President Bush Friday ordered expanded U.S. sanctions against what he termed the "illegitimate" government of Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe. At the same time, the United States is offering the country aid if there is a negotiated end to the country's political conflict.
The Bush administration had promised to tighten unilateral U.S. sanctions against Zimbabwe after a draft U.N. Security Council resolution for international sanctions was vetoed earlier this month by Russia and China.
An announcement from the U.S. Treasury Department said 17 Zimbabwean commercial entities and one individual, an Omani businessman with close ties to President Mugabe, are being added to a U.S. sanction list that already includes among others, Mr. Mugabe, his wife, and key associates.
Several government-owned or controlled companies are on the new list including the Minerals Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe, the Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation and the Agriculture Development Bank of Zimbabwe.
The Treasury Department said Mr. Mugabe, senior officials and cronies had used the entities to illegally siphon cash and foreign exchange from the Zimbabwean people.
Treasury officials said the Omani national, Thamer Bin Saeed Al-Shafari and a company he owns - Oryx National Resources - had enabled Mr. Mugabe and senior officials to derive personal benefit from mining ventures in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
In a White House statement, President Bush said the action against what he termed the "illegitimate" Mugabe government is a direct result of its continued politically-motivated violence despite international appeals, and its continued ban on activity by non-governmental aid groups that could help the country's "suffering and vulnerable" people.
Mr. Bush said no regime should ignore the will of its own people and calls from the international community without consequence. But the U.S. administration also took note of efforts begun this week among Mr. Mugabe and his political rivals, including opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai, to negotiate an end to the political conflict spawned by the disputed presidential run-off election in June.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/26/2008 00:00 ||
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#1
Al-Shafari is an extremely soiled player linked to Oryx Senga-Senga so called 'blood' Diamonds, weapons trading in the Congo, the bloody Russians, the usual African fare. Where sex money is involved, there's enough blame to go around. Many diamond buyers in London and Antwerp, IDE, etc, etc, have said the campaign against conflict diamonds won't stip them buying rough diamonds from any sorce they choose.
On July 14, during a meeting in Moscow little reported in the foreign press, Interfax reported that Saudi Arabian Secretary-General Prince Bandar bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz and Russia's VTS (Military-Technical Cooperation) agency head Mikhail Dmitriev, in the presence of Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, signed "an agreement about military-technical collaboration."
As the United States has been Saudi Arabia's primary arms supplier for the last three decades, the announcement must have sent CEOs of the military-industrial complex spinning. For the last decade Saudi oil money has purchased nearly $1 billion annually in arms, and a year ago Washington announced the sale of $20 billion worth of advanced weaponry to Saudi Arabia and its fellow Gulf Cooperation Council members.
But if the announcement set alarm bells ringing in defense corporate boardrooms, a second brief announcement later the same day had even greater potential import for the world energy market, as Interfax quoted Bandar bin Sultan as remarking, "Both Russia and Saudi Arabia agree upon and understand each other in virtually every energy-related issue."
#1
What tax payer wouldn't gladly give up a billion bucks if doing so would eliminate the most disgusting political entity on earth? The House of Saud is a parasite nest. We need them like we need to AIDS virus.
#3
Wait a minute! Don't tell me "Bandar Bush" has been kissing up to Putie. I hope he didn't look deep into Putie's eyes. Even a smooth talking A-rab can't schmooze enuff to outsmart that old KGB'er.
Critics have increased the pressure on Gordon Brown after Labour's defeat in the Glasgow East by-election, but colleagues have leapt to his defence. The head of one of the UK's top unions has demanded a leadership contest, while Tory leader David Cameron has called for a general election. But Chancellor Alistair Darling urged Labour to "rediscover the conviction" on which it won three elections. Members are at Warwick University for the party's National Policy Forum.
The SNP won Glasgow East - previously considered one of Labour's safest seats - by 365 votes, achieving a 22.54% swing. John Mason, the victorious candidate, said the result was "not just a political earthquake, it is off the Richter scale". It followed Labour's recent loss of the Crewe and Nantwich seat, the London mayoralty and poor results in local elections.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/26/2008 00:00 ||
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maybe a british rantburg reader could translate as to what this means.
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and Spain's King Juan Carlos shook hands and made up on Friday in their first meeting since the monarch told the president to "shut up" at a summit in November. A relaxed Chavez joked "Why don't we go to the beach?" as he met the smiling king in sunshine outside the royals' summer residence on the island of Majorca. However, the outspoken Venezuelan leader fell short of giving the monarch a hug, as he said he would like to do last Sunday on his weekly television show.
Relations deteriorated between the two countries last year after the king shouted at Chavez: "Why don't you shut up?", when Chavez interrupted a speech by Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero at the Ibero-American summit in Chile. Footage of the outburst was beamed around the world, inspiring mobile phone ringtones, mugs and T-shirts.
