The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, published its most recent report on world wide military expenditures earlier this week.
Two headlines of the report pop out as significant.
The first is that Saudi Arabia has overtaken Russia in military spending, with $87.2 billion to Russia’s $66.4 billion, being behind only the United States and China, at $596 billion and $215 billion respectively. The second is that, beyond the Western Hemisphere and Africa, worldwide military spending is on the rise.
These figures can be paired with known geopolitical trends and instances in order to project what particular actors may be thinking, as well as what is the world’s security zeitgeist.
First, the somewhat surprising figure of Saudi Arabia overtaking Russia in defense spending.
Russia has been working to modernize its armed forces through: professionalization, doctrinal evolution, and working to achieve technological parity with the West (particularly, but not exclusively, in electronic warfare, unmanned vehicles, and force projection).
Indeed, Moscow has been consistently increasing its defense spending since the 2000’s, into the current year.
However, in real terms, the Russian military budget has remained largely stable. This is due to the fact that the Ruble is approximately half its value at the onset of the Ukrainian adventure.
A Ruble just isn’t worth what it used to be.
As a result, Russia’s modernization efforts are slowed for the foreseeable future, perhaps to be completed in the 2020s.
This is in contrast with Saudi Arabia’s large scale investment in weaponry to balance against Iran.
This is most noble in the three year old Royal Saudi Strategic Missile Force, first displaying this deterrent power in 2014, as well as procuring nearly $1.3 billion in American munitions.
These purchases seem to indicate that Saudi intends to keep Iran at arms length in the event of hostilities, utilizing its overwhelming number of missiles.
Iran in turn, due to the lifting of EU and US sanctions, will likely attempt to counter these Saudi gains.
Of course, Saudi and Russia are not the only ones preparing for conflict.
Asia leads the way in new defense spending, with $436 billion in new spending region wide.
This is driven in large part China’s need to deter American intervention in its periphery. Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam also increased their spending in response to China’s bellicose enforcement of its territorial claims in the South China Sea.
Afghan National Army soldiers drill in Tarin Kowt, Afghanistan, November of 2008. Photo Credit: Afghanistan Matter/Flickr (CC by 2.0)
Europe is also continuing its trend of increased spending, in light of the Ukraine Crisis. NATO’s biggest European spenders, Germany, France, and the UK, did not drive any growth.
But some of the Baltic states have built up their militaries.
This is likely due to the perceived threat of future Russian attempts to secure buffer space against the stronger alliance members, and unease about the Americans honoring their security agreements.
The outliers also a tell a story of the global arms buildup.
The Western Hemisphere is largely conflict free due to an end of the Cold War, and other imperialist interventions into Latin America largely subsiding after the Roosevelt administration’s attempt at being a “good neighbor”.
American hegemony over the region is uncontested.
Africa, despite being rife with conflict in: Libya, the Sinai, the West Coast, Somalia, Sudan, and the Congo, is largely devoid of great power politics. Thus, large scale trends of regional military investment are not necessary.
These trends seem to indicate that military spending is increasingly becoming an acceptable investment of revenue in light of perceived dangers for nations from activist states.
This is potentially worrying, as periods of militarism tend to precede periods of conflict.
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Report Says That 40% Of Girls In Juvenile Detention Are LGBTQ. But Why?
There are few topics more depressing than that of crimes committed by young people. But a shocking study regarding the make up of the children in the American juvenile delinquency system has come back in the public consciousness.
A report for the National Council on Crime and Delinquency says that 40% of girls in the juvenile delinquency system fall under the LGBTQ umbrella. Shocking.
The report was authored by Dr. Aisha Canfield and Dr. Angela Irving.
“New NCCD research findings from a sample of 1,400 girls in juvenile jurisdictions around the country show that 40% of girls in the juvenile justice system are lesbian, bisexual, transgender, questioning, or gender-nonconforming (LBTQ/GNC), and 86% of girls in the system are of color.[i]” Irving explained in a blog post.
She further went on to elaborate that these girls would end up there due to committing what she called “survival crimes” such as prostitution.
OZY commented that falling under the LGBTQ umbrella set these girls up for further discrimination and harsh treatment, which leads to them being placed in juvenile hall.
