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GLOBAL NEWS BRIC BECOMES BRICS: EMERGING REGIONAL POWERS? CHANGES ON THE GEOPOLITICAL CHESSBOARD he world's four main emerging economic powers, known by the acronym BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China) now refer to themselves as BRICS, after the inclusion of South Africa on 24 December 2010. This is a development of geopolitical significance and it has doubtless intensified frustrations in Washington, which has been concerned about the growing economic and political strength of the BRIC countries for several years. The US is still the dominating global hegemon, but a swiftly changing world situation is taking place as Washington's economic and political influence is declining, even as it remains the unmatched military superpower. America suffers from low growth, extreme indebtedness, imperial overreach and virtual political paralysis at home while spending a trillion dollars a year on wars of choice, maintaining the Pentagon military machine, and on various other "national security" projects. The BRICS countries, by their very existence, their rapid economic growth and their degree of independence from Washington, are contributing to the transformation of today's unipolar world order—still led exclusively by the United States—into a multipolar system where several countries and blocs will share global leadership. BRIC as an organisation had a most unusual birthing. The event took place in 2001 when an economist with the investment power-house Goldman Sachs created the BRIC acronym and identified the four countries together as a lucrative investment opportunity for the company's clients based on the enormity of their combined gross domestic product. At the initiative of Russia's then president Vladimir Putin in 2006, BRIC began what became regular meetings at the ministerial level that evolved a couple of years later into what is in effect a political organisation. There are some differences and rivalries within its ranks that have been kept within bounds, such as between China and India (which is also close to the US) and to a lesser extent between Russia and China. All five BRICS states— three of whom possess nuclear arsenals—maintain essentially cordial relations with the US and try to avoid antagonising the world superpower. The time of decision about the architecture of future world leadership draws nearer. At some point in 10 or 20 years, a reluctant Washington may have to settle for a prominent position in a multipolar world construct. But of course, there remains another possibility. Given the volatile global situation—peak oil, climate change, continued US imperial wars, grave poverty that will increase as world population grows from 6.8 billion today to over 9.0 billion in 2050, and many emerging countries seeking a rightful share of world leadership—the Unites States may resort in time to global military aggression to sustain its dominant status, possibly even World War III. Considering the US political system's decades-long move towards the right, the enormity of the Pentagon's arsenal, the militarism in our society and the ability of Washington and the corporate mass media to collaborate in "selling" wars to a misinformed public, this cannot be ruled out. It is impossible to predict how all this will turn out. What is known is that the American people still have the power to make their own history. This is not so much a question of voting (for whom, in this case?) but of taking action to galvanise the masses of people to oppose the political structure's penchant for wars and global domination. (Source: by Jack A. Smith, Global Research, Canada, 16 January 20, http://tinyurl.com/4c86j5m) The cables also disclose how the Japanese government opposed a court order to shut down another nuclear power plant in western Japan because of concerns it could not withstand powerful earthquakes. The court ruled that there was a possibility that local people might be exposed to radiation if there were an accident at the plant, which was built to out-of-date specifications and only to withstand a "6.5 magnitude" earthquake. Another cable to Washington reported local concerns that new- generation Japanese power stations that recycle nuclear fuel were jeopardising safety. The cables also disclose how Taro Kono, a high-profile member of Japan's lower house, told US diplomats in October 2008 that the government was “covering up" nuclear accidents. (Source: The Telegraph, UK, 15 March 2o0n, http://tinyurl.com/63pegga) RUSSIA SUGGESTS ARAB REVOLTS INSTIGATED BY OUTSIDE FORCES oscow is concerned that the turmoil in the Arab world, aggravated by western interference, may destabilise Russia's restive North Caucasus and former Soviet Central Asia. "The Arab revolt may have begun as spontaneous protests, but the West has now moved to take the end-game under its control,” says Konstantin Kosachyov, chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the State Duma. Analysts say the US is using the same techniques in the Arab East that it earlier used in staging "colour revolutions" in the former Soviet Union, in Georgia, Ukraine and Kyrgyzstan. They noted the role of CIA-linked foundations in supporting and training civil activists and Twitter and Facebook organisers of the protests in Egypt and Tunisia. (Source: The Hindu, 11 March 2o0n, http://tinyurl.com/4mzygvg) APRIL - MAY 2011 NEXUS ¢ 9 www.nexusmagazine.com