Israel/Palestine

So, strengthened by the deafening silence from Washington, Sharon says: "We got rid of murderer number one and murderer number two and the list is not short"

I'll bet the list is not short.

I wonder how long will the Americans let him get away with this.

Another ten bodies? Hundred? Thousand?

What is Sharon planning, to kill every angry Palestinian?



I believe there is an ugly word for that.



All our brave politicians, will none of you stand up and say something?

Will none of you try to stop this?

Israel/Palestine

So, strengthened by the deafening silence from Washington, Sharon says: "We got rid of murderer number one and murderer number two and the list is not short"

I'll bet the list is not short.

I wonder how long will the Americans let him get away with this.

Another ten bodies? Hundred? Thousand?

What is Sharon planning, to kill every angry Palestinian?



I believe there is an ugly word for that.



All our brave politicians, will none of you stand up and say something?

Will none of you try to stop this?

Iraq

As the situation in Iraq grows more uncertain, the two leaders are counting on more U.N. involvement in the region to lend their operations legitimacy and convince the rest of the international community to pledge additional support in the form of troops and money.



I bet no matter how the UN tries, the Americans will keep final control over everything. Which is why I believe the UN should stay out of it until the Americans do hand over full control. Forget the June 30 deadline, that is for children who believe in fairy tales. The Americans wont be handing over anything that is concrete. This is symbolic, they will keep all power and all decisions will have to go through them.



The UN should not get involved. Yet.

It is an utter mess now, let it play out the way it will.

Yes, it may involve a routing of all Americans and British and other "coalition partners". It may involve huge upheavals which may spread to Iran... and Turkey... but let's hope calmer minds will prevail and call the UN in after the invaders are chased away.



I have high hopes that Sistani will level out inflamed emotions. Another Islamic state, then. It upsets me that a secular state was changed into this, for women of Iraq this is devastating on many fronts... but this will be the best option under the circumstances. The country, the region, is utterly devastated.



It's an odd kind of freedom those Americans export, isnt it.



The arrogance of Bush and Blair just take my breath away.

I hope the coming American elections will make this world safer, please, whatever you do, dont vote that man in for a second term. If it galls to vote for Kerry, please, PLEASE vote for nobody then.

Iraq

As the situation in Iraq grows more uncertain, the two leaders are counting on more U.N. involvement in the region to lend their operations legitimacy and convince the rest of the international community to pledge additional support in the form of troops and money.



I bet no matter how the UN tries, the Americans will keep final control over everything. Which is why I believe the UN should stay out of it until the Americans do hand over full control. Forget the June 30 deadline, that is for children who believe in fairy tales. The Americans wont be handing over anything that is concrete. This is symbolic, they will keep all power and all decisions will have to go through them.



The UN should not get involved. Yet.

It is an utter mess now, let it play out the way it will.

Yes, it may involve a routing of all Americans and British and other "coalition partners". It may involve huge upheavals which may spread to Iran... and Turkey... but let's hope calmer minds will prevail and call the UN in after the invaders are chased away.



I have high hopes that Sistani will level out inflamed emotions. Another Islamic state, then. It upsets me that a secular state was changed into this, for women of Iraq this is devastating on many fronts... but this will be the best option under the circumstances. The country, the region, is utterly devastated.



It's an odd kind of freedom those Americans export, isnt it.



The arrogance of Bush and Blair just take my breath away.

I hope the coming American elections will make this world safer, please, whatever you do, dont vote that man in for a second term. If it galls to vote for Kerry, please, PLEASE vote for nobody then.

Iraq

I have been reading rumours that John D. Negroponte is probably going to be the new U.S. ambassador to Baghdad.

That would be John D. Negroponte, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, the one who has been blocking each and every UN resolution even mildly critical of Israel?

The John D. Negroponte who was instrumental in getting that Security Council resolution through that helped the Bush administration make the case for the invasion of Iraq?

The John D. Negroponte who was the U.S. ambassador to Honduras from 1981 to 1985? Who states "To this day, I do not believe that death squads were operating in Honduras." ?



Not exactly a smart move.

