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

Racist Abuses In British Immigration Centers 2008-01-03 15:52:37 The British Home Office’s Border and Immigration Agency(BIA) recently commissioned a report on its treatment policies. The report offers devastating evidence of widespread intolerance and discrimination against people who are detained. A female office at Colnbook, taunted detainees by saying, “Animals, lock up time,’ as well as describing them as “black bastards.” The team conducting the study reported many detainees said they preferred jail to being at Colnbrook. At Lindholme immigration removal center in South Yorkshire, a member of the staff described North African detainees as “donkeys,” and then proceeded to make animal sounds. An analyst also found evidence of people on staff describing colleagues in derogatory terms. The authors of the report came upon some Jamaicans playing checkers during which they shouted and slammed their fists on the table when doing something correct. Several staff members were ready to sound the alert for a &ld ...

Tensions Remain Active In Middle East Amidst Bombings 2008-01-03 12:45:20 Prime Minister Olmert made a special trip to meet Jordan’s King Abdullah to discuss the growing tensions created by rocket bomb attacks on Israel from Muslim militants and Israel bombing of Gaza Strip targets. King Abdullah urged Israel to stick to the Annapolis Conference road map and halt further building on the West Bank. He emphasized, “halt unilateral activities that may obstruct progress.” The Hamas authorities have done little to halt rocket attacks and as each side bombs, the other feels the need to retaliate. Israel is concerned that a recent rocket attack included a longer range Katyusha which landed in an Israel city. There is little doubt any further such bombings will result in a massive Israel response. Up to this point, the Bush, Abbas, and Olmert approach has been to ignore Hamas as a peace factor. Hamas stands on the sideline creating problems by allowing rocket launches. One solution might be to involve Hamas in peace negotiations. At this point, sin ...

Musharraf Calls In Scotland Yard 2008-01-03 12:16:16 In an address to the nation, President Musharraf announced a six week delay in Pakistan elections, claiming this decision was being made at the request of the Election Commission. He also said that Prime Minister Gordon Brown of England had been asked to send a special Scotland Yard team to help in the investigation of the murder of Benazir Bhutto. Her husband, Asif Ali Zardari, however, urged the involvement of the United Nations into any investigation effort, but his request was rejected by Musharraf. There is no question Musharraf wanted an election, and, most probably gave those instructions to the Election Commission. He fears a powerful sympathy vote for Bhutto and wanted to put some time and space between the killing and the election. Nawaz Shariff, who heads the PML-N, stated he was going to proceed with efforts to form a coalition government with the Pakistan Peoples Party of Bhutto in the event he wins. He also flatly rejected any possibility of working with Musharraf in a c ...

Sacked Colonel Running For Congress 2008-01-03 11:56:14 Lt. Col. Allen West has thrown his hat in the ring and will run for Congress this fall despite his behavior in Iraq which led to punitive action by his superiors. West held a gun next to the head of a detainee and fired a shot which led the man to reveal the names of three associates and helped break up a terrorist group. West was found guilty in a nonhjudicial hearing on three counts of aggravated asault He paid a fine and then left behind his grief stricken men who admired his behavior. West tuaght high school for a year befoegetting wij as a defebse contractor. It is difficult sitting in judgement about a member of the military who makes instinctive reactions in the full fury of battle. Those of us who have not walked in his shoes musty hesitate for a moment before commenting. Colonel West was also an officer who was expected to set an example for his men. In violating rules and regulations, he told his men that was permissible if the circumstances warranted. The problem is which ...

Iranian Barbarism Shocks World 2008-01-03 01:06:59 The government of Norway expressed its shock at the execution of Mrs. Rahele Zamani in the notorious Evin prison of Tehran. She admitted killing her husband and claimed he had abused her for years which finally led to the murderous act. Mrs. Zamani has a three year-old son and a five year-old daughter who are now left without any parents. Norwegian State Secretary Raymond Johansen termed the execution a barbaric act and admitted his small nation could do little to halt the Iranian policy of turning a deaf ear to female abuse by spouses. Mr. Johansen noted the difficulty in criticizing Iran when the world’s supposed great democracy, the United States is among the leaders in executing people for crimes. President Bush, when governor of Texas, said he never lost any sleep after turning down requests to void death penalties because anyone convicted in a Texas court of murder was undoubtedly guilty. Last year, George Bush’s beloved Texas accounted for about 40% of all people ex ...

