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 58 8751

Articles from The Impudent Observer - Global Liberal Issues

Rumors Of Hamas Pro Israel Collaborators! 2007-12-28 10:28:27 Hamas has strengthened security and arrested several members of the Islamic militant group following the arrest of several people who are believed to have been engaged in discussions with Israelis as well as with Arab and western intelligence agencies. These men were supposedly involved in a plot to assassinate senior Hamas leaders in the Gaza strip, including Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh. Several key Hamas leaders, including Sami Bu Zuhri, a prominent spokesperson, were summoned for questioning about their ties with Israel and other nations. Zuhri denies he was questioned and claims the rumors are being spread by Fatah supporters of President Abbas. The Israel Defense Force recently killed two top Hamas leaders who played an important role in firing rockets and rumors suggest their deaths may have been due to information provided the IDF by Hamas sources. Hamas officials have reportedly expressed the view their organization has been infiltrated by Israeli intelligence which is now ...

Ray Of Hope-Democracy Triumphs In Kenya 2007-12-28 09:37:35 The nation of Kenya is experiencing a free election in which an opposition candidate apparently will gain the most votes and oust the present leader, President Kibaki. Unofficial results indicate that Alia Odinga, who once was a political prisoner is surging ahead with about 57% of the vote compared to Kibaki’s 39%. If Kibaki loses he will become the first Kenya leader to be ousted from office since the nation obtained its independence in 1963. At the parliamentary level, Odinga supporters are expected to obtain about 31 of 41 seats already decided. The fight against government corruption was an important theme of the Odinga candidacy and results indicate that vice-pesident Moody Awori has also lost his seat together with several other members of the cabinet. The good news is a fair election took place and someone was defeated and will now leave office. This is the process all nations must experience. We Americans first had the experience in 1800 when John Adams left quietly and ...

Pakistan-Confusion, Anger, And Wonder- Who Did It? 2007-12-28 09:24:25 Angry mobs of Bhutto followers are now raging through the streets and provinces of Pakistan venting their anger at the death of a leader who they felt could restore democracy in their land and, hopefully, address issues of terrorism. Police are firing at demonstrators, bands of youth are closing down factories and other angry Pakistanis are burning cars, and, even ambulances as people attempt to find a way to express their emotions of fury at what has happened to their leader. President Musharraf announced thee days of mourning but made no mention of a state of emergency not did he indicate any change in the upcoming election for a new parliament. Leaders of the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid, his political party, are reportedly now in hiding and they even have switched off their cell phones to escape detection. Benazir Bhutto originally returned to Pakistan hoping to forge some type of alliance with Musharraf, but the president’s blunders in denying entry to Nawaz Sharif, sacking ...

The Times They Are A’Changing? 2007-12-28 09:01:44 The Bush year of confusion and incompetence is now concluding with the disaster that is looming in Pakistan and the growing realization among many European Union nations that war in Afghanistan is reaching a dead end. Israel and the Palestinians struggle to find the where-with-all to create a peace process out of the confusion that was Annapolis and there is considerable doubt anything of importance will emerge in the early months of the new year. The only certainty one can make about the debacle that has been gradually building among members of the Bush administration is that something will be changing in the coming months. Several months ago Rudy Giuliani burst on the scene with high expectations that simply relying on what Senator Joe Biden terms the famous message of the former New York mayor — “a noun, a verb, and 9/11″ would serve to catapult him into the presidency. After several months one can see the fatigue in Rudy’s face as people grow bored and learn ...

US Forces In Africa– Friends To Whom? 2007-12-28 08:36:35 In2002, the Bush administration first sent US troops into Africa in search of terrorists, a search that expanded after the notorious bombing of the American Embassy in Kenya. The United States has now established a Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa which supposedly is engaged in humanitarian efforts to help people. There is no question many American military personnel are engaged in important activities ranging from building schools or providing children with vaccination to ward off diseases. According to Admiral Jim Hart, who commands the forces, “this is the way to put an American face on what we are doing” to help people. Unfortunately, the central questions are which people are being aided and why? The United States encouraged and then provided military support for Ethiopia’s invasion of Somalia several months ago. The invasion force threw out an Islamic fundamentalist government which had established some semblance of order in a chaotic area of the world t ...

