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| December 15, 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 15, 2003 1//Inter Press Service, Italy--FUTURE UNCERTAIN AS SADDAM UNEARTHED (Analysis by Jim Lobe) (Bush's resignation to more resistance reflected much of the reaction to the day's news, as lawmakers and analysts described the capture as a potentially major breakthrough that would not necessarily, however, prove decisive. Indeed, some specialists warned even before Sunday's announcement that Saddam's death or detention would prove largely irrelevant to the difficult problems faced by U.S. and coalition forces in Iraq, both because loyalty to Hussein -- or even to his Ba'ath Party -- had ceased to be a catalyst for the insurgency long before and because the complex internal political situation in Iraq has begun to fuel more tension and violence in any event.) Related: Juan Cole "Informed Comment" -- Juan Cole is Professor of History at the University of Michigan--REFLECTIONS ON THE CAPTURE OF SADDAM HUSSEIN (What is the significance of the capture of Saddam for contemporary Iraqi politics? He was probably already irrelevant.) 2//Daily Times, Pakistan--DIFFERENCES EMERGE AS LOYA JIRGA BEGINS (Differences over the shape of Afghanistan's new constitution emerged Sunday shortly after the opening of a landmark convention to debate and ratify the document which will pave the way for the war-ravaged country's final transition to democracy. "Every government has made constitutions for themselves," said Abdul Hafiz Mansour, an elected delegate for Kabul.) 3//The Sydney Morning Herald, Australia--SYRIA SET TO BECOME MORE ISOLATED AFTER US SANCTIONS (The law, which restricts US exports and business investment, downgrades US-Syrian diplomatic ties, imposes travel restrictions on Syrian diplomats in the United States, "darkens the interests of the two countries", said Daklallah. But Syrian Oil Minister Ibrahim Haddad denied that the Syria Accountability and Lebanese Sovereignty Restoration Act would affect the country. "There will be no impact," Haddad told AFP at a meeting of Arab oil ministers in Cairo, answering questions about the effect of the legislation on Syria and US companies working with it. "It might affect companies, but it will not affect us," he said. On Tuesday, Syria signed a European Union association accord, expected to give a new lease of life to reform efforts, after five years of talks.) 4//The Guardian, UK--EUROPE SUMMIT ENDS IN CHAOS ON CONSTITUTION (Coming hard on the heels of EU splits over the war against Iraq, the breakdown means that plans for a new European president elected by member states, a new foreign minister and a greater role on the world stage for the EU as a balance against America have been put on ice... French President Jacques Chirac said the failure only strengthened his desire for a 'pioneer group' of countries moving towards ever closer political union - leaving reluctant partners including Britain to form an 'outer ring'.) 5//The Moscow Times, Russia--KASYANOV: A KYOTO PLAN IN THE WORKS (Russia is preparing a "special action plan" to ratify the Kyoto Protocol, Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov told Japanese media in an interview published Friday. Kasyanov, due to make a three-day visit to Japan from Monday for talks with Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, gave no deadline for ratifying the treaty, saying only "it will take longer than expected."...Russia may agree to targets for reducing carbon dioxide emissions in return for the European Union softening conditions on energy pricing ahead of Russia's membership in the World Trade Organization, trade lawyers said.) * * * 1//Inter
Press Service December 14, 2003 FUTURE UNCERTAIN AS SADDAM UNEARTHED (SNIP) Bush's resignation to more resistance reflected much of the reaction to the day's news, as lawmakers and analysts described the capture as a potentially major breakthrough that would not necessarily, however, prove decisive. Indeed, some specialists warned even before Sunday's announcement that Saddam's death or detention would prove largely irrelevant to the difficult problems faced by U.S. and coalition forces in Iraq, both because loyalty to Hussein -- or even to his Ba'ath Party -- had ceased to be a catalyst for the insurgency long before and because the complex internal political situation in Iraq has begun to fuel more tension and violence in any event. Some even suggested that Saddam's capture might actually create new problems for the occupation by empowering sectors in the country's Shi'a community to test the occupation and back up their demands for direct elections to a new Iraqi government with more militant tactics. "Now that it is perfectly clear that (Hussein) is finished," noted