Bi-Weekly Geopolitical Report
Weekly Geopolitical Report – Nagorno-Karabakh (April 18, 2016)
by Bill O’Grady In early April, fighting erupted in the region around Nagorno-Karabakh, a disputed area within Azerbaijan but controlled by Armenia. Reporters described the fighting as the worst since the 1994 ceasefire. This region is considered one of the world’s “frozen conflicts,” experiencing periodic unrest. In this report, we will discuss the history and… Read More »
Weekly Geopolitical Report – Intergenerational Forgetfulness (April 11, 2016)
by Bill O’Grady As the political nominating season in the U.S. wears on, presidential candidates have been making statements about foreign policy that would signal a significant change in direction. What has been striking about these comments is a seeming ignorance about why current policies are in place and what could occur if these policies… Read More »
Weekly Geopolitical Report – The Archetypes of American Foreign Policy: A Reprise (April 4, 2016)
by Bill O’Grady We are currently experiencing one of the most contentious primary election seasons in at least 35 years. Candidates have made numerous incendiary statements about foreign policy that offer insights into their thinking. However, without a paradigm, it can be difficult for investors to determine what foreign policy decisions a candidate is likely… Read More »
Weekly Geopolitical Report – The Russian Withdrawal (March 21, 2016)
by Bill O’Grady On March 14th, Russian President Vladimir Putin surprised the world with an announcement of the withdrawal of Russian troops from Syria. The move was unexpected and has raised questions as to whether Russia will really pull its forces out of Syria, and if so, why? In this report, we will examine Russia’s… Read More »
Weekly Geopolitical Report – The Apple Problem (March 14, 2016)
by Bill O’Grady On December 2, 2015, Syed Rizwan Farook and his wife, Tashfeen Malik, attacked a San Bernardino county facility, killing 14 people and seriously injuring 22 others. The couple was subsequently killed by local law enforcement in a shootout several blocks from the facility. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) opened an investigation… Read More »
Weekly Geopolitical Report – The Iranian Elections (March 7, 2016)
by Bill O’Grady On February 26, Iran held two elections, one for parliament and the other for the Council of Experts. The former is Iran’s legislative body, and the latter is the part of government that monitors the Supreme Leader and selects his replacement if he dies, becomes incapacitated or is removed. Since the 1979… Read More »
Weekly Geopolitical Report – Brexit (February 29, 2016)
by Kaisa Stucke, CFA The U.K. joined the European Common Market, what is now known as the EU, in 1973. In 1992, the Maastricht Treaty formally created the EU. However, as part of the treaty, the U.K. negotiated that it would be exempt from adopting the euro and joining the Eurozone. Despite the EU’s founding premise… Read More »
Weekly Geopolitical Report – The 2016 Election: An Update (February 22, 2016)
by Bill O’Grady Almost two years ago we published a series on the 2016 elections. In these three reports we suggested that rising discontent among the electorate could increase the odds of electing a president that may turn America away from the superpower role. Although there have been a number of surprises in the current nominating… Read More »
Weekly Geopolitical Report – Russia’s Struggles (February 8, 2016)
by Bill O’Grady Over the past year, Russia has faced a growing number of challenges that have the potential to weaken President Putin’s hold on the reins of power. In this report, we will discuss recent trends in the country, including the economic problems caused by falling oil prices and the military operations occurring in Ukraine… Read More »