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 57 8575

Articles from The Impudent Observer - Global Liberal Issues

Mitt Romney- A Man For All Seasons 2007-12-30 08:23:23 As voters prepare to cast their ballots in Iowa this week, the candidacy of former Governor Mitt Romney will be a centerpiece for Republican hopes. His campaign is well funded since he has the necessary money to present his views, but more important is the continual ethical issues presented by his candidacy. While Rudy Giuliani is frequently attacked for bombastic boasting, Romney increasingly raises eyebrows for his tendency to say whatever will please voters, regardless of the fact the day prior he said something different. As governor of Massachusetts, he supported Bush tax cuts, and never came out against legal or illegal immigrants. Last week, when asked if he would attack Senator John McCain on immigration, Romney indcated he would hold off, but yesterday his ads blasting away at McCain on immigration were being shown all over Iowa. Earlier this year, Romney claimed to be a hunter all his life, but investigation revealed he had only hunted three times and didn’t even posse ...

Dueling Election Numbers in Kenya Cause Chaos 2007-12-30 01:31:02 Kenya conducted a democratic election which was supposed to produce a president who had clearly gained a majority of the vote. Unfortunately, there are widely different vote results at this point in time. The opposition party, the Orange Democratic Movement, claims the vote results are 4,215,000 for its candidate Raila Odinga and 3,715,000 for the incumbent President KIbaki. However, the Election Commission is offering a different set of numbers claiming the vote is 3,880,000 for Odinga and 3,842,000 for President Kibaki. There are some reports of violence in Nairobi although, overall, the election was conducted in a fair manner. One problem about the Election Commission results is that at least 20 top level ministers in the current government were defeated for seats in parliament. Ordinarily, when a government suffers such dramatic loss among its top leadership it is indicative that the electorate is voting for the opposition. The nation of Kenya waits anxiously for final figures and ...

Is Israel A “Jewish State?” 2007-12-30 01:19:39 The history of Zionism and the quest for a homeland for Jewish people contains an underlying concept that such a homeland would be home to people of various faiths besides Jews. Until President Bush made his recent controversial remark that Israel was a “Jewish state” there is little evidence of such a feeling among prior efforts to establish peace between Israel and Muslim nations. This claim was never brought up during negotiations with the PLO, with Arafat or the Palestinian Authority. It was never raised during discussions with Egypt and Jordan when peace treaties were being hammered out with those nations. No such claim was ever made during the famous Camp David discussions between Sadat and Begin. As always, George Bush displayed his propensity for ineptitude, by introducing a concept that was never on the table for negotiation regarding the future of Israel. Arabs have good reason to reject this concept, particularly since 20% of Israel’s population is compose ...

Jacob Zuma Faces New Corruption Charges In South Africa 2007-12-30 01:07:57 Last week, the African National Congress selected Jacob Zuma as its leader, which ordinarily, given the party’s domination of South African politics, is a first step toward becoming president of the nation. However, South African prosecutors yesterday levied new charges of money laundering, tax evasion, and racketeering to go along with and earlier indictment of fraud and corruption. President Mbeki, a political opponent of Zuma, had fired him as the deputy leader of the nation after he was acquitted on rape charges, but his financial advisor was sent to jail for soliciting bribes. The new indictment was denounced by many sectors of the African National Congress as stemming from a vendetta by President Mibeki. Ironically, all players in this crime drama belong to the same political organization– the African National Congress. Zuma’s trial will begin in April, 2008 and he has promised to step down from running for the presidency if he is convicted. Although, he has ma ...

Cuba Sends Doctors, Philippines Sends Nurses! 2007-12-29 16:38:11 Doctors in the Philippines are turning themselves into nurses in order to obtain medical positions in the United States due to difficulty in having their medical education recognized by Americans. The resulting brain drain is impacting the quality of medical care in the Philippines. The Cuban government has offered to provide much needed doctors since their nation produces a surplus of medical practitioners. Cuban Ambassador Jorge Rey Jimenez told the Philippine government, “We have lots of doctors and medical practitioners. We have offered them to the Philippines” but have yet to receive a response. Cuba now provides 17,000 doctors and dentists to Venezuela in exchange for oil which has resulted in bringing down maternal and child deaths to only one-fifth of their former level. The United States has one doctor for ever 150 people, Cuba has one for every 159 and the Philippines has one for very 10,000 people. The United States provides military aid to the Philippines, but t ... Philippines

