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

Bush, The Wimp, Caves In On Armenian Genocide 2007-11-11 09:28:31 Robert Fisk, writing in England’s The Independent, blasted President Bush as a craven coward who gave in on the issue of the Armenian genocide because he feared Turkey’s generals. “How the mighty have fallen! President Bush,” writes Fisk, “the crusader king who would draw the sword against the forces of Darkness and Evil, he who said there was only ‘them or us’, who would carry on, he claimed, an eternal conflict against ‘world terror’ on our behalf, he turns out, well, to be well, wimp. A clutch of Turkish generals and a multimilion-dollar public relations campaign on behalf of Turkish Holocaust deniers have transformed the lion into a lamb.” The Turkish government has blackmailed the United States and other western nations into either accepting their version of the truth or face the consequences–exactly which ones? General Yasar Buyukanit, head of Turkey’s armed forces warned if the Congressional resolution was ...

Musharraf Empowers Military Courts To Try Civilians 2007-11-11 08:07:57 The Musharraf government has amended the Army Act of 1952 in order to allow military courts to try civilians on charges ranging from treason to endangering the security of the nation. At present, there are thousands of civilians in jail because they attempted to protest the increasingly dictatorial rule of Musharraf. Prior to the change, civilians could only be placed on trial in a military court if one of the defendants was a member of the armed forces. The opposition to the state of emergency is widening as Nawaz Sharif, leader of the Muslim League pledged support to Benazir Bhutto’s proposal for a march for freedom. Previously, he had been an opponent of the Pakistan People Party’s leader. There is no doubt President Mushharraf has done more to unite the people of Pakistan than any previous ruler of the nation. His heavy handed approach to governing is bringing previously divided groups together in an effort to bring democracy to the country. Ironically, militants are g ...

AIDS On Rise In China 2007-11-11 07:50:02 China is experiencing a dramatic rise in its rate of AIDS with figures rising on a continual basis. In 1998, the rate of infections among drug users was 1.95% but it rose to 7.5% in 2006. it is estimated the rate of infections among homosexuals ranges anywhere from 1% to 4%, and the upper range is most probably a conservative estimate. The ineffectiveness in China of combating the disease undoubtedly stems from inadequate eduction, failure to communicate information, and insufficient health care facilities in rural regions of the nation. The collapse of old fashioned Mao tse-tung communism in China has impacted health care in rural areas more than urban. ...

Council Of Europe Doubts Fairness Of Russian Election 2007-11-10 15:22:13 Luc van den Brande who is involved with the Council of Europe’s program on human rights expressed misgivings about the fairness of the upcoming Russian election on December 2. He said there is little evidence the election would be fair, open, democratic, or transparent. Russia’s leading party, United Russia, completely dominates television sources and uses government money to propogandize its ideas to the public. Of the 85 political parties which attempted to have themselves placed on the ballot, only 11 were able to do so. He also expressed concern that only 300 international observers would be allowed to monitor the election compared to 1,163 who were allowed in 2003. The Russian Electoral Commission dismissed this complaint saying there was nothing in its nation’s constitution requiring foreign observers. President Putin is in control of the nation and he has turned his back on the democratic enthusiasm which swept the country in the 1990s. His old KGB training do ...

Countdown To Israel Offense In Gaza 2007-11-10 15:05:33 As Arab nations and Israel prepare for the upcoming meeting in Annapolis to discuss Israel-Palestinain issues, the IDF has intensified its bombing of Gaza positions. The Israeli air force is bombing offices, police stations and police patrols, five policemen were killed in separate bombings. Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak says an attack into Gaza is “imminent,” and Israeli TV Channel 10 said last Friday the world supported an attack by their nation on Gaza. Amnon Abramovic, an announcer said bluntly, “our army killed in 24 hours 10 Palestinians, including children, and yet we didn’t hear anyone protesting.” According to Israeli television Channel Two, a heated debate is taking place within the Israeli Joint Chiefs of Staffs over whether or not to attack police stations since destroying the Gaza police might expose the area to chaos. Hamas is warning that an Israel invasion would be met with some “surprises” from their arsenal of weapons. ...

