US Power is Waning, Russia Is On a Roll

Barack Obama's foreign policy goofs have shifted geopolitical power from the United States to Russia. Specifically the strategic mistakes in Syria and Egypt will have consequences

The German Newspaper Bild is reporting that Russia plans to deploy short range Iskander-M (Nato-Code: SS-26 Stone) nuclear rockets in the Baltic Sea enclave of Kaliningrad.

The recent visit by Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to Cairo, Egypt, marks a renewed push by Moscow to extend its sphere of influence into the Middle East as US power wanes. After the popular 'coup' in Egypt that ousted the government of the Muslim Brotherhood the Obama regime has suspended military assistance to the Egyptian military. The Egyptian leadership turned to Moscow to fill any void. Egypt needs help in developing nuclear power and billions of dollars worth of arms. According to sources, Russia may sell Egypt some $4 billion in jet fighters, anti-aircraft and anti-tank missiles. The Saudis and other Arab countries have decided to provide Egypt with $12 billion to substitute for the suspended $1.3 billion in U.S. military assistance.

EU Pushes Ahead With Dijsselbloem Bail-In Model

As of January 1, 1016  major depositors will be first in line to bail-in collapsing banks along the lines of the Cyprus model. This is good and proper, were it not that the EU is changing the goal posts during the game. Investors may vote with their feet

Jeroen Dijsselbloem, president of the Eurogroup and president of the Board of Governors of the European Stability Mechanism (ESM)

The European Parliament has put forward a new mechanism to deal with bank failures in which major depositors in collapsing banks are tapped first in an effort to support the lender. Deposits below 100,000 euro ($137,700) will be exempt from any losses, and bigger deposits from individuals and small businesses will receive preferential treatment, says Reuters. The proposal was made following a 16-hour marathon negotiating session in Brussels. The authorities intend to start the mechanism on January 1, 2016, two years earlier than expected. It now goes to EU ministers for approval next week.

Austrian MP Blasts Western Hypocrisy

The Austrian MP Ewald Stadler is blasting the moral duplicity prevailing in the West. It's hypocrisy is caused by double standards

Austrian MP Ewald Stadler to Turkish Ambassador: "People are sick and tired of one-way tolerance".

The Austrian MP Ewald Stadler is blasting the moral duplicity prevailing in the West: Christians in the Middle East are left to their deaths while the rights of minority Muslims are defended at the expense of Western values, which is the actual target of this cultural Marxism. It isn't the deed, the action that is under consideration (violation of human rights, lack of freedom of thought and conscience), but who does the violating. If it's the West, this is a huge NoNo, but if Muslims are the perpetrators, this is perfectly acceptable. Mass murder and genocide are no longer excluded from the moral perversion. There's one moral standard for the West, another for Islam.

H/t @PeterSiebelt