October 20, 2003

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World Media Watch

by Gloria R. Lalumia

BUZZFLASH NOTE: Once again, these are the views and perspectives of the individual papers, not of BuzzFlash or Gloria. They offer BuzzFlash readers a way of reading what other nations are saying about the crisis, whether we like it or not. We repeat: This is not an endorsement of their viewpoints.

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1//Inter Press Service, Italy--THINKERS LAUNCH ANTI-EMPIRE DRIVE (Representatives of a new coalition of prominent foreign-policy scholars and analysts whose political views range from right to centre-left announced here Thursday they hope to spearhead opposition to the imperial policies pursued by the administration of U.S. President George W. Bush. Leaders of the 'Coalition for a Realistic Foreign Policy' charged that the administration is moving ''in a dangerous direction toward empire'', an idea that they said has never been embraced by the U.S. public.... Among the more prominent right-wing signers are Doug Bandow, a special assistant to former president Ronald Reagan and now a senior officer at the libertarian Cato Institute...Representing more centrist positions are Steven Clemons of the New America Foundation, former senator Gary Hart and Harvard international relations professor Stephen Walt...More left-wing figures in the group include Charles Kupchan, an aide to former president Bill Clinton now with the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) and Kenneth Sharpe, a prominent foreign-policy analyst from Swarthmore College in Philadelphia.)

2//The Independent, UK--ARAB NATIONS 'FAILING TO INVEST OIL REVENUES' (Arab nations are squandering their oil wealth and under-investing in education and scientific research, according to an influential UN report released today. Following on from last year's unprecedented report that provoked widespread debate and controversy, the second Arab Human Development Report, written by 40 Arab intellectuals, criticises Arab governments for losing out on the potential educational gains of their vast oil revenues by entrusting their development to foreign corporations.)

3//The Australian, Australia--SCOTLAND YARD FOILS PUTIN KILL PLOT (Scotland Yard has thwarted a suspected plot to assassinate Russian President Vladimir Putin, after arresting a renegade Russian intelligence agent in London. Detectives from its anti-terrorist branch, SO13, arrested the former KGB major, who is a trained hitman, and a second Russian after a tip-off last weekend.)

4//The Globe and Mail, Canada--MARTIN PLANS TO BE FISCAL MISER (Almost every federal government department will have its budget pared in one of the first acts of a Paul Martin government, senior aides to the incoming prime minister say...Finding money to shorten waiting times for medical procedures, a bold attempt to eradicate native poverty, and an early meeting with U.S. President George W. Bush are also part of the plan.)

5//Deutsche-Welle/dw-world.de, Germany--SWISS ELECTION BOOSTS RIGHT-WING (The vote for a new parliament in Switzerland has resulted in an upset unheard of for decades. The right-wing People's Party with its isolationist policies has triumphed at the polls, according to initial results...The party provoked controversy in the last few weeks with an aggressive poster campaign suggesting that immigrants were criminals. The first poster featured a caricatured black face and a slogan reading, "The Swiss are increasingly becoming the Negros." Following widespread criticism the poster was withdrawn.)

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1//Inter Press Service October 16, 2003
http://www.ips.org/index.htm

THINKERS LAUNCH ANTI-EMPIRE DRIVE
Jim Lobe

WASHINGTON, Oct 16 (IPS) - Representatives of a new coalition of prominent foreign-policy scholars and analysts whose political views range from right to centre-left announced here Thursday they hope to spearhead opposition to the imperial policies pursued by the administration of U.S. President George W. Bush.

Leaders of the 'Coalition for a Realistic Foreign Policy' charged that the administration is moving ''in a dangerous direction toward empire'', an idea that they said has never been embraced by the U.S. public.

The spokespersons said they will hold a series of policy forums and conferences around the country, publish papers and articles, and represent an anti-imperial viewpoint on television and radio, media that, since the Sep. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on New York and the Pentagon, have been largely dominated by pro-imperial or pro-war voices.

''We are a diverse group of scholars and analysts from across the political spectrum who believe that the move toward empire must be halted immediately,'' says the coalition's charter statement, signed by 44 foreign-policy specialists.

(SNIP)

Among the more prominent right-wing signers are Doug Bandow, a special assistant to former president Ronald Reagan and now a senior officer at the libertarian Cato Institute, Scott McConnell, chief editor of 'The American Conservative' magazine and Alan Tonelson of the U.S. Business & Industrial Council Educational Foundation.

Representing more centrist positions are Steven Clemons of the New America Foundation, former senator Gary Hart and Harvard international relations professor Stephen Walt.

More left-wing figures in the group include Charles Kupchan, an aide to former president Bill Clinton now with the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) and Kenneth Sharpe, a prominent foreign-policy analyst from Swarthmore College in Philadelphia.

The launch of the coalition, which intends to recruit other members, comes amid growing concern in both the U.S. Congress and the public about the aftermath of Washington's invasion of Iraq last March.

