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DECEMBER 14, 2009 - DECEMBER 27, 2009 WORLD FOR RICHER OR POORER, COUNTING THE WEALTH OF NATIONS AT COPENHAGEN
People first have to understand that their actions indeed are affecting climate change and life as we know it. The next oil spill WILL kill thousands more fish, WILL decrease the number of fish available for us to devour, WILL have huge impacts on economic cycles and livelihoods. It is progress that the US has finally accepted it's fair share of environmental damage; but if the citizens of the country still fail to see how their actions are affecting the whole world, what is the point of this acceptance? The poorer countries are always blamed for causing problems in terms of food shortages and bad environmental practices and increasing population. At least their problems are ones they themselves are rotting in. Their issues don't affect the world, except when the 'Rich' have to make a show of their power and dole out billions in terms of aid. Perhaps Copenhagen might not be making as much progress as we would like, but just accepting as individuals that the end is inevitable is a pretty sad state of affairs. Make use of the power you have as the rich while we try to get a decent nights sleep amidst country-wide explosions. Read the article NEW YORK TIMES/Climate change conversations: Prospects for a Treaty <> The assumption at Copenhagen is that poorer countries can be trusted to use the money allotted to them to fight climate change. I don't know about you but I'm not really willing to trust Hugo Chavez or Robert Mugabe with my wallet. .Read the article HUFFINGTON POST/U.S. Ready to join 100 billion climate finance deal <> I don't entirely blame China. They've been taking complete advantage of the fact that almost all of the western world is dumping their manufacturing base. IMO the blame is nearly equally deserved:
Read the article NPR/U.S. to help raise $100 billion climate aid fund ITALY'S "CLIMATE OF HATE" AND THE BATTERING OF SILVIO BERLUSCONI
"The climate of hate"? Some mistake, surely? I thought Silvio was "far and away the best leader in Italian history", by his own reckoning a few short months ago. I The truth is he'll certainly turn this unfortunate attack to his own advantage. Poor old Italy. Read the article U.K.TIMES/Silvio Berlusconi had premonition of Milan attack <> To people who don't understand who voted him, old people did it, and old people are the vast majority in Italy! We are all "greys" here and all in front our televisions believing everything that comes out from there, sometimes we also interact with the small people inside of it. Berlusconi sent to us letters and books and gifts (euro calculators!!) for his brave campaign. Sometimes our nephews come to ask for money, since they don't have work. But we know they just are very lazy, this new generation. Neither do our sons have work, because we don't ever give them our places. We govern, the grandfathers, there is no place for anybody who is younger then sixty in the power rooms. Apart from beautiful girls that prefer our company instead of that of our sons and nephews.Well, old wine is better. Read the article U.K.TIMES/Silvio Berlusconi had premonition of Milan attack
On a purely personal level, I must express my solidarity with the President of the Council; I am also completely against violence and any form of violent protest.
My vote for best comment on the attack (from a reader of the Guardian): "Maybe the attacker just wanted to convince everyone he was sane". Read the article THE ECONOMIST/Battered Berlusconi
It is a shame that it is taken so lightly. It will tend to make leaders even more distant from the people if they can expect to have things thrown at them by weirdos and malcontents. The irony is that real despots are immune to such things. Even most insane people know what they could expect if they flung something at Putin, Ahmajinedad or Hugo Chavez. Those 20k [75k] people who signed up on Facebook should think about what it means to have a violent insane man as their representative. They are lucky to live in a free country and they might recall that as they play their silly game. Read the article THE ECONOMIST/Battered Berlusconi THE NOBEL PRIZE AND THE "HARD TRUTHS" OF WAR AND PEACE
PRESIDENT OBAMA'S ACCEPTANCE REMARKS President Obama did not award himself the Nobel Prize. Others appraised his successful candidacy, his political world view and his efforts for peace and judged him worthy. The prize committee itself has suggested that it is not Obama the man that is the object of the prize, but what Obama represents to the world - what his ascendancy to office means to the world. Read the article DAILY BEAST/ Obama accepts Nobel <> From the portions I saw, I thought it was one of the more practical speeches he has given. He emphasized that peace sometimes requires war and that diplomacy requires consequences as an alternative. On the down side, he gave a bit too much credit to the useless forces in blue helmets and patted himself on the back for ordering the closing of the Gitmo detention facility. LIke so much from Obama, it's just a speech, this time to a very docile audience. Read the article WALL STREET JOURNAL/Obama accepts Nobel Peace Prize <> Basically I get tired of all the noise and two- bit opinions on the morning news shows so I watched most of the ceremony on CSPAN while getting ready for work. No commenting, just the whole experience of almost being there. The musical presentations were world class. The artistry of the event was completely unexpected. Not to mention Obama's words. He spoke for a very long time but I was riveted by his grasp of history, his understanding of man's struggle to achieve peace but willingness to fight for what is right. There is no way to summarize the depth and scope of his speech adequately so I urge everyone here to find the transcript and read it for yourselves. If you can't acknowledge and support the very same concepts that would have been embraced by Lincoln, Kennedy, even Reagan only because Obama is the one speaking of them, then you are not patriotic, not pro America and I would go so far as to question your humanity. Read the article POLITICO/Obama accepts Nobel Peace Prize <> There are many misconceptions about the Nobel Peace Prize. It’s not a lifetime achievement award. However, the award goes to the person who has done the most to promote peace in the world during the preceding year. During 2008, Barack Obama changed the world tangibly enough to earn that recognition. He became the first Black president of the world’s only superpower, a country that formerly enslaved of Black people. His election gave hope to literally billions of people around the world. That achievement, Obama’s election, had a transformative effect on people from every corner of the planet. The Nobel committee correctly stated that “Only very rarely has a person to the same extent as Obama captured the world’s attention and given its people hope for a better future.” It was an accomplishment that merited the Nobel Peace Prize. It was awarded only 11 days after his election, so it was not based on his policies but his campaign. Read the article NEW YORK TIMES/Accepting peace prize, Obama evokes "just war" <> Obama may well be convinced that 'peace with honour' is necessary in Afghanistan for security reasons but there is another, many believe more important reason why the USA cannot cut and run in Af/Pak: There are too many precious natural resources (oil and gas) stretching from the Caucasus past the Caspian Sea. Without a way of circumventing the sphere of Russian influence the USA is faced with a stark future. Russian hegemony of central Asia's resources and Chinese hegemony of Africa's resources would destroy the American way of life far more than any terrorist attack could. Even a rogue nuke couldn't wreak the same amount of havoc on the already brittle US economy as Sino-Russian dominance of the globe's ever reducing natural resources. That is why there was a war in Georgia, it was Moscow telling NATO to back off. That is why there was a war in Iraq, it was the US telling Russia and Iran that this is still America's sphere of influence. And that is why there was a war in Afghanistan too because the Taliban pulled out of a deal to build a pipeline that would link the Caspian Sea to the Indian subcontinent. Read the article U.K. GUARDIAN/A thoughtful, honest Nobel lecture <> I respect the pacifist criticisms. Read the article NEW YORK TIMES/Accepting peace prize, Obama evokes "just war" COP 15 C0PENHAGEN: THE TAXING QUESTION OF CLIMATE CHANGE
South Africa has the wrong approach. Reduction in greenhouse gas emissions is not about trading some offering for aid packages. We should not be imposing conditions but rather seeking solutions for our own survival and sustainability. Playing the blame game and making demands does not make the problem go away. Read the article MAIL & GUARDIAN/S.A. makes emissions offer but wants aid <> I'm not going to waste time on the pathetic flat-earthers who have chosen to "believe" the big-oil/big-coal interests rather than looking at the data (and no, the hacked e-mails didn't show that data was changed... those of us who were paying attention saw these exact same debates in peer-reviewed journals 10 years ago, just with more technical language. This story is sensationalized and REQUIRES that the person reading is uninformed). Read the article CNN NEWS/Why the Copenhagen climate talks matter <> The message from Copenhagen is clear: the only way to save the planet is to pay higher taxes, none of which will be set aside for environmental protection. It is all so nauseatingly false. The carbon footprint of this 'summit' is staggering - thousands of politicians, lobbyists, journalists and protesters jet-setting around the world, being ferried around in limousines, enjoying lavish dinners and extravagant hospitality in five-star hotels, and patting themselves on the back for setting targets that they have neither the intention nor the ability to meet. No wonder the government needs to invent new taxes - how else will they cover the billion pound overheads of their green summits? Meanwhile, 200,000 more human beings arrived on the planet in the last 24 hours, representing 200,000 more carbon footprints, yet the green lobby won't even admit that the growth of the human population is an issue. It's hard to image a movement more compromised by dishonesty and hypocrisy. Read the article U.K. GUARDIAN/Copenhagen climate summit opening day. <> The conversation between the scientists and their sponsors can go on indefinitely ... produce thousands of conferences, journals and other publications for both sides of the argument. Honestly, i don't care whether the science is right or not. I will pay for carbon emission stabilization/reduction because I hate high stake gambling...even when odds of loosing are indefinitely small. Read the article ECONOMIST/Stopping climate change
DECEMBER 7, 2009 - DECEMBER 13, 2009 WORLD "ARE WE CURSED?" - FIVE BLASTS IN 50 MINUTES OF TERROR IN BAGHDAD
Like it or not, Iraq, which lacks a national identity, is bound to disintegrate eventually. The Kurd are advancing their nation building dream, the Shiites are looking towards Iran, and the Sunnis yearning for the absolute rule of Saddam. Iraq lacks a true national Identity, it was artificially created from start.
