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

Bush Accepts Ethnic Cleansing As Iraq Solution 2007-09-28 16:54:30 Investigative reporter Seymour Hersh told Der Spiegel that President Bush’s famous surge is nothing more than a disguise to engage in an ethnic cleansing operation. “We have Balkanized Iraq” by building walls to separate Sunni from Shiite and Kurds from both of them. Hersh argues America under Bush deals with enemies by “Hitlerizing” them so Saddam Hussein who headed a nondescript army or Ahmadinejad who has scant control over Iranian armed forces are portrayed as capable of engaging in military operations akin to that of Adolf Hitler. The Nazi dictator controlled the most powerful army in the world which possessed the best tanks and a strong airforce. Two inept leaders whose armed forces could barely defeat a minor nation are being depicted by Bush as capable of damaging the interests of America. Hersh casts blame on the American media for allowing Bush to sell them his pipe dreams and fail to do serious investigative studies of such things as the WMD. I ...

Turkey and Iraq Near Agreement On Hot Pursuit 2007-09-28 16:11:50 The last thing Iraq needs is another conflict, and there is a possibility of one arising unless Iraq can finalize an agreement with Turkey over the issue of allow Turkey to pursue members of the Kurdistan Workers party who are raiding into Turkey. Iraq wants to delineate conditions under which Turkey can pursue fleeing Kurds into Kurdistan, but Turkey claims the UN already allows a nation to invade another if it is engaged in an act of self defense. Meanwhile, the parliament of Kurdistan is furious over the Maliki government entering into such arrangements concerning a Kurdish issue. Each passing day raise the issue of whether or not three nations should be carved out of the existing Iraq nation. The Kurds regard themselves as Kurds, not Iraqis and regard fellow Kurds living in Turkey to be their compatriots. There simply is no winner in this complex situation. ...

Musharraf Submits Papers To Run For President 2007-09-28 08:57:49 President Musharraf submitted necessary papers in order to run again for the nation’s highest office although there is strong opposition to this goal. Roads leading into the capital city of Islamabad were blocked, most probably to prevent a demonstration by Pakistani lawyers against Musharraf’s effort to run for president. Supreme Court Justice Iftikhar Chaudhey summoned police in an effort to know why the roads were blocked and why lawyers were not being able to demonstrate. He also ordered the release of over 200 political opponents of Musharraf. Benazir Bhutto, former prime minister, remained silent on the Musharraf move, most probably because she has come to an agreement with him that once he is elected he will allow how to circumvent the law which prevents anyone from being prime minister for more than two terms. The good news out of Pakistan is that the nation has a healthy and determined judiciary system which is upholding the law. The bad news is Musharraf refuses t ... President

Military Panel Acquits Soldier Of Killing Unarmed Iraqis 2007-09-28 07:52:47 A military panel acquitted Spc. Jorge Sandoval on charges he killed two unarmed Iraqis, but convicted him of planting evidence on the dead bodies in an attempt to cover up the shooting. Sandoval’s lawyer claimed he was only guilty of misplacing government property by planting the detonation wire on the bodies. It is clear both men were unarmed and had their hands in the air after they accidentally stumbled on a secret sniper hideout. Spc. Alexnader Forbes who was with Sandoval said they were told by Sgt. Michael Hensley the suspects were “our guy.” In May, Sgt. Hensley was involved in a case in which Sgt. Vela killed an unarmed Iraqi who had his hands in the air. This is a sickening episode in the history of the American military. How can one be “aquitted” of murder but found guilty of misplacing government property by planting evidence to cover up a murder! If one is covering up an action doesn’t that indicate one knows there has been a mistake? I ...

Thai Muslim Rebellion Continues 2007-09-28 07:35:35 The southern Thailand Muslim insurgency continues with killing a Thai general during an attack on trucks carrying teachers to school. The Muslim insurgents have targeted schools and teachers in their campaign to achieve an independent state in southern Thailand. A Thai officer noted: “The insurgents can still getaway with these attacks because they are supported by the people in the area.” There have been more than 6,000 examples of violent action since the rebellion began on January 1, 2004 and at least 2,500 people have been killed. Thailand is mainly a Buddhist nation, but its southern half contains a large Muslim minority which believes itself blocked out from power. Southern Thailand is also among the poorest regions of the nation. The Thai government is making traditional mistakes in responding to insurgents by resorting to military action rather than political and economic efforts. ...

