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

China Betrays People Of Myanmar 2007-10-09 07:14:46 The Chinese government lived up to what most experts expected would be their reaction to the brutal actions of the military junta of Myanmar — do nothing. China made it clear its opposition in the Security Council toward any UN actions such as sanctions against the Burmese military junta which has used force to put down peaceful demonstrations against its oppressive regime. Liu Janchao, a spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry noted: “China hopes all relevant sides of Myanmar will maintain restraint and achieve reconciliation, democracy, and improve the living conditions of the people by peaceful means.” This absurd statement merely reflects the intent of the Chinese government to ignore the use of force against peaceful and restrained efforts by the Burmese people led by pacifist monks to somehow express their frustrations with a government that is brutal, opposes democracy, and is destroying the living standards of the ordinary Burmese citizen. Perhaps, it is time fo ...

Turkey Weighs Attacking Kurds In Iraq 2007-10-08 18:05:04 Members of the Kurdish Workers Party (PKK) who have been engaged in fighting for an end to Turkish rule, ambushed and killed 15 Turkish soldiers over the weekend. This follows last week’s gunning down of 12 civilians who were part of a self defense force for their village. Turkish Kurds seek to separate their areas from the Turkish nation and become part of the new nation of Kurdistan which was formed after the American invasion of Iraq. Technically speaking, Kurds are still part of Iraq, but, for all intensive purposes they function as a semi-autonomous nation. Turkey’s prime minister met with leaders of the army to weigh the possibility of crossing the border into Iraq while pursuing Kurdish rebels. Iraq and Turkey signed an agreement to cooperate with one another, but they could not agree on Turkey’s request for the right to pursue Kurdish rebels back into Kurdistan. The situation in Kurdistan is volatile and can lead to a Turkish attack, with or without provocatio ...

Kuwait To Deport “Runaways” 2007-10-08 15:43:20 The Kuwait Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor is preparing to take action against runaway domestic laborers. Nearly 1,200 domestic laborers are presently sheltered in embassies, deportation prisons, and domestic labor shelters. Earlier this year, the U.S. State Department issued a report blacklisting Kuwait for trading in human beings. The Middle East, which the Bush administration claims is a bastion in our fight for democracy, is among the most notorious centers of human abuse in the world. Thousands of immigrant workers have been brought into these countries where they are subject to beatings, rape, and even being killed without much concern on the part of governments. The “runaways” are being punished for escaping brutality rather than having action taken against those inflicting brutal actions against them. There have been many reported cases of suicides, particularly on the part of young women who frequently are beaten or sexually abused by employers. It is quite cl ...

Gordon Brown On Zimbabwe: I Will Not Attend The African Summit 2007-10-08 15:29:59 Prime Minister Gordon Brown made it clear he will not attend the upcoming European-African Summit meeting if Robert Mugabe is representing Zimbabwe. “We are not prepared to give any suggestion to anybody.. that we condone an abuse of human rights in his country, the poverty and deprivation of his people and his unacceptable behaviour as president.” An official from the African Union’s Peace and Security Committee said Zimbabwe is an African nation and the Union would not tolerate interference in its internal affairs. “We resort to interference only in extreme cases of violence of genocide.” In South Africa’s fight to end apartheid, its leaders frequently urged boycotts of the South African government or banning South Africa from participating in many international sporting events and meetings. Fast forward fifteen years and now South Africa and other African nations who wanted boycotts to fight oppression are strangely quiet and inactive when Robert ...

A Reporter’s Life In Iraq– Intimidation Or Death 2007-10-08 13:08:50 Safa al-Mansoor, writing from Basra describes the lives of reporters as one in which intimidation or death are constant companions. Majid al-Brekan, who works for Radio Sawa, funded by America, has been shot at, threatened and told his life would soon be over. “We are fearful and cautious about our work,” he says, “we can’t report the fully story in detail because no one protect us.” Several reporters have fled Basra because of death threats and three have been killed in the past few years. Last year, a website of an unknown militant group posted a hit list of 17 Basra journalist. Some of them immediately left the city. Journalists say any criticism of political parties or militias is a red line that should not be crossed if one wants to live. This lack of reporting allows corruption and killing to go unreported. Journalists also indicated no one dares write about Iran’s role in formenting terrorism. The goal of George Bush was establishing a democr ...