"The Ba'athists want to create an Islamic state in Iraq." -- What nonsense! The Ba'athists are the secular party who held power before the 2003 invasion and who resisted all al-Qaeda attempts to infiltrate Iraq. They were also the UK's ally in the region for many years. Read the article U.K. TIMES/112 killed as four car bombs explode in Baghdad The situation in Iraq is now in a different stage than it was 2 years ago. <> The critical conflict now is NOT against the US forces in Iraq. It is against the ideology of a chauvinistic theocracy of religious fanatics that seeks to remold the Muslim world there into a regressive region from which it can assault every aspect of modernity, whether that be in political space or the social sphere. These are the killers there that are spoiling any good the Iraqi's can hope to achieve. Read the article CBC NEWS/Iraq blasts kill at least 103
BAH HUMBUG! CHRISTMAS TREE-FREE ZONE FOR CLIMATE SUMMIT
Why should any visitor to a Christian country be offended by Christian traditions and decorations? I’m not offended by the overt signs of other countries’ differing religions and traditions; in fact, I enjoy them. What is more, I know for sure that there are Christmas trees and decorations in Dubai, that go up as the Eid celebration finishes. One officious counter lady in our local PO tried to stop me using a proper (i.e. Religious) stamp on a card to Dubai 2 years ago. She was astonished when I told her that she would see Christmas decorations there. I’m utterly sick of all the PC nonsense that would stop us being ourselves in our own country; it is intolerant and downright anti-Christian (not to mention anti-indigenous). It is of note that their intolerance doesn’t seem to stretch to the other religions, or not to anything like the same extent. Read the article U.K.TELEGRAPH/Climategate: How the Copenhagen grinches stole Christmas <> Can we also ban jewelery crosses on chains around delegate's necks, six-pointed brooch pins, any delegate wearing a head scarf or a bhurka, embroidered Hindu omkars, and let's not forget to ban any automobiles trying to drive by with custom aluminum wheels that look like the Buddhist Wheel of Life? Read the article COPENHAGEN POST/ Christmas trees banned for climate summit
THE GREAT E-MAIL HACK HEATS UP THE DEBATE
LINK TO CLIMATE RESEARCH UNIT EMAILS It is certainly unlikely a hacker had the time to find all those documents/emails and package them all together so neatly. But all I really care about is their authenticity. Since CRU says these documents are taken out of context, will they now release everything so we can put them into context? Or have they already lost or destroyed the rest? Read the article WATTS UP WITH THAT/The CRUtape letters:An alternative explanation <> My view is that it would take someone a lot of time and effort to put together this leaked data… years of data had to be recovered from archive, visually reviewed and selected for release based upon their content… this is not a five minute job… it is a far more calculated action…. The “powers that be” that have invested so heavily in getting this “data” originated will have wanted an insurance policy so that they do not get caught in the “blow back” should a) the operation becomes exposed or compromised… or b) they wish to change their minds and stop the operation. Therefore, this looks very much like someone has decided to use their “insurance policy” that has been collected over the years… the AGW cabal have been effectively “thrown under a bus”…. we are now “picking over the bones” of this rather messy road kill… and they will probably be allowed to retire quietly provided they keep their mouths shut… I have got the impression that the cabal is deeply shocked by this leak… stunned silence… they thought they had protection… they thought they were immune… just read the emails… Read the article WATTS UP WITH THAT/The CRUtape letters:An alternative explanation <> Of course it's rubbish and it's a pity that the Professor sees the need to defend himself, but such is the media-generated circus around public perceptions of the science of climate-change that it perhaps was necessary for him to do so. To the denialists' megalomania one should now add paranoia resulting from their belief that thousands of scientists and hundreds of institutions all around the world are involved in an unparalled dark conspiracy to subvert their way of life,all based on some ill-chosen words and perverse interpretations of a few e-mails by this gentleman and a few of his peers at one particular institution in the United Kingdom. Read the article U.K. GUARDIAN/Climatologist at centre of leaked email row dismisses conspiracy claims <> I'm a researcher in public health (though my PhD was in fluid dynamics). In public health there are two relatively recent analogous events. For years there was a scientific "debate" over whether tobacco caused cancer, and another debate over whether HIV caused AIDS. Even into this decade some countries designed their AIDS policy on the false belief that HIV treatments were actually part of the cause of AIDS. This led directly to the deaths of hundreds of thousands, and if we consider indirect effects probably many many more. Once again we have a situation where the vast majority of the science is clear. A few people are finding little cracks in the arguments - they are always there in science: we cannot explain every single thing that goes into how HIV causes AIDS, but it's clear from millions of people that it does. We have only one earth to do this experiment with. We can't wait until it dies to decide that maybe we should have been more careful. Read the article WALL STREET JOURNAL/Lawmakers probe climate emails <> “Fascinating report–but the goals of climate science– a cleaner world, new methods of generating energy, and less dependence on foreign oil– seem like good ones to me.” As with other posters, this is all fine. Indeed, I fully support your manifesto. It’s the deceit that I and many others object to, as well as the lack of debate or even the slightest admission that a debate is needed. The unintended consequences of proposed action to mitigate Co2 use (80% by 2050? what a fantasy!), at present our only reliable energy resource, will be an order of magnitude worse over the medium and long term than any slight warming of the atmosphere. One should hold extremists in contempt of course, for their lack of moderation, but it seems the political class and media are allied with them. It’s something I find utterly incomprehensible and can only assume that the psychological effects of this collective hysteria are more pervasive and dangerous than previously thought. Read the article U.K. TELEGRAPH/Climategate: The final nail in the coffin of 'Anthropogenic Global Warming?'
NOVEMBER 30, 2009 - DECEMBER 6, 2009 WORLD "DISRUPT, DISMANTLE, DEFEAT" -- 30,000 ADDITIONAL TROOPS TO FIGHT "A WAR OF NECESSITY"
I lost a brother and my husband to the Vietnam war. I prayed that my children would never have to suffer loss to another senseless war. My son has now been to Iraq and is scheduled for deployment to Afghanistan by Christmas. Everytime he leaves my heart aches hoping that this isn't the last time I see him. So please don't tell me I should support our troops - I do support them - more than many of you could ever imagine - but I do not support this war. To me this is just another Vietnam - with no end in sight. There will always be terrorists and enemies somewhere in the world - we can't fight them all forever. Read the article CNN NEWS/Obama wants Afghan war over in three years, officials say <> I believe President Obama hit the right balance here: Read the article WALL STREET JOURNAL/Gates, Mullen argue for Obama's Afghan Plan <> I served with the Marines in Vietnam with a unit whose main objective was to train a local militia force to protect their village from incursions by guerilla forces (VC) and North Vietnamese Army troops (NVA). I returned to that same village as a civilian in 2008-09 in hopes of assessing the effectiveness of our efforts. My conclusions were we succeeded (see USMC CAP & Civic Action Program, 1969-70) in directing these efforts but ultimately, the strategy failed soon after our forces were removed from the fighting. It came down to militia numbers combined with their support and fire power versus that of the North Vietnamese. It was and is a no-brainer. Given this example, the relevant question we should be asking before the U.S. gives more of its blood is whether or not there's a realistic possibility that Afghans forces are or will be sufficient in number, training, armaments and support to sustain a democracy in that country? Read the article CNN NEWS/Obama wants Afghan war over in three years, officials say <> 30,000 troops are a joke. Even if other nations only send 5 or 10 thousand, it still isn't enough. The President is pulling a shell game on you. I've served 1 tour in Afghanistan and 2 in Iraq since 2004. I'm preparing for my 4th now. What you need to factor in is how many troops are coming home? Unless he is sending 30000 troops and NOT cycling soldiers out, it will make a difference. Have the media asked the President what the total number of troops will be? Is he actually sending more or, as I believe, is this just part of the normal cycling out process called a surge? I would love the media to find out that answer for me. For the record I support the war but believe at least 60000 more are needed to actually stop them dead. Cave to cave searches collapsing them as we finish. They will either run, surrender or fight and die, but it will stop the violence. Read the article MCCLATCHY/ Obama to have 30,000 more troops in Afghanistan by June <> "Afghanistan is the graveyard of the Empires for centuries." Not really true. Five long-term conquests from Persia: Achmenian, Seleucid, Sassanian, Parthian, and Timurids. Three long-term conquests from India: Ashokan, Pala, and Mauryan. Conquest by Mongols. Conquest by Alexander. Conquest by Arab Caliphate. Conquest by Ghaznavids. Conquest by Seljuk Turks. The reputation only came from the time that the Russians from the north, and British from India checkmated each other, as American support did to the Soviets more recently. Geopolitics is a wonderful game that never stops. Read the article THE NATION/Democrats campaign against Obam's Afghan war plan.