The king lost his temper after Chavez called former Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar - of the conservative PP party - a fascist, prompting Socialist Zapatero to ask for respect for an elected representative of the Spanish people. Minutes after the incident a grim-faced king rose from his seat and stormed out of the forum. Chavez later threatened to review diplomatic and business ties with former colonial power Spain, a major investor in the region, and demanded a public apology from the king.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/26/2008 00:00 ||
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Posted by: Frank G ||
07/26/2008 7:14 Comments ||
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Question: all our attack submarines are listed as having Mark 48 torpedoes. However, against Chinese submarines, wouldn't it be better to use Mark 54-LHT torpedoes?
A Turkish court agreed on Friday to hear a case against 86 people accused of plotting to overthrow the government.
The investigation into the alleged underground organisation, known as Ergenekon, has rattled markets and increased political tensions in Turkey, which is also unsettled by a case to shut down the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) for Islamist activities.
"Istanbul's penal court has accepted the indictment of 86 suspects as part of the Ergenekon investigation," state-run Anatolian news agency reported. A source from the court confirmed to Reuters that it had accepted the case.
CNN Turk television, which broadcast footage showing pages from the near-2500 page indictment, said the court would hold its first hearing on October 20 in Silvri prison, near Istanbul. The defendants, including the head of a small nationalist party and retired army officers, face charges including incitement to armed insurrection, aiding a terror group and possession of explosives. Two senior retired generals have also been arrested as part of the investigation but have not yet been charged. A further 26 people were detained on Wednesday on suspicion of being involved.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/26/2008 00:00 ||
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Greek- and Turkish-Cypriot leaders meeting in Nicosia have agreed to resume reunification talks in September to try and end the 34-year division of the Mediterranean island. The U.N. Chief of Mission in Cyprus, Taye-Brook Zerihoun, made the announcement that a breakthrough had been made after hosting a meeting between the Greek Cypriot President Demetris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/26/2008 00:00 ||
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#1
Truly historic REUNIFICATION talks will be between the Vulcans and Romulans in the distant future...
#2
Probably not with the results hoped for. Good luck convincing the Muslims to give up their free-for-all "sovereign" sector. Once Arafat's HQ's, Binny's heroin and the arms dealers freely transited through there and turf wars are sure to result.
President Bush plans to sign a bill next week that commits the United States to spending about $40 billion over the next five years to fight AIDS overseas, a major expansion of what many consider his most successful foreign policy initiative.
The legislation also extends an implicit pledge that has little precedent in the history of U.S. foreign assistance: to continue purchasing lifesaving drugs for millions of individual people in developing countries for an indefinite period of time.
Foreign aid for health care has traditionally been used to put up buildings, buy equipment and train workers. Direct medical care of individuals was limited to one-time interventions such as vaccinations, emergency treatment after natural disasters, and curative treatments of limited duration for diseases such as tuberculosis or leprosy.
Bush's program is fundamentally different. So far, it has purchased vast quantities of antiretroviral drugs and supported day-to-day medical care for more than 1.4 million people whose survival depends on continued treatment.
"It is the first time I can think of where we have foreign aid treating a chronic disease," said Michael H. Merson, director of Duke University's Global Health Institute and a former head of the World Health Organization's AIDS office. "It's a challenge to take this on. I think the questions it raises are going to be important ones for the future."
Once started, AIDS therapy must continue indefinitely, because stopping it can rapidly lead to death. As a consequence, international health experts and medical ethicists say it would be immoral to withdraw the financial assistance that pays for the therapy unless someone else steps in to replace it.
Although all governments and organizations supporting AIDS patients overseas have made an implied open-ended commitment, it looms largest for the United States, which provides about 40 percent of global AIDS assistance. Few experts say they think the needy countries now getting help from the United States will be able to fend for themselves anytime soon.
"We've never really been confronted with this in the international health arena," said Paul De Lay, a physician formerly with the U.S. Agency for International Development who is now with UNAIDS, a United Nations program in Geneva.
The President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), a surprise announcement in the 2003 State of the Union address, has spent about $19 billion in the last five years. The president sought to double it to $30 billion in a bill reauthorizing it for another five years, but Congress trumped him, sending him a larger bill that when it passed on Thursday authorized the spending of $48 billion -- $39 billion for AIDS and the rest for other diseases.
The money is provided to governments, charitable organizations and academic medical centers to buy drugs and equipment, train workers and run programs. By the administration's estimates, PEPFAR in five years has provided antiretroviral drug therapy for 1.4 million people; treatment for 1 million infected women during pregnancy so they are less likely to transmit the virus to their babies; care for nearly 3 million AIDS orphans; and 33 million counseling-and-testing sessions.
Although Bush's initiative enjoys support in both parties and has been praised around the world, some policy experts say the implications of its open-ended commitment have been largely ignored. A few view PEPFAR as essentially an open-ended "entitlement program" for citizens of other countries.
