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

Pakistan Political Parties Consider Electoral Boycott 2007-11-20 07:30:20 Pakistan’s political opposition to the rule of General Musharraf is considering boycotting the upcoming parliamentary elections since they fear there will be no honest vote. Benazir Bhutto of the Pakistan People’s Party is discussing with her followers the possibility of refusing to take part in what most probably will be a rigged election. She notes that 25,000 ballots are being sent to each constituency which can be used to ensure victory for the Musharraf backed Muslim League. PTI Chief Imran Khan is beginning a hunger strike in protest to the suspension of the Constitution, but the Muttahda Majis-e-Amai(MMA) stated it would be involved in the election because boycotting would only ensure victory for the Muslim League. Pakistan is confronting an unusual situation since apparently there are efforts on the part of Musharraf to stack the deck for his political supporters. Ordinarily, the Pakistan Supreme Court could halt such activities, but it has been replaced by Musharra ...

China Urges Myanmar Leader To Respect UN Pleas 2007-11-20 07:14:04 Premier Wen Jiabao of China told Myanmar’s Prime Minister Thein Sein that the people of his nation must make final determinations as to their future, but the “international community should provide constructive assistance.” He urged the Burma leader to work with the UN special envoy, Ibrahim Gambari on finding a peaceful solution. The Association of Southeast Nations (ASEAN)rejected calls by the United States Senate for suspension of Myanmar from that organization and imposition of economic sanctions. Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hu Sen said “Economic sanctions are not good, they will lead to disaster for the civilian population.” The trouble with China or SEAN is their belief the people of Myanmar somehow are in a position to decide what is in their best interests. In the best of all worlds, if the Burmese people had any say in what goes on in Myanmar, the outside world should stay out of their business, but, in reality, a brutal dictatorship of gener ...

School Shootings Averted In Germany And Norway 2007-11-19 19:30:31 Two weeks after a Finnish student went on a rampage that left several classmates dead, a potential school massacre was avoided in Germany due to alert students. The students alerted school authorities that a fellow student had posted photos of the 1999 Columbine shooting in an Internet chat room. The planned event was to be the work of two students. Last Friday, school authorities questioned one of the shooters, a boy identified as Rolf B. about the Columbine photos and he claimed he was trying to avoid a repeat of Columbine and agreed to remove the photos. He then committed suicide on his way home by throwing himself under a tram. Police searched the flat of his fellow conspirator, Robin G and discovered two crossbows, a number of air guns, and instructions for making petrol bombs. Robin G. told police: “We wanted to cause injuries and kill people and then we wanted to kill ourselves.” A fellow student recalled being asked by Robin G., who was described as a loner, to get ...

Suicide Boy Faces Charges In Sweden 2007-11-19 18:42:19 A teenager in Sweden told his friends that he was going to overdose on heroin, and then proceeded to lock himself in a bathroom. His friends ignored the boy’s comment and contacted the police who came to the apartment and broke down the door of the toilet in order to save the boy’s life. OK, so far? But, after saving the boy’s life, the police charged him with possession of drugs! The boy’s comment to being charged was: “It does more harm than good.” There is something wrong in this war against drugs when the best response authorities can make to a teenager’s plea for help is to charge him with a crime. The boy TOLD his friends that he might kill himself, that is not what people who seriously wish to commit suicide do– his comments to the friends were a desperate plea for assistance. The boy needs a therapist, not going to jail or having his record damaged by being cited as someone who was charged with a crime. ...

Northern Iraq Violence Rises As Baghdad’s Declines 2007-11-19 14:16:07 The Bush initiated surge which placed an additional 30,000 troops in Baghdad has led to a reduction in violence, but Maj. Gen. Mark Hertling believes al-Qaeda has simply shifted its forces to the north in order to avoid further encounters with an powerful American armed force in the nation’s capital. “What you’re seeing is the enemy shifting” as they create a new power base. However, he is witnessing a slight decline in the overall enemy attacks since the number of road side bombs has decreased from 1,830 in June to 900 last month. General Hertling sees success in many efforts, but warns “it is still going to be a very tough fight to eliminate those terrorists and insurgents and extremists completely.” The unknown factor in the famous Bush “surge” is the long term impact of these soldiers upon terrorist activities in Iraq. A classical guerrilla warfare strategy is retreating before strong opposing forces, and waiting until the time is ap ...

