The Flashlight, Nov. 3-9, 2007
THE FLASHLIGHT, November 3-9, 2007
No Peace without Justice, no Justice without the Facts
United States
The Economic Crisis
NY Times 11-7 and 11-8. Sharp market drops (3%, 2.7%) were associated with warnings of a US economic slowdown ahead. The dollar sank to a record low in exchange for the euro. Certain Chinese officials warned that China intends to exchange some of its dollar holdings into other currencies. The mortgage-based credit crunch and ever rising oil prices predict that consumer confidence will decline. This is because with lower equity holding in houses consumers will have less money to borrow for buying goods and services. CNN 11-8. Tech stocks were hardest hit. The national debt has reached nine trillion dollars for the first time. NYTimes 11-9. Federal Reserve Chief Ben Bernanke said the economy would get worse before it gets better, but did not forecast a recession.
Attorney General Appointed
NYTimes 11-9. The Senate confirmed Michael Mukasy as Attorney General by a vote of 53-40.
Presidency 08
11-6 CNN. Ron Paul (R.), a libertarian Republican candidate for President, raised $4.38 million dollars on the Internet within 24 hours. He aims at $12 million by the end of the year. He is the only Republican candidate to advocate ending the Iraq War now, He wants to cut the deficit, lower taxes, reduce government functions, and defend American civil rights. He thinks the Armenian genocide bill is a nuisance.
CNN 11-8. Paul’s success is related to the fact that 68% of Americans want to end the Iraq War now. 63% oppose an air attack on Iran. Voters are angry with Congressional Democrats for failing to
stop the war. PBS 11-6. October 2007 was the worst month since the beginning of the war, since 852 US servicemen died in Iraq.
CNN 11-7. Pat Robertson, Christian fundamentalist, announced his support for Rudolf Giuliani, despite the latter being pro-choice and pro-gay rights. Giuliani is polling close to Hilary Clinton.
The AIPAC Espionage Case
Guardian and Associated Press 11-3. As a result of an FBI sting operation in 2004, two officials of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, the most important element in the Israel Lobby, are charged with espionage. The two officials are Stephen Rosen, former foreign policy chief, and Keith Weissman, senior Iran analyst. They are charged with illegally passing Pentagon secrets to the Israeli government. They claim that the US government uses AIPAC as a back channel to talk to Israel.
A federal judge has ruled that 15 members of the Bush Administration be subpoenaed to testify at the trial of the two men next year. They include Condolezza Rice, Stephen Hadley, Paul Wolfowitz, and Elliot Abrams.
Homeless Veterans
NYTimes 11-8. The number of veterans of the Iraq and Afghan Wars has surged to 400 and is growing. The many cases of post-traumatic stress disorder and brain injuries often lead to substance abuse and unstable behavior.
Pakistan
NY Times, CNN 11-3 – 11-9, W Post 11-9. President Musharraf has decreed a State of Emergency, He has expelled the chief justice from the supreme court, and holds him in house arrest. His police are beating up and arresting protesting lawyers and political activists. He has shut down all but government controlled TV stations and cell phones. The Bush Administration has expressed strong disapproval of these developments. Musharraf has promised to hold elections for parliament by Feb. 15, a month later than scheduled, and to take off his military uniform. Benazir Bhutto condemns his actions. She is under house arrest; hundreds of her followers have been arrested.
Israel
Washington Post 11-8. Jackson Diehl, deputy editorial page editor. In a TV broadcast Sunday evening, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert reversed the guiding principles of the Israeli government in the last seven years, and promised to fulfill Israel’s obligations (such as dismantling the West Bank settlements) to the letter. But right-wing opposition appeared immediately. While Olmert was speaking in Jerusalem, in Haifa at a soccer game, the announcer called for moment of silence for Yitzak Rabin, the Israeli Prime Minister murdered on November 4, 1995, by a right-wing extremist opposed to Rabin’s concessions for the sake of peace. Instead of silence, hundreds of people in the soccer crowd booed in protest against the announcer’s request for silence.
Mr. Diehl wrote that the probable results of failure of the peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians this month in Annapolis would be far worse than the dismal present situation. There would be another eruption of bloodshed. Hamas would consolidate its position in the West Bank and become the preeminent Palestinian power. Iran would become the arbiter of whether Israel would be accepted by its neighbors as the Jewish homeland.
Women in the Third World
The Economist, 11-3, p. 75. In poor countries the educational gap between men and women is narrowing. In 2004 in almost half the countries of the world girls outnumbered boys in secondary school 171 to 84. At the university level girls outnumber boys in 83 out of 141 countries. The education of girls is opening the paid workforce to them and lowering their fertility to the replacement level.
