Grave errors
Neil Clark
May 7, 2007 7:00 PM
http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/neil_clark/2007/05/grave_errors.html
Grave robbing is always a despicable act. But when the grave is that
of a man who, under difficult circumstances, did his best for his
fellow countrymen and women, and presided over arguably the freest and
most liberal form of communism the world has ever seen, the incident
is particularly lamentable.
The desecration of the grave of Janos Kadar , Hungary's former
communist leader, and that of his wife, has been condemned across the
political spectrum in Hungary. Yet sadly, it is another disturbing
example of the far-right extremism sweeping not just Hungary but the
entire region.
Brazil's balancing act
Ben Whitford
May 7, 2007 6:30 PM
http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/ben_whitford/2007/05/brazils_balancing_=
act.html
In Latin America, size isn't everything. By rights, Brazil - with a
trillion dollar GDP and well over a third of the continent's
population living within her borders - ought to be the region's
undisputed superpower. In practice, Brasilia is often eclipsed by
Caracas: in recent years, the Latin American agenda has been dictated
more often by the populist grandstanding and unabashed petro-diplomacy
of Venezuela's Hugo Ch=E1vez than by the more restrained stylings of
Brazil's Luis Inacio Lula da Silva.
Lately, though, Lula has been working to reassert Brazil's place as
the "big country" of Latin America. Last week, in a whistlestop tour
of Chile and Argentina, he launched a diplomatic offensive staking out
his country's position as a counterweight to Venezuela's cartoon
socialism, setting out a "third way" vision of a strong, integrated
Latin America that embraced neither the World Bank nor Chairman Mao.
Where Ch=E1vez seeks a regional unity grounded in left-wing populism and
knee-jerk anti-Americanism, Lula wants to build a Latin consensus
around moderate macro-economic policies, increased institutional
integration, and a more pragmatic relationship with the United
States.
Fighting from the left
Armando Llorens
May 7, 2007 5:30 PM
http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/armando_llorens/2007/05/the_netroots.ht=
ml
Besides the Iraq war and the historic runs for the presidency by
senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, what appears to be the
topic of most interest in American political circles is the netroots,
as left-leaning blogs are called.
The netroots has become a puzzle and a concern for establishment
media, political operatives and politicians. In a much-remarked
article in the New Republic, possibly the best known establishment
center-left political journal - though this ideological description is
debated given its strong support for the Iraq war - Jonathan Chait
attempts an explanation of the netroots for its perplexed readers. It
is a good piece and Chait has some interesting things to say. Or at
least interesting to me. From December 2004 to June 2006, I was a
contributing editor at Daily Kos, the leading Democratic-leaning
political blog in the US, and a member there in the previous two
years. I had a front row seat to the development of political blogs.
Despotic secularism
Soumaya Ghannoushi
May 7, 2007 4:00 PM
http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/soumaya_ghannoushi_/2007/05/despotic_se=
cularism.html
A few months ago, I wrote an article on the dangers posed by dogmatic
forms of secularism, for which the editor chose the rather provocative
title "the sickness of secularism". The response was a flood of
comments ranging from charges of "obscurantism", "crazed religionism"
and "hatred of modernity", to accusations of being a "reason hater"
and a "friend of fanaticism and totalitarianism".
Recent events in Turkey have, however, confirmed the soundness of much
of what was expressed in that piece, in my eyes. I am now more
convinced than ever that there is no secularism, per se, ever
associated with democracy, openness, tolerance and other lofty
political values, and no religion, per se, ever linked to intolerance,
irrationality, violence, fanaticism and all that is deficient and
disturbing. Neither has a monopoly over virtue or evil. Secularism may
be allied to repression and despotism; religion to democratisation and
openness. In Turkey today, the generals, secularism's self-appointed
"absolute guardians", are the ones threatening to suspend the
democratic process and overthrow the elected government and the
Islamist-rooted AKP government the one defending democracy and
pluralism, and appealing to the nation to uphold them.
Tricky *****, meet phoney Tony
Ian Williams
May 7, 2007 3:30 PM
http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/ian_williams/2007/05/tricky_dick_meet_p=
honey_tony.html
How long will it take to rehabilitate Tony Blair? As Mark Anthony said
about another military adventurist who came unstuck:
The evil that men do lives after them; The good is oft interr=E9d with
their bones
Man for all seasons?