From Abroad: American Political Parties Seem Alike 2007-10-08 12:50:21 In an editorial appearing in the Korea Herald, the editor slams American politics as essentially having agreement among those running for the presidency as to future foreign policy. They all come across as favoring democracy, being against terrorism, wanting at least some American troops remaining in Iraq, promise to protect Israel against Iran or the Palestinians, and want peace. The editor comments: “The problem in American foreign policy is that an ideological orthodoxy has emerged within the intellectual and political community concerned with foreign relations, and this orthodoxy now is imposed upon everyone who wishes to shape national policy at the Washington political and media level. The important debate that takes place in America on Sunday mornings on television or in the national press, and in the Congress is really a knockabout vaudeville performance without serious content on both sides, in essential respects, they are on the same side. If you listen to it from abroa ...

President Sarkozy Heads East To Confront Russia 2007-10-08 08:18:40 France’s President, Nicolas Sarkozy, is headed for his first trip to Russia, but along the way he intends talking with nations that have rocky relations with their Russian neighbor. He will meet with Ukranian president Viktor Yuschchenko who led the Orange Revolution against Moscow’s man in the Ukraine, and the French president will also meet with Poland’s president Lech Kaczyinski who has continually expressed his concerns about Russia. Sarkozy will meet with Czech leaders who are supporting American efforts to place missiles in their nation, an action, which has resulted in negative reactions from Putin. Sarkozy has a tendency to regard himself as more knowledgeable than other leaders in dealing with international issues and concerns. He apparently enjoys throwing his weight around to prove France is still a powerful nation in the world. He will be meeting with President Putin who is a mirror image of the French president in believing in his personal power to domin ... President

Congressional Black Leaders Blast Military Discrimination 2007-10-08 08:06:12 Members of the Congressional Black Caucus expressed their growing anger at failures of the military to implement affirmative action programs. According to Rep. Robert Scott, “there has been a disturbing levelling off among the upper ranks in the last few years” so that today there is only one four star African American general, General William Ward, who was recently named head of the African command. At present, African Americans constitute about 17% of the United States army, but only 5.8% of them are found in top level officers. Of the 929 flag officers in the U.S. military, 818 are white males which means only 12% are African American, female or from other ethnic groups. Rep. Sheila Jackson said: “There is a sense of outrage at the lack of opportunity in the military today” among African Americans. The integration plans of the US military have been widely praised as among the most successful affirmative action efforts in American society. Colin Powell rose t ...

Singapore Opposition Parties Rally For Myanmar 2007-10-08 07:48:05 Leaders of Singapore’s opposition parties rallied in front of the prime minister’s office in protest against their nation’s failure to take decisive action against the Burmese military junta’s brutal crackdown on monks and protestors. They were led by Chee Soon Juan, a noted critic, who has been in and out of jail for his vocal public comments about the Singapore government. The group had planned a 24 hour protest and wanted to submit a petition to the government which stated: “We demand that the government open its books of the Government Investment Corporation and Temasek to the people starting with its investments in Burma.” Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong did criticize the Burmese junta, but made clear that Singapore intended to maintain its investments and diplomatic relations. The Burmese military leaders are aware that Singapore, China and India want to invest within their nation seeking access to its natural resources, particularly oil. The w ...

Sudan Government Troops Burn Darfur Town 2007-10-08 07:31:04 According to United Nations sources, the entire town of Haskanita in Darfur has been completely burned down and over 15,000 of its inhabitants forced to flee for their lives. The town is completely under the control of the Sudan army and its janjaweed associates who have been responsible for most deaths of innocent people in Darfur. A UN spokesperson said the Sudan army entered the town after rebels attacked a nearby UN camp and killed ten soldiers. Haskanita now lies in ruins as Sudan soldiers and members of the janjaweed patrol its streets where smoldering fires can still be seen. “There’s absolutely no doubt the army and the janjaweed did it,” says a spokesperson for the UN. A perennial problem in the UN’s mandate to be in Darfur stems from its lack of jurisdiction in responding to security issues. For the most part, UN troops are in a passive mode unable to initiate action nor do they even have the right to investigate security problems! The notorious janjaw ...