Switzerland has voted for freedom of opinion, freedom of expression and freedom of religion, in keeping with their tradition of radical liberalism. They are unwilling to accept unreservedly an ideology whose founder calls upon his followers to persecute any Muslim who converts A religion which is not the result of voluntary choice, and which you may not opt out of voluntarily is anathema to the spirit of freedom which still (occasionally) animates the Swiss. The reformation of a corrupt Christianity began here ; let us hope this is the start of a liberalization of Islam, in hope of a freedom-loving, democratic Islam ready to help build a better world for all believers. Read the article U.K. GUARDIAN/Switzerland: Hatred beneath the harmony <> I think what the Swiss people did is correct .... it's an assertion of their own identity.....and good for them. As to the Islamists who are crying foul, they should look no further than their own countries to see intolerance. There are no church towers in Saudi Arabia and definitely no door to door Mormons. When they allow Christians to operate freely and proselytize with no consequences whatsoever in the countries where Islam is the majority religion ... then I see no problem with minarets anywhere. Equality is a great thing....and should apply universally. The Swiss have taken a step in the right direction ...through the ballot. Read the article SWISS INFO/ Swiss minaret ban sends ripples worldwide
It's curious how Islamophobes insist that their definition of the Islamic religion fits all Muslims, no matter their individual culture, political views, history. It is not surprising that this definition is some narrowed, rigid, radical, puerile form that falls perfectly in line with their own bigotry and hate and allows them to wallow in the comfort of their prejudices and ignorant pre-conceptions. Saudi Arabia is often given as an example by these ignoramuses of Islam at work, willfully ignorant that being a monarchic dictatorship its citizens do not have free will to worship in any which way they please. To put it simply a true picture of an ideology cannot be derived by observing the followers in a society that does not permit them the freedom to follow that ideology in a way they choose. Going back to the issue at hand...its really not surprising given that the Swiss were the last country in Europe to give the woman the vote, clearly a pillar of equality and freedom. Also why single out minarets though? Why not Chinese pagodas or Buddhist monasteries? Surely if the issue is of an architectural nature in that the Swiss want buildings that conform to the style of their surroundings then there would be a less discriminatory law directed at non-Swiss religions/cultures. If it is more sinister than it seems, and the celebratory mood of bigots indicates that it is, then the likes Saudi Arabia can start pointing at the West and with some justification that they are taking their cues from the lands of "freedom and democracy". Read the article U.K. GUARDIAN/Switzerland: Hatred beneath the harmony <> Most Muslims who came to Europe did so to escape the fundamentalists who ruled their lives and ensured their countries remained third world. The fact that 'fundamentalists' have persued them to Europe is plain to see in countries such as Britain where women are being supressed and even murdered. Youths are being radicalized to the point they hate the country that has nurtured them and are prepared to suicide themselves and murder innocent people. Europe should follow Switzerlands lead. Read the article BBC NEWS/ What will the ban on minarets in Switzerland achieve? DUBAI CRISIS FUELS FEARS OF SOVEREIGN DEBT STORM
What does Dubai offer other than fantasy, hype and a lot of hot-air? The economic development in Dubai is largely based on hype and fantasy and lacks any real substance. Building tall buildings and fantasy islands is easy using borrowed money and brains during the good time. In order to create a world-class economy and financial centre, proper legal system, transparency and international accounting standards are needed. Dubai has none of these. “Dubai’s debts are heavy, amounting to about $80 billion including the government and the conglomerates it controls.” Dubai World alone has total debts of $59 billion. Is the debt of $80 billion correct? Or is it just a guess? Can Dubai afford to bury more money into the sand any longer? Read the article THE ECONOMIST/Standing still but still standing <> Given that Dubai was just about the only Gulf state to thoroughly tie its economy to something other than oil, it doesn't bode well for the region's future over the coming decades. This was an attempt to magic up an economic dynamo in a region that has nothing much going for it other than the black stuff it sits on. It was grotesque and fakery and reliant on both high end and low end foreign labour and now it seems to be going utterly pear-shaped. If this is the best alternative to an oil economy that a Gulf state can come up with then by the end of of the 21st Century the region will be as deep in the brown stuff as it currently is in the black stuff. Read the article U.K. GUARDIAN/Castles in the Sand <> This financial debacle is a lot like the drug trade. You have users that are hooked on immediate satisfaction. You have suppliers that push supplies and enrich themselves. And finally you have distributors that match supply with demand. The end users in Dubai were the greed investors and greedy builders. The suppliers were the oil rich petrodollar nations, the central banks providing easy credit to the capital markets and the foolish investors seeking an extra 100 basis points of yield. The parasitic middle men were the banks, relatives of the sheiks, brokers, lawyers, media and advertisers that down played the risks and trumped up the returns. Read the article DAILY BEAST/Will Abu Dhabi save Dubai?
Just as the bankers are calling for the public to show 'restraint, ' and be prepared to give up everything, to pay the last batch of Bankers Bad Debts...oops, another few hundred billion quid needed, oh! and another few billion for Afghanistan. (Could you round it up to a trillion? I'll start paying it back on Thursday.) "I'm very much afraid that we won't be able to afford unemployment payments, after Christmas, Mr and Mrs American Dreamer. " "The good news is that Food Stamps will remain available until agribusiness can find a profitable market for its surpluses." And they accuse socialists of wrecking economies! Read the article U.K. GUARDIAN/Castles in the Sand <> It is enough to make you cry. We (the common people) work our fingers to the bone for the whole of our lives just to be able to house, feed and clothe ourselves; trying to save up enough money in the bank to be able to continue to do that on retirement.
Read the article U.K.TIMES/Dubai debt fears threaten credit crunch 2 - and RBS is exposed NOVEMBER 23, 2009 - NOVEMBER 29, 2009 WORLD IRAN LAUNCHES FIVE-DAY AIR-DEFENSE DRILL AROUND NUCLEAR SITES
No sane person wants another country to have a nuclear weapon. But for country's that have nuclear weapons to dictate who can (Israel) and who can't (Iran) is the height of hypocrisy. Read the article CBC NEWS/Iranian forces practice defending nuke sites <> "Israel has not ruled out using military action to stop Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons." Perspective helps those trying to understand. Perspective hurts those trying to sell us more war. Read the article CBC NEWS/Iranian forces practice defending nuke sites <> As the great Rodney King once said, "Why can't we all just get along?" Unfortunately, we just can't. You people come on this forum and talk your smack about Israel, and I have to laugh at your complete naivete. The days of tit for tat with one Israeli dead for one Arab are over. If the Arabs(and Iran) thought they could defeat Israel, they would have attacked her yesterday. They do not attack Israel because they know they would have their arses kicked. Hate Israel with all your heart but know that the world will change if Israel is attacked. Read the article JERUSALEM POST/Iran begins large-scale air-defense drill <> Just a comment on two items. One - Iran, Hezbollah and Hamas are not synonymous. There is nothing to suggest that Iran would transfer a nuclear capability to either of these resistance groups. Note that in 2006 and 2009, when Israel launched large-scale military attacks on respectively Lebanon and Gaza, Iran didn't lift a finger in any retaliatory capacity. The Islamic Republic acts in its own interest first and foremost, as do these two other groups. I never think its helpful to lump them together, as the West and Israel are prone to do as a matter of policy. It confuses the issues, and links groups that have vastly different domestic and policy agendas - for no apparent reason than to serve the interests of a few who would like to create an impression of a bogeyman with far-reaching tentacles. Read the article HUFFINGTON POST/Why Israel is Safer (From Iran) than it may seem
" AND THE PRIZE FOR GLOBAL CORRUPTION GOES TO..."