David Hearst
May 7, 2007 3:00 PM
http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/david_hearst/2007/05/new_boys.html
President-elect Nicolas Sarkozy and prime minister in waiting Gordon
Brown have already met, and, in the testosterone-filled jargon of
power, bonded. It happened a few years back at a G8 finance ministers'
meeting in Birmingham. After five minutes spent discussing G8
business, the two men swapped notes about how each was going to get to
the top. How, Brown wanted to know, was Sarkozy going to put the knife
into Jacques Chirac? The Frenchman went through the options -
capturing the leadership of the party, using that as a base to
destabilise the government, and then run for the presidency. Without
thinking about the relevance of this to his British counterpart,
Sarkozy said: "I prefer being elected first, to being appointed
second."
World leaders queued up to congratulate the right wing president-elect
last night. Washington thinks it has a confirmed atlanticist back
again in Paris. Germany's Angela Merkel thinks she has a way of
solving Europe's constitutional crisis. Brussels thinks it has a free-
market enthusiast, in tune with its attempts to de-regulate the
market. In short, everyone is seeing in Sarkozy the solution to their
particular problems.
Strategy sellout
Philippe Marli=E8re
May 7, 2007 2:00 PM
http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/philippe_marlire/2007/05/strategy_sello=
ut.html
An eclectic coalition cheered the election of Nicolas Sarkozy on
Sunday night: American neocons, the European Commission, the European
right and the New Labour leadership celebrated the large victory of
the rightwing candidate after another impressive turnout. They hailed
the "sincere friend" of the United States, the supporter of greater
flexibility on trade, the man who will introduce a good dose of
Thatcherism in France and the partisan of a short, practical European
treaty. What is more, these proponents of the Anglo-Saxon "free
market" model hope that Sarkozy will put the left in its place. And
who knows, maybe he will convert the French to the neoliberal agenda
that, so far, a majority of them has stubbornly rejected. In France
and across the world, there is a real shiver about this election: will
Nicolas Sarkozy manage to stop the cyclical movements of rebellion
against neoliberal policies? Over the past 15 years, French workers
have successfully defeated the greatest attacks on their social state.
This is unique in the west. This French singularity angers those who
feel that neoliberal economics are not politically and ideologically
driven, but the best science can offer.
In 1995, the general strikes against the austere policies of the Jupp=E9
plan paralysed the country's transport structure for over a month, yet
they received great popular support. The government had to withdraw
the plan and subsequently the right lost the 1997 elections. In 2005,
the French voters rejected the European Constitutional Treaty by a
large majority, on the grounds that the document would facilitate the
dismantling of public services and would place Europe under the yoke
of unfettered markets. In 2006, protestors saw off the attempt by the
De Villepin government to undermine labour laws for younger workers.
This will hurt
Bill Emmott
May 7, 2007 12:30 PM
http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/bill_emmott/2007/05/this_will_hurt.html
There can be no real doubt that he was the best choice, both for
France and for those abroad who care about France. But Nicolas Sarkozy
will not be an easy or comfortable president to live with, either for
the French or for those many governments outside France who prayed for
his election. Anyone who calls for a "rupture", and really means it,
is going to cause a lot of pain.
Much will depend on what sort of a parliamentary majority he manages
to win in the National Assembly elections next month. Right now, a
fair bet is that he will win a majority, but he would be well advised
to keep up the talk of unity and solidarity if he is not to scare
voters into trying to check his power by strengthening his opponents.
But assume he does win a majority: what then?
What future?
Charles Grant
May 7, 2007 12:00 PM
http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/charles_grant/2007/05/what_future.html
France's Socialist party needs to rethink its identity and its
strategy. Having lost three presidential elections in a row, the party
needs to learn from centre-left parties not only in Britain, but also
in Italy, the Netherlands, the Nordic countries and Spain. It differs
from the left-wing parties in those countries in at least three ways.
First, the French socialists have been less successful. Of six
presidents elected during the Fifth Republic, only one - Fran=E7ois
Mitterrand - has been from the left. In the first round of
presidential or parliamentary elections, the Socialist party seldom
scores more than 25%-30% of the vote.