EU Promises Tough Talk To Mugabe 2007-11-19 14:03:36 The African-European Union Summit meeting next month is still wracked with arguments from many EU members who are opposed to the presence of Robert Mugabe, leader of Zimbabwe. He is accused of gross violations of human rights, of destroying his nation’s economy, and hostility toward those who oppose him. According to a spokesperson for Prime Minister Gordon Brown of England, “the message from the prime minister is clear, neither he nor any senior official will attend if Mugabe does.” EU leaders have promised to make clear to Mugabe their concern over violations of human rights. Zimbabwe has an inflation rate of about 15,000% and its economy is in ruin after Mugabe drove out productive white farmers and gave their land to his cronies who had no interest or experience in farming. About 75% of people are unemployed and at least a million have left the country seeking work elsewhere. Mugabe insists he has done nothing wrong and all problems stem from western hostility. Pe ...

Prime Minister Olmert Takes Steps For Peace– Or Does He? 2007-11-19 08:26:58 The Israel Cabinet voted to allow release of 441 prisoners in order o fulfill Prime Ministerf Olmert’s pledge that he would release some of those in jail as a gesture of good will. He also made a strong statement regarding the building of West Bank settlements. “Let’s be straight, we committed ourselves in the road map not to build new settlements and we will not build any.” However, the Palestinian negotiator, Saeb Erekat, responded to the announcement by noting, “He omitted from the Israel obligation in the road map that the Israel government must freeze all settlements including natural growth.” There apparently is some confusion as to whether or not Olmert’s statement forbids natural growth of new building arising from the present number of people in settlements. Prime Minister Olmert insists that Annapolis is “not a conference for negotiation” but a meeting to discuss future negotiation. This stance is bound to irritate other n ...

Why Do Russians Want Authoritarian Leaders? 2007-11-19 08:09:53 A Soviet era joke reveals the surrealism of the Russian people. In the joke, Joseph Stalin, Nikita Khruschev, and Leonid Brezhnev are riding in a train when the engine suddenly halts. Stalin has the engineer shot. The train still doesn’t move. Khrushchev posthumously rehabilitates the engineer, but the train still doesn’t move. Brezhnev then draws the curtains and says: “Good. We’re moving.” In an interesting article in the Moscow times, Alex Bayer raises questions about his fellow Russians and why they go along with the Putin charade that the nation is adhering to democratic procedures. Putin has portrayed himself as a man of action and people go along with that imagery despite the growing disrespect he displays for principles of democracy. “In fact,” says Bayer, “there is little reason to doubt that he will leave office in the same way as the overwhelming majority of his predecessors — in a casket.” Putin has destroyed all ...

Prime Minister Erdogan Supports Rights Of Kurds In Turkey 2007-11-19 07:45:27 Prime Minister Recep Erdogan expressed disapproval with attempts within his nation to close down the Kurdish Democratic Society Party (DTP) on grounds it is aiding Kurdish rebels. He called on those who seek to end terrorism to focus on peaceful means rather than display hostility in the world of politics. “The path of democratic struggle using legitimate politicial platforms, not mountains, must be chosen.” the prosecutor’s office has begun proceedings to ban the party, saying it had become a “base for activities which target the independence of the state” and is working with an outlawed terrorist group. The DTP has twenty seats in parliament and rejects any links with the Kurdish Workers Party which is behind terrorist activities. Erdogan said the people of Turkey must respect the “choice of tens of thousands of voters. It reflects a democratic preference. Therefore, we do not choose anti-democratic means.” He pointed out his Justice and Deve ...

Iran’s Behavior Threatening to US Says Admiral Fallon 2007-11-19 07:30:44 At a meeting in Cairo with Egyptian President Honi Mubarak, Central Command chief Admiral William J. Fallon warned Iran that its behavior is not helpful to world peace. “I don’t want the Iranians to make a mistake and feel that we are afraid of them or not willing to stand up for things that we should in this region. There’s concern over the iranian behavior, concern in the region from the radical talk that is constantly threatening people.” The United States charges Iran has been supplying aid to militants in the Iraq war and Fallon believes “Iran is a challenge to us, to me as a commander in chief in this area.” He wants Iran to cooperate with other nations. In the post 9/11 tragedy, the iranian government not only condemned the attack but cooperated with US forces that invaded Afghanistan. Iraq has firm relations with Iran which has been helpful to its government. the Iranian government has cooperated with Turkey. It is unclear exactly which na ...