TRANSPARENCY INTERNATIONAL INTERACTIVE MAP - CORRUPTION PERCEPTIONS INDEX
What a surprise to find Afghanistan right up there with Somalia. Both places Canada went into to show them the finer points of democracy. Somalia has unlimited pirate activity, and Afghanistan has a guy who rigs elections and whose brother not only works for the CIA but is one of the principal warlords and heroin managers. Let's get our troops out of Afghanistan just like we did in Somalia. I notice yesterday the PM of the UK says he is working to get their 9,000 troops out of Afghanistan as soon as possible. The politicians should listen to their voters and not some crooked government. Read the article CBC NEWS/Somalia, Afghanistan, most corrupt nations <> It is outside of the scope of Transparency Intl's list, but when you consider that 51 out of the World's top 100 economies are Corporations, it would be interesting to consider how some of the World's "Corporate Citizens" might stack up. If you're looking for administrations that have openness and transparency on a par with the old Soviet Politburo, there's plenty to choose among them, and they can chose to operate under one country's set of laws or another. Just sayin'. Read the article GLOBE AND MAIL/Principled index ranks Canada eighth <> This ranking is completely worthless. It uses no formal methodology whatsoever, and instead relies on "surveys" of business executives: themselves the most corrupt people on the planet. One might as well ask cockroaches to rank cities for cleanliness. Read the article GLOBE AND MAIL/Principled index ranks Canada eighth NOVEMBER 16, 2009 - NOVEMBER 22, 2009 WORLD LOST INNOCENTS: A NATION'S APOLOGY FOR CHILDREN BANISHED IN WORLD WAR II
I found the interviews with people who had been directly affected by the cruel and inhuman treatment meted out to children in the 'care' system incredibly moving. One man who explained that his severe and public beating for stealing grapes (as a result of hunger) was what had caused his lifelong stutter. As he spoke about how important it was for the victims' voices to be heard and their experiences understood his voice grew stronger and his stutter almost melted away. It's now time for the churches and charities who were involved in such inhuman treatment of children to apologise and make significant compensation to them. Read the article U.K. GUARDIAN/No harm in saying sorry <> You have to set this affair against the general lack of regard for children that existed then and not judge it by the standards of today. Britain was guilty in sending these children out to Australia and Canada but not for what happened to them there. And whatever went on in those countries was repeated in orphanages here. We live in different times now and the idea of sending children of such tender age to the other side of the world would be unthinkable. It would not have been so seventy years ago. Read the article U.K. TIMES/Australia apologizes to abused child migrants from Britain OUT OF THE SHADOWS: THE LIGHT AT THE END OF THE BERLIN WALL
Just like you I was born and grew up in the GDR but unlike you I am delighted that it ended. I've been living in the UK for years now and also did my PhD here. I would not have been allowed to even visit the UK country under GDR law! They would have killed or put me into jail had I tried to leave. Did this never appear any odd to you? Had I wanted to go to university during GDR time I would have needed to join the military and chant their rubbish ideology for years. If you don't think that there is a moral problem with this then, I'm sorry to say, I think it's fine you lost your job. I wonder what fairytales you would have taught your pupils today. Read the article U.K. GUARDIAN/East Germans lost much in 1989 <> When the DDR dissolved, the Federal Republic of Germany took it upon themselves to absorb the wreckage of the Communist east, from its rust belt industries, to its crumbling infrastructure, to its toxic environmental mess, to a population whose work ethic had withered under decades of Communism. The transition cost billions of Deutsche Marks from the pockets of West Germans, and it certainly wasn't easy, but it has been enormously successful. There are certainly some rough spots yet to overcome, but the tremendous success can't be ignored. Economic progress is hampered as much by global recession than anything else (and maybe EU policies, too). I'm sure there are many older "Osties" who long for the old days when they didn't have to make choices or have an incentive to work, but as the poll indicates, the vast majority of Osties don't want a return to the DDR days. Read the article NEWSBUSTERS/Brokaw: Liberated East Germans still adjusting to harsh realities of capitalism
I have a little chunk of that Wall somewhere around here. What I remember most was midnight when the reunification of the two Germanys took place. I went through the Brandenburg Gate at 12;05 or so. There was a stark contrast between the people on the East side, somber and perhaps hopeful, while streaming from the west were smiles, cheers and exhilaration. We took a boat ride to the Gate and one side was dark, expectant, the other full of light and celebration. It is taking generations to bridge that divide. Read the article WASHINGTON POST/The wall I thought would never fall <> Right now I am dirt poor, unemployed, worried about money and seriously considering the succulent tender flesh of that mangy fox that keeps raking through my bin. But for all that, I would never choose to live in the totalitarian hamster cage that was the GDR. Birds in gilded cages notwithstanding, I feel the real problem was that the Ossies were simply not psychologically prepared to face up to freedom - they were too cowed and and conditioned to 'like', or at least tolerate the open prison they were living in. All Ostalgia amounts to in the end is a desperate need to scuttle back to Plato's cave, a return to a strict soppy-stern national childhood. But the wall's down, the Stasi nannies have gone and it's time to grow up. Read the article U.K. GUARDIAN/East Germans lost much in 1989 <> Reagan, Thatcher and John Paul II created the environment in which the hopes of the people in the Eastern Bloc were fostered. One need only read about the reaction of dissidents in the East to Reagan's Evil Empire speech to know that the moral clarity exhibited by those three giants was the catalyst for the end of Soviet Communism. Gorbachev deserves credit for managing the end without bloodshed and understanding the cards he had been dealt but to suggest that Reagan and the others had nothing to do with it reveals a staggering lack of knowledge. Read the article NEW YORK TIMES/Leaders in Berlin retrace the walk west. NOVEMBER 9, 2009 - NOVEMBER 15, 2009 WORLD AFGHAN CORRUPTION AT THE COST OF U.K. BLOOD AND TREASURE
Just how many troops would be enough for you? The Soviet Union had 80,000 in their initial deployment and had to increase it to over 100,000. A total of over half a milion Soviet troops served in Afghanistan. Where are we supposed to find that many? How much "kit" would be enough for you? The Soviets lost over 300 helicopters, over 100 other aircraft, over 11,000 trucks and tankers, and nearly 150 tanks. Where are we supposed to even find that many, let alone that many we could afford to lose? The Soviet Union had the support of many Afghans, and warlords. They too were were only fighting a proportion of the Afghan population. Get real. It's the stupidest, and most impossible to "win", war of modern times. Read the article U.K. GUARDIAN/Gordon Brown: I will take soldiers out of harm's way if Afghanistan does not end corruption <> What a useless excuse for a leader Gordon Brown has turned out to be. The Soviets, and the people they were supporting in their occupation, learned this harsh reality in their own failed attempt to construct a new Afghanistan in the image of Communism.
I expect that, in all probability, the eventual outcome in Afghanistan will consist of the Taliban in control of some parts of the country and a corrupt political administration in power in other parts, which will probably look more and more like the Taliban as time passes. Sadly, in the meantime, loss of life for UK & US personnel and Afghans of all persuasions will be the price paid for the US administrations dilemma in how to exit whilst saving face, from this ongoing Read the article U.K.GUARDIAN/Gordon Brown: I will take soldiers out of harm's way if Afghanistan does not end corruption <> Brown needs to understand that its not about Karzai, it's a system that is endemic here in Afghanistan. Within 5 minutes of arriving a policeman opened my bag and without inspecting the contents demanded money. Every public functionary here believes their status is a licence to print money. It will take another 100 years to breed out these attitudes. Not in your life time or mine Gordon. Read the article U.K. TIMES/Gordon Brown threatens to end Afghan mission unless corruption is tackled. <> Blood is thicker than water, but oil (pipelines) is thickest of all. Read the article BBC NEWS/HAVE YOUR SAY/Can security in Afghanistan ever be guaranteed? <> I reached my eightieth birthday a few weeks ago and was given a newspaper as a present which was printed on the day I was born. In the houses for sale a thirteen bed-roomed house in Hampshire was on offer at just over £3000 and ladies winter coats were advertised for £8. Dresses were on sale for 10/6d (52p). A shorthand typist with knowledge of French and German was required at an annual salary of £200. What else? Ah yes, there was also a headline stating 'Civil War in Afghanistan.' Read the article BBC NEWS/HAVE YOUR SAY/Can security in Afghanistan ever be guaranteed? NOVEMBER 2, 2009 - NOVEMBER 8, 2009 WORLD BLOOD DIAMOND SPOTLIGHT ON ZIMBABWE
The media are failing the citizens of Zimbabwe. Robert Mugabe has continued to wreak havoc on our lives and the world apologises! Cannot touch him, Colonialism problem you know. The ordinary man in the street has finally begun to talk. This is what he is now saying "We have now had enough" We are now planning what to do because nobody out there is listening, no matter how much we tell them. Gukurahundi, Chiadzwa, Operation Clean up Arrests, Torture Rhetoric on a daily basis. When is this going to stop? Read the article SKYNEWS/Zimbabwe faces diamond sales ban over allegations of brutality against foreign workers <> Diamonds themselves are not evil, it is the actions that humans take to collect diamond mines and diamonds themselves that make the idea of diamonds unpleasant to me. I've decided not to own any diamonds because of the possibility of owning a blood diamond. The Kimberly Process is not reliable. The amount of killing that has occurred because of diamonds is horrifying. As the consumers of such products Westerners should take more care and concern with the effect they are having on these areas. Read the article BBC NEWS/HAVE YOUR SAY/Are diamonds still forever? AFGHAN RUN-OFF SCRAPPED, A VICTOR DECLARED
I remember when western news heard of fraud in Iran, they went crazy, and editorial commentators called for a green revolution. The same thing happened in Ukraine with the orange revolution when the western media takes sides in a foreign electoral process. Read the article CBC NEWS/Karzai wins as Afghan run-off cancelled <> I am sure Dr Abdullah Abdullah knew from the first day that he would not win the election; however, he wanted to make a profile for himself for a future political career.
