Via Meadia readers have known about the unexpected and costly consequences of the war in Libya for months now. In particular, we’ve been writing about how the “humanitarian” intervention in Libya has dangerously destabilized the region and raised the risks of new conflicts that could be substantially worse than anything that NATO operations in Libya […]

The euro mess is getting worse again.With Greece seething over the strict austerity measures required as terms of its bail-out, Spain’s Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy is hoping that biting the bullet now can keep his government and even his country together. With Spain’s interest rates now retesting the six percent level, the alternative to a dramatic […]

Japan’s “lost decade” of economic stagnation has been dragging on for nearly a quarter century now, but it may be set to get a lot worse, according to The Atlantic. Forget mere economic stagnation: the danger now is of a full-scale financial collapse fueled by a crushing debt burden.Like the U.S., Japan has long had access to […]

Thus far universities have taken the greatest strides in the online education movement, but high schools are beginning to get in the act as well. The Wall Street Journal reports that many of the nation’s elite private schools are making use of an online venture called Global Online Academy. Under this program, participating schools offer […]

WSJ: Japan’s main opposition party picked former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe as its new leader Wednesday, a move likely to jack up pressure on the government to take a hard line against China.In a rare political comeback in Japan, Mr. Abe is likely to lead the Liberal Democratic Party into a general election that is […]

Greeks took to the streets again today to protest austerity measures. While there’s nothing new in this by itself, it does represent the first austerity protests to occur under the new administration. Prime Minister Samaras, who was elected in June promising to postpone austerity measures, is slowly being forced to face up to reality and […]

If you’ve been reading Via Meadia for awhile, you know we’re pretty excited about the prospects for self-driving cars. They may sound like novelty sci-fi to some, but the truth is that auto companies and tech giants like Google are working furiously to put them on the road tomorrow. If they succeed (and initial results […]

Reuters: A Turkish court sentenced more than 300 military officers to jail on Friday for plotting to overthrow Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan almost a decade ago, ending a trial that underscored civilian dominance over the once all-powerful military…Two retired generals and a retired admiral considered the ringleaders of the so-called “Sledgehammer” plot to topple Erdogan […]

The President of the United States, even in the midst of an election campaign, and even when the country is reeling from a series of attacks and policy setbacks is more than a political leader. He is more than a prime minister; he is the Chief of State and the closest thing this republic has […]

It’s happening: Syria’s civil war is having major effects on neighboring Iraq, with serious repercussions for American interests there. The New York Times had this to say yesterday: The Syrian war’s spillover has called attention to uncomfortable realities for American officials: despite nearly nine years of military engagement, an effort that continues today with a […]