One person with that view is Mead Over, a former World Bank economist who is now at the Center for Global Development, a Washington think tank. He fears that if PEPFAR's commitments grow, as they are likely to, they will squeeze out funding for other, equally important, foreign aid.
He also worries that with such lopsided and personal relationships between countries, providing life-sustaining care may become a "strategic resource that will be used, or will be an implicit bargaining chip, in negotiations." He added that "sovereign countries are likely to feel quite vulnerable if they perceive that the lives of a substantial number of their citizens are dependent on the continued largess of a donor." Aha! So it's a subtle Rovian plot!
Over's solution is to spend much more AIDS assistance on prevention efforts, and to channel money for treatment through international organizations to spread future obligations among as many donors as possible.
Posted by: Bobby ||
07/26/2008 11:10 ||
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#1
Not a single 'Thank you, U.S.!" was offered by the lot of these a**holes.
#2
Actually, lots of educated people, if not governments, have long been praising W. Bush, agreeing with the statement that he has done more for Africa than all other US presidents combined.
Surprised that such statements are not to be found in the MSM?
A Beverly Hills hotel security guard told FOXNews.com he intervened this week between a man he identified as former Sen. John Edwards and tabloid reporters who chased down the former presidential hopeful after what they're calling a rendezvous with his mistress and love child.
The Beverly Hilton Hotel guard said he encountered a shaken and ashen-faced Edwards -- whom he did not immediately recognize -- in a hotel men's room early Tuesday morning in a literal tug-of-war with reporters on the other side of the door.
"What are they saying about me?" the guard said Edwards asked.
"His face just went totally white," the guard said, when Edwards was told the reporters were shouting out questions about Edwards and Rielle Hunter, a woman the National Enquirer says is the mother of his child.
Shouldn't need a DNA test to figure out if the Silky Foal was sired by the Breck Boy versus Andy Young. Might not even need 20/20 vision ...
The guard said he escorted Edwards, who was not a registered guest at the hotel, out of the building after 2 a.m. Edwards did not say anything while he was escorted out, said the guard, adding that at times the reporters on the scene were "rough on him," sticking a camera in his face and shouting questions.
The guard did not recognize Edwards at the time of the incident, but said he concluded it was the 2008 presidential hopeful after hearing reports about the incident and finding an Enquirer reporter's notebook at the scene.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/26/2008 00:00 ||
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Pray telleth, what does Cuzin' PARIS HILTON say, since 'twas reportedly = reporteth a BEVERLY HILLS HILTON HOTEL occurreth???
#2
WE should chase this Hypocrite Bastard John Edwards down and then sue his Libelous Ass for fornicating with young Blondes while his wife is suffering in grave danger with incurable Breast Cancer.
BTW: I think Fornicating with Blondes, Brunettes, and Red-Headed wimmins is a great goal and wonderful thing to do... but not if you are married and your wife is suffering with incurable Breast Cancer.
Posted by: Red Dawg ||
07/26/2008 3:32 Comments ||
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there are two Americas, and apparently, Silky Ambulance Chasers get 'tang in both!
Posted by: Frank G ||
07/26/2008 5:49 Comments ||
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Speaking to Dem women on this they are universally appalled, but not because he's running around on a wife dying of cancer. Their three main issues are:
1. His dying wife is better looking (she looks like Camille Parker Boles w/out the UK horseface)
2. He has MUCH better hair than the she does (check out her "just rolled out of the love nest" look in the Enquirer).
3. She's wearing a shirt with a Bedazzler rhinestones heart/peace symblom.
Posted by: regular joe ||
07/26/2008 9:24 Comments ||
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The NE totally covered its butt on this one. Elsewhere it was written that they got sworn statements from at least a dozen witnesses, as well as vehicle license plate numbers, and everything short of bringing along a notary public.
Their standards of legal CYA are light years beyond the NYT and other such tabloids.
Posted by: Red Dawg ||
07/26/2008 13:00 Comments ||
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he gets a due-over
Posted by: Frank G ||
07/26/2008 13:03 Comments ||
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And the Mainstream medi has this story firmly on ignore.
Imagine if this were Mitt Romney, or Mike Huckabee. Would the NYT have not mentioned even one word of this story were it one of them?
Whats the difference - its that the NYT is nakedly partisan and will NOT report on Dem failings, while it splashes a GOP rumor (the fals one about McCain) on the headlines and editorilizes about it for weeks.
Shut the NYT down NOW! Or at least force it to declare that it is part and parcel of the Democrat party, and subject it to rules on speech.
#12
10 eyewitnesses (video has been mentioned)...I love the idea of this fool locking himself in the men's room to avoid the press, a sweaty shaken mess. He can call Gary Hartpence for advice
Posted by: Frank G ||
07/26/2008 13:37 Comments ||
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Thanks Frank and Red Dawg- but I would prefer a Dhue-over, if it could be arranged! ;-)
Seriously I liked her as a "smart women wrapped in an easy on the eyes package"... I hope she finds her next place soon...
