Langley Intelligence Group Videos

Geoff Hiscock, author of “Earth Wars: The Battle for Global Resources,” told LIGNET there is increasing global competition for water and food, thanks to the rise of the middle class in developing countries like China, India, Brazil, Indonesia, Russia and other nations. Hiscock said he doubted that China and India will be able to solve their water disputes with a treaty. In terms of ‘rare earths,’ Hiscock believes China’s power over the sector will soon diminish.

Argentine President Kristina Kirchner was reelected 15 months ago with 54 percent of the vote due to a rise in the economy. But today, Argentina’s economy is stagnant, and Fitch Ratings notes that a "default by Argentina is probable." In this video of a panel hosted by the Hudson Institute, former U.S. Ambassador to Argentina Lino Gutiérrez and other experts discuss economic and political developments in Argentina and where they may be leading.

Former U.S. Ambassador to Venezuela Otto Reich speculated that there is hope for peace between the Colombian government and leftist FARC rebels. Reich says the FARC has lost leverage due to political and military defeats, making the rebels amenable to an accord. Reich acknowledges that Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos is granting legitimacy to the rebels by meeting with them, but opined that a diplomatic solution now does more good than harm.

Former senior National Security Council advisor Elliott Abrams says President George W. Bush's Mideast policies were very effective in promoting U.S. security interests, but the former president has received little credit for this. Abrams has a similar view on Bush's counterterrorism policies, which he believes prevented another 9/11 attack on the United States.

LIGNET senior Asia analyst Mark Groombridge said the primary purpose of North Korea’s nuclear test earlier this week was to bolster the position of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Whether the test actually employed a new, advanced miniaturized nuclear device -- which Groombridge is skeptical about -- is secondary. Groombridge also noted the test illustrated the difficult relationship between China and North Korea.