Christmas Spirit-Hindus Attack Churches 2007-12-27 19:21:27 Hundreds of federal police were deployed in India’s eastern state of Orissa as Hindu hard-liners burnt an damaged 12 churches while clashing with Christians. It is believed at least one Christian died in the attack. Ostensibly, the Hindus outburst came because some Christian injured a local Hindu leader, but most observers believe it stems from conversion by low-cast Hindus into the Christian religion. Local TV stations showed films of wrecked churches with all windows smashed and furniture strewn around. Archbishop Raphael Cheenath charge police with turning blind eye to the Hindus mob behavior. Barik, a local Hindu leader, responded that Christians had placed religious statues on a Hindu site. Some Christians believe low-cast Hindus convert because of the treatment they receive in the Hindu religion. It is ironic, that in Muslim Indonesia, the Christmas holidays passed without a single incident of violence against Christians, but in predominantly Hindu India, there were clashes ...

The Liebrman Factor For John McCain 2007-12-27 15:17:44 The recent endorsement of John McCain for the presidency by Senator Joseph Lieberman raises many issues for Democrats, Republicans, and Independents. Joe Lieberman, although losing the Democratic nomination last fall, ran as an Independent but promised Democrats he would vote and serve as a Democrat if elected. The decision to back his good friend, John McCain will undoubtedly doom any chance for his re-election, but he most probably has already accepted that reality. Senator Lieberman regards himself as a spokesperson for Israel in the American Senate and blindly follows what he regards as needed by that nation even though many Israelis have other goals such as peace and two independent nations. A recent poll by Fox News reveals that a Lieberman nod only resonates with about 15% of Independents, but attains a 25% approval rating from Republicans. The religious right still has warm feelings for Lieberman who denounced Bill Clinton’s “immoral conduct” and has ferventl ...

Basra In Security Crisis As British Depart 2007-12-27 14:57:57 The police force charged with maintaining law and order in Basra are no match for the militia groups which now, essentially, are in control of the city. Lt. Gen. Jaleel al-Shuwaili claimed militia forces controlled the main ports and terminals in the province and which Basra is the capital, and his forces were incapable of challenging their power. The British military which until recently “controlled” Basra never really interfered with the militia groups and allowed them to run wild and lawless. the police are powerless to even investigate the rise crime and move away from even taking action against militia faction which kill women for “improper un-Islamic dress.” Provincial Council leader, Mohammad Saadoun, supported this view of reality noting that militia groups have carved out “fiefdoms” in which they impose law and order according to their own interpretations. He believes Basra is facing a “security crisis” with an ineffectual polic ...

Barack Obama Promises Health Benefits To Veterans 2007-12-27 14:19:54 Retired Air Force veteran, Andrew Hampton, grew emotional when he rose in an Iowa meeting to ask Senator Barack Obama about his plans to make certain veterans obtained health benefits they needed. Hampton was wearing an Obama T-shirt and the senator asked him to pose a tough question. The crowd laughed but then grew quiet as the military veteran spoke. He said he joined the Air Force in 1956 and retired in 1988 and initially did not receive the health benefits he had been promised due to a “political decision.” Eventually he received a pace-maker. The concern he expressed to the senator was ensuring that those returning from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan receive full medical benefits. “We can’t desert them,” he cried. Obama promised if elected president that he would do all in his power to ensure every veteran obtained needed medical benefits as long as such assistance was necessary. It has taken a Democratic Congress to finally force the Bush administr ... Health

Thailand Leader Threatened With Arrest By Government 2007-12-27 08:58:58 The People Power Party of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra swept to an overwhelming victory in last week’s parliamentary election, but Thaksin still faces problems if he attempts to return from his self-imposed exile in London. The Thai Attorney General warned that, “As soon as he sets foot in Thailand which he claims will be sometime between February and April of next year, he will face police arrest. An arrest warrant has already been issued for him a long time ago.” The billionaire Thai leader is charged with corruption, but he fears there would not be a fair trial if he returns. His party’s victory has definitely given new life to him even thought Thaksin told the press he was abandoning the political arena. That is probably the best course of action for this controversial figure who is expert at arousing passions among the poor people of Thailand. Thaksin is loved by many poor people but he is hated by the military, and, most probably by the King o ... Thailand