#2
The difference between a state controlled press and a the one we have now is? If the difference gets much smaller why should they be granted 'protection'? Regulate through the commerce clause like any other business for content. Lies and outright misrepresentations would bring fines like any other business that conducted itself in such disregard to the quality of the product or service.
The varying explanations for the cancellation of Barack Obama's planned visit today to the U.S. military's Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany are leaving campaign-watchers puzzled.
Obama had been scheduled to greet U.S. troops at the hospital just before leaving Germany this afternoon for Paris, where he met French President Nicolas Sarkozy at the Elysee Palace.
Then he found out that there wouldn't be any cameras ...
But first, Obama spokesman Robert Gibbs released a statement Thursday night saying the senator had decided "out of respect for these servicemen and women that it would be inappropriate to make a stop to visit troops at a U.S. military facility as part of a trip funded by the campaign."
The campaign amended that explanation this morning. Obama wanted to thank the troops for their service, but "we learned from the Pentagon last night that the visit would be viewed instead as a campaign event.," Obama advisor Scott Gration, a retired Air Force major general, said in a statement.
The Senator could have walked in without campaign aides. He could have spent an hour there. He could have had a military escort to guide him around -- he would have been perfectly safe. He could have had some quiet words with various wounded soldiers and their families. Perhaps shook the hands of some of the staff that make all the great medical care possible. He could have quietly thanked people for their hard work and their sacrifice.
He didn't.
On Obama's flight from Berlin to Paris, Gibbs offered more details. Around July 15, the Pentagon approved Obama's visit. But military officials later invoked a rule on political activity at military bases and questioned whether it would cover Obama's visit, Gibbs said. Obama spokesmen said they were seeking clarification on what the rule is. Gibbs also declined to speculate on why the Pentagon did not cite the rule until Wednesday.
That account, however, didn't square with the Defense Department's explanation. The Pentagon said it informed the Obama campaign on Monday that he and his Senate staff could visit Landstuhl, where wounded soldiers from Iraq and Afghanistan are treated, but that no press would be allowed. "Sen. Obama is more than welcome to visit Landstuhl or any other military hospital around the world," said Geoff Morrell, the Pentagon press secretary. "But he has to do so, just as any other senator has to do so, in his official capacity. It is not acceptable to do so as a candidate."
"In an election year," Morrell said, "I don't believe that any candidate is allowed to visit a DOD facility with press."
The Messiah did find time to thank the German police, even though he couldn't visit our wounded soldiers.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/26/2008 00:00 ||
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he could've got photos from the military photogs, but they wouldn't frame him with the obligatory faux-halo he's expecting from the AP, Rooters, et al. I'm reeeaaally starting to dislike this arrogant POS, empty-headed racist and marxist blow-hole, even more than his wife
Posted by: Frank G ||
07/26/2008 7:19 Comments ||
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What Frank said (except for the "starting" part lol)
On the bright side, I'm sure B.O. boosted the morale of our wounded heroes by NOT showing up. I know having that self aggrandizing SOB use my woundedness for a campaign photo-op would have SERIOUSLY pissed me off.
Posted by: Bin thinking again ||
07/26/2008 8:49 Comments ||
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#3
Here it is again, Obama's African agenda. Gration was raised in the Congo by missionary parents. He speaks Swahili and is the President and CEO of Millennium Villages ("Extreme Poverty Ends Here"). He accompanied the Obamessiah on his trip to kenya two years ago. Gration's bio at the link.
EDUCATION
1974 Bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, N.J.
1988 Master of arts degree in national security studies, Georgetown University, Washington, D.C.
1988 Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
1993 National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
1999 Executive Program for General Officers of the Russian Federation and the United States, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard
University, Cambridge, Mass.
2002 National Security Decision Making Seminar, the Nitze School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Md.
I represent the Lollipop Guild, the Lollipop Guild, the Lollipop Guild...
WASHINGTON -- Rep. Dennis Kucinich's quest to impeach President Bush is got an unofficial airing in the House Judiciary Committee on Friday. The Ohio congressman's single impeachment article is not expected to move forward, but critics of the Bush administration were taking the opportunity in a House Judiciary Committee hearing to push for removing the president from office. Ah. A dog and pony show. Oh, well. They're good at that. That's about all they're good at...
Kucinich got a rock star welcome of whistles, hoots and clapping as he walked into the hearing room, holding hands with his wife, from hundreds of anti-war, anti-Bush people crammed into the room and lining the hallways outside. T-shirts reading "Arrest Bush" and "Veterans for Impeachment" illustrated the sentiments of many. Hey, everybody! Look at meeeeeeeeeeeeee!
"The decision before us is whether to demand accountability for one of the gravest injustices imaginable," Kucinich testified, avoiding use of the "I" word. Tape running on this?
Yes, sir, Mr Cheney.
Goooood. If it passes, I wanna be ready...
