Geopolitical Monitor - Topic: Politics

Mar. 12th (Montreal Gazette) - A day after the U.S. Coast Guard's top commander declared the Arctic a region of "extreme focus" for the U.S. — by announcing plans to bolster the American icebreaker fleet by bringing an aging icebreaker out of retirement — a Liberal senator and a leading Arctic expert are calling for stronger commitments from the Canadian government to project the country's presence in the polar realm.

Mar. 12th (Business Week) - French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner says he is hopeful that members of the U.N. Security Council will soon agree on new sanctions against Iran.

This backgrounder will examine the international nuclear nonproliferation regime; specifically the origins, benefits, and drawbacks of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and the Comprehensive Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT).  Increasingly obvious loopholes and a looming NPT review conference in May are coming together to make 2010 a watershed year for the nuclear nonproliferation regime.

ISLAMABAD, Mar. 11th (Dawn) - Afghan President Hamid Karzai told Pakistan on Thursday his country did not want to become a battle ground for proxy wars and welcomed an offer from Islamabad to help with peace efforts.

Mar. 11th (Al Jazeera) - The US vice-president has said there should be no delay in resuming Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.

Mar. 11th (BBC News) - Preliminary results from Iraq elections show the grouping of PM Nouri Maliki is leading in two southern provinces, the electoral body says.

Mar. 9th (BBC News) - US Vice-President Joe Biden has condemned Israel's approval of 1,600 new homes for ultra-Orthodox Jews in East Jerusalem.

March 9th (BBC News) - A Pennsylvania woman in her late 40s has been charged with terror offences including using the internet to recruit militants for deadly attacks abroad.

Mar. 8th (BBC News) - The voter turnout in Iraq elections was 62%, officials said, despite attacks that killed 38 people.

Mar. 08 (BBC News) - The US has said Israel's authorisation of new building in a Jewish settlement in the West Bank does not violate a recently announced moratorium.