The Impudent Observer - Global Liberal Issues Analyzes issues of liberal concern and gives readers a digest of what is reported in over forty newspapers throughout the world to engage them in critical thinking issues. Statistics Unique Visitors: Total Unique Visitors: Outgoing: Total Outgoing: 0 0 0 8518

Articles from The Impudent Observer - Global Liberal Issues

Women Only Bus In Mexico Combats Harassment 2008-01-23 01:12:17 The government of Mexico City began an experiment this week by offering the just-for-women city bus which seeks to protect females against sexual harassment while trying to get around the city. Officials believe about 14% of rapes, sexual harassment, and verbal abuse occur on a bus. According to Susan Navarro, “You have to put up with men wo press against you, try to kiss you, try to grab your purse,”and “no one gives up their seat for pregnant women or mothers with children.” The plan is for an all female bus at least once every half hour during rush time. The bus will cut transportation costs for some women who have been forced to take taxis in order to avoid being bothered by men. This is one of those ideas which leave you wondering why no one thought about it previously. ...

A British View Of American Race Relations 2008-01-23 01:01:55 Leonard Doyle, writing for the newspaper, The Independent, offered a British perspective on America in the year 2008 as it stood silently to remember the work of Martin Luther King. he heard a crowd at the Zion Baptist church in Columbia, South Carolina listen to the words of Rev. Charles Jackson who thundered out the message, “Fight the master-slave mentality.” Doyle noted the apparent chasm between whites and blacks in the state which was highlighted by the essentially all white primary for Republican candidates while Democrats will shortly hold their primary that features a large percentage of black voters. Doyle watched a small group of white supremacists jeer at those celebrating the King holiday as they held aloft Confederate flags which have became an issue in the Republican primary due to efforts by Mike Huckabee to emesh himself in its symbol. Doyle acknowledged the old symbols of separate facilities has disappeared, but new political ones have emerged. The Briti ...

Conflict Continues In Gaza 2008-01-22 09:14:43 The Gaza situation took another turn as Egyptian troops opened fire on Gazans demanding that Egypt open the border to allow needed supplies to enter. About sixty people were wounded in the melee. Kassam rockets continued being fired, Israel slightly relaxed the blockade, and the UN began discussing the situation. A UN discussion must include all facets of the issues ranging from closing borders to prevent supplies from entering to the firing of rockets at civilian targets in Israel. To discuss one without the other leads only to failure at identifying solutions. On a more hopeful note, President Abbas said he would continue negotiations for peace with Israel. Abbas even offered to assume control over Gaza if Hamas would allow this to happen. Secretary of state Rice urged Israel not to provoke a humanitarian crisis by halting shipment of needed supplies into Gaza. The International Red Cross warned medical supplies were running out and urged an end to the embargo on shipment of needed ...

Electoral Winner Will Assume Power, Promises Musharraf 2008-01-22 08:21:51 President Pervez Musharraf during his trip to Europe promised next month’s elecltion s in Pakistan will be free of any government control. “We muast have fair and transparent elections. Whoever wins, obviously power will be handed to them” he told reporters. Although, he is a strong supporter of human rights, the Pakistan president complained people in Europe and the United States appeared to have an “obsessive” interest in this topic. He blamed the death of Benazir Bhutto on militant leader, Baitullah Mehsud, and lamented that his political opponents were trying to link him to the assassination. Musharraf has every right to complain about other nations seeking to influence the course of events in Pakistan, but he ignores how his own actions have led this to happen. The imposition of a state of emergency, the sacking of Pakistan Supreme Court judges, and restrictions on how media reports events only provided fuel for those who believe the people of Pakis ...

“Black Widow” Of Al Qaeda Leader Warns France 2008-01-22 08:11:23 Fatiha Meijita, widow of the al-Qaeda leader, Karim Meijita, warned France that it would be punished for “its fidelity to the United States.” Her dead husband supposedly masterminded the Moroccan tragedy of September 11, 2004 which resulted in the killing of nearly 200 people. She argued the independent policy of former French President Chirac has been replaced by President Sarkozy’s attempt to closely ally his nation with George Bush policies. “France will not longer be set apart,” she warned, “nor protected.” This is one of many warnings from al-Qaeda leaders to European nations whose troops are fighting in Afghanistan. To what extend anyone should take seriously these dire predictions is open to question. There is little evidence al-Qaeda is in a position to inflict serious harm on the French nation. ...

