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 59 8752

Articles from The Impudent Observer - Global Liberal Issues

An Egyptian Middle Road? 2007-10-18 12:55:52 Four of the largest secular parties have begun exploring the idea of a coalition which might constitute a third force in Egyptian politics. At present, the ruling National Democratic Party of President Mubarak represents corruption and inefficiency while at the other end of the continuum is the Muslim Brotherhood which recently shocked many people by announcing their desire for an Iranian style government dominated by clerics. Mubarak is growing old and there are rumors he is grooming his son to take over once he either dies or leaves office. His government has failed to develop a vibrant economy and is riddled with corruption. Thousands of young Egyptians migrate elsewhere in search of jobs that match their education or talents. Osama El Ghazeli Harb, an editor of al-Ahram, posed: “I think the coalition should attempt to answer the question: what should Egypt look like after Mubarak?” George Bush has emphasized his anger at the clerical dominated Iranian government, but l ...

Scandal Of Inadequate Training For US Troops Deployed To Iraq! 2007-10-18 10:01:36 The Ft. Irwin National Training Center is regarded as the best facility to prepare troops for what they will confront in Iraq when dealing with IED weapons. At Irwin, soldiers experience simulations and analyze mistakes that might result in loss of life. In the early stages of the Iraq war, Bush’s rush to judgement resulted in few troops receiving such training and this undoubtedly resulted in the death of many soldiers. It is now four years later and three of twenty-two Army brigades in Iraq –15,000 men — have not received IED training at Irwin or other sites offering such training. Even at Irwin, there are no armored vehicles, electronic equipment and other tools used in preventing IED attacks. Rep. Gene Taylor, D-Mass, recently visited Camp Shelby which offers IED training. He pulled over a soldier and asked him if was familiar with jammers –signals used to detonate IEDs. The soldier had a confused look on his face and then turned toward the dashboard and as ...

Israel Prime Minister Makes Hurried Trip To Moscow 2007-10-18 09:42:54 Prime Minister Ehud Olmert made a lightening trip to Moscow to meet with President Putin who just returned from a trip to Iran. They are discussing Putin’s reaction to his recent visit and strategies of freeing captured Israel soldiers held by Hizbullah. Putin said “threats against Iran are harmful for international relations because dialogues with states… is always more promising. It is a shorter route toward success than a policy of threats, sanctions, and even, less so, armed pressure. Putin informed Olmert he had talked about the captured Israeli soldiers with President Ahmadinejad of Iran. The Saudi Arabia newspaper, Al Watan reported Hizbullah and Israel negotiators are close to an agreement about freeing the soldiers. There are many facets of President Putin which repel outside observers such as his actions to destroy democracy in Russia, but, sometimes, the former KGB secret policeman makes more common sense than George Bush. The report by Al-Watan, if accur ...

New Darfur Emerging In Ethiopia 2007-10-18 08:32:40 A new Darfur is emerging in Ethiopia as government troops are engaged in a devastating attack upon the civilian population living in the Ogaden region of the eastern part of the nation. Troops recently entered the village of Kamuda, selected seven girls and took them away. The next day the body of one girl who was raped was found hanging from a tree. The following day another girl’s body was hanging while the other seven were never seen again. A 12 year old boy was gang raped. Each night, villagers heard knocks on their door to be greeted by soldiers in search of more women. Finally, most of the villages fled. It is estimated at least 200,000 people have left their homes in search of safety while troops burn villages, rape women and kill in the name of fighting a Muslim led insurgency. UN food destined for the area has frequently been halted. There is scant doubt a systematic program of violence and intimidation is occurring sponsored by the Ethiopian government. Ethiopia is Amer ...