Egyptian President Mubarak Offers Mediation To Israel-Syria 2007-12-27 08:44:40 Egypt’s President Mubarak told visiting Israel Minister of Defense, Ehud Barak of his willingness to assume the role of mediator in the dispute between Israel and Syria over the Golan Heights according to a report from the United Arab Emirates’ newspaper, Al-Bayan. Under the proposed Mubarak plan, Israel forces would withdraw from the Golan Heights over a 10-15 year period and when they have departed a force comprising soldiers from Russia, the US and Egypt would assume the role of ensuring there was no violence. Earlier this week, Prime Minister Olmert told visiting US Senator Arnold Spector who was headed to Damascus of his own desire to begin negotiating with Syria over outstanding disputes. The Mubarak offer is fair and can be implemented without any difficulties. It also guarantees Israel security from any future outbreak of violence. This writer would prefer that American forces not be involved in any Middle Eastern compromise and they be replaced by soldiers from Tur ... President

Ciivil Liberties Rebellion Grows In British Parliament 2007-12-27 08:32:48 Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s problems continued to foster growing resentment against his leadership. his proposal to extend from 28 to 48 the number of days a suspected “terrorist’ might be detained without any charges being filed has run into a stone wall of opposition from members of his own party. Labor has a 67 seat majority in Parliament, but at least 38 of its members have already indicated a desire to vote against the prime minister on this issue. His idea suffered a blow when Sir Ken Macdonald, Director of Public Prosecutions, blasted the idea of extending the length of time suspects could be held without the filing of charges. “I think the basic point,” he stated, “is whether you want to legislate on the basis of hypotheticals or whether you want to legislate on he basis of evidence that we have acquired from practice.” Macdonald pointed out there was no evidence the current 28 day limit had failed to do the job of bringing charges a ...

Benazir Bhutto Killed By Gunman In Pakistan! 2007-12-27 08:16:44 Former prime minister Benazir Bhutto escaped an attempted assassination the day she arrived home, but her luck ran out yesterday when she was killed by an assailant as she left her party’s headquarters. A man apparently began firing at her and when she ducked, he blew himself up killing Bhutto together with about twenty of her supporters. An angry crowd chanted loudly, “Dog, Musharraf, Dog” blaming the nation’s president for the killing. Earlier in the day terrorists tried killing Bhutto’s ally, Nawaz Sharif but only succeeded in murdering four of his supporters. Sharif was furious and bluntly stated: “This all happened at the behest of the government. They are 100% responsible, but we are not scared of such actions.” The situation is now at a critical stage in Pakistan. Musharraf’s inept declaration of a state of emergency and removal of prominent supreme court judges who opposed his rule, has now placed the president in an awkward dil ...

Income Gap Continues Widening In China 2007-12-27 07:54:46 Although the media continues reporting the phenomenal economic growth of China, it still remains a nation containing about 900,000,000 people who live in rural areas. Latest figures indicate rural Chinese earn an average of about $546 compared to the approximate $1800 earned by urban workers. There continues to be growth in rural incomes, but even as they increase, the gap continues to widen. But, inability to create a more dramatic rural growth adds other burdens to China. More and more rural people migrate to urban areas in search of a better life which increases demands for farm products although fewer and fewer people are farmers. China’s greatest deficit is in the amount of money allocated for farm production, it lags behind the effort made by many other societies. An effective strategy that would aid China is pouring massive amounts of money to improve education and medical facilities in rural China. That, together with allocating much more funds for science and technologi ...

UNICEF Photo Of Year! 2007-12-27 01:07:43 The UNICEF Photo Of The Year depicts an 11 year-old girl sitting quietly next to a 40 year old bearded man who is her fiance. We gaze at the picture for a moment, sigh, and then go on with our lives oblivious as to its meaning for each individual. The man will shortly be raping this girl after what purports to be a wedding ceremony because he is carrying out his cultural mores and values. The girl will be impregnated without love and he will never regard his actions as violent or disrespectful. The parents of the girl sold her because they “needed the money” and after all, “our men don’t need educated women,” they simply need girls who can bear children, hopefully, males. Leon de Winter, a Dutch writer expressed the feelings many share. “I believe there are regressive cultures. In an era of political correctness, this is a tricky statement. But, there is no other statement that can be made about this image. We behold a regressive man who is taking w ...