The Flashlight, December 22-31, 2007
THE FLASHLIGHT, December 22-31, 2007
No Peace without Justice, no Justice without the Facts
The World
Pakistan
CNN 12-27. Benazir Bhutto was assassinated by one or more assailants as she rode through a crowd in the town of Rawalpindi. She had been speaking at a rally of her Pakistani People’s Party (PPP). Western reporters said that security for her was poor to absent. Rioting immediately broke out in many cities of the country. President Musharraf is now at high risk for assassination himself.
The practicality of a free election being held as scheduled on January 8 is doubtful. One senior commenter on PBS said that any election would be unfair as long as Musharraf is in office, and the crisis will continue until he leaves.
NYTimes 12-24. US officials say that over five billion dollars have been sent to Pakistan and instead of being used to fight Al-Qaida; much of the money has been spent on weapon systems to counteract India.
12-30, Forbes. Benazir Bhutto’s son, Bilwal, 19, currently a student at Oxford University, will succeed her. At present he is co-leader of the PPP with his father, Asif Zardan, 51.
Iraq
Washington Post 12-23. Teheran has reined in the Shia militias it supports in Iraq, thus reducing the number of roadside attacks.
Guardian 12-31. The year 2007 was the deadliest for US military service personnel: in Iraq: a total of 899 were lost.
Data is incomplete on the losses of Iraqi civilians. It is believe that they amounted to at least 2,165 persons last May alone, but that they declined to 710 in the month of December.
Israel
NY Times 12-31. The Israeli Army is in danger of becoming a right wing organization, with a majority of its officers recruited from the illegal Israeli settlements on the West Bank. An increasing number of Israeli men eligible for the draft are finding excuses not to serve: a total of 25% of eligible males. About 54% of eighteen year olds are inducted, which is not enough. Of volunteers for combat units, 30-40% are from the illegal settlements.
United Kingdom
Guardian 12-22. Tony Blair, former prime minister of the UK, has converted to Roman Catholicism. His wife and children were Roman Catholics already. Blair is now a Middle East peace envoy.
United States
The 2008 Election
Washington Post 12-22. The Clintons are stirring up memories of Bill’s Presidency in the 1990’s, claiming that it was a co-presidency, thus backing Hilary claim that she is more experienced than her rivals.
PBS 12-28. In the Iowa caucuses record sums of money are being spent on TV commercials and hired organizers.
Guardian 12-31. Mayor Michael Bloomberg of New York is still considering whether to run as an Independent for President. He is expected to announce his decision in February.
NY Times 12-31. Paul Krugman said that Democrats and Republicans are living in two separate moral and intellectual universes. They lack common ground, so bipartisan collaboration is prevented. Republican candidates support the unpopular policies of President Bush, at home and abroad. This is because conservatives still control the Republican organizations and money.
American Jews
The Nation, 1-14 2008. Eric Alterman, “Bad for the Jews.” The author, who is Jewish, says that right-wing Jews still control the largest Jewish organizations and treasuries. This is so even though the majority of American Jews are liberals and accept a two-state solution in Palestine. Leading right-wing Jews include: William Kristol, Norman Podhoretz, Richard Cohen, Martin Zuckerman, Alan Dershowitz, and David Brooks. The author of this article says that this situation is bad for America and bad for the Jews.
No Peace without Justice, no Justice without the Facts
The World
Pakistan
CNN 12-27. Benazir Bhutto was assassinated by one or more assailants as she rode through a crowd in the town of Rawalpindi. She had been speaking at a rally of her Pakistani People’s Party (PPP). Western reporters said that security for her was poor to absent. Rioting immediately broke out in many cities of the country. President Musharraf is now at high risk for assassination himself.
The practicality of a free election being held as scheduled on January 8 is doubtful. One senior commenter on PBS said that any election would be unfair as long as Musharraf is in office, and the crisis will continue until he leaves.
NYTimes 12-24. US officials say that over five billion dollars have been sent to Pakistan and instead of being used to fight Al-Qaida; much of the money has been spent on weapon systems to counteract India.
12-30, Forbes. Benazir Bhutto’s son, Bilwal, 19, currently a student at Oxford University, will succeed her. At present he is co-leader of the PPP with his father, Asif Zardan, 51.
Iraq
Washington Post 12-23. Teheran has reined in the Shia militias it supports in Iraq, thus reducing the number of roadside attacks.
Guardian 12-31. The year 2007 was the deadliest for US military service personnel: in Iraq: a total of 899 were lost.
Data is incomplete on the losses of Iraqi civilians. It is believe that they amounted to at least 2,165 persons last May alone, but that they declined to 710 in the month of December.
Israel
NY Times 12-31. The Israeli Army is in danger of becoming a right wing organization, with a majority of its officers recruited from the illegal Israeli settlements on the West Bank. An increasing number of Israeli men eligible for the draft are finding excuses not to serve: a total of 25% of eligible males. About 54% of eighteen year olds are inducted, which is not enough. Of volunteers for combat units, 30-40% are from the illegal settlements.
United Kingdom
Guardian 12-22. Tony Blair, former prime minister of the UK, has converted to Roman Catholicism. His wife and children were Roman Catholics already. Blair is now a Middle East peace envoy.
United States
The 2008 Election
Washington Post 12-22. The Clintons are stirring up memories of Bill’s Presidency in the 1990’s, claiming that it was a co-presidency, thus backing Hilary claim that she is more experienced than her rivals.
PBS 12-28. In the Iowa caucuses record sums of money are being spent on TV commercials and hired organizers.
Guardian 12-31. Mayor Michael Bloomberg of New York is still considering whether to run as an Independent for President. He is expected to announce his decision in February.
NY Times 12-31. Paul Krugman said that Democrats and Republicans are living in two separate moral and intellectual universes. They lack common ground, so bipartisan collaboration is prevented. Republican candidates support the unpopular policies of President Bush, at home and abroad. This is because conservatives still control the Republican organizations and money.
American Jews
The Nation, 1-14 2008. Eric Alterman, “Bad for the Jews.” The author, who is Jewish, says that right-wing Jews still control the largest Jewish organizations and treasuries. This is so even though the majority of American Jews are liberals and accept a two-state solution in Palestine. Leading right-wing Jews include: William Kristol, Norman Podhoretz, Richard Cohen, Martin Zuckerman, Alan Dershowitz, and David Brooks. The author of this article says that this situation is bad for America and bad for the Jews.
posted by THE FLASHLIGHT at 11:55 AM
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