Monthly Archives: October 2008

Denmark Will Control Asylum Seekers



Israel-Syria Cooperation Key To Middle East Peace

Former Turkish Foreign Minister Hikmet Cetin told the Israel newspaper, Haaretz, that peace between Syria and Israel could open the door for resolution of many problems in the Middle East. Even as he spoke, angry mobs in Syria were gathering around the American embassy in Damascus to protest recent military action carried out by US forces inside the territory of their land. President Bush has a way of lousing up efforts for peace by not understanding when there is need for quiet diplomacy to be allowed an opportunity to function instead of always resorting to bombings. Cetin believes a new American president will be the best hope to further efforts by Israel and Syria to achieve peace.

At present, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Erdogan, has been working to bring together Syrian and Israel officials in order to broker peace between the nations. Cetin hopes this effort can move forward, and it will need the assistance of a new American president who works for peace rather than for war.

Armenian-Turkish Academics Gather For Peace

History has been both a factor to either divide or to unite people, and for a hundred years contrasting views as to what happened to Armenians early in the 20th century has made impossible relations between Armenians and Turks. A group of historians and social scientists from both nations are meeting to discuss the possibility if they can agree on a common explanation whether or not Armenians were subject to a genocide early in the twentieth century. Ironically, the rapprochement between the peoples began when the Turkish president witnessed a football match with an Armenian leader. The academics were brought together by the German Institute for International Cooperation and their task is examining historical materials in the search to uncover an explanation of events which resulted in the death of hundreds of thousands of Armenians.

Turkish law makes it illegal to use words such as “genocide” when referring to the deaths of Armenians so the task of this group is terribly important. The academics are finally coming together aside from political pressure and functioning as historians and social scientists who are trying to uncover the truth. The outcome of their efforts will be published in Armenian, Turkish, and English versions.

Ergil Neyzi Adanir said it clearly, “we are two peoples who have lived together for centuries,” and he raised valid questions of why has their historic relationship ended in hatred and bitter anger and how can academics undo the divisions that were created in the past.

McCain And Palin Bemoan Alleged Media Bias

Senator John McCain, appearing on Larry King, expressed his anger at the media for failing to cast a critical eye on Barack Obama as it did on Sarah Palin. In the meantime, Sarah Palin blasted the Los Angeles Times for refusing to release a video tape made of a 2003 party for Palestinian-American Professor Rashid Khalidi where remarks were made that were negative about Israel. The Times said it had discussed the entire episode in April, but had promised the person who gave them the tape that it would not be broadcast. McCain and Palin claimed Khalidi was a former spokesperson for the Palestine Liberation Organization and a noted critic of Israel policy in the Middle East. He currently teaches in the Middle East Studies program at Columbia University. Both Obama and Kahlidi have previously stated, that while friends, they disagreed on policy toward Israel.

Palin ranted on about “Israel was described there as the perpetrator of terrorism rather than the victim. What we don’t know is how Barack Obama responded to these slurs on a country that he professes to support.” She demanded the Los Angeles Times make the video public.

As a supporter of Israel, I frequently denounce the current government for its foolish policies. For years I have argued the West Bank must be restored to Palestinians, and now Prime Minister Olmert has adopted a similar position. Does Palin consider Olmert to be an enemy of Israel? Anyone who cares about Israel must make clear disagreements with Israeli policies that violate human rights. Israel is the only real democracy in the region which makes it even more important that it should respect the rights of Palestinians. Sorry, Governor Palin, if you love Israel then you speak in negative terms about the nation you love if their policies are incorrect.

By the way, Governor Palin, how come the media has given your husband the silent treatment about his associations with a party that wants to secede from America? Oh, care to talk about the “fairness” of Fox News?

UN Urges US End Boycott Of Cuba

Nearly a half century has gone by with the United States refusing to allow normal economic, social and political contacts to occur between the government of Cuba and America. The UN General Assembly overwhelmingly approved a resolution asking the United States to repeal its embargo against trade with the Cuban communist government. It was the seventeenth straight year nations of the world have made clear their distaste with the American policy which makes no sense and simply reflects the power of Cubans in Florida to use their political power to block trade with their former mother country. The UN vote was 184 to 4 which reflects how broad is consensus around the world about the incomprehensible American policy.

The United States initiated contact with Communist China over thirty years ago, and had relations with Saddam Hussein for years, but, contacts with Cuba remain off limits. America insists there is justification because Cuba has an undemocratic government and restricts political and economic freedom. If that is the reason, why did the United States for years have relations with the Soviet Union, Communist China, Iraq, etc….?

Somalia Crisis Worsens As Bombs Kill Dozens



US Military Fears Thousands More Needed In Afghanistan

Pentagon officials increasingly have concluded there is need for almost double the number of soldiers currently in Afghanistan if the Taliban are to be controlled. Current plans call for dispatching about 10,000 more troops, but the general consensus is at least 20,000 must be sent in order to get the Taliban under control. They need helicopter units, intelligence teams, engineers, medical staff, and soldiers who are able to spend time training the Afghans in how to conduct military operations. Conditions in Afghanistan are much more complex due to more extensive mountains and the reality many Afghans support the Taliban.

Perhaps, George Bush can explain why over the past seven years an Afghan army was not trained and equipped. Why in 2008 is this a topic to be considered? The entire mess that is Afghanistan was created by Bush, Rumsfeld and Cheney who were bent on invading Iraq despite the need to maintain a large force in Afghanistan to crush the Taliban. Ironically, the troops will be coming from Iraq when seven years ago if those same troops had been kept in Afghanistan there would be no problems in Iraq.

Syria Threatens Retaliation Against USA




Danish Christian Group Behaves UnChristian



President Karzai Admits Afghan Failure