Russian Journalists Fight For Freedom Of The Press 2007-09-28 07:23:23 Russian journalists in the Saratov region sent an open letter to President Putin urging him to protect freedom of the press which is under assault by the president’s political party, United Russia. A local paper reported that State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin accidentally had shot a woman with a speargun and was immediately charged with libel by state prosecutors. This incident comes after a paper printed a satirical cartoon of Putin and faces the prospect of not being able to publish any longer. The reporters believe United Russia is engaged in a full scale effort to crush freedom of the press in Russia and will not allow any criticism, however minor, to be printed in newspapers. Russia is facing a crisis regarding freedom of speech and the press. Continued economic progress had made the average Russian less interested in their basic right of free speech. Putin employs subtle methods of silencing opposition to his rule. ...

Myanmar Troops Occupy Buddhist Monasteries 2007-09-28 07:09:05 Myanmar troops swept into Buddhist monasteries, sealed off areas by locking gates, and placing barbed wire around many religious centers in their efforts to halt further protests against the military junta which controls Burma. There are reports at least ten people are dead although exiled Burmese believe the figure might be much higher. Southeastern Asian diplomats have urged the Burmese military to compromise and avoid bloodshed, but their pleas have fallen on deaf ears. Asian observors witnessed hundreds of people beaten with batons, herded onto trucks and arrested where they most probably face further beating and torture in prisons. Southeast Asian diplomats expect that once the monks are contained in the monasteries, the military junta will turn its attention toward protestors who were shouting, “give us freedom.” Unfortunately, in the absence of pressure or actions from the outside world, those who shouted will face brutality and torture. ...

Six Party Talks On North Korea Moving Forward 2007-09-28 06:56:42 The Six Party group working to ensure North Korea halts its nuclear weapon program is making progress. The United States has finally halted its rhetoric of anger toward North Korea and agreed to focus on solving problems instead of worsening them. Chinese delegate Wu Dawei noted “we are faced with a new season of harvest” by working together in a problem resolution manner. Christopher Hill, representing the United States, says he will shortly present a new plan leading toward denuclearization of North Korea. The apparent success of ending North Korea’s nuclear weapon program is an example of focusing on solving a problem rather than playing to the crowd with wild rhetoric. It is unfortunate that President Bush doesn’t use this approach in dealing with Iran. ...

Lebanon Paper Blasts Hamas Inaction On Rocket Attacks 2007-09-27 19:56:52 In a blistering editorial, the Lebanon Daily Star, criticized rocket attacks on Israel at a time when the people of Gaza lack jobs and depend on UN food supplies. “..to make matters worse, the continuation of rocket strikes into Israel produces a steady stream of violent responses from the Jewish state that often claims the lives of the innocent. The editor notes the overwhelming majority of rockets cause scant damage and can hardly be construed as a form of resistance. “Their only function is to provide a regular pretext for Israeli attacks that have killed hundreds of Gazans…By allowing the rockets to keep flying, Hamas is allowing an irresponsible few to endanger and possibly destroy the dreams that so many have waited so long to realize.” I agree with the Lebanon Daily Star. There is no evidence rockets are any form of “resistance.” Only one, which fell literally be accident, into an Israel army camp, caused any damage. Palestinians need peace, ...

Dictator Mugabe Lectures Bush On Human Rights 2007-09-27 18:31:54 President Robert Mugabe, who has driven his nation into utter economic ruin and bullied and tortured opponents, gave a fiery speech at the UN denouncing George Bush as a hypocrite. “His hands drip with innocent blood,” shouted the president of Zimbabwe, “of many nationalities. He kills in Iraq. He kills in Afghanistan. And he is supposed to be our master on human rights?” George Bush still doesn’t grasp how his failure to adhere to basic human rights and his boasting about violence do not lead people to regard him a a defender of individual rights. It is sad that America is being given a lecture on human rights by a notorious brute who has never been a supporter of such rights to fellow Zimbabweans. ...