Philippine President Urged To End National Corruption 2007-10-18 08:10:30 There is growing furor in the Philippines about endemic corruption which is rapidly eroding public confidence in the nation’s institutions. Speaker of the House Jose de Venecio called upon President Gloria Macapagal to lead a “moral revolution” before there is a complete collapse of public trust. He cited the enormous influence possessed by drug and gambling lords who are funding elections in order to ensure no action is taken against their activities. National Security Adviser, Norberto Gonzalez claims, “I’m raising corruption as a national security threat. It has become the system of the country.” In 2005, there was a scandal when it was revealed the president had conversations with the Election Commission about ensuring she emerged from the election with at least a million vote majority. This week two governors said they recently emerged from a meeting with President Macapagal and received paper bags as they left containing 500,000 pesos($11,360). ... President

Former Japanese Prime Minister Got On Knees Before Bush! 2007-10-18 07:45:32 According to a new book, “Scoop” by Pascal Roustain, former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi of Japan was explaining to President Bush the various ways a Japanese person would bow when meeting someone. He then got on his knees to prostrate himself before Bush in order to indicate this was the position the president wanted people to be in when conversing with him. If one considers how Bush reacted to those in America who dared opposing his political decisions, the prime minister’s position reflects our president’s desire to have the entire nation prostrate themselves because he alone knew what was best– after all, his actions were based on conversations with God. The arrogance of power best describes George Bush. ...

Dick Cheney And Barack Obama Are Kissing Cousins! 2007-10-17 16:56:26 During her book tour Mrs. Lynne Cheney dropped a bombshell by revealing research discovered the vice president and Senator Barack Obama shared a common ancestor about 11 generations ago. Bill Burton, a spokesperson for Obama told CNN: “Obviously, Dick Cheney is the black sheep of the family.” A few weeks ago it was revealed Obama was related to President Bush by a common ancestor 11 generations ago. Mrs. Cheney also found that Hillary Clinton and the vice president share a common ancestor about 8 generations ago. This web site anxiously awaits news confirming that Cheney is related to Osama bin Laden, given the boost in prestige and power he has given al-Qaeda’s leader by the disastrous war in Iraq. How else can the stupidity of this venture be explained? Now, as for the Hillary connection,…… ...

McCain: I Oppose Draft Because It Hurts Poor People! 2007-10-17 16:35:26 Senator John McCain said a military draft would not work unless there was a way to ensure that the children of wealthy families serve. “Before, I would even have remote consideration for it,” he said, “someone has to tell me how rich people are forced to serve along with poor people. Rich people can always find doctor who can say they have a bad knee.” He stated that he was “not ready to go back to a totally unfair system when we ask the poorest people in this country to serve.” He added the cost of maintaining a large military would necessitate raising the ante because ‘the all-volunteer force costs money. It is a marketplace out there.” I assume Senator McCain’s education included learning about World War I, World War II, and the Korean Conflict when rich, middle class, and poor all served their nation due to the presence of a draft system. His statement is rather bizarre in stating a draft hurts the poor and benefits the wealthy ...

Dams Or Environment– The Fight In Chile 2007-10-17 16:34:49 Environmentalists in Chile are rallying to halt construction of massive new dams by an international conglomeration of American, Spanish, and Chilean corporations. Opponents fear the dams and accompanying transmission lines would be socially and environmentally devastating to pristine areas of southern Chile. Environmentalists believe Chile can attain its electricity needs through other means. Aquillino Olivares, a self described “campesino” who lives near the proposed site commented: “If we want to give Chile electricity, we have the northern desert where we can put up windmills and solar panels.” He noted people in his area use solar panels. Chile, like many nations engaged in massive changes brought on by a rapidly developing economy require extensive energy sources. Ironically, as they economically expand there are coinciding environmental issues such as pollution of water sources and bringing changes to areas by constructing dams. China built the Three Go ...

McCain: I Oppose Draft Because It Hurts Poor People! 2007-10-17 14:26:49 Senator John McCain said a military draft would not work unless there was a way to ensure that the children of wealthy families serve. “Before, I would even have remote consideration for it,” he said, “someone has to tell me how rich people are forced to serve along with poor people. Rich people can always find doctor who can say they have a bad knee.” He stated that he was “not ready to go back to a totally unfair system when we ask the poorest people in this country to serve.” He added the cost of maintaining a large military would necessitate raising the ante because ‘the all-volunteer force costs money. It is a marketplace out there.” I assume Senator McCain’s education included learning about World War I, World War II, and the Korean Conflict when rich, middle class, and poor all served their nation due to the presence of a draft system. His statement is rather bizarre in stating a draft hurts the poor and benefits the wealthy ...