Muslim Alevis Protest German TV Program 2007-12-29 13:33:17 Thousands of Alevis from both Germany and Turkey are gathering for a massive protest in Cologne over a German TV program which they claim was insulting to members of their religion. The Alevi denomination is a distinct and liberal movement in Islam and its members are manly found in Turkey and Syria as well in parts of Europe. Germany is believed to have about 700,000 members. The Alevis have been the target of Islamic fundamentalists and 37 of Turkey’s Sunni and high profile Alevi artists and intellectuals were killed in a fire set by Islamists in 1993 in Turkey. The episode in the German crime series, “Tatort” dealt with murder and incest in an Alevi family in Germany. In the program, Alevis are depicted as being quite different from Alevis. During the Ottoman Empire, the Alevis were frequently accused of incest because they included women and children in their religious rituals. In the offending episode, a girl is murdered by her father after confronting him abou ...

Issue Of Pakistan Election Creates Confusion 2007-12-29 13:05:56 Pakistan continues to experience chaos in the aftermath of the assassination of Benazir Bhutto. New reports indicate the original belief she was killed by bullets and shrapnel from the explosion were incorrect. The latest version is the shockwave fro the blast threw her body against the reinforced sunroof of the car and that led to her death. Bhutto supporters are still marching chanting slogans like “General Killer” since they believe the president of Pakistan was somehow responsible for the death of their leader. The Pakistan army has orders to fire on sight against any violent demonstrators and these encounters so far have resulted in the death of at least 31 people. Acting Prime Minister Mohammedian Soomoro insists the elections “stan as they are” and there are no plans to cancel them. Nawaz Shariff, a past opponent, but recently an ally of Bhutto has threatened to boycott the election, but his final decision has yet to be made. Foreign leaders like Englan ...

From Super Power To Super Disorder-America, 2007! 2007-12-29 10:13:11 The best evaluation of the Bush administration in 2007 came from Kevin Conrad at the Bali Conference on global warming when he said to the United States: “We seek your leadership. But, if for some reason, you are not willing to lead, leave it to the rest of us.Please get out of our way.” Upon his assumption to the presidency in 2001, Bush led the world’s super power, today, after seven years of ineptitude and confusion, that world is over and has been replaced by one in which China, Russia, India, and the European Union now share joint planet leadership. In 2001, an American tourist could get a decent return when exchanging his dollar bill for a Euro, today, it is worth about 60% of the Euro. The steady decline of America continues as Bush rides into the sunset of retirement. A humbled Russia was unable in 2001 to use its political or economic power on the world arena, today, the arrogant, sneering voice of Vladmir Putin lectures America on what it can or can not do. ... America

Tale Of Two Muslim Nations-Pakistan And Indonesia 2007-12-29 09:19:15 The nation of Pakistan is going through a massive convulsion following the death of Benazir Bhutto, but several hundred miles away in the most populous Muslim nations of the world, there is no terrorism and no violence raging through its streets. According to Indonesian Inspector General Sisno Adwindo, “there was no bombing incident related to terrorism in 2007, but we have to remain alert for such a threat next year.” What accounts for the absence of religious fanaticism in one Muslim country while the other is wracked by non-stop fighting and killing? At the heart of this matter is the emphasis among Indonesian leaders for a preventive approach, ward off terrorism before it can begin. The Indonesian government works closely with religious leaders in an effort to achieve what Sisno terms, “a united perspective on terrorism.” America has emphasized to Pakistan that only military action will deal with terrorism, and, in so doing, unleashed the forces of war and v ...

Bad News-China Adopts First Anti-Drug Law 2007-12-29 09:01:38 Chinese legislators have decided to go the route of most nations by passing the nation’s first law which makes use of drugs an illegal activity. The bill says owners and managers of discos, bars, nightclubs and other entertainment venues are responsible to report drug takers to the police or face punishment. Police are authorized to search people and their luggage for illegal drugs at key public places such as train stations, long-distance bus stations and border crossings. The law does allow drug users to undergo recovery programs within their own communities rather than being imprisoned. Among the drugs listed in the law are opium, heroin, and marijuana. Making drug use an illegal activity is a sure-fire way to increase the number of people residing in jails. China has an opportunity to go in a direction other than the American model which emphasizes punishment rather than assistance to those using drugs. This particular law which places responsibility on owners of establishm ...