Iraq specialist Juan Cole, who teaches history at the University of Michigan, "the Shiites may be emboldened". "Those (Shiites) who dislike U.S. policies or who are opposed to the idea of occupation no longer need be apprehensive that the U.S. will suddenly leave and allow Saddam to come back to power." (SNIP) Although military commanders have long insisted that resistance to the occupation was being carried out primarily by "Saddam loyalists", they had never ascribed to him any actual leadership role, apart from his status as a symbol, particularly for Ba'athists. (SNIP) That was noted by some observers, who said it proved the resistance was clearly operating independently of Saddam. "Given the location and circumstances of his capture, it makes clear that Saddam was not managing the insurgency, and that he had very little control or influence," said Senator Jay Rockefeller, the Democratic leader on the Senate Intelligence Committee. "That is significant and disturbing because it means the insurgents are not fighting for Saddam; they're fighting against the United States," he added. Other argued that, regardless of Saddam's relevance to resistance operations, his capture was bound to have a demoralising effect on the insurgents, particularly members of the Ba'ath. Michael O'Hanlon, a military specialist at the Brookings Institution, told National Public Radio (NPR) the psychological impact of the capture was a "devastating blow to (Saddam's) supporters". That impact could be more significant on anti-Saddam sectors in Iraq, according to observers, although they failed to agree on whether it would, on balance, favour the occupation. (SNIP) Retired Gen William Nash, also of CFR, told NPR the capture could lead many Iraqis in the so-called Sunni Triangle to cooperate more with occupation authorities. With the achievement of such a key objective, "everybody (will) want to get on the bandwagon", he said. That might be overly optimistic, according to others -- including Cole, who wrote Sunday that Saddam "was probably already irrelevant". "The Sunni Arab resisters to U.S. occupation in the country's heartland had long since jettisoned Saddam and the Ba'ath as symbols," he stressed. "They are fighting for local reasons. Some are Sunni fundamentalists, who despised the Ba'ath. Others are Arab nationalists who weep at the idea of their country being occupied. Some had relatives killed or humiliated by U.S. troops and are pursuing a clan vendetta. Some fear a Shiite and Kurdish-dominated Iraq will reduce them to second-class citizens." Both this thesis, as well as the administration's continued insistence that the insurgency consists mainly of Saddam and Ba'ath loyalists, criminals, and foreign "jihadis", will be tested in the coming weeks and months.) Related: Juan Cole, Professor of History, University of Michigan, "Informed Comment"--REFLECTIONS
ON THE CAPTURE OF SADDAM HUSSEIN What
is the significance of the capture of Saddam for contemporary
Iraqi politics? He was probably already irrelevant.
The Sunni Arab resisters to US occupation in the country's
heartland had long since jettisoned Saddam and the Baath
as symbols. (See "Sunnis gear up" below.) They
are fighting for local reasons. Some are Sunni fundamentalists,
who despised the Baath. Others are Arab nationalists who
weep at the idea of their country being occupied. Some
had relatives killed or humiliated by US troops and are
pursuing a clan vendetta. Some fear a Shiite and Kurdish-dominated
Iraq will reduce them to second class citizens. They will
fight on, as Mr. Bush admitted today...more
DIFFERENCES EMERGE AS LOYA JIRGA BEGINS KABUL: (AFP) Differences over the shape of Afghanistan's new constitution emerged Sunday shortly after the opening of a landmark convention to debate and ratify the document which will pave the way for the war-ravaged country's final transition to democracy. "Every government has made constitutions for themselves," said Abdul Hafiz Mansour, an elected delegate for Kabul. Debate has already raged over the draft, with critics warning it focuses too much power in the hands of the president and risks widening the country's deep ethnic and factional divides. The traditional loya jirga meeting was opened earlier by former Afghan king Mohammad Zahir Shah. President Hamid Karzai, in his speech to the delegates gathered in a huge white tent, said the constitution would offer Afghans a stable future under presidential guidance. (SNIP) The president expressed confidence that the criticised constitution would be ratified by delegates, shrugging off the threat of disputes between disparate factions among them. Streets around the polytechnic site were sealed off with US troops, international peacekeepers, Afghan national army soldiers, police and secret service agents.