No Eye For Eye-Jut Shot In The Arm, Says China Leader 2008-01-03 01:02:46 The Chinese government has announced a new direction in its handling of the death penalty-those deemed to be executed will now receive lethal injections rather than receiving a shot in the head. Jiang Xingchang, Vice President of the Supreme People’s Court, said, “It is considerably more humane and will eventually be used in all intermediate people’s courts.” He claims event those sentenced for execution prefer the shot to the shot in the head. Xingchang rejected any suggestion that China would join the world wide trend toward abolishing the death penalty because such action would undermine public security. He argues that Chinese people believe in an eye for an eye and would oppose ending the death penalty. China leads the world in execution of those deemed to have committed a crime. Hopefully, as democracy takes hold in that nation, the idea of becoming part of the world community’s desire to end capital punishment. ...

Who’s On First?–Anybody? No, He’s Running Elsewhere 2008-01-02 17:48:15 The Iowa free-for-all and the upcoming New Hampshire jigsaw offer any politician running for the presidency ample glee since, select your poll, and you can obtain the result desired. Barack Obama claims his polls indicate he has widened his lead in the Iowa poll by at least seven points over Hillary Clinton. But, the New York senator is gleefully pointing to today’s Zogby Poll which indicates she is ahead at 30% followed by Obama at 26% and Edwards at 25%. The Republican primary is moving in the direction of Mike Huckabee who appears in the lead by 32% to Mitt Romney’s 26%. The nation will have to wait until tomorrow evening to finally discover which of the polls is anywhere near the mark of accuracy. In a rather surprising move, Dennis Kucinich advised his Iowa supporters to switch their vote to Barack Obama if his total did not reach the 15% mark. This adds a new complexity to the swirling confusion surrounding the Iowa primary. Meanwhile, in New Hampshire, the once dead ...

Kenya Election A Fraud Claims Election Official! 2008-01-02 14:36:44 Samuel Kivultu, chair of Keyna’s Electoral Commission admitted there was fraud in the election and that he had been pressured to declare President Kibaki the winner. “I do not know whether Kibaki won the election,” said the commissioner who insisted, “we are culprits as a commission. We have to leave it to an independent group to investigate what actually went on.” In the meantime, hundreds of people are dead as groups opposing the stolen election demonstrate in the streets. A church that burned led to the death of over thirty children whose families had taken refuge in the building to avoid angry demonstrators. Government spokesman, Alfred Mutua, said the government would not accept mediation because the results were in and President Kibaki had won re-election. After stealing the election, President Kibaki now offers “dialogue” to his opponents. The people of Kenya want something else– an honest count of all votes. The solution does ...

Israel And Egypt Clash Over Pilgrims 2008-01-02 13:38:24 The return of thousands of Muslim pilgrims who had made the trip to Mecca and were trying to re-enter Gaza has created a diplomatic crisis between Egypt and Israel. The Egyptian government originally said the pilgrims had to re-enter at the Kerem Shalom crossing which is under Israeli control, but yesterday they changed their minds and allowed the two thousand to cross over in Gaza at a different check point. The Israel authorities claim there were several key Hamas military leaders hidden in the crowd and they were bringing in millions of dollars collected while in Saudi Arabia. Accusations are flying back and forth between the two nations. Perhaps, lost in the acrimonious exchange is a more fundamental issue– how does the peace process involve Hamas? Israel refuses any relationship with Hamas and President Abbas will not work with that group until it restores Gaza to control of his Fatah. Perhaps, it is time for all sides to involve Hamas and get them talking rather than rema ...

Bush Iraq Legacy– America’s Wounded Soldiers And Families 2008-01-02 08:34:42 Mrs Rose Lage, a middle aged mother and wife, was looking forward to her husband’s retirement and life spent with the grandchildren. That dreams vanished in the smoke from a bomb blast that severely injured her son Sgt. Michael Lage and left him with severe body burns. It has been rare for President Bush, who is so willing to express trite comments about supporting the troops, to ever confront the hidden cost of his disastrous war in Iraq– the impact upon family members of the dead and wounded. Ft. Sam Houston in Texas now has 500 burn victims and 250 amputees who are being cared for both by the hospital and by family members. Rose Lage left her two story home in Atlanta for a hotel room on the Sam Houston post. She lives with her wounded son and helps with the bandages. Her husband remained for a few weeks but had to return to his job. Living apart has not only been an emotional issue for Mrs. Lage, but it eating into the retirement funds her husband and she had set aside. ... America