Saudi Arabia Atomic Plan Offer To Iran Being Considered 2007-11-19 07:19:32 Saudi Arabia has suggested to Iran a way out of the current impasse regarding activities within that nation to develop nuclear power. The Saudis are proposing that Iran join with the six nation Gulf Cooperation Council in a consortium of countries which would jointly develop uranium enrichment for peaceful nuclear purposes. President Ahmadinejad responded by saying, “We will be talking with our (Arab) friends” regarding the proposal and was willing to meet in Switzerland with interested parties. Muhamed El Baradi of the International Atomic Energy Agency reported to the Security Council that his investigations indicate Iran is still pursuing enrichment activities but of a low quality that is more appropriate for peaceful uses than for development of weapons. Ahmadinejad has previously rejected Russian proposals for a consortium, but if he decides to join with fellow Arab nations it might be a simple way to avoid a nuclear confrontation with war hawks in the Bush administrat ...

Pakistan Foreign Office Dismisses US Threat 2007-11-19 01:14:14 Muhammad Sadiq, a spokesperson for the Pakistan Foreign Office dismissed warnings from US envoy, Negroponte, for an end to the state of emergency by saying, “This is nothing new. The United States has been saying this for many days. He has reiterated it.” General Musharraf is insisting the security of his nation comes first and he will not back down from the current state of emergency until conditions have improved. In the meantime, the provincial assemblies in Punjab, Sindh, and Balochistan have been dissolved and caretaker governments established. Benazir Bhutto praised the United States for insisting on an end to the state of emergency and restoration of democracy. But, in response to questions about future relations with Musharraf, she responded; “This nation is waiting for General Musharraf to give a date to retire as Army Chief.” A problem facing American foreign policy aims is that President Bush completely misread Musharraf just as he thought President ...

Turkey Proposes Middle East Peace University 2007-11-19 01:05:10 This past week, the Turkish government hosted a meeting between President Peres of Israel and President Abbas of the Palestinian Authority in an effort to further the cause of Middle Eastern peace. President Gul after some initial discussions with the rector of Bilkent University is urging a follow up by creating an institution of higher learning in Jerusalem which would serve students from Israel and Palestine. Al-Qads University in Jerusalem may also have been contacted to support the venture which hopefully can open as soon as next year with a school of medicine that would be the largest in the Middle East. the proposed name of the new institution would be the University of Peace. This is an excellent idea to bring together young people not only from Palestine and Israel, but from other Arab nations in an environment which would be dedicated to fostering peace. Hopefully, faculty would be draw from all backgrounds and a possible outcome might be creating a School of Education whose ...

US Attack On Iran– Possible Oil Retaliation? 2007-11-18 19:48:56 President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran said he had no intention of using oil as a weapon in his conflict with the United States, but if President Bush authorizes an attack on his nation, we “know how to react.” He claimed, “We would never want to use oil as a weapon or to take any illegal actions… but if American takes any action against us, we will know how to reply.” His comments came at the conclusion of an OPEC meeting at which Iran’s leader raised the issue of whether or not it was time to cease linking the price of oil to the American dollar. There are fears due to ambiguous comments from the Bush administration that the United States might take some offensive action against Iran which would probably result into an oil embargo or blocking of oil shipping channels. Ahmadinejad was hopeful and said, “my prediction is that no war will break out in the region.” As a result of pressure from Venezuela and Iran, OPEC will examine its hist ...

Taliban Execute Seven Afghan Policemen 2007-11-18 19:25:48 As American troops fight in the streets of Baghdad in the Bush surge, fighting continues escalating in Afghanistan where yesterday, the bodies of seven policemen were found hanging from trees with their arms and legs slashed. The figure for the number of dead in Afghanistan has now risen to 6,000 this year which marks a new high for those killed. It increasingly is apparent the Taliban are expanding their base of operations in Afghanistan and moving more insurgents into northern areas which previously had been more peaceful. A question which eventually must be answered by the United States is whether there is a necessity of enforcing an “Afghan Surge” in which thousands of fresh United States army troops are sent to fight in the nation they evacuated in order to take part in Bush’s Iraq war fiasco. There is growing reluctance on the part of several NATO nations to have their troops in Afghanistan engage in military action, preferring their talents be used to economica ...