Doomsday Scenario-China-US War 2008-01-22 01:27:31 China experts working for the Rand Corporation have uncovered an amazing amount of public information appearing in Chinese military journals and textbooks about a potential war between the United States and Communist China. In one scenario, Taiwan makes moves to declare its independence, and while American authorities ponder their reaction, Chinese missliles attack US military bases in Japan and South Korea while long-range warheads destroy American satellites in order to cause disruption of communications. In this story, a passive America pulls back from action and seeks to resolve problems with China via negotiations. Roger Cliff, a former Defense Department strategist, told the Air Force Times, “these aren’t war plans. This is the military talking to itself. It’s not designed for foreigners or even China’s general public.” According to experts like Cliff, China’s military is viewing any future conflict as being rather of short duration and conclud ...

Serbia Moves Right And May Be Left Out Of EU 2008-01-22 01:20:33 The continuing presence of Kosovo made a large impact on this week’s election in Serbia with right wing extremists gaining victory in round one of the vote. Nationalist Tomisla Nikolic came out ahead of pro-western incumbent Boris Tadic by a score of 39% to 35%. Tadic told the nation the vote was between walking on a road leading to Russia or venturing on the more significant road leading toward membership in the European Union. A central issue of the vote revolved around the future of Kosovo which intends to declare its independence in the coming months. Tadic is trapped in a Catch 22- he opposes immediate independence for Kosovo but also wants Serbia to enter the EU. The European Union is supporting Kosovo’s desire to be an independent nation. Nikolic favors close ties with Russia which has been supportive of efforts to prevent Kosovo independence. Nikolic wll employ waving the red flag of defiance against Kosovo, but, at best, he can delay but he can not prevent the brea ...

Headscarf Issue Continues Dividing Turkish Society 2008-01-22 01:18:55 Turkey’s Prime Minister Erdogan blasted judiciary critics of the proposal to life the ban on females wearing headscarves in Turkish universities. His Justice and Development Party, (PKK) is committed to end the ban and believes its majority in the nation’s political structure indicates the nation is behind them on this issue. Historically, since the days of Ataturk’s founding of modern Turkey, the nation’s armed forces and leaders have been strong supporters of a secular society in which religion does not interfere with everyday life. the political victory of the PKK marks a sharp divergence from what has transpired in the past and Erdogan is fighting to carry out the mandate of ending the headscarf ban. Erdogan is now confronted by the army and the judiciary which will fight any attempt to alter the secular nature of Turkey. The Council of State made clear its oppositon to Erdogan’s proposal by stating: “The plans to(lift the ban) will not remain li ...

Ahmadinejad Blasted By Iran’s Supreme Leader 2008-01-22 01:12:31 Iran’s chief religious leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in a humliating rebuff, gave orders to President Ahmadinejad that he will provide cheap gas to villagles who are undergoing power cuts amind an unexpectedly harsh winter. The supreme head of Iran sided with members of parliament who have been urging Ahmadinejad to take action to assist the rural poor. Khamenei ordered enactment of a law requiring the government to provide $1 billion of gas supplies from emergency reserve funds. Ahmadinejad had refused to implement the measure and accused parliament of exceeding its power in passing the bill which came in response to low temperatures and gas cuts which have left many areas without heat during one of the coldest winters on record. Khamenei’s intervention is one of several indications he is losing patience with the incompetent performance of Ahmadinejad. In a recent speech, Khamenei made it known he no longer viewed the present government as among the best in recent times ...

Myth Of Free Education In Kenya 2008-01-22 01:06:34 The goverment of Kenya issued a confidential circular to schools which stated the State would only pay fees for students in classes containing between 40-45 students. According to information obtained by the Kenyan Daily Standard, schools in urban and semi-arid areas must have a minimum of 40 studens and a meaximum of 45 in order to qualify for government funding. A few days ago, head teachers and teacher unions claimed classes contained at least 50 students in many places. The Kenya National Union of Teachers noted the Education Act clearly stateds a school should have a minimum of 10 students. One can only wonder if the Kenya government is still reacting to events of the past few weeks. In any respect, claiming classes must have 40 but not more than 45 makes scant education sense. What exactly is the problem of having 46 or 47 students if a teacher already has 45? ...