The committee reminded lawmakers and those testifying that House rules prohibit "personal abuse, innuendo or ridicule of the president." The House Rules and Manual points out that suggestions of mendacity, or accusations of hypocrisy, demagoguery or deception were out of order. Man, I'll bet that pisses them off. Didn't leave much to talk about, did it ...
"The rules of the House prevent me or any witness from utilizing familiar terms," Kucinich said. "But we can put two and two together in our minds." Yeah, yeah, yeah...Bush equals Hitler. Could ya get on with it? It's Friday...
Later, former Los Angeles County Prosecutor Vincent Bugliosi, known for his prosecution of Charles Manson in 1970, acknowledged that "I am forbidden from accusing him of a crime, or even any dishonorable conduct" under House rules. But he could still encourage people to read his book, "The Prosecution of George W. Bush for Murder." When did Bugliosi become a nutjob?
Despite several mentions early of the "I" word elsewyer, committee chairman Rep. John Conyers explained to the audience it was not, technically, an impeachment hearing "to the regret of many." Ah, another of the usual suspects.
He said the House would have to vote for an impeachment inquiry to begin, a test not met by the July 15 vote to send Kucinich's impeachment resolution to the Judiciary Committee. Harrrumph harrumph harrrumph...
The hearing began shortly after 10 a.m. ET, and it didn't take long for the call to impeach Bush to bring an applause line, if not to wade through political statements on each side of the aisle. Rep. Robert Wexler, D-Fla., said the administration has committed "serious abuses, that if proven, would certainly constitute high crimes." Therefore, "The most appropriate response to this unprecedented behavior is to hold hearings for impeachment." And another usual suspect rears his head...
The line drew hoots of approval from some members of the audience, which drew a warning to the audience from Conyers, D-Mich. Get the rope!
"Let's restrain ourselves, please," Conyers said. Get the rope!
That's better.
Just after he spoke, Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., made her thoughts known: "It is my judgment that President Bush is the worst president that our country has suffered." And that makes me ever so sad. He's a big meanie! That's what he is!
The top-ranked Republican on the committee, Lamar Smith of Texas, dismissed the hearing as a waste of time. Likening the hearing to "an anger management class," Smith said, "Nothing is going to come out of this hearing with regard to impeachment. ... That's because there is no evidence to support impeachment." Wait'll Barack takes over. They're making a list. You just made it...
He said the partisan tone of the hearing was probably one of the reasons congressional approval ratings are at historic lows, recently below 10 percent. "That makes President Bush's approval rating of 32 percent look pretty good," Smith said. You might think they'd figure that out on their own, wouldn't ya?
Cracking a joke at his Democratic colleagues' expense, Rep. Dan Lungren, R-Calif., belittled the hearing, saying, "Maybe what we're here for is impeachment light' " -- a "never, never land" where Democrats lay out their accusations, but don't follow up on impeachment. Now, now. Let's not make fun of Mr. Kucinich's district...
Rep. Mike Pence, R-Ind., tried to argue against the point of the hearing on a legal point."The framers (of the Constitution) did not intend impeachment as a political device," Pence said, adding that he believed the president has "consistently put the American people's need before his own." You just made the list too, Buster!
It took the committee more than an hour to get to Kucinich, the first witness. Would you like a booster seat, Mr. Kucinich?
But the fact that the hearing took place was almost as improbable as the intended outcome of Kucinich's wishes -- the ouster of the president. Under the Constitution, impeachment powers lie in the House. But despite deep divisions between the House Democratic Caucus and White House on a broad swath of issues -- the Iraq war, the economy, energy, climate change, to name a few -- House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has pointedly said impeachment is off the table. But if I get a chance to make Bush look bad, ah, why not? Besides, it'll keep that creepy little bastard Kucinich away from me for awhile.
The hearing Friday, titled "Executive Power and Its Constitutional Limitations," followed the July 15 vote to send Kucinich's impeachment resolution to the panel. Will the witness state his name, please.
Well, actually, I'm channeling the ghost of Saddam Hussein, so should I, like, give you his name or mine?
The witness panel that is loaded with people from the foundations of the anti-Bush movement. Rep. Maurice Hinchey, D-N.Y., for instance, earlier this month repeated his long-held belief that the administration invaded Iraq solely to secure oil and benefit oil companies. "That is why this administration let Usama bin Laden go because they wanted to justify attacking Iraq," Hinchey said, according to The (Kingston, N.Y.) Daily Freeman. Damn! It was about the oiiiiil! How could I have missed that!
Another witness scheduled for Friday, Reagan administration lawyer turned Bush-basher Bruce Fein, met with reporters alongside antiwar activist Cindy Sheehan on Thursday, ahead of the hearing. According to the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Fein accused Bush of making a power-grab on the presidency, but also took on Democrats for letting him do it. "It doesn't matter if the country goes to hell in a hand basket as long as Democrats are steering the Titanic when it sinks," Fein said according to the paper. Sounds like The Gang's All Here. Ward Churchill busy this week?
