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| December 10, 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. * * * WORLD MEDIA WATCH FOR DECEMBER 10, 2003 1//Asia Times Online, Hong Kong--IRAQ AND VIETNAM: BATTLES OF WILL (Iraqi guerrillas are most likely aware that they will not be able to crush the US military occupation in Iraq. They do know, however, that if they continue to kill and maim US soldiers, it will only be a matter of time until the American public demands a return of the troops and applies political pressure to the administration of President George W Bush. General Abizaid admitted as much, recently warning, "The goal of the enemy is not to defeat us militarily. The goal of the enemy is to break the will of the United States of America, to make us leave.") 2//The Turkish Daily News, Turkey--US TO HOST IRAQ CONFERENCES FOR TURKISH FIRMS (The U.S. Department of Commerce will host a series of conferences in Turkey on the reconstruction of Iraq in January 2004, according to the U.S. State Department...Turkish companies are eager to get a share in the tenders for the reconstruction of Iraq after a U.S.-led war. Ziyal announced last week that Turkey was in a list of preferred countries for participation in reconstruction tenders worth $18.7 billion. The statement said the two countries would also work together to secure a pipeline transporting oil from Iraq's northern oil fields in Kirkuk to Turkey's Mediterranean outlet of Yumurtalik.) 3//Daily Yomiuri, Japan--ANALYSIS: IRAQ DISPATCH PLAN STRESSES AID (The government's basic plan on dispatching Self-Defense Forces personnel to Iraq places more importance on humanitarian aid for Iraqi nationals than support for the United States...The government apparently wanted to reduce the emphasis on SDF support for U.S. forces, which might make the dispatch a target for insurgents, and to place more emphasis on activities aimed at obtaining the understanding of local residents, analysts said.) 4//Deutsche Welle, Germany--EU TURNS BLIND EYE TO BERLIN-BEIJING NUCLEAR DEAL (On Monday, protest was growing among the Greens, the chancellor's junior coalition partner, over Schröder's controversial calls in Beijing for the ending of an EU arms embargo and his support for Beijing's "One China" policy. Many Green party members believe that China's human rights violations and its reputation as the world's biggest buyer of foreign arms do not justify the chancellor's lenient stance...But even as the controversy gathers pace in Germany, criticism remains muted in Brussels. The pointed silence of the EU isn't without reason: the chancellor's recent overtures to Beijing are considered to be routine policy within the EU.) 5//The Independent, UK--FAR-RIGHT READY TO SHAKE SWISS POLITICS WITH CABINET SEAT (The parties that have shared power for almost a half a century will decide today whether to give the millionaire figurehead of the far right, Christoph Blocher, a seat in the cabinet. If they invite him aboard, one of Europe's most xenophobic mainstream parties will double its share of power. Competitions such as the one in Zurich's daily Tagblatt - "Win SFr1,000 [£450] by forecasting the make-up of the new cabinet!" - are just one sign of the unprecedented excitement gripping this sedate nation. Pundits and politicians alike admit having little idea how these historic cabinet elections will turn out.) * * * 1//Asia
Times Online December 10, 2003 IRAQ AND VIETNAM: BATTLES OF WILL US officials have gone to great lengths to make sure the American people understand that the US military cannot possibly be defeated in Iraq. "I want to emphasize to the people that there is no military threat in Iraq that can drive us out," assured General John Abizaid, the commander of US Central Command. "We have the best-equipped, best-trained army in the world positioned in the most difficult areas we have to deal with ... They are confident, they are capable, they know what they are doing." General Abizaid is correct: the attacks launched against US forces in Iraq are not the type required or intended to defeat the United States militarily. But the general cannot dismiss the fact that Washington is not operating in a military vacuum. The strength of the US military means little when faced with an increasingly skeptical US public who have the potential to force Washington to pull its troops out of Iraq. In addition, while Washington cannot be overwhelmed by sheer force, there is no evidence that the guerrilla fighters in Iraq can be defeated that way either. (SNIP) The strategy of Vietnamese resistance fighters proved to be successful, and it looks as if resistance fighters in Iraq are following a similar one; more recent guerrilla conflicts in Afghanistan and Chechnya fought by the Soviet Union and the Russian Federation provide historical precedents for the viability of such guerrilla methods. Iraqi guerrillas are most likely aware that they will not be able to crush the US military occupation in Iraq. They do know, however, that if they continue to kill and maim US soldiers, it will only be a matter of time until the American public demands a return of the troops and applies political pressure to the administration of President George W Bush. General Abizaid admitted as much, recently warning, "The goal of the enemy is not to defeat us militarily. The goal of the enemy is to break the will of the United States of America, to make us leave." (MORE)
US TO HOST IRAQ CONFERENCES FOR TURKISH FIRMS The U.S. Department of Commerce will host a series of conferences in Turkey on the reconstruction of Iraq in January 2004, according to the U.S. State Department. The conferences will be held in Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir as part of the U.S. efforts to give an enhanced role to Turkish companies in the reconstruction of war-torn Iraq. The new role was agreed to during talks with Turkish officials in Washington last week. (SNIP) "The United States and Turkey agreed to discuss improved transportation links between Turkey and Iraq, the possibility of additional electrical power to Iraq from Turkey, and an enhanced role for Turkish firms in rebuilding Iraq," said the U.S. State Department in a statement on the commission meeting. Turkish companies are eager to get a share in the tenders for the reconstruction of Iraq after a U.S.-led war. Ziyal announced last week that Turkey was in a list of preferred countries for participation in reconstruction tenders worth $18.7 billion. The statement said the two countries would also work together to secure a pipeline transporting oil from Iraq's northern oil fields in Kirkuk to Turkey's Mediterranean outlet of Yumurtalik. Efforts to fully operationalize the pipeline have failed because of several sabotages and Iraqi interim leaders pledged, in a visit to Ankara last month, to improve security around the pipeline.