But perfectly in sync with the political intelligence that today has some 2,500 American troops, tanks and artillery on the outskirts of the Iraqi Shiite holy city of Najaf, waiting with twitching trigger fingers for the order to storm in there and kill or arrest Muqtada al-Sadr and completely eradicate his militia.



It's like the Americans want everything to go completely pearshaped in Iraq - because nobody is quite this naive, even the most thickheaded idiot must know this will cause outright mayhem all over the country and could even involve Iran in all of this.



Or, perhaps, this is what Bush needs to win the elections... another fine war.

Iraq

I have been reading rumours that John D. Negroponte is probably going to be the new U.S. ambassador to Baghdad.

That would be John D. Negroponte, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, the one who has been blocking each and every UN resolution even mildly critical of Israel?

The John D. Negroponte who was instrumental in getting that Security Council resolution through that helped the Bush administration make the case for the invasion of Iraq?

The John D. Negroponte who was the U.S. ambassador to Honduras from 1981 to 1985? Who states "To this day, I do not believe that death squads were operating in Honduras." ?



Not exactly a smart move.

But perfectly in sync with the political intelligence that today has some 2,500 American troops, tanks and artillery on the outskirts of the Iraqi Shiite holy city of Najaf, waiting with twitching trigger fingers for the order to storm in there and kill or arrest Muqtada al-Sadr and completely eradicate his militia.



It's like the Americans want everything to go completely pearshaped in Iraq - because nobody is quite this naive, even the most thickheaded idiot must know this will cause outright mayhem all over the country and could even involve Iran in all of this.



Or, perhaps, this is what Bush needs to win the elections... another fine war.

Iraq

Bush: "It was a tough week"

No shit.

Over 600 Iraqi dead.



This must count as one of the most inept "bringing of democracy" ever!



This started basically when Israel bombed an old blind and quadruplegic cleric in a wheelchair.

Followed shortly afterwards on March 28 by banning that young firebrand cleric Muqtada al-Sadr's newspaper al-Hawza (which had a very small circulation, about 10.000, I believe)

Followed by Americans arresting the second in command of Muqtada al-Sadr.

Followed by more protests and demonstrations that were broken up by US troops, with violence... followed by bigger and angrier demonstrations which were broken up with more violence... which spread to all the major cities in Iraq.



Include in this mix those four four "American civilians" working for a private security firm who were killed and mutilated, set on fire and hung from a bridge (although, I would have thought since the Americans blithely used a napalm derivate during the invasion, they would not exactly be opposed to people being set on fire).



Anyway, Bremer then decided to compound the situation by producing a month-old arrest warrant for Muqtada al-Sadr.



To crown it all the marines are sent into a civilian area with, it seems, instructions that came fresh from the Israeli army.



Over 600 dead, about half of them women and children. This is worse than disgraceful, it's a war crime.

Through this all, Bush calls them "a small faction" and "a band of thugs" who are "attempting to derail Iraqi democracy and seize power" and then goes off to play golf on his ranch.

Iraq

Bush: "It was a tough week"

No shit.

Over 600 Iraqi dead.



This must count as one of the most inept "bringing of democracy" ever!



This started basically when Israel bombed an old blind and quadruplegic cleric in a wheelchair.

Followed shortly afterwards on March 28 by banning that young firebrand cleric Muqtada al-Sadr's newspaper al-Hawza (which had a very small circulation, about 10.000, I believe)

Followed by Americans arresting the second in command of Muqtada al-Sadr.

Followed by more protests and demonstrations that were broken up by US troops, with violence... followed by bigger and angrier demonstrations which were broken up with more violence... which spread to all the major cities in Iraq.



Include in this mix those four four "American civilians" working for a private security firm who were killed and mutilated, set on fire and hung from a bridge (although, I would have thought since the Americans blithely used a napalm derivate during the invasion, they would not exactly be opposed to people being set on fire).



Anyway, Bremer then decided to compound the situation by producing a month-old arrest warrant for Muqtada al-Sadr.



To crown it all the marines are sent into a civilian area with, it seems, instructions that came fresh from the Israeli army.



Over 600 dead, about half of them women and children. This is worse than disgraceful, it's a war crime.

Through this all, Bush calls them "a small faction" and "a band of thugs" who are "attempting to derail Iraqi democracy and seize power" and then goes off to play golf on his ranch.