The list also included Rep. Walter Jones, R-N.C., an Iraq war critic; Rep. Brad Miller, D-N.C.; former Rep. Elizabeth Holtzman, D-N.Y.; former Rep. Bob Barr, R-Ga., now the Libertarian Paty presidential candidate; Ross "Rocky" Anderson, founder of High Roads for Human Rights and former mayor of Salt Lake City. The other witnesses are: Stephen Presser, of the Northwestern University School of Law; Jeremy Rabkin, George Mason University School of Law; Elliot Adams, board president of Veterans for Peace; and Frederick A. O. Schwarz Jr., of the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law. Ooooooooh! Oooooooh! Me too! Me too! Pick me! Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeze!
Posted by: Frank G ||
07/26/2008 5:55 Comments ||
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During his first year in Congress, Wexler attempted to commute between South Florida and Washington. "It quickly became apparent that I would miss out on the bulk of my children's lives," he said,
I'm sure those serving their second and third tour in the ME*, or just our Navy folk who put out to sea every six months feel the pain Congressman. Leadership by example, except for the elite. You know it comes with the job. Adjust or seek other employment.
*Because the Executive and Legislative Branches decided to gut the active Army from from 750,000 circa 1992 to 480,000 by 2001 and keep it there till 2007.
#6
Unless we want to piss off the space aliens big-time, steve (and I'm sure we don't want to take that chance), I think we're probably stuck with the loon him. :-(
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut ||
07/26/2008 22:03 Comments ||
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Earlier this month, a Mumbai city official stood up to make a presentation on water meters only to be heckled and jeered into silence by his colleagues. He had tried to make his presentation in English. India's capital of commerce speaks in many tongues but from this month, when it comes to official communications within the municipal authority, English will no longer be one of them. The decision to ditch English, the global language of business, in favour of Marathi, a language largely restricted to the surrounding state of Maharashtra, has left some officials struggling to express themselves.
"I love Marathi. I am Marathi," said Ashish Shelar, an elected official. "But Mumbai city has become a global city now. The language of Mumbai city has changed."
India has long grappled with the problem of Babel. Its constitution recognises 22 official languages, including English. Mumbai in particular, a cosmopolitan harbour city and a magnet for Indians across the country, is helplessly polyglot. The move was pushed through without debate by Shubha Raul, the mayor, who is a member of Shiv Sena, a political party that encourages the nativist pride of Marathis and chastises Indian immigrants who fail to behave like good guests in the city.
No city official is against Marathi communication - although Marathis make up less than half of Mumbai's population the language is understood to some degree by many long-term residents. But some officials say that while the Marathi of the bazaars is easy to understand, the officialese version of the language is confusing, and a poor substitute for English. Like the Academie Francaise in Paris, city bureaucrats are increasingly on guard against English loanwords, even when they are more widely understood than the Marathi equivalent.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/26/2008 00:00 ||
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They are going to find it hard to steal our customer service jobs speaking marathi.
#2
Many, if not most, of the customer service jobs are in cities like Bangalore, where they speak Kannada (and English), and Chennai, where they speak Tamil, I think (and English).
Posted by: Rambler in California ||
07/26/2008 3:01 Comments ||
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#3
I doubt this will last. This political party is "militant nationalist", which means nostalgic reactionary. They less support India than an idealistic view of what they have romanticized India once was.
Usually that kind of party gentrifies itself out of business.
#7
The decision to ditch English, the global language of business, in favour of Marathi 'French', a language largely restricted to the surrounding state of Maharashtra province of Quebec.
Defense Minister Ehud Barak on Friday said that the freedom and the command of law enforcement authorities must be protected, in reference to Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's response to recent allegations he was obstructing the corruption investigations against him by failing to cooperate with police investigators.
"The courts, the police and the state prosecution must be protected from attempts to harm their authority and their freedom," Barak said at a Labor Party conference Friday. "Over recent days, we have seen a renewed assault against the law enforcement authorities," he added, warning that the "prosecution, police and the courts are essential bodies in any democracy."
Posted by: Fred ||
07/26/2008 00:00 ||
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From East Asia Intel, subscription.
Chinese blue water navy ambitions as well as its hunger for imported energy have apparently resulted in a new warning to the worlds largest corporation, ExxonMobil.
A Hong Kong newspaper says Beijings diplomats have threatened retaliation if ExxonMobil goes ahead with a preliminary agreement between the Vietnamese state oil firm PetroVietnam. The deal covers exploitation in the South China Sea off Vietnam's south and central coasts.
Beijing claims a huge swath of the South China Sea just east of the Indochina peninsula and west of the Philippines. And there is long history of clashes among the riparian powers with Vietnam, the Philippines, Indonesia, Cambodia, Taiwan and China making claims. There have been a number of small military skirmishes in the past two decades. The most serious occurred in 1976, when China invaded and captured the Paracel Islands from Vietnam. In 1988, Chinese and Vietnamese navies clashed at Johnson Reef in the Spratly Islands, sinking several Vietnamese boats and killing more than 70 sailors.