US Must Change Attitude, Says Ahmadinejad 2007-10-08 07:15:55 President Ahmadninejad rejected any discussion with the United States until there was a revision in American attitudes toward the Iranian nation. He was responding to George Bush’s statement he would talk with Iran if it first halted its uranium enrichment program. Ahmadinejad argued the United States had no right to establish preconditions for discussions and offered to debate Bush on problems in the world. “We believe a public debate will help promote world peace,” he claimed. George Bush continually argues that Iran must make certain decisions before he will talk with their representatives. Establishing preconditions to discussions between nations raises the question as to whether or not the other side has a right to establish preconditions. The United States just concluded a nuclear agreement with India which has atomic weapons that does not impose ending nuclear development. Perhaps, if Bush took the risk of talking with Ahmadinejad, negotiations might proceed an ...

European Court To Rule On Religious Classes In Turkey 2007-10-07 22:42:48 Two Alevi Turks have brought a case before the European Court against compulsory religion lessons in Turkish schools. They claim the religion courses they must take have a distinctive Sunni Muslim perspective and this violates articles of the European Convention on Human Rights guaranteeing liberty of faith in education. They also seek removal of all compulsory religious classes since they violate the rights of non-Sunni Muslims. The Turkish government argues the classes are no about religion, per se, but simply provide information about culture and morals. It is expected the court’s decision will have an impact throughout the European Union. Hopefully, the court will strike a blow for the right of atheists and those who are not of a dominant religious group. The case also highlights how within the Muslim religion there are many groups and sects. ...

Federal Judge Challenges Court Martial 2007-10-07 22:30:36 Federal Judge Benjamin Settle challenged the proposed court martial of Lt. Ehren Wanda whose first trial ended in a mistrial. Wanda was charged with failing to be present for his unit’s deployment to Iraq and for denouncing President Bush and the Iraq war. Wanda argues his participation in the Iraq war compelled him to engage in criminal activities that might result in his being charged with war crimes. He requested that the court martial be voided on grounds it subjected him to double jeopardy. The judge noted the army had yet to submit evidence that Wanda’s request lacked merit. This is probably one of hundreds of such examples in which members of the military who oppose the war in Iraq are being compelled against their will to participate in a war they claim is not only illegal but immoral. Lt. Wanda had courage in standing up for his moral beliefs knowing full well to do so would result in a court martial. ...

Secret US - Japanese Agreement On Nuclear Weapons 2007-10-07 21:53:42 A Japanese professor doing research uncovered a secret document from the Nixon administration in which the United States and Japan agree nuclear weapons can be brought into Japan in exchange for having the island of Okinawa revert to control of its mother country. The document, dated November 12, 13. 1969 was written by National Security Advisor, Henry Kissinger. It states: “Attached is a game plan to be followed by prime Minister Sato and yourself (Nixon) in conjunction with secret United States-japanese agreements on access to post reversion Okinawa to Japan, remove nuclear weapons from the prefecture.” Essentially, the agreement allowed the U.S. to bring nuclear weapons into Japan after Okinawa officially became part of Japan. It is such documents which frighten many people in the world. Although, this incident occurred over thirty years ago it exemplifies fears that America works behind the scene making deals and conspiring while it insists nations be truthful about the ...

First Hand Account Of Burmese Brutality To Monks 2007-10-07 16:34:28 Alan Brown, correspondent for the London Telegraph made contact with a monk who had been jailed and beaten in Rangoon. According to the monk (his name can not be revealed) ‘Day and night, we had to sit on crowded rows with our heads bowed down. If we spoke, looked up or fell asleep, we would be hit. We weren’t allowed to move at all, not even to go to the lavatory– we had to just do it where we were sitting. Once in the morning and once in the afternoon, the guards would come and give us water, but it would be only one or two bottles for 50 people or more.” No medical treatment was provided the wounded. He said some monk who backed the government came and asked the monks to exchange their filthy clothes for new ones, but they refused on grounds they intended to be as they were when entering the prison. Burmese authorities admit to imprisoning 3000, and claim all but 109 have been released, but no one believes their version. The monk who underwent this brutality ...