Read the article BBC NEWS/HAVE YOR SAY/What next for Afghanistan? <> This is fine. The Afghans are getting used to identifying corruption in their political institutions, holding their leadership accountable, and participating in a democratic process. I hope that the people who were looking for Afghanistan to transition seamlessly and immediately from tribal despotism to 21st-century Parliamentary Democracy aren't too put out... It's a long process, and the fact that this even came up as an issue speaks well for the people of Afghanistan, who are our allies. At least the election wasn't decided by AK-47s. Read the article NEW YORK TIMES/Karzai gets new term as Afghan run-off is scrapped
It appears the Asian news has a major difference of opinion compared to this story. Of course a source like Asia Times Online couldn't possibly know what they are talking about seeing as though it is their backyard.... Read the article GLOBE AND MAIL/Karzai claims victory as Afghan runoff cancelled
PRESIDENT OBAMA SALUTES THE RETURNING WAR DEAD.
I admire President Obama for his trip to Delaware to respect our fallen Warriors. Nothing hits home more than watching casket after casket being unloaded from a plane. THIS is often the result of the difficult decisions a Commander in Chief has to make, when deciding to send our brave Soldiers into battle. Seeing our dead coming home makes that decision REAL, not abstract, counting heads as to who must now go into battle.
My Son is in the Army. I would not want the President to decide to send him into harms way without thinking about it long and hard. I pray for our Soldiers, my Son, and for our President who has to make the difficult decisions. God be with you all Read the article DAILY BEAST /Obama visits war dead <> The act of honoring our fallen service men and women transcends politics. At the time of a soldiers death, likely they were cold, tired, thousands of miles from home and longing for their wife, husband, mother or father knowing that they would never see them again. When leaders acknowledge this, they become more mindful of the results that their decisions may produce. There are not enough fingers to point out all of the responsible parties for our nations involvement in this conflict. But let us not think for one second that sending troops into harms way is an easy decision to make, this applies from the squad leader on the ground to the President himself. Read the article NPR/Obama honors Americans killed in Afghanistan <> I think this piece is very sad, when you think that these soldiers will never get to take a photo or shake hands with the President ever. Read the article NEW YORK TIMES/Obama visits returning war dead OCTOBER 26, 2009 - NOVEMBER 1, 2009 WORLD TERROR BOMBS WON'T BREAK WILL OF THE IRAQIS
Sunni extremists will have more to fear from Sunni nationalists who support the coalition Iraqi government. The al-Qaeda foreign operatives and their Iraqi fighters were already whipped and sent running for their lives by a coalition of Western and Iraqi forces assisted by the Sunnis themselves, some of whom were once Baathists themselves. As for breaking the will of the Iraqis; don't count on it. They are tougher than we are when made victims of terror. The Iraqi people; Sunnis, Shiites, Kurds, and others will endure d even prosper in spite of the leftist efforts here at home to create a lost war. Read the article U.K. TIMES/Baghdad car bombs kill at least 147 in deadliest attacks for two years. <> It took years for peace & stability to come about after the American Civil War, Germany after WWII & other countries after having been defeated in war. In those cases, enough soldiers of the recently defeated armies continued to fight guerilla wars using ambushes & terrorist attacks to keep their causes alive. The same is true in Iraq & Afghanistan. Unfortunately, today in the West, we want instant results as if all of this were some sort of a video game. Reality doesn't work that way. Read the article BBC NEWS/HAVE YOUR SAY/What do Baghdad blasts mean for Iraq? WIPING THE SLATE CLEAN FOR NOVEMBER
The Karzai regime has affronted the people of that country long enough. It is a very sad fact that it was the West's stake in Afghanistan that brought about this second round. In effect this second round is saving the face of Western leaders when they try to explain to their public why their armies are fighting and dying in Afghanistan. The debacle that is the election shows in itself what the main problem in Afghanistan is... over centralization of power in the hands of a Pashtun clique whom the western world thinks 'must rule' if there is going to be stability in that country. That idea is foolish and has proven to be a big mistake - but yet many Western commentators still do not see it. Some even call for more Pashtunisation - which is totally irresponsible. Read the article U.K.TIMES/Changes needed to avoid repeat of Afghan fraud <> There sadly will be no change after this next "election". Afghan leadership has historically been established through the mechanism of the loya jurga, a caucus of leaders, where realistic alliances, positions, and compromises could be reached and later enforced. The concept of a "presidential election" has no credibility whatever.
With a choice that clear, the idea of a suddenly credible and competent Afghan "partner" in support of American efforts in the region is an illusion. Read the article NEW YORK TIMES/Mr. Karzai relents <> Actually, most people here in Afghanistan believe the election was fair and are grateful for the restoration of freedom in Afghanistan.The outside news tends to only carry the stories of destruction but a lot of good is going on around here daily. Read the article BBC NEWS/HAVE YOUR SAY/Will an Afghan runoff make a difference?
<> "Democracy" in an occupied land is always a fraud by the occupiers to window dress their collaborators. Would Europe accept the Vichy government if the 1940 elections went to a runoff?. More recent examples are Kuwait's "peoples" government installed by Saddam and the "elections" in Kashmir. If 1% people register to vote and 0.5% turnout to vote a good spin doctor can call it a 50% turnout. We just had a 60% turnout in Kashmir. Sovereignty is an absolute prerequisite for democracy. Read the article BBC NEWS/HAVE YOUR SAY/Will an Afghan runoff make a difference? <> I'm concerned that no one seems to think that those who stole the votes, stuffed the ballot boxes, and paid war lords off should be prosecuted. Looks like everyone is primarily interested in getting a new result - important as that is. Since most of the fraudulent votes were for President Hamid Karzai, and his administration controls the voting process, it would be logical that he, his administration, and his supporters were probably involved in the fraud. And if this was investigated and he was to be found guilty of illegally manipulating the election, then he should be punished and probably be declared ineligible to run for President. I know they don't have the same laws as here in the US, but let's face it, this is a puppet government controlled by us. If we wanted him out, he'd be out -but we may not have a better alternative.
Read the article WALL STREETJOURNAL/ Preparations begin for new Afghan vote OCTOBER 19, 2009 - OCTOBER 25, 2009 WORLD PAKISTAN IN THE EYE OF THE STORM
Pakistan is not losing control. It is going through a turbulent phase like many other nations have. Terrorism has evolved over the years but to say that these elements threaten the state of Pakistan is an exaggeration. The IRA in its heyday was capable of launching attacks in the heart of London but that did not mean that Britain was losing control. We, the Pakistani nation, know the enemy and are fully backing our state to finish this menace. It will be a long and painful process but it will happen. Read the article BBC NEWS/ Is Pakistan losing control? <> The Peshawar attack shows that the terrorists are no friends of Pakistan or Pakistanis. They only sow hatred and destruction and live off the blood of innocent citizens. It is amazing that for years we were ‘confused’ about the nature of these Taliban, with some idiots on TV going as far as to claim that the Taliban are our ‘friends’ and that in case of a war with another country, they would fight alongside our jawans! Thankfully, that nonsense was put to bed with the revelations regarding Taliban behavior in Swat and Malakand. However, with the lull in operations, some conservatives and right wing commentators and TV ‘experts’ and anchors had been trying once again to roll back public opinion regarding the operations to an opposing stance. But the people, this time, must not lose sight of the bigger picture or the real face of the Taliban. We need to protect ourselves and our country from this menace, and that requires not forgetting what these terrorists stand for, and what we, as peaceful Pakistani citizens, stand for. Read the article PAKISTAN DAILY TIMES/Peshawar attack <> Unless the west finds a logical solution to the war on terror as a whole, a lot more states will loose control other than Pakistan. It has been eight years since the attack on Afghanistan and subsequently Iraq, with no clear outcome in sight, little achievement and much destruction, as a result the whole region is in a downward spiral. Pakistani soldiers have fought and suffered a lot more than any of the western countries and they deserve your respect rather than your criticism. Read the article BBC NEWS/ Is Pakistan losing control?