“‘LGBT of both sexes are also three times more likely to receive disproportionately harsh consequences at school, while also being the target of harassment. Perhaps surprisingly, LGBT girls are more likely to get in trouble for fighting; for boys, it’s disruptive behaviors in the classroom.”
This information means that people who work in juvenile halls should probably have to adapt their training and practices to learn how to address issues that girls who fall under the LGBTQ umbrella could face.
“I think statistics like that really identify the importance for us to think intersectionally…A lot of times when we think about the criminal justice systems it’s often directed at young black men… this is not only about young black men, it’s about young black trans women, it’s about young cis women, it’s about the LGBTQ population also,” Jonathan Lykes, policy analyst of the Center for the Study of Social Policy told the Huffington Post. “So really understanding how all of these different populations are impacted by these oppressive systems.”
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Millennials And Baby Boomers Aren’t Really At War With Each Other But It Sometimes Feels Like It
The division between the Baby Boomer generation and Generation Y (Millennials) is the most important generational gap to date in American history.
But how are they different and why is there a so-called tension between the two generations?
Jim Tankersley explains this phenomenon in the Washington Post:
“Boomers soaked up a lot of economic opportunity without bothering to preserve much for the generations to come. They burned a lot of cheap fossil fuels, filled the atmosphere with heat-trapping gases, and will probably never pay the costs of averting catastrophic climate change or helping their grandchildren adapt to a warmer world.”
His article clearly identifies the qualities of the Baby Boomer generation that have contributed to the animosity that the rest of the country feels, and detriments to the economy are at the forefront of that anger.
The Economy’s downfall:
This is a frequent criticism of the Baby Boomer generation that has fueled the tension between them and younger generations, especially their children’s generation, Millennials.
Often, Generation Y is accused of being poor spenders and even worse savers; but with high tuition rates and a small job market, how can anyone save money?
Economic writer Michael Snyder references a recent survey that found, “that 47 percent of all Millennials are using at least half of their paychecks to pay off debt”.
Boomers who accuse Millennials of being lazy and poor are underestimating the fundamental difference that made their young adult life far easier than Generation Y’s, and that was a booming economy.
When the Baby Boomers began working, wages were higher and jobs were accessible with or without a degree.
Tankersely also explains “The typical U.S. household headed by someone who was 25 to 29 years old in 1975 saw its real income increase by 60 percent until it peaked and began to slowly decline before retirement”.
Compare that to Millennials, and Tankersely states, “For the 2001 group, the peak was just over 20 percent higher”.
So clearly, any economic agreement made between these two generations can be attributed to the conditions of the economy and less to do with drive or a motivation to work.
Photo Credit: MSLGROUP Global/ Flickr (CC By 2.0)
However, there is something to say for the ways in which Millennials view work that is unique from other generations.
Life Goals:
A recent Gallup poll explained, “In addition to finding steady, engaging jobs, millennials want to have high levels of well-being, which means more than being physically fit. Yes, millennials want to be healthy, but they also want a purposeful life, active community and social ties, and financial stability.”
Millennials travel far more than any other generation, they do not jump right into any career, and they are the most diverse generation to date.
According to CNN, there are 76 million Baby Boomers, and 72 percent of them are white.
It then demonstrates that out of the 87 million Millennials, only 56 percent are white. Their multiculturalism makes them connected to the world beyond their niche and job, and allows them to move far and often.
Due to the nature of the Internet and the ability to access information with a touch of a button, Millennials have a different kind of motivation and connectedness to the world.
This difference of involvement has unfortunately resulted in a more severe lack of involvement in politics than any other generation when they were young.
Political Involvement:
Though the Internet is a tool, it has also decreased Millennial’s attention spans. That is why news outlets that write quick and fast articles are the most successful amongst this generation.
While Millenials news feeds are clouded with dozens of list form articles and short abbreviated news reports, Baby Boomers are reading more traditional news outlets that cater more directly to a political side.
There isn’t a clear answer as to which form is better or worse, but it is clear, that due to the condensed and diluted nature of these shorter articles, and a lack of political involvement, Millennials are perceived to be less informed on political or social issues.
