International Affairs

Mitt Romney's latest opining about wealth, as he concludes his gaffe-laden visit to Europe, betrays a lack of understanding about American tradition and world affairs. I would note that Romney has not only opined about Israeli culture versus Palestinian culture. He has made the same argument about American culture versus Mexican culture (this will not be a big hit in Latin America or with Hispanic voters). Romney has made the same argument about the culture of Chile versus the culture of Ecuador. Who will Romney insult next?

Mitt Romney acts as though he is a member of the House of Lords, or a royal family, with some inherent superiority of one group or class versus another. In this world Romney appears to envision himself in the privileged class along with whomever he’s pandering to at the given moment he offers his opinions.

I am dismayed by the Mitt Romney campaign “gaffe” about the U.K.-U.S. “special relationship” as the Republican contender for the presidency arrives in London in time for the Olympics.

Unfortunately, comments from an anonymous Romney adviser in London’s Daily Telegraph have set off another pointless round of soul-searching by the ever-paranoid Brits about their ranking as top dog in the relationship with Washington.

The Telegraph quoted the unnamed adviser as saying, "We are part of an Anglo-Saxon heritage, and [Romney] feels that the special relationship is special." But the adviser went further, adding, "The White House didn't fully appreciate the shared history we have."

The Magnitsky bill, named after a lawyer for a U.K.-based investment fund who died an agonizing death in a Russian prison after being denied medical treatment, is wending its way slowly through Congress.

It would establish a blacklist of Russians allegedly involved in Sergei Magnitsky’s shocking death in 2009, presumably including Russian law enforcement officials, tax ministry officials and judges, as well as intelligence officers and Russians linked to organized crime, who would notably be denied U.S. visas. Magnitsky, a lawyer for the equity fund Hermitage Capital, uncovered an embezzlement scandal totaling $230 million by Russian tax and interior ministry officials, and was then imprisoned on charges of tax evasion and fraud for his pains.

In my last column, “France to the rescue,” I praised new French President Francois Hollande for an enlightened perspective that brings progress to a Europe dominated by conservative governments with backward economic policies. Since that column Hollande has succeeded in nudging European leaders toward economic growth at their summit in Brussels, while a number of European banks face investigations about fixing interest rates in a scandal that brings further discredit to those who masquerade their tolerance for greed and corruption in the costumes of Ayn Rand and Austrian economics.

Syria’s downing of a Turkish fighter jet at last opens the door to the U.N. Security Council, which is charged with upholding international peace and security, to consider legitimate collective action against Damascus.

The flight of thousands of Syrian refugees into neighboring countries had already turned the Syrian conflict into a matter for the U.N., but Russia and China had blocked moves to impose sanctions, citing Syrian sovereignty.

In the modern world, democracy as a form of government has had very limited success outside of the Anglo-Saxon sphere. The French Revolution led to the dictatorship of Napoleon. The Weimar Republic of post-World War I Germany led to Hitler. It is hard to think of a democracy in Latin America that lasted more than a generation. In Asia, other than the countries encompassed in the Anglo-Saxon sphere of influence such as Japan, Singapore and India, democracy is all but non-existent. In Africa, democracy has inevitably led to dictatorship. In the Islamic world, one would be hard-pressed to find a country that has been a consistent democracy.

Amid all the drama of the elections in Cairo and Greece over the weekend, another huge electoral shake-up produced an absolute majority for the French Socialist Party of newly elected President Francois Hollande.

So the second biggest economy in the eurozone is going to be run by Socialists. Although the French party is more of a social-democrat variety, Hollande is still a taxer and spender. His first act after being elected last month was to lower — yes, you got that right — the pension age to 60, partially reversing a reform by his conservative predecessor Nicolas Sarkozy.

From msn.com: “Ireland's economy was once growing so fast it was dubbed the ‘Celtic Tiger.’ But the property bubble burst, the banks were thrown into crisis, the government got deep into debt spending billions to bail them out. Ordinary Irish people are now paying the price.

“New taxes — including a Universal Social Charge paid by all citizens — have been brought in and more are on the way, such as a new charge on water.

“According to the latest figures, the standardized unemployment rate was 14.3 percent — about 430,000 people — compared to just 4.5 percent in April 2007.”

Sound familiar?

Kofi Annan, the international envoy for Syria, is shocked by the latest massacre in Syria, which bears all the hallmarks of a war crime. Shocked!

So what can we expect now from the international community after the U.N. Security Council condemned the horrific execution of more than 100 civilians, including women and children, in the Syrian town of Houla by government forces and allied militias last Friday and Saturday?

Unfortunately, I doubt that the killings will provide the “tipping point” invoked by Annan after he met with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad yesterday in Damascus.

The voters of Europe have spoken: They are not prepared to endure austerity measures to achieve financial responsibility and stability.

This has set the stage for breakup of the eurozone. The only way to finance the stimulus that French President-elect Francois Hollande is proposing is to increase taxes or borrow. Neither option is practical. His proposal to raise taxes to 75 percent on the wealthy will create a mass exodus of high-earning Frenchmen to lower-tax jurisdictions outside of France. It is highly unlikely that the credit markets will lend the French government enough money to stimulate its economy at economic rates.