Bi-Weekly Geopolitical Report
Weekly Geopolitical Report – The Malevolent Hegemon: Part III (December 10, 2018)
by Bill O’Grady This week, we conclude our series by describing what we view as a new model for the superpower role, the Malevolent Hegemon. We will discuss the differences between this model and the previous one. With this analysis in place, we will examine the potential outcomes from this shift and conclude with potential market… Read More »
Weekly Geopolitical Report – The Malevolent Hegemon: Part II (December 3, 2018)
by Bill O’Grady In Part I, we examined the basic role of the hegemon and the unique model the U.S. has created, which we dubbed the “Benevolent Hegemon.” This week, we discuss why many Americans have become disenchanted with this model, which is pressuring policymakers to either jettison the superpower role or significantly redefine it. Next… Read More »
Weekly Geopolitical Report – The Malevolent Hegemon: Part I (November 26, 2018)
by Bill O’Grady Since the election of Donald Trump, there has been much discussion about the demise of the “Liberal International Order,” or LIO. Several books on the topic have been published recently[1] and the general tenor is that the U.S. is giving up global leadership and the world is in trouble. We have been making… Read More »
Weekly Geopolitical Report – Reflections on the Khashoggi Incident: Part II (November 12, 2018)
by Bill O’Grady (NB: Due to the Thanksgiving holiday, the next report will be published on November 26.) Last week, we discussed the issue of succession in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). In Part II, we will begin with a discussion of the regional power rivalry between Turkey and the KSA, then outline Turkish President… Read More »
Weekly Geopolitical Report – Reflections on the Khashoggi Incident: Part I (November 5, 2018)
by Bill O’Grady Jamal Khashoggi, a well-connected Saudi journalist, entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2nd and has not been seen since. His apparent death (at the time of this writing, no body has been produced) has caused an international incident. The assumed death of Khashoggi highlights a number of issues for the Middle… Read More »
Weekly Geopolitical Report – Return of the Strongman: Part II (October 29, 2018)
by Thomas Wash The populist wave has officially made its way to Brazil. In a blow to the establishment, Brazilian voters have elected former military officer Jair Bolsonaro as president. As Brazil continues to struggle with its recovery from the country’s worst recession in its history, the public has turned its back on the mainstream political… Read More »
Weekly Geopolitical Report – Return of the Strongman: Part I (October 22, 2018)
by Thomas Wash On October 7th, Jair Bolsonaro, a far-right populist, made it out of the first round of presidential elections in Brazil in decisive fashion. A controversial figure within his country, Bolsonaro was able to build his popularity on the growing distrust of the government. Rising crime, corruption scandals and a record-breaking recession have led… Read More »
Weekly Geopolitical Report – The Dollar Problem: Part II (October 8, 2018)
by Bill O’Grady Last week, we introduced the characteristics of a reserve currency, including a discussion of the costs and benefits of providing the reserve currency. This week, we will conclude the report with a short explanation of the S.W.I.F.T. network and its importance to international finance. From there, we will discuss the potential competitors to… Read More »
Weekly Geopolitical Report – The Dollar Problem: Part I (October 1, 2018)
by Bill O’Grady In May, the Trump administration exited the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), otherwise known as the Iran nuclear deal.[1] In conjunction with its exit, the U.S. implemented new sanctions and the goal of U.S. policy is to reduce Iran’s oil exports to zero barrels by November. The other parties in the agreement,… Read More »