Last year, Chinese media targeted an agreement between Vietnam and BP near the Spratlys maintaining that those islands had been an indisputable part of Chinese territory since ancient times. The Spratlys, like other island groups in the region, are uninhabited rocky outcroppings and coral but are in an area that may contain large oil and gas deposits.
The islands also lie directly across the major shipping route for oil from the Persian Gulf to markets in China, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan.
The 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Beijing signed a "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea." The united front of Southeast Asian countries, concerned that Beijing might be strengthening its claims over much of the South China Sea, called for restraint and strict observance of international law in a high-level meeting with China in January 2000. Yeah, call for restraint from the Chicoms. That is a winning strategy.
All parties, theoretically, agreed to exercise self-restraint in the conduct of activities in the South China Sea that would complicate or escalate disputes and affect peace and stability, including, among others, refraining from inhabiting the presently uninhabited islands, reefs, shoals, cays and other features and to handle their differences in a constructive manner. But ASEANs effort at a joint position vis-a-visa Beijing fell apart when China and the Philippines began discussing possible joint exploration for petroleum in the disputed Spratlys. "Yes, we agree to a peaceful resolution. Now if you don't mind, please step aside. We have a drilling ship to move into position."
Backing up its claims, China has sent naval vessels into the area and constructed crude buildings on some of the islands. Reconnaissance photos taken by the Philippine air force show radar systems not normally associated with the protection of fishermen, as Beijing claimed. China maintains a base on Mystic Island, one of the Spratly group. All this fits into a strategy revealed by aerial photography recently when a giant new secret Chinese submarine base was exposed on Chinas Hainan Island just north of the disputed waters.
It may be significant that the most recent Chinese warnings, according to the South China Morning Post, were made verbally by Chinese diplomats in Washington. The hint was that ExxonMobils future business interests on the Mainland could be in jeopardy.
On the Vietnamese side, China is an ancient enemy of Hanoi dating back over centuries even though the two countries were allied after the Chinese Communists came to power in 1949. That lasted through the two Vietnam wars, one between the French and the Vietnamese and the other the U.S. engagement. But it fell apart in 1979 when the two countries fought a brief border war after Vietnam occupied Cambodia another instance of an ancient and bitter rivalry and overthrew the pariah Khmer Rouge regime, a staunch ally of Beijing. Beijing, champion of human rights, threw its lot in with the Khmer Rouge. Also the junta in Burma, Zim Bob, Sudan. The list goes on and on.
China-Vietnam relations have since improved with the Vietnamese adopting what many call the post-Deng Xiaoping China model of development. On June 21, the Vietnamese Communist Party newspaper Nhan Dan reported Vietnamese Communist Party General Secretary Nong Duc Manh had successfully concluded an official visit to China at the invitation of the Chinese Party General Secretary and President Hu Jintao.
In fact, Vietnam and China have agreed to cooperate in oil and gas exploration in the Gulf of Tonkin just off the northern Vietnamese major port of Haiphong. But still, last year BP halted plans to conduct exploration work off the southern Vietnamese coast, citing territorial tensions caused by Chinese claims. And in December, China chided Vietnam after protests in front of the Chinese Embassy in Hanoi proclaimed that the Spratly and Paracel islands belonged to the Vietnamese.
The Hong Kong newspaper quoted unidentified sources saying Exxon Mobil was confident of Vietnam's sovereign rights to the blocks it was now seeking to explore. But it is clear that Exxon Mobil could not dismiss China's warnings out of hand given the rapidly increasing Chinese market for crude oil and oil products. The newspaper said China's foreign ministry did not immediately respond to queries about the situation, and an Exxon Mobil spokesman refused comment. However, Vietnamese Foreign Ministry spokesman Le Dung came back with the assertion that Hanoi's dealings with foreign oil partners fell entirely within Vietnam's legal rights and sovereignty. Got to be able to back up your words. This whole episode just goes to show that we need to get off of foreign oil. Otherwise it is just intimidation and blackmail by psychopath oil ticks. We have the resources and the smarts. We just need the will to do it.
Posted by: Alaska Paul with his Parka on ||
07/26/2008 12:38 ||
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#1
So can we use this as an established principle to tell them to sod off drilling between Key West and Cuba?
Iranians are grappling with daily power blackouts, lonq queues at petrol stations and warnings of water cuts, while the situation could worsen if the international community imposes new sanctions on Iran over its nuclear drive.
"I have spent at least two hours at the bank because the computer system was not functioning because of the power cut," said Massoud, a 65-year-old retired man who went to cash his pension cheque.
Power blackouts have become daily fare for Iranians in the capital Tehran and other cities since the start of the summer, with electricity cut between two to four hours each day.