New Law Proects Families Of Wounded Military From Losing Jobs 2007-09-27 12:24:25 A new law speeding its way through Congress protects spouses, parents, children and next of kin of a member of the military who suffers serious injury while on active duty. They now will be entitled to up to six months of unpaid leave to care for the wounded soldier or veteran and can not be fired. The bill was attached to the legislation which expands child medical insurance that President Bush has vowed to vet. There are two important pieces of legislation coming to President Bush who complains Congress isn’t doing anything — one protecting kin of wounded soldiers and one to ensure children are protected against illness. Chances are highly likely he will veto them. ...

Israel Attacks In Gaza To End Rocket Launches 2007-09-27 11:47:30 The Israel Defense Force continued its attempt to wipe out Palestinians who are sending rockets into Israel. A reported 11 terrorists were killed in missile attacks, but apparently about a dozen civilians were also killed or wounded. President Mahmoud Abbas urged Palestinians to unite in the face of Israel’s “abuse, aggression and war crimes” while Hamas leaders promised Israel would pay for its attacks in Gaza. israel Defense Minister Ehud Barak is warning there might be a “broad and complex operation in Gaza.” The US upcoming Middle Eastern Conference appears doomed before it even begins. Both sides are trading insults and resorting to violence because apparently violence is the only measure which provides a sense of accomplishment. This is the time for America to insist Israel “stand down” and Saudi Arabia, Egypt and other Middle Eastern nations must demand that Hamas and other groups end rocket attacks. Those rockets are coming from Middl ...

Afghan Protestors Shout Death to Canada 2007-09-27 08:38:02 Hundreds of Afghan protestors marched through the streets of Khandar shouting ‘Death to Canada” and “Death to Foreigners” after a series of Coalition raids led to the death of an important religious leader and his brother. Their bodies still lay in the open as demonstrators proclaimed their anger at what they believed to be a botched raid that was probably the result of incorrect information provided by an informer. A Canadian reporter was told, The day is not far off when these innocent civilians will stand against NATO and other foreign troops.” During the past several months hundreds, if not thousands, of innocent civilians have either been killed by the Taliban or by coalition forces. The use of bombing raids invariably results in killing innocent bystanders since Taliban forces hide among villagers. We are living in the aftermath of America’s failure to follow through on its successful invasion of Afghanistan by using a large army to decisively ...

Bulgarian Interior Minister Feels Under Appreciated 2007-09-27 08:23:04 Roumen Petkov, Bulgarian Minister of the Interior sent off a blistering comment to members of the press for their failure to respect his efforts at reducing crime. He noted that murders and rapes were down as well as most categories of serious crime. The editors of the Sofia Echo had a somewhat different version of crime in Bulgaria. They noted that members of the Roma community and other ethnic minorities were still being abused including excessive use of force by the police. They pointed out there were 55 law suits against policemen for brutality and that the police had used rough measures in handling striking coal miners. As for the drop in crime, say the editors, “Rather it would seem that those involved in organized crime are growing increasingly sophisticated and subtle, infesting their activities within the formal economy.” Abuse of members of the Roma community is common, not merely within Bulgaria, but throughout most of eastern Europe. There are simply too many r ...

Rough Times In Georgia-The Country, Not The State 2007-09-27 08:07:16 Georgia’s former Defense Minister, Irakli Okruashvili, claimed that President Mikhell Saakashvili of Georgia, had instructed him to kill a businessman who opposed the president as well as take hostile action against a member of the opposition party in parliament. “I immediately realized it was a trap: if the order was fulfilled, they would later kill me.” He also claimed a former prime minister whose body was found in a friend’s apartment had been killed elsewhere. A spokesperson for the government of Georgia derided Okruashvili’s statements as those of a man who is “out of his mind.” Standing on the outside and not that knowledgeable of affairs in Georgia, it is difficult to make a judgment about these claims. Where there’s smoke, is there fire? ...