SYRIA SET TO BECOME MORE ISOLATED AFTER US SANCTIONS (AFP) Damascus was today staring heightened political isolation in the face after US President George W Bush signed into law a bill providing for economic and diplomatic sanctions against Syria. The sanctions aim to punish Syria for alleged ties to terrorists, its tacit support for insurgents in Iraq and reported efforts to obtain weapons of mass destruction. The editor-in-chief of Al-Baath, the ruling Baath party's mouthpiece, told AFP the law sought to reduce Syria's political clout in the Middle East. With US pressure on Damascus at a "pinnacle", Washington is "trying to modify" Syrian policy on the Arab-Israeli conflict and Iraq, Mahdi Daklallah said. But he vowed Syria would not cave in, despite its willingness to "bend" to US demands, such as patrolling its border to prevent armed fighters from crossing into Iraq. Arab diplomats also saw the law as a US effort to "muzzle" Syria in the realignment of geopolitical power in the Middle East following the war in Iraq. The law, which restricts US exports and business investment, downgrades US-Syrian diplomatic ties, imposes travel restrictions on Syrian diplomats in the United States, "darkens the interests of the two countries", said Daklallah. But Syrian Oil Minister Ibrahim Haddad denied that the Syria Accountability and Lebanese Sovereignty Restoration Act would affect the country. "There will be no impact," Haddad told AFP at a meeting of Arab oil ministers in Cairo, answering questions about the effect of the legislation on Syria and US companies working with it. "It might affect companies, but it will not affect us," he said. On Tuesday, Syria signed a European Union association accord, expected to give a new lease of life to reform efforts, after five years of talks. (SNIP) Living under the threat of sanctions, Syria has recently stepped up cooperation with the war on terror. (SNIP) Meanwhile, US-Syrian contacts continue despite the new law, and a visiting US congressional delegation met Assad here today. Syrian Expatriates Minister Bussaina Shaaban was in Washington for talks with chief US envoy to the Middle East William Burns and incoming US ambassador to Damascus Margaret Scobey, Lebanon's As-Safir daily reported.
EUROPE SUMMIT ENDS IN CHAOS ON CONSTITUTION Gaby Hinsliff, chief political correspondent The European Union was facing the gravest crisis in its 46-year history last night after radical plans to draw up a new constitution were abandoned because of bitter in-fighting between member states. As the flagship project was delayed for at least a year and countries started to talk openly of a 'two-speed Europe', Tony Blair was left insisting that the new constitution could still be made to work despite such an embarrassing setback. It is the first time such a major summit has ended without agreement and in such acrimony. The meeting in Brussels was abandoned early after four of the key players - France, Germany, Spain and Poland - made it clear that they could not come to an agreement on voting powers under the new constitution. Although negotiations should have continued yesterday, Germany and Poland walked out at lunchtime, leaving the EU president and Italian leader, Silvio Berlusconi, to formally announce that the negotiations were over. Coming hard on the heels of EU splits over the war against Iraq, the breakdown means that plans for a new European president elected by member states, a new foreign minister and a greater role on the world stage for the EU as a balance against America have been put on ice. It also raises questions about how expansion to the east to include the former Communist bloc countries can be made to work. Next May the EU expands from 15 to 25 members and the constitution was seen as essential in making the new system work smoothly. French President Jacques Chirac said the failure only strengthened his desire for a 'pioneer group' of countries moving towards ever closer political union - leaving reluctant partners including Britain to form an 'outer ring'. (MORE)
KASYANOV: A KYOTO PLAN IN THE WORKS TOKYO -- Russia is preparing a "special action plan" to ratify the Kyoto Protocol, Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov told Japanese media in an interview published Friday. Kasyanov, due to make a three-day visit to Japan from Monday for talks with Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, gave no deadline for ratifying the treaty, saying only "it will take longer than expected." "The Russian government has a special action plan aiming at preparatory steps for ratification, and we're about to realize that plan," the Daily Yomiuri quoted Kasyanov as saying. Kyoto, which plans cuts in emissions of carbon dioxide by 5.2 percent below 1990 levels by 2008-12, cannot enter into force without support from countries representing 55 percent of emissions. So far, it has reached 44 percent and hinges on Russia's 17 percent. Russia wants to receive pollution credits earlier than the current 2008 date, said Alexander Bedritsky, the Russian chief of delegation at the United Nations climate-change convention in Milan. Russia may agree to targets for reducing carbon dioxide emissions in return for the European Union softening conditions on energy pricing ahead of Russia's membership in the World Trade Organization, trade lawyers said. "This could be the way out," said John Weekes, a senior lawyer at Sidley Austin Brown & Wood in Geneva and formerly Canada's ambassador to the WTO. "There's been some tactical posturing in terms of what their approach is on Kyoto, so if [Russia] can get something additional for signing it in the end, then why not try." (MORE) | |||||
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