Cut the bias
Hossein Derakhshan
May 7, 2007 10:00 AM
http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/hossein_derakhshan/2007/05/cut_the_bias=
..html
Someone should remind the Reporters Without Borders to remove Arash
Sigarchi's name from the list of Iranian cyberdissidents in jail.
(Cached version of the same page.)
It's been over three months since he was cleared from widely
publicised charges that initially brought him 14 years of jail and
after an appeal was reduced to three years, all by a small court in a
distant city from Tehran.
The price of being left alone has been the tolerance of mass murder
http://www.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,,2074272,00.html
Serbia is taking up chairmanship of the Council of Europe. But why
isn't anyone talking about human rights?
George Monbiot
Tuesday May 8, 2007
The Guardian
What would it take to disqualify a nation from running Europe's
official human rights organisation? Persecuting gays? Not a hope.
Torturing and murdering political opponents? Forget about it. Waging
an illegal war? You must be joking. The Council of Europe doesn't seem
to care who speaks on its behalf.
On Thursday the council's presidency will pass to Serbia. Serbia is
not the only nation in Europe involved in human rights abuses. But it
is distinguished by the fact that its failures are uncontroversial.
Everyone from Human Rights Watch to President Bush has urged its
government to hand over Ratko Mladic - the general responsible for the
Sarajevo massacre - to the tribunal in The Hague. To decide that this
country is unfit to run the Council of Europe looks uncomplicated and
free from political cost. If European countries can't find the courage
to act against Serbia, they can't find the courage to act against
anyone. Human rights become a dead letter.
The unexpected appearance of the truth in Jamestown
http://www.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,,2074274,00.html
Last time the Queen visited, 50 years ago, the ugly side of
colonialism's legacy was easily hidden. Today, that is impossible
Benjamin Woolley
Tuesday May 8, 2007
The Guardian
The Queen took a tour of Jamestown, Virginia, on Friday as part of the
commemorations of its 400th anniversary. The site of England's first
permanent colony in North America, recently uncovered in a series of
spectacular archaeological excavations, is of huge historical
importance. It is the reason the US is an English-speaking nation,
with Anglo-Saxon legal, commercial and political institutions.
However, the Queen will be not be present for the anniversary itself,
which falls this weekend. The reason is a prior commitment that
necessitated her presence in the US a week early: the Kentucky Derby,
held last Saturday.
A warning for Turkey
http://www.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,,2074273,00.html
The use of military action to curtail the growth of political Islam
has only brought catastrophe
Victoria Brittain
Tuesday May 8, 2007
The Guardian
Fifteen years ago a struggle for power between new forces of political
Islam and a military establishment took place in Algeria, paralleling
to an alarming degree what is happening in Turkey. This struggle ended
in a military coup that plunged Algeria into a cycle of violence; so
far 200,000 people have been killed, tens of thousands jailed, a
million internally displaced, and tens of thousands exiled.
How could such a catastrophe have overtaken a country and political
leaders whose prestige reached across the third world in the 1960s and
70s? Algeria is a warning to Turkey that even the towering legacy of
Ataturk cannot protect it for ever.
Humiliation - the latest weapon in America's war on crime
http://www.guardian.co.uk/g2/story/0,,2074292,00.html
Tim Dowling
Tuesday May 8, 2007
The Guardian
For the crime of shoplifting, a woman from Attalla, Alabama, is
sentenced to spend two consecutive Saturdays standing outside a
shopping plaza wearing a sandwich board sign reading: "I am a thief. I
stole from Wal-Mart." This is just one example of America's increasing
reliance on humiliation to punish wrongdoing.
In three states - one of which is Alabama - there is legislation
pending to force sex offenders to drive cars with green licence
plates. Some states already do this to people convicted of drink-
driving. In Wichita, Kansas, the police upload pictures of convicted
prostitutes to a special website. Going public with punishment is a
way of demonstrating that something - however useless or
counterproductive - is being done. Behind the thief sign order there
is clearly a judge who wants to see his name in the paper.