European Union Alters Danish Immigration Law 2008-01-22 01:04:26 During the past five hundred years people have been migrating from one continent to another and today there are about 200,000,00 migrants living in another nation. One of the ongoing issues is allowing an immigrant to be united with family members who remained home while the migrant sought work. The European Union has made it clear to the Danish government it can no longer prevent immigrants from being reunited with spouses. EU regulations state if a person has been working in a EU nation, then a spouse must be allowed to enter their home country. It is presently estimated nearly a 100 Danes are compelled to move to Sweden each month due to strict immigration procedures. The beauty of being a member of a union is being able to travel anywhere within its boundary and to bring along a spouse. It is about tme Denmark joined the movement of free travel. ...

Initiatives To Help Burmese Must Include India-China 2008-01-22 01:03:39 Meidyatama Surodiningrat, writing in the Jakarta Post, argues making speeches that denounce leaders of Myanmar make for good headlines, but do nothing to alter the repressive regime which controls the people of Burma. He is critical of Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, who sharply attacked the Burmese leaders and those refusing to take action. “The junta cannot be bullied by words, least of all from a country insignificant to its political agenda.” He also notes some nations which were critical of the Burmese government like Australia, France and the United States, have companies operating and investing large sums in that nation. The author argues for realistic, quiet diplomacy as the best course of action to bring about change in Myanmar. But, no initiative can succeed without the active support of India and China which have extensive holdings in Burma. The ruling Burma junta conducts its affairs under the name, the State Peace and Development Council,(SPDC ) a ...

Multiculturalism–Why It Binds, Not Divides Nations 2008-01-21 13:03:34 During the past four hundred years, the American people have struggled with multicultural issues in an effort to create a society inhabited by those of diverse backgrounds. In the 1660s when England took over New Amsterdam, they found a city in which over 14 languages were spoken including Hebrew of early Jewish settlers who fled the Spanish Inquistion. Benjamin Franklin, writing in the 1750s was concerned about efforts of alien immigrants to “Germanize” the English colonists. We Americans have always confronted multicultural issues which invariably included bigotry and prejudice. Early American history contained two major issues of diversity– slavery and Catholicism. English settlers brought their anti-Catholicism to the colonies and that feeling endured for hundreds of years. The arrival of poor Irish immigrants in the 1830s and 1840s resulted in a dramatic rise in percent of Americans who were Catholic. Nineteenth century America was familiar with newspaper ads war ...

Great Britain Warns President Kibaki Of Kenya 2008-01-21 12:36:49 Adam Wood, the British High Commissioner in Kenya, warned its government there was a strong possibility President Kibaki’s government would not be recognized due to the blatant violation of democratic procedures in the last election. Kibaki is upset at the debate in England’s House of Commons during which the deputy minister for Foreign and Commonwelath affairs, Ms. Meg Munn, bluntly stated the government’s disappointment with the Kenya election process and would not recognize Kibaki as leader of that country. Kenya’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Moses Wetangula, said “the issue of our eelctions is not a subect to be debated in a foreign parliament.” Raila Odinga, who most probably won the election, has repeatedly asked for assistance from the world community in order to assist the voice of Kenyans to finally be recognized by President Kibaki. Over 500 Kenyans have died as a result of the stolen election, surely their deaths should not have been in ... President

Flash!-Saudi Women Can Get A Hotel Room! 2008-01-21 09:35:13 The Saudi Arabian Ministry of Trade has issued a circular to hotels advising them it is now permissible to allow a single woman to obtain a hotel room even though she is not being escorted by a male relative. This dramatic breakthrough in human rights comes after an exhaustive study by the Saudi Arabian Commission for the Propogation of Virture and the Prevention of Vice and the Commission of Tourism in order to determine if it was religiously correct to allow a single woman to actually get a hotel room or gain access to a furnished apartment. They uncovered while doing the study examples of a husband throwing a wife out of the home and she being unable to even get a hotel room without special permission of the police. Now, that Saudi Arabia has entered the 19th century, perhaps it is time to take a crack at the 20th and even allow Saudi women the dangeous right to drive a car without having a male escort. Who knows, perhaps in the 22nd century women may even get a right to vote and b ...