Burmese Torture And Brutality Continue 2007-10-17 14:10:03 In a brief announcement, the Burmese military junta confirmed it still retained in prison 468 of the 2,927 who were arrested for protesting against their nation’s dictatorship. Among those being held are monks who led the protest that was crushed by police and military units. Experts were intrigued the announcement did not also contain typical anti-western rhetoric which blames any troubles in Myanmar on outside “elements.” Three members of the 88 generation(in 1988, the military junta crushed a student led protest and killed hundreds) sent a letter to UN Secretary General Ban ki-moon which said: “Thousands of protestors including monks and students, continue to suffer ill treatment and severe torture in detention centres and some have passed away in captivity.” They concluded their letter with the following comment: “this may be the last letter we send you before our arrest and torture.” There is nothing anyone can add to the last line of the ...

UN Envoy To Africa Blasts South African HIV/Aids Policies 2007-10-17 13:49:57 Stephen Lewis, the UN special envoy to Africa, told the International Aids Conference in Toronto the South African government is expounding HIV/Aids theories “more worthy of a lunatic fringe than a concerned and compassionate state.” President Mbeki of South Africa is well known for his unorthodox views which claim Aids is a western world attack on Africa that can be combated by natural remedies. Lewis noted between 600-800 people die daily from these diseases, and he decried the arrest of members of the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) who were protesting the bizarre ideas of South Africa’s Minister of Health, Mano Tshabalala-Msimag. She believes all problems related to HIV/Aids can be cured by having people adopt the right nutrition program. The president of South Africa has fired any minister of Health who advocates known successful methods of dealing with HICV/Aids. He plays along with ideas of abstinence although Stephen Lewis pointed out “abstinence only p ...

Egypt And Arab League Offer Support To Secretary Of State Rice 2007-10-17 13:26:05 The Egyptian government and the Arab League offered their support to Secretary of State Rice’s efforts to achieve resolution of the Israel-Palestinian conflict. Egypt’s Foreign Minister, Ahmed Abdul Gheit indicated he was given assurances from Rice the United States and President Bush were placing this topic as among the highest priorities to be achieved. “We feel encouraged,” said Gheit, “what we heard from Secretary Rice” and promised Egypt would do all in its power to attain an agreement. Both the Arab League and Egypt made clear any agreement must include establishment of a Palestinian state on the basis of 1967 borders. President Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice have now ventured out on a limb by promising the Arab League there will be a concrete outcome to the upcoming conference to be held in Annapolis. Any agreement that Arab League members will accept must include, in one form or another, evacuation of most Israel West Bank set ...

Abbas: More Pressure Needed On Israel 2007-10-17 09:08:41 Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas urged Secretary of State Rice to help bridge the gap between Israel and Palestinian versions of what should be done prior to the upcoming peace conference at Annapolis. There are several core issues to be discussed: West Bank Settlements, refugees, the status of Jerusalem and violence. Abbas wants the development of a joint document containing outlines for potential strategies to deal with these issues as a prelude to the conference while Prime Minister Olmert prefers a vaguely worded document. An Abbas aide, Nabil Abu Rdeneh, said, “the credibility of the U.S. administration depends on the pressure that it is willing to exert on Israel.” Abbas is absolutely correct, the clearer an agenda and the more detailed are the issues presented, the greater is the probability of success. These issues have been around for over half a century, surely by now all sides are clear as to the options available in resolving them. There is no need for any f ...

James Watson, DNA Pioneer - Blacks Just Ain’t Smart As We Whites! 2007-10-17 08:52:02 James Watson, who won the Nobel Prize for his work on DNA, caused a furor with his comments that appeared in the London Times. Watson stated that “he was extremely gloomy about the prospect of Africa” because “all our social policies are based on the fact that their intelligence is the same as ours–whereas all testing says not really.” He noted it was natural to believe all humans are equal in intelligence but “people who have to deal with black employees find this is not true.” His new book will argue that capacities of people who have been separated geographically have significant differences. In 1997, Watson created a storm of protest when he told a British newspaper that a woman should have a right to abort an unborn child if it could be determined the child would turn out to be homosexual. The remarks of James Watson merely reveals an old truism — people with book learning can be as stupid as those who have no education. It would req ... Pioneer