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2//The Independent 20 October 2003
http://news.independent.co.uk/world/politics/story.jsp?story=455150

ARAB NATIONS 'FAILING TO INVEST OIL REVENUES'
By Hugh Macleod

Arab nations are squandering their oil wealth and under-investing in education and scientific research, according to an influential UN report released today.

Following on from last year's unprecedented report that provoked widespread debate and controversy, the second Arab Human Development Report, written by 40 Arab intellectuals, criticises Arab governments for losing out on the potential educational gains of their vast oil revenues by entrusting their development to foreign corporations. The high dependence on oil has lead to "the over concentration of wealth in a few hands", "faltering economic growth" and "weakened the demand for knowledge", the report says, calling for a heavy investment in education to plug the "growing knowledge gap", between Arab states and the West.

"Many children still do not have access to basic education. Higher education is characterised by decreasing enrolment, and public spending has actually declined since 1985," the report says.

The survey is the second in a planned four-part series, backed by the UN and the Arab League, that aims to outline the main development issues facing the 22 Arab states, from Morocco to Iran, Egypt to Yemen. The first UN Arab Development Report, released in June last year, received a mixed reception, with many official meetings set up to discuss its implications, but few Arab governments directly endorsing the plan.

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3//The Australian October 20, 2003
Article Link

SCOTLAND YARD FOILS PUTIN KILL PLOT
By David Leppard, The Sunday Times

Scotland Yard has thwarted a suspected plot to assassinate Russian President Vladimir Putin, after arresting a renegade Russian intelligence agent in London.

Detectives from its anti-terrorist branch, SO13, arrested the former KGB major, who is a trained hitman, and a second Russian after a tip-off last weekend.

The two men were allegedly trying to engage Russian exiles in Britain in the assassination plot. They were held for six days at a high-security police station at Paddington Green, in west London, under the Terrorism Act.

Detectives are thought to have questioned the pair about links with Chechen terrorists. Scotland Yard confirmed yesterday that the two men, aged 40 and 36, had been arrested in London last Sunday and released on Friday. This is understood to have been on condition they return to Moscow.

The alleged plot - in which Mr Putin was to be shot dead by a sniper while on a foreign trip - was uncovered by Scotland Yard nine days ago.

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4//The Globe and Mail UPDATED AT 8:34 PM EDT Sunday, Oct. 19, 2003
Article Link

MARTIN PLANS TO BE FISCAL MISER
By Robert Russo
Canadian Press

Ottawa - Almost every federal government department will have its budget pared in one of the first acts of a Paul Martin government, senior aides to the incoming prime minister say.

The spending cuts will be part of an initial burst of 100 days of action that the former finance minister is planning in an effort to draw a clear distinction between his government and that of current Prime Minister Jean Chrétien.

Finding money to shorten waiting times for medical procedures, a bold attempt to eradicate native poverty, and an early meeting with U.S. President George W. Bush are also part of the plan.

But Mr. Martin will not have much time to make his case.

He may have just 100 days between the time he is sworn in as prime minister in the New Year and an election call that could come in late April, if Liberal support in opinion polls continues to dwarf that of the opposition parties.

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5//Deutsche-Welle/dw-world.de 19.10.2003
Article Link

SWISS ELECTION BOOSTS RIGHT-WING

The vote for a new parliament in Switzerland has resulted in an upset unheard of for decades. The right-wing People's Party with its isolationist policies has triumphed at the polls, according to initial results.

Swiss voters went to the polls to elect a new parliament on Sunday. Most of those who were interested cast their ballots by mail. But not many were interested. Only 43 percent of the 4.7 million voters were expected to cast a ballot at all, low turnout for a European democracy.

(SNIP)

But that may yet change. Initial results say the People's Party (SVP) will win the largest share of power in the election. Party leaders have already said they will claim another cabinet seat at the likely expense of the Christian Democrats, whose fortunes appear to be waning. Projected results on Sunday evening gave the People's Party a 27.2 percent share of the vote; the Social Democrats had 23.3 percent, the Radicals 16.8 percent and the Christian Democrats 14.3 percent. Final results will be published on Monday after all votes have been counted.

No short-term change

Despite the SVP's win, some analysts say the party may not gain the second cabinet position it covets when parliament chooses the cabinet in December. "I don't think the outcome of this election will lead to a dramatic overhaul of the 'magic formula,'" political analyst Hans Hirter told Swiss Radio International. "But maybe in two or three years time, when one of the Christian Democrat ministers resigns, we will see the true importance of the election for the People's Party's bid for a second government seat."

But Swiss observers point out that in their direct democracy, power rests not with parliament but with the people. Four times a year voters are summoned for referendums in which they have the final say on policy issues.

Consolidating support

Nevertheless, the SVP may continue to mobilize supporters with its isolationist policies which oppose Switzerland joining the EU and call for tougher asylum laws.

The party provoked controversy in the last few weeks with an aggressive poster campaign suggesting that immigrants were criminals. The first poster featured a caricatured black face and a slogan reading, "The Swiss are increasingly becoming the Negros." Following widespread criticism the poster was withdrawn.

(MORE)