As I recall, the militant organizations, primarily the Taliban, reached their zenith in Winter 2009 when they had established themselves as an occupying force in territories 100 kms from the Capital. They squandered their good fortune by engaging in the typical behaviours on an extremist - murder, terror of their recently subjected populace. This was well publicized resulting a more committed resolve by the Government and Pakistani society to eradicate this nightmare. They were firmly dealt with in the Swat Valley offensive. Read the article GLOBE AND MAIL/If militants can hit Pakistan's military HQ, what's next? U.S. SUDAN POLICY -- "SPEAK SOFTLY, CARRY A BIG STICK"
Darfur is reasonably quiet now, since most of the IDP's are in camps - their villages burned. Attacks are limited to re-supply convoys, sometimes usually by bandits but never without the approval of the Govt of Sudan or SLA. Darfur is effectively a stalemate. Read the article DAILY BEAST/A middle ground in Sudan <> Once again we see an American president align the nation on the WRONG SIDE of a foreign policy issue and use of diplomacy! Read the article CBS NEWS/White House defends decision to work with Sudan. <> In 1938 Neville Chamberlain flew back from Munich and uttered the immortal words Peace for our time in which he and other European Leaders had tried to work with the Nazis regime instead of standing up to it. The regime in Khartoum has since the 1980s embarked on a war for Oil. First with the Christian south (Where the vast majority of Oil fields lay) and later with the locals of Darfur who have been ethnically cleansed from their home lands in which to allow Chinese Oil companies to harvest Hydrocarbons for its growing economy. With the Money earned Khartoum has embarked on a huge weapons spending spree purchasing state of the art Russian fighter jets, Chinese rocket launches and Chinese tanks. The irony here is that while the political elite had no problem protesting about how Afghanistan and Iraq was all about Oil. The fact remains the killing fields of Sudan is all about Oil and that more people have been murdered in Sudan than in the other two countries combined. Yet instead of screaming foul play I find an article about how we should be hugging the despots in charge instead of standing up to them. It seems that our schools dont teach ‘history anymore otherwise the so called political elites would know that appeasing homicidal despots wanted by the ICC isn't the way to go. Read the article U.K. GUARDIAN/Obama has little choice on Sudan
MALDIVE CABINET MEETS SIX METERS UNDER THE SEA
Brilliant. Good for them. These kinds of PR stunts are unfortunately the only way that people these days pay attention to the issues of Global Warming. It seems that facts and common sense are not enough for a society that's too busy watching the world through a box in their living rooms rather than engaging with the issues. It's time to wake up! We may be sitting high and dry now, but our actions have global ramifications and will eventually come back on us a hundredfold.We should applaud countries like the Maldives for their actions to better OUR world and if we can't be moved to action through empathy then at least we should do so for self-preservation. Read the article CBC NEWS/Maldives cabinet holds underwater meeting <> Can some one tell this guy about tectonic plates? Read the article U.K.TIMES/Maldives president plans underwater Cabinet meeting
Most of the people in the industrialized world refuse to even wrap their minds around the concept of "Climate Change ". Many of these folks still commute in their own gas pig vehicles whether they live in suburbia or live in the country, and work in the city. The houses being built are generally way bigger than any family " Needs ", and much more area to heat, and light. This "Me " generation is creating a very rude culture, with very little consideration beyond their own insignificant lives.
Read the article CBC NEWS/Maldives cabinet holds underwater meeting <> We should follow their example and organize a meeting of the Cabinet under the polar ice. Read the article CBC NEWS/Maldives cabinet holds underwater meeting
OCTOBER 12, 2009 - OCTOBER 18, 2009 WORLD PRESIDENT OBAMA'S NOBEL PEACE PRIZE — "THE AUDACITY OF GREAT EXPECTATIONS"
Has President Barack Obama achieved enough to deserve an award of this stature? There is clearly room for debate. The prize could be regarded as premature, and a vote of confidence in the president's potential to promote world peace, more than his concrete achievements. Nevertheless if we consider the catalog of actions which the U.S. has taken under his leadership, in less than a year, it is a sea-change in the relationship between America and the world. This includes the fact that the U.S. has now reengaged with the UN security council, as well as becoming committed to global action on climate change, prohibiting American use of any form of torture, announcing the closure of Guantanamo Bay, planning the ending of the Iraq war, seeking new international agreements on the use of nuclear weapons, and generally laying the foundation for new ways for America to behave as a multilateral partner in the world community, rather than an impetuous and arrogant super-power. Time will tell whether these initiatives bear real fruit, for example in the Middle East as well, notably, in the challenges in Afghanistan. But it is a promising start which the Nobel committee recognizes as a clear break with the immediate past. Read the article NEW YORK TIMES/Obama says he's surprised and humbled by Nobel Prize <> He's been in power less than a year. I've read a lot about what he says he wants to do, but surely the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded for actual achievements, not for good intentions? Read the article BBC NEWS/What do you think of Obama's Nobel Prize?
This has killed the credibility of the Nobel committee. This is anything but a conservative /liberal issue. In 1999, Doctors Without Borders won for its pro bono work in third-world and war-ravaged areas. In 2002, Jimmy Carter won both for Habitat for Humanity and his 20-year involvement in international diplomacy after his presidency. Al Gore won in 2007 for his decade of public work on curbing global warming (huge personal carbon footprint aside, perhaps.) One may not agree with the selection of these honorees, but a case could be made for each of the awards. Obama is not in the same league as any of these winners, not as of yet anyway. This is frankly an embarrassment, given a total lack of actual achievements on the prize in question. Having ideas for peace is not the equivalent of executing on those ideas. We should be happy for Obama for the win now that it's official, but that does not make this announcement any less dumbfounding. Read the article WALL STREET JOURNAL/Obama accepts Nobel Prize as "Call to Action." <> The Nobel Peace Prize is awarded for work-in-progress. — Look at Willy Brandt in 1971 and Mikhail Gorbachev in 1990. Read the article MCCLATCHY/President Obama wins Nobel Prize <> President Obama himself does not acknowledge that he did much to warrant his Nobel Prize. While I disagree with a lot of his views and vision of America, I approve of his response here. The media and pundits have overblown this story, which isn't really about the President. Its is more about the vanity or an organization, and the lack of progress the UN has in "World Peace" (demonstrated by the lack of a bona fide Peace Prize Nominee) and the subsequent blaming of the US. I hope he does accept his own "call to action" and broker peace between Israel and Palestinians. Stopping the spread of nuclear weapons to N. Korea and Iran. Pulls troops out of a peaceful and democratic Iraq. Ends the fighting in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Fulfills his promise to end genocide in Darfur. I want to see the president EARN his prize! It should be counted in lives saved, not in votes by europeans for speeches full of apologies and high minded inspiration. Read the article POLITICO/Obama wins Nobel Peace Prize
<> Come on, it can't just be the conservatives around here who see the absolute hollowness and absurdity on parade here? Even the author of this blog pointed out Obama hasn't earned this "yet". The Nobel Peace Prize has been cheapened today. Demeaned. It has less stature now than a Golden Globe Award. My God, he got it based on his proposals? Global nuclear disarmament? If that's the case, why didn't they award John Lennon the Peace Prize for writing "Imagine"? It's an achievement that actually overshadows anything Obama has done because all these years later, the song at least still generates revenue. Read the article THE NATION/The Aspirational Nobel <> Contrary to the shrill condemnation of Obama's detractors, I argue that the President robustly deserves the Alfred Nobel honor. As usual, extremist Republicans and conservatives will say no, just as they have been saying to everything Obama does. Transformational figures throughout history have usually suffered ridicule from those who failed to understand or appreciate their special destiny. That includes King David, Jesus, Mohammed, Gandhi, and Martin Luther Kind, Jr. Obama is no Jesus; but during the Presidential campaign, he was ridiculed as a pretender poised to "walk on water." He is no Moses; but his detractors mocked him as one. Those who invited him for university honors challenged his "body of work" and "lack of accomplishment" at the same time. On the Nobel, consider the implications of his achievements: Obama's popularity abroad has become America's popularity; his desire to rid the world of nuclear weapons (just like Reagan) makes him a man of peace; his focus on international diplomacy, dialogue, negotiation and mediation signals a fundamental departure from the unilateralism of the Bush years; his emphasis on mutual respect and interests rejects the simple concept of "American exceptionalism" as the critical basis for international diplomacy; his goals of meaningful engagement with Russia, North Korea, Iran, the Palestinians and fighting global poverty and environmental degradation also rank high. Indeed, Obama is a MAN OF PEACE--and the hour! Read the article THE NATION/The Aspirational Nobel <> This year's peace prize is memo to a tired, angry or cynical world. It reads: HOPE MATTERS. Does hope really matter, and if so, what is a tired, angry and cynical world going to do to fulfill its hopes for peace? Read the article DAILY BEAST/Republicans flip out over Nobel <> Here in lies the problem with the media and the right wing conservative backlash. They are focused on the recipient of the prize and not the reason why it was given.