No Peace without Justice, no Justice without the Facts
United States
The Economic Crisis
NY Times 11-7 and 11-8. Sharp market drops (3%, 2.7%) were associated with warnings of a US economic slowdown ahead. The dollar sank to a record low in exchange for the euro. Certain Chinese officials warned that China intends to exchange some of its dollar holdings into other currencies. The mortgage-based credit crunch and ever rising oil prices predict that consumer confidence will decline. This is because with lower equity holding in houses consumers will have less money to borrow for buying goods and services. CNN 11-8. Tech stocks were hardest hit. The national debt has reached nine trillion dollars for the first time. NYTimes 11-9. Federal Reserve Chief Ben Bernanke said the economy would get worse before it gets better, but did not forecast a recession.
Attorney General Appointed
NYTimes 11-9. The Senate confirmed Michael Mukasy as Attorney General by a vote of 53-40.
Presidency 08
11-6 CNN. Ron Paul (R.), a libertarian Republican candidate for President, raised $4.38 million dollars on the Internet within 24 hours. He aims at $12 million by the end of the year. He is the only Republican candidate to advocate ending the Iraq War now, He wants to cut the deficit, lower taxes, reduce government functions, and defend American civil rights. He thinks the Armenian genocide bill is a nuisance.
CNN 11-8. Paul’s success is related to the fact that 68% of Americans want to end the Iraq War now. 63% oppose an air attack on Iran. Voters are angry with Congressional Democrats for failing to
stop the war. PBS 11-6. October 2007 was the worst month since the beginning of the war, since 852 US servicemen died in Iraq.
CNN 11-7. Pat Robertson, Christian fundamentalist, announced his support for Rudolf Giuliani, despite the latter being pro-choice and pro-gay rights. Giuliani is polling close to Hilary Clinton.
The AIPAC Espionage Case
Guardian and Associated Press 11-3. As a result of an FBI sting operation in 2004, two officials of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, the most important element in the Israel Lobby, are charged with espionage. The two officials are Stephen Rosen, former foreign policy chief, and Keith Weissman, senior Iran analyst. They are charged with illegally passing Pentagon secrets to the Israeli government. They claim that the US government uses AIPAC as a back channel to talk to Israel.
A federal judge has ruled that 15 members of the Bush Administration be subpoenaed to testify at the trial of the two men next year. They include Condolezza Rice, Stephen Hadley, Paul Wolfowitz, and Elliot Abrams.
Homeless Veterans
NYTimes 11-8. The number of veterans of the Iraq and Afghan Wars has surged to 400 and is growing. The many cases of post-traumatic stress disorder and brain injuries often lead to substance abuse and unstable behavior.
Pakistan
NY Times, CNN 11-3 – 11-9, W Post 11-9. President Musharraf has decreed a State of Emergency, He has expelled the chief justice from the supreme court, and holds him in house arrest. His police are beating up and arresting protesting lawyers and political activists. He has shut down all but government controlled TV stations and cell phones. The Bush Administration has expressed strong disapproval of these developments. Musharraf has promised to hold elections for parliament by Feb. 15, a month later than scheduled, and to take off his military uniform. Benazir Bhutto condemns his actions. She is under house arrest; hundreds of her followers have been arrested.
Israel
Washington Post 11-8. Jackson Diehl, deputy editorial page editor. In a TV broadcast Sunday evening, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert reversed the guiding principles of the Israeli government in the last seven years, and promised to fulfill Israel’s obligations (such as dismantling the West Bank settlements) to the letter. But right-wing opposition appeared immediately. While Olmert was speaking in Jerusalem, in Haifa at a soccer game, the announcer called for moment of silence for Yitzak Rabin, the Israeli Prime Minister murdered on November 4, 1995, by a right-wing extremist opposed to Rabin’s concessions for the sake of peace. Instead of silence, hundreds of people in the soccer crowd booed in protest against the announcer’s request for silence.
Mr. Diehl wrote that the probable results of failure of the peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians this month in Annapolis would be far worse than the dismal present situation. There would be another eruption of bloodshed. Hamas would consolidate its position in the West Bank and become the preeminent Palestinian power. Iran would become the arbiter of whether Israel would be accepted by its neighbors as the Jewish homeland.
Women in the Third World
The Economist, 11-3, p. 75. In poor countries the educational gap between men and women is narrowing. In 2004 in almost half the countries of the world girls outnumbered boys in secondary school 171 to 84. At the university level girls outnumber boys in 83 out of 141 countries. The education of girls is opening the paid workforce to them and lowering their fertility to the replacement level.
posted by THE FLASHLIGHT at 5:22 AM
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