econtalk

So this headline appeared in the NYT today. "Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel said Monday that as long as he is the leader, a Palestinian state would not be established, reversing his support for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict."  I trust that the Israeli voter will be turned off by this and it will seal his defeat in this election. He must be desperate and hopefully the voters will not be so gullible to destroy the opportunity for peace in the foreseeable future.  

posted by econtalk @ 4:21 PM 0 comments

Then there was Putin

I have been absent too long and the world is moving on, not necessarily moving forward! The last couple days was filled with speculation that Putin was mysteriously absent, ranging from a secret trip to Lugano for the birth of a love child to rumors that he is ill or very ill. Though his behavior has been at best puzzling to at worst diabolical, it is not at all clear that any successor would be any better. There is at least an equal chance that a successor would be more dangerous. So be careful what you wish for! Given the information wars going on, it is even possible and maybe plausible that this is a staged event so that fears of a more diabolical successor would benefit his public image.

posted by econtalk @ 10:21 AM 0 comments