The prize was awarded to America for what it stands for. Read the article WASHINGTON POST/Barack Obama wins Nobel Peace Prize
OCTOBER 5, 2009 - OCTOBER 11, 2009 WORLD SOMALI PIRATES MAKE A RUN ON FRENCH FLAGSHIP
Aha, an armed command and supply ship. Sounds like a page from history wen the Brits used Q ships in WW1 to trap U-boats into attacking them. Once the U-boat was sighted down came the Camo and up came the guns. Maybe the French accidentally hit upon a way to stop the pirates. Anyway "Vive la France". Read the article USA TODAY/Pirates mistakenly attack French naval vessel
We don’t kill the pirates on sight because that would mean that the pirates would respond with more violence against the ships they DO manage to capture that are unarmed or otherwise subdued. That is why the 3 pirates shot in the rescue of the Maersk Alabama Captain were allowed to live for so long. Most commercial companies don’t want to either: (1) pay for mercenaries / bodyguards / military support (2) don’t want firefights to occur near their cargo (3) don’t want the crew endangered by that form of resistance. It has nothing to do with politics. The average cost of ransom makes it much less costly, in their opinion, to simply pay the ransom than to deal with potentially bloody consequences. Make a little sense next time. tes, And yes, ultimately the problem with these pirates is that they are destitute. The life of a successful pirate is fraught with riches, women, and respect on the coastal sanctuaries for these thugs. Suffer with commercial ships driving away your business, or attempt to make ends meet — or more — by capturing a trade ship… if you’re desperate enough, you’ll get the gun and go “do something” about it. The solution to the problem isn’t to kill the pirates, it’s to stabilize their country and provide jobs for these people. Idle minds are often more discontent. Read the article CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR/Top five blunder of Somali pirates BATTLE OF KAMDESH, AFGHANISTAN — "A VERY, VERY DIFFICULT DAY."
A small US outpost, decimated by Taliban placed at high ground, using light weapons. Eight hours pass without the ability to repulse by air or ground. The insurgents take casualties, but withdraw into the population. Ah, once again a mosque serves as garrison and sanctuary: if armed "believers" use it or destroy it, that is OK; if the infidels return fire or destroy it, that is an "outrage against Islam." Read the article WASHINGTON POST/8 U.S. troops killed in siege of Afghan outpost <> I, like many of you, do not want us to be in Afghanistan. But, like it or not, we are there. I'm old enough to remember what happened in southeast Asia when we pulled out of Vietnam. I did not support that war either but millions died in the Communist purgings when we left. If we don't learn from our past failures we're doomed to repeat them again. What do you think will happen if we pull out of Afghanistan at this time? The Taliban will most certainly return to their pre 9/11 power with a vengeance and there will be some serious repercussions in the region. Not to mention the fact that their neighbor, Pakistan, has a nuclear arsenal. God help us if the region becomes even more unusable and some of these weapons fall into the wrong hands. This is not a war that we can respond to emotionally. We must think clearly and purposefully and see it through to the end. Putting the blame on past Presidents, whether justified or not, is a fruitless endeavor and accomplishes nothing. Read the article [U.K. TIMES/Worst losses for a year as Taliban storm Nato outpost. <> I understand that the situation on the ground at this outpost in eastern Afghanistan is more difficult and complicated than this article makes it appear. And yet reading the article the tactical aspect makes me scream inside what are we the French? Is this Dien Bien Phu redux? On a remote outpost plagued by inclement weather and poor supply lines why is the high ground exposed? I guess I need to put my eyes on the surrounding terrain but I'm feeling like 'what the French toast' is going on over there? Obviously we need an accomplished tactician to re-evaluate our outpost weaknesses to fix any current mistakes and provide for remedy yesterday! It doesn't take enormous resources to have a West point tactician/professor fly out and vet the current defensive positions at our outposts but it will SAVE valuable resources aka lives with field corrections. Read the article WASHINGTON POST/8 U.S. troops killed in siege of Afghan outpost <> Having spent a lot of time on those remote fire-bases in Afghanistan I can tell you, it sucks, but it's a vital part to fighting an insurgency. Most of these remote fire-bases are at or near a local police compound. The ANA (Afghan National Army) and the ANP (Afghan National Police) are our exit plan from there. Living with them and helping/training them is essential if we ever want to leave. When you just sit on big FOB and conduct night-time snatch-'n-grab missions via Blackhawks, then you've just turned that entire village against you, including the police. But when you live with them and endure the weather with them, they see you get pounded every night with rockets or mortars, they see you out walking around with 150 pounds of gear on, and they see you speaking with the village elders attempting to build trust with population. Read the article WALL STREET JOURNAL/Eight U.S. troops are killed in Afghanistan battle.
RIO 2016 — OLYMPIC GOLD FOR BRAZIL, LAND OF THE FUTURE
Can't we just give Rio the credit for developing and delivering a much better bid. Watch all four presentations and you will come to the same conclusion. Chicago deserved to be eliminated in the first round and Rio deserved to win. Not because Obama came or didn't, or that people hate the USA or don't or any other silly nonsense. Rio won fair & square because they put together a brilliant and impassioned bid/presentation/delivery. The arguments FOR Rio were sound and the presentation in every way showed that Rio could successfully host the 2016 games. That's all folks. Nothing more. Rio was awesome. Read the article NEW YORK TIMES/Rio wins bid for 2016 Olympic Games <> Why must everything become a political issue or a pessimistic view of the future. This is about an event that will bring the world together in a beautiful scenario and create great opportunities for the people involved. Brazilians are tenacious, hard working and believe it, positive people. No matter how much money is left - after the organized crime and politicians have “creamed it”- I have faith that the people of Rio (including the hard working cleaners, bus drivers, postal workers, security guards, waiters…who live in the favelas ) will work they’re flip-flops off to put on a good and safe event. By 2016 Lula and his senate president will be no more than a distant memory and no doubt there will be other no so honorable politicians in charge but why not try a little hard and find a bit of faith that things will work out and that although we won’t eradicate unlawful killings, who know, at least reduce it by half. Read the article U.K. TIMES/Snub for Barack Obama as Rio hosts 2016 Olympic Games. <> "Should Rio Host the 2016 Games?" This is an extraordinarily arrogant question, loaded with prejudice, and in many of the comments I see the same arrogance and prejudice. Read the article BBC- HAVE YOUR SAY/Should Rio Host the 2016 Games?
"Should Rio Host the 2016 Games?" Absolutely not! Brazil is run by organized crime -politicians, civil service, big business and banks, who between them have carved out the country among them, which is why one of the most blessed nations in the world in natural resources is also one of the unfairest in terms of distribution of wealth and income, one of the most corrupt and one of the cruelest. R$40b is being earmarked for the Olympics - R$5b will be invested, the rest stolen - this was a victory for corruption, once again! Read the article BBC- HAVE YOUR SAY/Should Rio Host the 2016 Games? <> Congratulations to Rio, it's about time South America had a chance to participate in a world event. Do they have the ability to pull it off....you bet they do. Will they show the world beauty and hospitality up to and surpassing the standards the have been reached in the past...they will. Will this launch them onto the world stage and give the world an opportunity to see what they have been missing in this country that has been notarized for it's poverty and grand carnival celebrations, and of course crime it will. It will also give the people of this nation an opportunity to realize they can change and live up to world expectations when it comes to caring for all of it's people, and presenting a nation that people from around the world would love to come to if it didn't have such a bad reputation. Once there, and if Lula da Silva can manage to keep things under control....Brazil is about to become rich from tourism. Congratulations again my Brazilian brothers and sisters and don't forget to teach the visitors Samba, Axé, Afoxé, Frevo, and by all means let them get into a session of Samba de Roda....See you guys in 2016! Read the article HUFFINGTON POST/Rio de Janeiro wins 2016 Olympic Vote
SEPTEMBER 28, 2009 - OCTOBER 4, 2009 WORLD RED LETTER DAY FOR COMMUNIST CHINA
I'm deeply proud of my country, China. And I take pride in my identity, a Chinese. It's a sacred day for all the Chinese people around the world, and the civilian and military parade have moved and impressed us greatly.