ANALYSIS: IRAQ DISPATCH PLAN STRESSES AID The government's basic plan on dispatching Self-Defense Forces personnel to Iraq places more importance on humanitarian aid for Iraqi nationals than support for the United States. The basic plan also takes into consideration the safety of the SDF personnel to be dispatched as insurgents are active in many parts of Iraq. The basic plan comprises two main pillars: humanitarian and reconstruction aid for Iraqi citizens and rear-area support to ensure the safety of U.S. and British forces conducting missions in Iraq. Most of the basic plan refers to humanitarian and reconstruction aid. It restricts activities to ensure the safety of U.S. and British forces to "within a range that does not disturb the humanitarian and reconstruction assistance activities." The government apparently wanted to reduce the emphasis on SDF support for U.S. forces, which might make the dispatch a target for insurgents, and to place more emphasis on activities aimed at obtaining the understanding of local residents, analysts said. The basic plan also says SDF personnel in Iraq will conduct their activities "carefully and flexibly after closely monitoring security conditions and placing top priority on measures to (MORE)
EU TURNS BLIND EYE TO BERLIN-BEIJING NUCLEAR DEAL German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder is facing tough questioning at home over his recent trip to China. On Monday, protest was growing among the Greens, the chancellor's junior coalition partner, over Schröder's controversial calls in Beijing for the ending of an EU arms embargo and his support for Beijing's "One China" policy. Many Green party members believe that China's human rights violations and its reputation as the world's biggest buyer of foreign arms do not justify the chancellor's lenient stance. "That the chancellor isn't in a coalition with himself, but with the Greens, that needs to come out at some point," party leader Reinhardt Bütikofer told the German TV channel ZDF. The chancellor's (photo) Green allies are also irked over his promise to the Chinese government to sell Beijing a plutonium processing plant near Frankfurt for an estimated €50 million. Though Schröder says Beijing has assured him the plant will not produce material for military purposes, critics say it would be hypocritical of Germany to sell nuclear equipment abroad while phasing out nuclear power at home. The row now threatens to split the ruling coalition, as reports abound about a fallout between the chancellor and his popular Green foreign minister, Joschka Fischer, as well as rising criticism among Schröder's own Social Democrat ranks. Brussels silent over Schröder's decision But even as the controversy gathers pace in Germany, criticism remains muted in Brussels. The pointed silence of the EU isn't without reason: the chancellor's recent overtures to Beijing are considered to be routine policy within the EU. (MORE)
FAR-RIGHT READY TO SHAKE SWISS POLITICS WITH CABINET SEAT Seven weeks after going to the polls, the people of Switzerland are about to discover the punchline to what was, by Swiss standards, an uncommonly knockabout election. The parties that have shared power for almost a half a century will decide today whether to give the millionaire figurehead of the far right, Christoph Blocher, a seat in the cabinet. If they invite him aboard, one of Europe's most xenophobic mainstream parties will double its share of power. Competitions such as the one in Zurich's daily Tagblatt - "Win SFr1,000 [£450] by forecasting the make-up of the new cabinet!" - are just one sign of the unprecedented excitement gripping this sedate nation. Pundits and politicians alike admit having little idea how these historic cabinet elections will turn out. The elections are historic because they will end more than four decades of government according to the "magic formula". This power-sharing agreement has dictated the balance of coalition cabinets since 1959. At that time the People's Party was the junior partner, and received a single seat, while the three centrist parties - the left-leaning Social Democrats and more right-wing Christian Democrats and Free Democrats - provided two ministers each. Since emerging from October's parliamentary elections with the largest single share of the vote, the People's Party has been asserting its right to a second seat. Traditionally, each party nominates two candidates for each of "its" seats, allowing the other parties to choose between them. This system helps ensure that the members of the cabinet are acceptable to all the parties and thus capable of functioning as a team. Such is the confidence on the far right, however, that the People's Party is insisting on Mr Blocher - the most divisive figure in Swiss politics - becoming its second minister. (MORE) |
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