing health, King Fahd retains the respect of his brothers and has a creditable record as a minister and as monarch. But the presence on the council of Prince Talal, an open advocate of democracy, suggests that the council could herald a genuine attempt at reform, despite royal insistence that its role is consultative, not political. Crown Prince Abdullah, who heads the council, has warned that although the oil price has tripled since early 1999, the Saudi budget cannot long sustain princely extravagance on its traditional level.
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Disposing of plutonium |
The G-8 leaders have called for an international financing plan for plutonium management and disposal to be developed within a year. Dealing with surplus plutonium has become an increasingly urgent issue as a result of disarmament agreements between the United States and Russia. Governments and experts still disagree over how to prevent this material from being stolen, re-used for military purposes or threatening the environment. The favoured solution is also a highly controversial one – using the plutonium in civilian nuclear power plants.
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