We, the Chinese people, including 56 ethnic groups, treat each other just like brothers or sisters. Undoubtedly, we live in a country with solidarity and sincere care between us.
Read the article U.K. TIMES/China stages picture-perfect 60th gala <> Of course the fact is that China is not a People's Republic at all, it is a corrupt regime run by a corrupt party. People have no say at all in their lives, all thoughts of democracy are ruthlessly repressed, with journalists and human rights workers being routinely imprisoned for lengthy periods. If you happen to be Tibetan then things are even worse. All efforts at any kind of independence have been crushed mercilessly as have similar attempts in Xinjiang. The Chinese government has had no sensitivity at all in sending Tibetan nomads to gulags in the middle of nowhere, or smashing millennia of culture with the destruction of the old town of Kashgar. Peoples Republic? Still a police state I am afraid. Read the article U.K. TIMES/China stages picture-perfect 60th gala <> There are a lot of my fellow countrymen out there commenting on things they do not understand. I am a white, 30 year old Canadian male who is living in China for my second year. I love Canada, but so many of you comment on things you have no clue about. While China does not hold open and free elections, the LARGE majority of the citizens in this country support and believe in their government (which is a lot more than I can say for ours). This country is booming with opportunities, and the quality of life is advancing faster here than it ever did in Canada. I know many Chinese people who are religious. There are plenty of christian churches here in Dalian, as well as lots of temples. Chinese people speak their minds freely, though they do not get the opportunity to protest their government on Chinese stations (CCTV). Read the article CBC NEWS/China celebrates sixty years of Communist rule AFGHANISTAN COUNTER-INSURGENCY -- COMMANDER'S SUMMARY: "WE CAN DEFEAT OURSELVES."
The mission was to take out terrorist camps and capabilities. The mission creep has been to build a Jeffersonian democracy. How ridiculous. Afghanistan is a tribal, superstitious, backward society. We have had agricultural and political advisors there since the late 40's to no avail. Unless we are willing to stay 1000 years or so, I expect we just need to accept reality and act accordingly. More troops, and then more troops, and then more troops: where have I heard that before. Read the article WASHINGTON POST/ McChrystal: More Forces or "Mission Failure." <> Has anyone ever heard a general not want more troops no matter how significant the cause is to the welfare of our country? Without more troops and the hardware of war, no general wants to end up like the top brass did in Viet Nam. Send more, kill more, destroy more and prepare us for the next reaction to our actions. This does not require deep analysis in my opinion. Just got back from Russia; they are shaking their heads at our involvement in Afghanistan. There will never be a military solution that that mess. Never. Religion trumps military. Read the article NEW YORK TIMES/General calls for more U.s. troops to avoid Afghan failure <> Just because the American public is losing its ability to stomach this war does not mean that the threat present in Afghanistan is diminishing. Just because Bush diverted our resources away from this war in 2003 for a misguided invasion of Iraq doesn't mean that there isn't a job left to do. I'm baffled by the fact that the politically left in America can "tire" of a war and think that this is a sufficient reason to call for withdrawal. It's almost a logical fallacy. What needs to be focused on in Afghanistan is what's the most effective way to continue. Would all of you who make the Vietnam comparison feel the same way if America had suffered ten 9/11's since 2001? Probably not. And for those serving in the Armed Forces, myself included, the only vain effort is that towards which we strive without adequate equipment and support - soldiers and Marines fighting and dying just the same while the war effort is half-assed at home for political reasons ... sounds kinda familiar. Read the article NEW YORK TIMES/General calls for more U.S. troops to avoid Afghan failure. <> This general sets forth a well thought out and convincing rationale why we should add more troops to Afghanistan. He is absolutely correct. Government corruption, failure to help and protect civilian population, a determined opposition willing to use propaganda to highlight our mistakes, is winning the hearts and minds of the Afghan people --— the pool from which these radical groups - yes, "terrorist" groups who see the West as evil and as a mortal enemy --- draw their members. Read the article WASHINGTON POST/ McChrystal: More Forces or"Mission Failure." <> What is the US end state for Afghanistan? I don't mean in general terms I mean specifically. Are we going to just send more and more troops into Afghanistan to kill and maim and be killed and maimed without knowing the ultimate goal? Al Qaeda could leave Afghanistan and reconstitute itself anywhere it likes, so the Al Qaeda = Afghanistan thought process is inherently flawed. it's like chasing a mouse along the baseboard with a broom, there is always a hole for the mouse to hide in and others lurking in the walls if it was caught. The United States had better move beyond its "too big to fail" mindset and remember that despite all of the resources consumed by the Military Industrial Complex since the end of WWII we only have victory in Grenada to show for it. And frankly, why we think that people of other cultures really wish to abandon their ways of life to suit ours is beyond me. Read the article HUFFINGTON POST/McChrystal Afghanistan assessment: More forces or "mission failure. <> LIke I've said many times, fight it the right way to win, or don't fight it at all. However, winning as you allude to is a very deceptive term here. We will "win" if we eradicate every western hating Taliban fighter. Can we really do that? This is a malignant cancer that will merely go into remission until we take pressure off, then come back. These people don't do the whole "being conquered thing" very well.
Read the article DAILY BEAST/McChrystal: More Troops Now, Please <> I really wish that discussions of Afghanistan and Pakistan were more informed by a knowledge of the culture and histories of both countries, not to say the many subtleties of different Taliban factions, tribal factions, and Al Qaeda’s interests. While Ellsberg does mention previous international actions in Afghanistan, he seems totally unaware of what is different now. I am not a great supporter of this war but I do know that the greatest current threat is what could happen to Pakistan and how this could affect dozens of other countries from the US to China. I have little hope that the US will find the correct strategy but let’s at least identify all the issues involved, all the players involved, and the pros and cons of all the types of possible military and civilian actions by the US and other countries. Read the article NPR-WBUR ON POINT WITH TOM ASHBROOK/Candor and Afghanistan.
CHANCELLOR MERKEL'S WIN MOVES GERMANY CENTER-RIGHT
The Germans are nothing if not pragmatic when it comes to returning Angela Merkel for another term of office. She is in touch with most of the German electorate and puts Germany's interests first. Who can blame her for that? She doesn't rant and rave but she knows exactly where and how she is hoping to restore German prosperity. This shows us here in the U.K.that a good coalition government can unite a vast majority of public support for governing during an economic crisis. Read the article BBC NEWS - HAVE YOUR SAY/Will Merkel bring Germany prosperty? <> The problem with the left in Europe is its confused, divided approach and understanding of market economics.
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It must be a strange thing indeed for them to see that, in the middle of one of the biggest crises of the free market we have seen for decades, the biggest winners in the german election were not the anti-capitalist parties, but one of the most ideologically driven, pro-capitalist parties in Europe - the Free Democrats - who are now back in government..... Read the article U.K.GUARDIAN/German lessons for Labour REACTING TO IRAN'S HIDDEN NUCLEAR PLANT
It makes perfect sense for Iran to develop nuclear energy... it can sell its oil & gas for more than the cost of generating domestic energy from nuclear. What DOESN'T make sense is making its own fuel rather than buying it ready to use from Russia, China or France. Iran has no serious domestic uranium reserves so has to buy the ore anyway. Having two purification plants rather than one big one makes no civilian sense either and hiding it just reinforces the suspicion they're making bombs. Read the article BBC-HAVE YOUR SAY/How should the world respond to Iran? <> I'm afraid ultimatums against Iran will not work! They went to the extent of developing a secret nuclear facility in the anticipation that Israel would attack and destroy the first one! This clearly shows intent on the part of the Iranian regime to develop a nuclear bomb - for no secret facility of this nature (and underground at that) is meant for energy production.
The solution is not an ultimatum or sanctions (which are always circumvented) but an invitation to serious dialogue. Read the article U.K. TIMES/West demands access to Iran's secret underground nuclear site <> In the 70s the USSR had a series of disastrous harvests and had to ask the USA to supply it with grain. Shortly after this the USSR and the USA started to melt the cold war because the USSR realized it needed the USA to ensure it's survival. Read the article U.K.DAILY MAIL/Show us your nuclear site or be held accountable.
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![Iran has 29 Tor-M1 mobile air defense systems. [wikipedia]](images/800px-Tor-M1_MAKS_2005.jpg)
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