Unions fire first shots in battle with Sarkozy
http://www.guardian.co.uk/france/story/0,,2074474,00.html
'Economic revolution' faces challenge in autumn
Angelique Chrisafis in Paris
Tuesday May 8, 2007
The Guardian
Nicolas Sarkozy yesterday flew off for a three-day retreat in Malta to
prepare for his French presidential takeover next week, while unions
warned that any plans to force through sweeping reforms would face
opposition.
The rightwing former interior minister was handed a clear mandate for
his promised "economic revolution" and hardline clampdown on crime and
immigration. Convinced that France has shifted firmly to the right, he
now needs to secure a majority for his ruling centre-right UMP party
in the parliamentary election next month in order to quickly push
through his sweeping reforms to cut tax, loosen the 35-hour week,
slash the bloated public service and curb strike powers.
Pressure on Bush to help military families fighting on two fronts
http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,,2074482,00.html
=B7 Work and family strains add to stress of war zone
=B7 Veterans demand more legislative protection
Ewen MacAskill in Washington
Tuesday May 8, 2007
The Guardian
The Bush administration is coming under increasing pressure to ease
the strain on the lives of military families suffering as a result of
extended tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan and frequent
deployment.
Among those campaigning for change is Lieutenant Eva Crouch, of the
Kentucky national guard, who lost custody of her child, Sara, after
being called up for 18 months' duty just before the 2003 invasion of
Iraq.
In an interview yesterday, Lt Crouch, who was divorced, recalled with
horror the day she returned home, looking forward to resuming life
with her daughter, left in the care of her ex-husband. "I got into my
driveway and phoned my husband on my cell. I said I would pick her up
tomorrow and he said 'Not without a court order'."
Russians braced for ruling elite to 'fiddle' parliamentary election
http://www.guardian.co.uk/russia/article/0,,2074468,00.html
Tom Parfitt in Moscow
Tuesday May 8, 2007
The Guardian
Almost half of Russia's voters expect that the parliamentary election
this year will be falsified by the ruling elite and defy the will of
the people, a new poll indicates.
In a sign of discontent with the Kremlin's manipulation of party
politics, the Levada Centre discovered that 65% of 1,600 respondents
were in favour of returning the chance to mark a ballot "against all
candidates", a right removed in order to cut down on protest votes.
Spanish grassroots charity helps halt deadly Moroccan migration
http://www.guardian.co.uk/spain/article/0,,2074476,00.html
Dale Fuchs in Madrid
Tuesday May 8, 2007
The Guardian
An exodus of youth from a Moroccan village synonymous with one of the
worst Mediterranean migration tragedies has been halted, temporarily
at least, by the efforts of a Spanish charity.
When the bodies of 35 young men - 12 of them from the same Moroccan
village of Hansala - washed ashore right outside his home on the Bay
of C=E1diz, Rafael Quiros, a secondary school literature teacher,
decided to take action. He founded a charity to ensure that Hansala,
at the foot of the Atlas mountains, does not lose any more of its
husbands and sons.
President muddles his dates in welcoming Queen
http://www.guardian.co.uk/monarchy/story/0,,2074400,00.html
Suzanne Goldenberg in Washington
Tuesday May 8, 2007
The Guardian
On a morning that should by rights have been frozen in time as a
moment of pure pageantry, with military marching bands, pipers trucked
out in tricorn hats and powdered wigs, and visiting royalty, one can
count on George Bush.
The president yesterday once again demonstrated his gift for the
gaffe, injecting an unintended sense of levity into the White House
welcome for the Queen.
In his speech on the south lawn of the White House, he noted that the
Queen had made repeated visits to the US during her reign, including
celebrations to mark the country's 200th anniversary. "The American
people are proud to welcome Your Majesty back to the United States, a
nation you've come to know very well," Bush said. "After all, you've
dined with 10 US presidents. You helped our nation celebrate its
bicentennial in 17 - in 1976."
Greater Manchester police investigates claim it has BNP members in
ranks
http://www.guardian.co.uk/farright/story/0,,2074412,00.html
=B7 Off-duty colleagues said to have been at pub event
=B7 Force seizes CCTV footage of St George's Day incident
Vikram Dodd
Tuesday May 8, 2007
The Guardian
One of Britain's biggest police forces is investigating allegations
that it has British National party members among its frontline
officers, the Guardian has learned.
