The Flashlight, Dec. 1-8, 2006
THE FLASHLIGHT, December 1-8, 2006
World Inequality
CNN 12-5. A UN study of the world-wide distribution of household wealth has found that 2% of the world’s population owns half the wealth, and 1% own 40% of the wealth. The geographic distribution of wealth is also very unequal. Now 90% of household wealth is found in North America, Europe, Japan and Australia.
Iraq
W Post 12-6. The report of the Iraq Study Group headed by James Baker and Lee Hamilton was made public. The report was adopted unanimously and bipartisan. Its principal recommendations were:
1. To reduce military and economic aid to Iraq’s government if it does not meet specific benchmarks to improve security.
2. To withdraw nearly all combat troops during 2007, leaving trainers of Iraqi troops. However no timetable for withdrawal is specified.
3. To aggressively tackle the Israeli-Palestinian dispute.
4. To talk to Iran and Syria and propose a regional conference of all Iraq’s neighbors,.
Commentators said that the report showed that the “stay the course policy had run its course” and it is time to “cut and walk” out of Iraq. President Carter said that the Iraq war was a “huge blunder” rivaling that of Viet Nam.
12-8. Presidents Bush and Olmert (Israel) were unenthusiastic or negative about these proposals. Europeans tended to approve the proposals.
In the opinion of this editor the most incisive critique,of the ISG report came from an American diplomat, Peter Galbraith, published by the Boston Globe 12-7. He said that the report did not acknowledge that Iraq has broken into three parts and is fighting a civil war. About 80% of Iraqis approve the split-up. Consequently the nation building advocated by the report is useless. The militias cannot be disarmed because Iraqis see them as necessary for security. The American training of Iraqi troops cannot make them loyal to a united Iraq.
Galbraith doubts that the new Democratic Congress has the will or the votes to force a troop withdrawal from Iraq.
US Developments
CNN 12-5. While praising retiring governor Jeb Bush in public for his “decency”, father George H.W. Bush broke into tears and had to be helped by his son from the podium. [This appears to be an indication of a Bush family psychodrama.
CNN 12-4. Facing too many hostile Democratic Senators, John Bolton resigned as UN Ambassador.
W Post 12-6. Steny Hoyer, House Majority Leader, said that starting on January 4, 2007 Congress will have a five-day work week, from 6:30 p.m. Monday to 2:00 p.m. on Friday. The previous Congress has had a three-day work week.
The Senate confirmed the appointment of Robert Gates as Secretary of Defence. Gates impressed the senators by saying that we are losing the war in Iraq, despite the President’s contention that we are winning. He was a member of the Iraq Study Group.
The criminal justice system is busier than ever according to data for the end of 2005. More people are behind bars, on probation, and on parole than were in the USSR at the height of its gulag system. There are seven million people in the US system now, of which 2.2 million are behind bars. One in thirty-two adults is in the system.
Science
Canada.com 12-4. Scientists have found that morning sickness in early pregnancy reduces the risk of miscarriage by 70%. In addition, if the pregnant woman is happy, relaxed, and feeling in control, the risk of miscarriage is reduced by 60%. A third contributing factor to natal success is eating chocolate.
PBS 12-7. The Mars surveyor has detecting a flowing liquid on the surface of Mars. It is probably boiling water which evaporates quickly.
World Inequality
CNN 12-5. A UN study of the world-wide distribution of household wealth has found that 2% of the world’s population owns half the wealth, and 1% own 40% of the wealth. The geographic distribution of wealth is also very unequal. Now 90% of household wealth is found in North America, Europe, Japan and Australia.
Iraq
W Post 12-6. The report of the Iraq Study Group headed by James Baker and Lee Hamilton was made public. The report was adopted unanimously and bipartisan. Its principal recommendations were:
1. To reduce military and economic aid to Iraq’s government if it does not meet specific benchmarks to improve security.
2. To withdraw nearly all combat troops during 2007, leaving trainers of Iraqi troops. However no timetable for withdrawal is specified.
3. To aggressively tackle the Israeli-Palestinian dispute.
4. To talk to Iran and Syria and propose a regional conference of all Iraq’s neighbors,.
Commentators said that the report showed that the “stay the course policy had run its course” and it is time to “cut and walk” out of Iraq. President Carter said that the Iraq war was a “huge blunder” rivaling that of Viet Nam.
12-8. Presidents Bush and Olmert (Israel) were unenthusiastic or negative about these proposals. Europeans tended to approve the proposals.
In the opinion of this editor the most incisive critique,of the ISG report came from an American diplomat, Peter Galbraith, published by the Boston Globe 12-7. He said that the report did not acknowledge that Iraq has broken into three parts and is fighting a civil war. About 80% of Iraqis approve the split-up. Consequently the nation building advocated by the report is useless. The militias cannot be disarmed because Iraqis see them as necessary for security. The American training of Iraqi troops cannot make them loyal to a united Iraq.
Galbraith doubts that the new Democratic Congress has the will or the votes to force a troop withdrawal from Iraq.
US Developments
CNN 12-5. While praising retiring governor Jeb Bush in public for his “decency”, father George H.W. Bush broke into tears and had to be helped by his son from the podium. [This appears to be an indication of a Bush family psychodrama.
CNN 12-4. Facing too many hostile Democratic Senators, John Bolton resigned as UN Ambassador.
W Post 12-6. Steny Hoyer, House Majority Leader, said that starting on January 4, 2007 Congress will have a five-day work week, from 6:30 p.m. Monday to 2:00 p.m. on Friday. The previous Congress has had a three-day work week.
The Senate confirmed the appointment of Robert Gates as Secretary of Defence. Gates impressed the senators by saying that we are losing the war in Iraq, despite the President’s contention that we are winning. He was a member of the Iraq Study Group.
The criminal justice system is busier than ever according to data for the end of 2005. More people are behind bars, on probation, and on parole than were in the USSR at the height of its gulag system. There are seven million people in the US system now, of which 2.2 million are behind bars. One in thirty-two adults is in the system.
Science
Canada.com 12-4. Scientists have found that morning sickness in early pregnancy reduces the risk of miscarriage by 70%. In addition, if the pregnant woman is happy, relaxed, and feeling in control, the risk of miscarriage is reduced by 60%. A third contributing factor to natal success is eating chocolate.
PBS 12-7. The Mars surveyor has detecting a flowing liquid on the surface of Mars. It is probably boiling water which evaporates quickly.
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