Pakistan Vote Delayed For Six Weeks 2008-01-02 08:14:46 Pakistan’s Election Commission announced a postponement of the scheduled election this month until February 18 despite protests by Benazir Bhutto supporters. Observers expected a vote on January 8 would have resulted in a massive sympathy vote for the fallen leader of the Pakistan Peoples Party. Nawaz Shariff, leader of the PML-N, and an ally of Bhutto, strongly urged continuation of the voting process next week. President Musharraf is expected to address his nation today to discuss the election as well as agree to incorporation of foreign observers in an investigation of the assassination of Ms.Bhutto. The George Bush grand design for a coalition of Bhutto and Musharraf had already collapsed long before her death. If election results on February 18 result in a victory for Musharraf’s Pakistan Muslim League party, one can expect the nation of Pakistan to erupt in anger such as never before in its history. Bush simply does not grasp the anger toward Musharraf among many Paki ...

Ron Paul–Stalking Horse For Military/Industrial Complex? 2008-01-02 08:01:22 As the primary season opens tomorrow, the candidacy of Ron Paul looms as an important factor in the election of 2008. There is no question he will never win the Republican nomination, but his run as an independent might have disastrous consequences for those concerned about the end of war in Iraq and the erosion of civil liberties in the United States. In a sense, Ron Paul, could become the Ralph Nader of 2008. the Nader votes in Florida in 2000 transformed a Gore presidency into a Bush fiasco and the horror of Iraq. There will be many contested state elections in which a few thousand votes could turn the tide and provide right wing Republicans a chance for victory. Ron Paul supporters ignore the consequence of a Giuliani or Romney or Huckabee victory. At least two of the Supreme Court’s liberal members who have fought for individual rights are rather elderly and their death or retirement opens the door for a new president to make two key selections that could alter the compositi ... Ron Paul

Hamas And Fatah Clash In Gaza 2008-01-02 07:43:06 Fatah and Hamas supporters clashed in Gaza for the first time in months resulting in the death of a least six people. The fighting came after President Abbas had made a conciliatory speech urging an end to the impasse between the two groups. “There is no way for any party here to be an alternative to the other, and there is no reason for terms like coup or military takeover, but only for dialogue.” However, the head of the Palestine Authority was clear that Hamas must turn over control to Fatah if the two groups are to find common accord in the difficult months ahead. Abbas made an important gesture by offering to end rancor and attacks on his opponents. He undoubtedly angered the Bush administration which seeks to isolate Hamas and keep them out of the dialogue for peace. Hamas won the votes of many Palestinians and their voice must be heard in discussions leading to peace between Israel and Palestinians. Isolation of discordant voices never works. On another note, there a ...

Six Years In Afghanistan- Deep Six! 2008-01-02 01:07:48 Six years after the world celebrated the defeat of Taliban forces, the U.S. military suffered deaths, encountered suicide bombings, and opium production hit record levels in Afghanistan. US officials insist things are looking up, but southern regions of Afghanistan are not under control of the government. Civilian deaths caused by NATO and American forces reached high levels causing many Afghans to turn away from supporting the opponents of terrorists. The Taliban basically employed guerrilla warfare tactics of ambushes and suicide bombings rather than engage in head on attacks. As Lt. Col. Dave Johnson noted, “The Taliban attack whom theyr perceive to be the most vulnerable, and in this case it’s the police. They don’t travel in large formations like the army does. That puts them in an arm of vulnerability.” More than 925 Afghan police died last year. Afghanistan in 2007 witnessed the death of 6,500 people, including 110 US troops– the highest level of an ...

Bush Pakistan Policy–FAILURE! 2008-01-02 01:01:39 A week after the initial attempt to kill Benazir Bhutto, she communicated to an American friend, Mark Siegel, that in the advent of her killing, “I would hold Musharraf responsible.” She is now dead. But, something else died with her, the final results of failed American policies toward the Musharraf government. President Bush placed all his chips on the Musharraf hand, the gamble has been a complete fiasco. Bush and Condi Rice believed they could create a Bhutto-Musharraf coalition, and the opposite took occurred. After the initial attempt on Bhutto, no American pressure was exerted on Musharraf to ensure full scale protection for his opponent. The Bush record in Pakistan is a string of continual failures. The Taliban was crushed in Afghanistan only to have them return to the safety of their sponsors–Pakistan’s ISI. There was a moment when victory over the Taliban could have been attained, but Bush withdrew American forces because he wanted to take on Iraq. Mus ...