Boomers will accuse Millennials of failing to congregate for any political protests, (Occupy Wall Street was unfortunately a poor example for Generation Y).
However, Millennials see the world through a computer, which allows them to access more of the world all at once as opposed to congregating over one issue at a time. That is a lot of power that the generation hasn’t fully discovered how to handle.
Secondly, what is often overlooked is what the Boomer generation was able to ban together and protest about, and that is the Vietnam War and the first media coverage through television broadcasts.
True, Millennials weren’t out on the streets protesting the Iraq war, but the majority of them weren’t at risk of fighting due to a lack of a draft. This is a sad reality, but without the personal threat such as what Baby Boomers experienced in 1969, a generation is less likely to oppose military involvement.
It isn’t fair to compare the ways in which Millennials protest injustice to how Baby Boomers did. Baby Boomers didn’t have the Internet; they had their voices in the streets; that was their tool.
Today, Millennials see thousands of posts on Twitter or Facebook exclaiming the injustices of the world and a dire need to improve these issues. They are extremely aware of the fatal state of the environment, and they are making noise about these things.
However, they are doing it in places where Baby Boomers do not go.
So is there really a fight between the generations? Of course not; and that’s because neither generation interacts in the same outlets.
If anything Baby Boomers are resented for causing so much damage to the environment and the economy, but Millennials lack of involvement in politics keeps Baby Boomers in control of the system and disengages any kind of battle between the two generations.
In his Washington Post piece Tankersley says, [if Baby Boomers want to improve the country], “They should take steps, right now, to reduce carbon emissions and head off a debt crisis. They should pay higher taxes or accept slimmer retirement benefits, and they should tell lawmakers to make cleaner energy a top priority.”
In any case, it isn’t accurate to pair these generations against each other because much of Millennials’ characteristics come from what their parents, (the Baby Boomers) taught them.
If you break the world and leave the clean up to your children, don’t give them a medal just for participating on a soccer team, it will make them narcissistic, and it will hinder individual drive.
Instead, teach them to use the voice you used in the streets, but to take advantage of the new tools they have to make that voice louder.
Baby Boomers should ignite a fire for their children to blaze through, they should support them, not criticize them for an economy and a job market that they did not cause.
They should view the millennial culture and Internet usage as a tool to more frequently talk about large issues on a global scale.
Yes, Baby Boomers’ parents hated rock and roll, and now our parents hate rap, but there isn’t a war between the two, just disagreements and different experiences.
RISE NEWS is a grassroots journalism news organization that is working to change the way young people become informed and engaged in public affairs. You can write for us.
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Hey Raul Castro, Here’s A List Of Current Political Prisoners In Your Jails, Asshole
After being pressed by CNN reporter Jim Acosta on why Cuba won’t release its political prisoners, the island’s premier, Raul Castro got a bit testy.
Here’s how it all went down according to Business Insider:
“‘Did you ask if we had political prisoners?’ Castro asked back.
Acosta replied: ‘I wanted to know if you have Cuban political prisoners and why you don’t release them.’
Castro then got defensive.
‘Give me a list of the political prisoners and I will release them immediately,’ Castro said.”
But wait, it gets better.
“Just mention a list,” Castro said. What political prisoners? Give me a name or names or when, after this meeting is over, you can give me a list of political prisoners and if we have those political prisoners they will be released before tonight ends.”
Alright jerk-face, here’s that list you want.
There are literally 47 people on it- a pretty healthy amount of folks if you were to ask just about anyone.