Greater Manchester police launched the investigation after complaints
from its own officers, who say they saw colleagues at a BNP event to
mark St George's Day.
The supporters of the extreme rightwing party had gathered outside a
pub in Manchester city centre and police were called after complaints
that they had turned rowdy.
Study suggests cancer risk from depleted uranium
http://www.guardian.co.uk/medicine/story/0,,2074419,00.html
James Randerson
Tuesday May 8, 2007
The Guardian
Depleted uranium, which is used in armour-piercing ammunition, causes
widespread damage to DNA which could lead to lung cancer, according to
a study of the metal's effects on human lung cells. The study adds to
growing evidence that DU causes health problems on battlefields long
after hostilities have ceased.
DU is a byproduct of uranium refinement for nuclear power. It is much
less radioactive than other uranium isotopes, and its high density -
twice that of lead - makes it useful for armour and armour piercing
shells. It has been used in conflicts including Bosnia, Kosovo and
Iraq and there have been increasing concerns about the health effects
of DU dust left on the battlefield. In November, the Ministry of
Defence was forced to counteract claims that apparent increases in
cancers and birth defects among Iraqis in southern Iraq were due to DU
in weapons.
It's a world of possibilities
http://education.guardian.co.uk/egweekly/story/0,,2074202,00.html
Virtual campuses are springing up in Second Life, as universities
discover the advantages of cyberspace. Jessica Shepherd reports
Tuesday May 8, 2007
The Guardian
In university lectures and tutorials, she is a slim blonde in her 20s
by the name of Rosannalacey. At home, she is a little less slim, a
little less blonde, aged 35 and called Rosanna Branch.
That's cyberspace for you. And it is here that more than two-thirds of
Branch's classes for the masters course she is doing have taken place.
Up to three times a week, her 3D animated alter ego has met those of
her tutor and fellow students on Edinburgh University's cyber campus.
They discuss ideas by typing in their characters' words, and fly
across the cyberworld together to meet others with the same academic
interests.
King Herod's tomb discovered in hilltop palace
http://news.independent.co.uk/world/middle_east/article2521871.ece
By Helen McCormack
Published: 08 May 2007
An Israeli archaeologist has found the tomb of King Herod after a 35-
year search. It is in the ruins of Herod's fortified palace on a
hilltop outside Jerusalem.
The discovery was made in Herodium, a flattened hilltop in the desert
east of Jerusalem, by Professor Ehud Netzer, one of the world's
leading experts on Herod. He began concentrating his search on the
palace in Herodium in 1972. But although most historians and
archaeologists remained convinced that Herod was buried there, up
until now no substantial evidence had been found.
Aboriginal Romeo and Juliet survive 40 years in the bush
http://news.independent.co.uk/world/australasia/article2521646.ece
By Kathy Marks in Sydney
Published: 08 May 2007
They were an Aboriginal Romeo and Juliet, star-crossed lovers who
eloped into the desert because tribal law forbade them from marrying.
And for 40 years they roamed, living off kangaroo meat and bush fruit,
happy with their own company and the red landscape.
Warri and Yatungka were perhaps Australia's last nomads, leading a
traditional lifestyle long after their Mandildjara tribe gravitated to
urban settlements. They abandoned the desert only in 1977, when a
severe drought dried up the waterholes, and tribal elders, anxious for
their welfare, sent out a search party.
Former Bangladesh prime minister returns to face charges
http://news.independent.co.uk/world/asia/article2521645.ece
By Farid Hossain, Associated Press Writer
Published: 08 May 2007
Former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, facing charges of corruption and
murder, arrived in Bangladesh yesterday after the military-backed
government lifted a ban on her return.
"It's my country, it's my home. I'm so excited to be able to return to
my country," Hasina told reporters at Dhaka's Zia International
Airport after arriving from London.
C4 accused of falsifying data in documentary on climate change
http://news.independent.co.uk/media/article2521677.ece
By Steve Connor, Science Editor
Published: 08 May 2007
The makers of a Channel 4 documentary which claimed that global
warming is a swindle have been accused of fabricating data by one of
the scientists who participated in the film.
The Great Global Warming Swindle was broadcast on 8 March and has been
criticised by leading scientists for errors, distortions and
misrepresentations.
.
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