Who Killed Bhutto? Where Does Musharraf Fit In Story? 2007-12-29 08:50:23 President Bush immediately blamed Al-Qaeda or the Taliban or both for the murder of Benazir Bhutto. Words like “extremists” or “terrorists” are being cited for the murder of a leader who was challenging the regime of President Musharraf. However, in the streets of Pakistani cities, the cries are somewhat different as grieving followers of the fallen leader blame President Musharraf and the “agencies” of his government such as the Intelligence service. Yesterday, a leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Q, which supports Musharraf, was blown up by a roadside bomb, undoubtedly by followers of Bhutto. Lost in the anguish and confusion of the moment is the reality behind Benazir Bhutto who is being transformed into a fallen martyr. In a story published in the London Review of Books, Tariq Ali pointed out that Benazir’s own brother, Murtaza, who demanded a return to the original secular values of the Pakistan People’s Party, was murdered by pol ...

From Fighting To Building, Says Petraeus 2007-12-29 08:16:20 In an end-of-the-year letter to his troops, General Petraeus told them military factors had significantly improved which allows a new focus on nation building. He urged the troops to work on helping Iraqis obtain jobs, revitalize markets, build schools and provide needed services. At present the inhabitants of Baghdad are only obtaining enough electricity 11 hours out of the day which is not sufficient for develop a vibrant economy. Petraeus also believes the United States must urge political reform on the Iraqi government. However, the commander also recognized there are many military problems such as growing militancy in north Iraq as insurgents have left the city of Baghdad to fight elsewhere. For some unusual reason, Petraeus did not focus on the deteriorating situation in south Iraq where Basra has now virtually become a city controlled by competing militia groups. There is something ironic in this letter. Years ago President Bush and his administration was urged by Middle Easter ...

Military-Goodbye Pay Hike-Bush Will Veto Defense Bill! 2007-12-28 14:38:47 Members of the United States military who were expecting a 3.5% pay increase(President Bush wanted 3% but finally gave in to Democrats) will have to wait because the president intends to veto the bill. His veto threat caught Congressional leaders off guard because until this point, he had never raised any objection to a particular item in the bill. The provision allows lawyers to have Iraqi funds frozen in cases involving the misdeeds of Saddam Hussein. Democrats argued the provision was meant to assist victims of Saddam’s cruelty to get compensation. The Iraq government now claims it would allow US prisoners of war during the Gulf War to sue for compensation! Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi made clear, “the administration should have raised its objections earlier, when the issue could have been addressed without a veto.” The ongoing arrogance of George Bush can no longer be a surprise to any American. He initially opposed the 3.5% pay raise as “excessive,&rdq ...

Czeching Immigration In The Czech Republic 2007-12-28 13:41:16 Under new legislation passed in the Czech Republic legislature, there will be stringent new requirements for foreigners seeking to become citizens of the nation. An EU citizen would have to live in the Czech Republic for two years and be married for one year to a Czech in order to obtain permanent residency. There is now a language requirement making it necessary to speak the Czech tongue. A non-EU woman who marries a Czech and has a baby before the required wait time has elapsed would not have medical benefits event though the child is a Czech citizen. The new laws are similar to others being passed in European Union nations to make more difficult obtaining citizenship. The Czech Republic now has 126,000 people from the Ukraine, 66,000 from Slovakia, and about 45,000 Vietnamese who live and work but are not citizens of the nation. The ironic aspect of tightening requirements is that Europe has a low birthrate and desperately needs more children so the only effect of such laws is to ...

New Iraqi Insurgent Underground– Hair Salons! 2007-12-28 11:08:50 A new underground movement involves women furtively seeking refuge in homes where they gather wit fellow conspirators in fighting the oppressive Islamic fundamentalist males who believe women caring for their hair or personal appearance is a violation of their religion. A few years ago in the aftermath of Saddam Hussein’s overthrow, hair salons were thriving just as they had under the regime of Saddam, but the installation of Islamic leaders led to the suppression of this feminist desire for beauty. Islamic extremists will not allow women to appear beautiful in public and beginning two years ago, many salons were blown up, several hair stylists killed, and others forced to close their shops. These same religious fanatics have also targeted liquor stores, barbershops and churches. A Turkish reporter visited one of the salons where stylist Kifah, commented: “See this salon? It’s never been empty, nor through the Iraq-Iran war, the Gulf war, or this war. Women are women ...