Japanese Government Refuses To Accpet Responsiblity For WWII Atrocities 2007-11-10 08:47:42 The Japanese government continues refusing to accept responsibility for the actions of its military forces in killing thousands of innocent Japanese civilians during the battle of Okinawa. Nobe Prize winning novelist Kenzaburo Oe testified in court that orders were issued by the Japanese military to Okinawan civilians to kill themselves rather than allowing American soldiers to capture them. Yutaka Umezawa, aged 90, who was the garrison commander on Zamami Island in the Okinawan island chain, is seeking to halt publication of three books by Oe that state the military ordered civilian suicides. Oe claims it is of no importance that written orders were issues because military leaders were of the same mind that everyone must die rather than surrender to the Americans. The Ministry of Education in Japan is requiring textbooks to delete references to any atrocities in WWII that were due to action by the armies of Japan. The record of Japan in dealing with its brutality is shocking. Unlike ...

Arar vs Ashcroft Case-Challenge To US Rendition Program 2007-11-10 08:33:01 Canadian Maher Arar, a software engineer, was detained in a New York airport in 2002 as he was changing planes to fly home when he was seized, denied legal representation and deported back to Syria, his birthplace where he was tortured for ten months before cleared of all charges. The Canadian government apologized and awarded him $10 million in compensation. Secretary of State admitted the case was mishandled but refused to issue an apology. Mr. Arar is now suing former Attorney General Ashcroft, the ex-heads of homeland security, immigration and the FBI. The courtroom where the case is being heard exploded in laughter when Ashcroft’s defense lawyer said Arar was “clearly and unequivocally a member of Al Qaeda.” Judge Rolbert Sack responded to the lawyer, “That’s a shocking statement for you to start with.” The three judge of the US Second Circuit Court of Appeals is trying to determine if the xcivil case can be revived after it was thrown out by ...

Turkish Army Ready To Roll Say Generals 2007-11-10 08:10:41 Turkey’s Chief of General Staff. Genral Yagar Buyukanit, said the army was ready to proceed with operations in Kurdistan and is awaiting final authorization from the government. He referred to the recent meeting in Washington D.C. between Prime Minister Erdogan and President Bush as merely a temporary delay which has allowed the armed forces to intensify intelligence activities prior to an armed attack. Bush had talked about Turkey using “surgical operations” but General Buyukanit responded to a question by saying, “surgical operation or not, I cannot say.” He also emphasized, “We are a great state and we do not need approval from anyone. However, there is a different situation in Iraq and the is a must to have the coordination with the Americans in order to avoid friendly fie.” He said it was of no importance to him if politicians met, but the Turkish army must be on guard to protect the nation. There apparently is a void between what Bush a ...

In Afghan Fields, The Poppies Blow…. 2007-11-10 07:57:54 It was just another day in Afghanistan, another British soldier died when his vehicle hit a mine. Staff at the British embassy in Afghanistan have taken to wearing white cardboard poppies in their lapel in honor of British dead, it also the famous line about the British soldiers who died in Flanders fields in WWI. A Kabul bookseller inquired of his British customer about the poppy because to his people, poppies represent money for farmers or for the Taliban or for drug dealers. Most of fighting in Afghanistan has been in southern regions but a few days ago a blast in the northern city of Baghian left seventy dead, including sixty children as well as over a hundred wounded. Even as 7,700 British troops are deployed in Afghanistan, there is frustration at refusal by many NATO nations to send troops or to place restrictions on there being allowed to serve in combat areas. A recent Taliban slogan has become an effective piece of propoganda. It states, “You have the watches, we have ...

Bhutto Continues Defiance Of Musharraf In Pakistan 2007-11-10 07:35:36 Former prime minister Benazir Bhutto continued her defiance of the Musharraf state of emergency even as the attorney general claimed it would only last for about another month. Musharraf is claiming the state of emergency is necessary in order to crush militants operating in the northwest area of Pakistan. It appears the president believes the first step in crushing insurgents is to arrest thousands of lawyers and activists and to imprison the chief justice of the nation. He has also closed down many TV stations apparently in a bid to prevent militants from watching their favorite TV shows, undoubtedly a novel approach to ending conflict in a nation. Ms. Bhutto was allowed to leave her home, but when she tried visiting the home of Supreme Court Justice Mohammed Chaudhry, police and military units blocked her way. Bhutto supporters shouted, “those holding guns are afraid of an unarmed girl.” Ms. Bhutto is determined to lead a long march to “get Pakistan from the clutch ...