"Every day between one in the afternoon and until three, we have no electricity," says Farhad Mahmoudzadeh, a dentist who is forced to stop work during these hours. "I will buy a power generator as in time of war," he said referring to the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq conflict when Iran faced crippling electricity cuts.
#2
Or, perhaps they are diverting a good amount of their fuel supply to storage in anticipation of a disruption of supply in the case of a confrontation over the nuclear issue.
Iran is also building refineries in Venezuela to refine their crude and ship the refined products to Iran. It looks like Chavez is building the infrastructure needed to stop selling oil to the US completely. Rather than forcing other countries to build special refineries capable of handling the heavy Venezuelan crude, is inviting countries to build or share capacity there and take delivery of the finished products rather than crude oil.
On Wednesday, New York Times Co. (NYT) reported disappointing second-quarter earnings, and on Thursday the stock continued in its steep descent. At the end of trading it stood at 12.48, or virtually half the price it commanded one year ago.
This part of the story is unsurprising, given how the Street is slamming any newspaper stock. What's startling is something else: If you back out much of the rest of the company's portfolio, you arrive at a surprisingly teeny valuation for the vaunted New York Times itself, despite all the respect the brand commands.
At its current $12.48 stock pricedown 46.3% from a year agoTimes Co. has a $1.79 billion market cap. To put this in perspective, CBS recently acquired tech publisher CNET, a much weaker media brand, for $1.8 billion. Add in the company's $1.1 billion of debt, subtract $42 million for its cash on hand, and the company's total enterprise valuea valuation measure that totals up those items in such a fashionis just $2.85 billion.
In a research note published on July 9, Lehman Brothers (LEH) analyst Craig Huber estimated the Boston Globe and the 14 regional newspapers the company owns could be sold for $575 million after taxes. Huber valued the 17% stake in the Boston Red Sox, after taxes, at $152 million and the Times's portion of its new headquarters building in midtown Manhattan at $750 million after taxes. The company paid $410 million three years ago for Web property About.com; according to an estimate by tech blog Silicon Alley Insider, that could be sold for approximately $600 million today. That sounds low to us, since About has consistently reported increasing revenues. Let's conservatively kick that up to $700 million and assume a 20% tax bite on the Times's $290 million gains in that sale, which is $58 million. So $642 million, aftertax, for About.com.
Totaling up those figures gets you to just over $2.1 billion. Subtract that from the enterprise value, and you get $750 million for the company's remaining assets.
Does anyone really believe that Times Co.'s other assetsThe New York Times, the International Herald Tribune, and its New York City radio stationcould be worth only $750 million?
#2
Does anyone really believe that Times Co.'s other assetsThe New York Times, the International Herald Tribune, and its New York City radio stationcould be worth only $750 million?
When the owners and management has been riddled with incompetence for years and the newspaper has only been a cheer leading section for the liberal dhimocrat party instead of a news organization...
#3
> Does anyone really believe that Times Co.'s other assets--The New York Times, the International Herald Tribune, and its New York City radio station--could be worth only $750 million?
Yes. Next question. Are they worth anything at all?
Have you read Maureen Dowd or Paul Krugman lately?
Posted by: Mike ||
07/26/2008 17:38 Comments ||
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...despite all the respect the brand commands.
ROTFL. Like sub-prime mortgage paper. Why should anyone pay to be the front for the Democratic Party? Let the Party pay for their own in house organ on their own dime and own time. There's nothing historically wrong with a Party putting out its own paper. Just be up front about it, instead of hiding behind the very poor Potemkin facade.
#6
Do I smell a bargain in the air? The outlook for any large newspaper is bleak. With the highest profile in the US, it's going to take more of a hit than some. But is it trash or treasure? What am I bid?
Posted by: Richard of Oregon ||
07/26/2008 21:38 Comments ||
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#7
Let's see, a syndicate of ten million conservatives, $200 subscription....
The look on Krugman and Rich's faces when we lay them off, priceless!
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
Critics have increased the pressure on Gordon Brown after Labour's defeat in the Glasgow East by-election, but colleagues have leapt to his defence. The head of one of the UK's top unions has demanded a leadership contest, while Tory leader David Cameron has called for a general election. But Chancellor Alistair Darling urged Labour to "rediscover the conviction" on which it won three elections. Members are at Warwick University for the party's National Policy Forum. 
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and Spain's King Juan Carlos shook hands and made up on Friday in their first meeting since the monarch told the president to "shut up" at a summit in November. A relaxed Chavez joked "Why don't we go to the beach?" as he met the smiling king in sunshine outside the royals' summer residence on the island of Majorca. However, the outspoken Venezuelan leader fell short of giving the monarch a hug, as he said he would like to do last Sunday on his weekly television show. 
A Beverly Hills hotel security guard told FOXNews.com he intervened this week between a man he identified as former Sen. John Edwards and tabloid reporters who chased down the former presidential hopeful after what they're calling a rendezvous with his mistress and love child.