The following list was compiled by the advocacy group Cuban American National Foundation. We have put the full list below:
Name Prison/Location Sentence Date of Imprisonment 1 Liusban John Utra PRISION PROVINCIAL LAS TUNAS 7 years March 6 2013 2 Ricardo Pelier Frómeta COMBINADO DE GUANTANAMO 3 years May 15 2014 3 Eglis Heredia Rodríguez BONIATO, SANTIAGO 5 years May 13 2014 4 Daniel Ernesto Dufó Preval COMBINADO DE GUANTANAMO 2 years May 15 2014 5 Yoelkis Rosabal Flores COMBINADO DE GUANTANAMO 4 years May 15 2014 6 Amado Verdecia Díaz MAR VERDE, SANTIAGO 5 years Oct 20 2014 7 Mario Ronaide Figueroa Dieguez AGUADORES, SANTIAGO 3 years Dec 2 2014 8 María del Carmen Cala Aguilera CARCEL DE MUJERES, HOLGUIN Pending April 24 2015 9 Yosvani Arostegui Armenteros CERAMICA ROJA, CAMAGÜEY Pending Feb 8 2015 10 Santiago Cisneros Castellanos AGUADORES, SANTIAGO Pending July 21 2014 11 Enrique Bartolomé Cámbara KILO 8, CAMAGÜEY 8 years July 21 2014 12 Edilberto Arzuaga Alcalá CERÁMICA ROJA, CAMAGÜEY 1 year Sept 27 2011 13 David Fernández Cardoso Bungo 8, CONTRAMAESTRE 10 months Nov 11 2015 14 Maikel Mediaceja Ramos La Granjita. Mar Verde 6 months Nov 11 2015 15 Laudelino Rodríguez Mendoza Granjita Boniato Pending Nov 5 2015 16 Yosvani Izaguirre Hernández AGUADORES, SANTIAGO 6 months Nov 5 2015 17 Alexeis Serrano Avila AGUADORES, SANTIAGO 4 years Oct 12 2015 18 Fernando Isael Peña Tamayo PRISION PROVINCIAL LAS TUNAS Pending Aug 15 2015 19 Leonardo Cobas Pérez MOSCU, CONTRAMAESTRE 5 years June 29 2015 20 Silverio Portal Contrera VALLE GRANDE 1 year ————- 21 Osvaldo Rodriguez Acosta MAYABEQUE 9 years April 2 2013 22 Osvaldo Rodriguez Castillo MAYABEQUE 7 years April 2 2013 23 Mario Alberto Hernández Leyva VALLE GRANDE Pending June 16 2015 24 Orlando Contrera Aguilar QUIVICÁN, MAYABEQUE 6 years June 16 2015 25 Augusto Guerra Márquez VALLE GRANDE 2 years Dec 12 2015 26 Reinier Rodríguez Mendoza SAN JOSE, LA HABANA (VIH) 2 years July 31 2015 27 Ernesto Ortega Sarduy VALLE GRANDE Pending Sept 30 2015 28 Isaín López Luna 1580 3 years July 8 2015 29 Warley Pérez Cruz TACO TACO 6 months Oct 13 2015 30 Nora Lisset Hernández Bulís MANTO NEGRO 18 months ————- 31 Jordys Manuel Dosil Fong 1580 3 years Aug 5 2015 32 Alexander Alan Rodríguez VALLE GRANDE Pending July 8 2015 33 Emilio Serrano Rodríguez VALLE GRANDE Pending Oct 22 2015 34 Carlos Amaury Calderín Roca VALLE GRANDE 3 years July 8 2015 35 Misael Delgado Romeu KM 5 Y MEDIO, P DEL RIO 6 years ————- 36 Yoanny Thomas González COMBINADO DEL ESTE, HABANA life sentence ————- 37 Elieski Roque Chongo ARIZA, CIENFUEGOS 5 years Oct 17 2014 38 Alfredo Limonte Rodríguez ARIZA, CIENFUEGOS 2 years ————- 39 Joel Mariano Bencomo Martínez GUAMAJAL, VILLA CLARA 3 years ————- 40 Yaxiel Espino Aceval ARIZA, CIENFUEGOS 4 years March 29 2014 41 José David González Fumero NIEVES MOREJON Pending ————- 42 Mario Morera Jardines EL CHIVO, VILLA CLARA 3 years ————- 43 Miguel Borroto Vázquez VALLE GRANDE Pending July 31 2015 44 Osvaldo Arcís Hernández PROVARI (Campamento) 2 years Dec 9 2015 45 Ricardo González Sendiña COMBINADO DEL ESTE, HABANA 6 years ————- 46 Ariel González Sendiña COMBINADO DEL ESTE, HABANA 6 years ————- 47 Leudis Reyes Cuza COMBINADO DEL ESTE, HABANA 5 years Sept 24 2015 Guess they should all be free about now, right Raul?
H/T: NBC Miami
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