Bhutto Released From House Arrest! 2007-11-09 17:05:42 The Pakistan government freed former prime minister Benazir Bhutto from house arrest late Friday evening. She previously had been blocked from attending a rally against emergency rule. The Interior Department said the house arrest “has been withdrawn.” Earlier, Ms. Bhutto, speaking via a megaphone, from behind coils of barbed wire, demanded police allow her to lead a march to end the emergency rule. “I am your sister fighting for democracy,” she shouted to the crowd gathered around her compound. After the house arrest was lifted, she spoke to the press while in her bullet proof car via telephone: “I am not afraid of these tactics,” she said. “My struggle is for the people of Pakistan, for their rights and for an end to dictatorship.” A spokesperson for the Ministry of Information insisted her house arrest “was a temporary detention order to keep her from getting exposed to a very serious threat of suicide bombing.” Elsewhere, ...

Burma Freedom Fighter Offers To Dialogue With Military Junta 2007-11-09 16:18:31 Aung San Suu Kyi, the Burmese opposition leader who has spent 12 o the last 18 years under house arrest offered to meet with the ruling military junta for a dialogue in oder to break the impasse between the oppressive military leaders and the mass of Burmese people who seek some form of democracy. Kyi said: “In the interest of the nation, I stand ready to cooperate with the Government in order to make this process of dialogue a success.” The statement was read to the world in Singapore by UN envoy Ibrahim Gambari who recently completed several days in Burma trying to talk with members of the junta. Burma State Television said General Aung Kyi would meet with Suu Kyi(no relation). A top level diplomat in Yangoon, commented to the press, “there is no doubt in my mind that this regime has no intention of cooperating with Bambari or starting a process of genuine dialogue.” The process of attempting to bring about change in Myanmar is hampered by failure of China an ...

US Forced Japanese Prime Minister To Admit WWII Atrocity 2007-11-09 14:22:35 The United States government in March warned Tokyo it could not support Japan’s demand for return from North Korea of abducted Japanese citizens unless the Abe government reversed its contentious claim there was no proof that imperial forces forced women into sexual slavery. US Ambassador Thomas Schieffer delivered the warning and Abe agreed to abide by his nation’s 1993 apology to the “comfort women.” Abe had created an international furor on March 5 that no proof existed that the Japanese military was directly involved in the enslavement of Asian women during WW II. Schieffer said US-Japanese relations had reached a critical stage and said there was a possibility Congress would pass a resolution urging Japan to apologize to the women. Abe personally assured President Bush in April that he would stand by the apology and back away from denying the policy of abusing women had ever existed in wartime Japan. This is certainly an excellent example of President Bush ...

Iran’s Religious Leader Speaks Of Tolerance- But Does He Mean It? 2007-11-09 14:07:52 Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei urged police cadets to respect the rights of those who differ from government views. “All ranks of people with any religion and ethnicists and also with a political disposition disposition are equal in enjoying security and only those who cause problems for people should feel insecure.” He said security is needed within a society if it is to progress. Reading the words of Khamenei, the outside observer is struck with the similarity of how he views dissent with that of George Bush. Both mouth platitudes about the right of dissent as long as people talking that way don’t interfere with society’s progress and achievement of its goals. Of course, Khamenei and Bush both believe they know what is best for their nation. In reality, dissent is crushed in Iran whenever possible and people such as those of the Bahai faith are persecuted. The only tolerance shown is toward those who agree with the Supreme Ayatollah. ...

Fruit Of Bush African Policies– Chaos In Somalia! 2007-11-09 13:28:44 Several months ago, President Bush encouraged Ethiopia, which is predominantly Christian, to invade and conquer its Islamic government because he regarded the fundamentalist Muslims as part of the international terrorist movement. The Islamic government was wiped out and a new Somalian government put in place. In the past few days bloody fighting has erupted on the streets of the Somali capital, Mogadishu which has left at least 51 people dead in one of the goriest 24 hours the city has seen. Ethiopian soldiers fought insurgents in up-close battles that resulted in at least 10 soldiers being killed and one of the dead was stripped of his shirt and dragged through the streets in a scene reminiscent of the killing of American soldiers in the 1990s. The Ethiopian soldiers became infuriated and went through the city shooting people in an indiscriminate manner. A resident, Zakaria Adde, said, “We collected 12 bodies, mostly elderly people, women and children. They were shot by Ethiopi ...