November 5, 2004

World Media Watch

by Gloria R. Lalumia

BuzzFlash Note: WMW provides BuzzFlash readers foreign views and perspectives that are not usually available from the media here in the U.S. The presentation of these articles from these international publications is not an endorsement of their viewpoints.

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WORLD MEDIA WATCH FOR NOVEMBER 5, 2004

1//WorldPress.org, US--BUSH WINS SECOND TERM (Comment and analysis from Cologne, Toronto, Havana, Tel Aviv, Doha, Hong Kong and Moscow, November 3, 2004)

2//The Toronto Star, Canada--DISAPPOINTED YANKS SWAMP IMMIGRATION WEBSITE (Canada's immigration website is being flooded with a record-smashing number of visits from U.S. Democrats dismayed by the prospect of four more years living under President George W. Bush. His re-election has some long-faced U.S. liberals apparently musing that perhaps Canada's cold winters, high taxes and strained health system are more easily endured than their commander-in-chief. A new record was set within hours of Bush's acceptance speech as six times more Americans than usual surfed the site Wednesday.)

3//The Scotsman, UK--THREE BLACK WATCH SOLDIERS KILLED BY SUICIDE BOMB (Three soldiers from the Black Watch were killed in a suicide bomb attack yesterday, the regiment's first casualties since being redeployed to central Iraq. Their deaths place yet more pressure on Tony Blair, the Prime Minister, over the government's decision to agree to a United States request to move the unit to an area known as "the triangle of death." It was only the second day of the regiment's controversial mission to secure the dangerous area, south-west of Baghdad.)

4//The Guardian, UK--DANGER FOR BLAIR AFTER KILLING OF SOLDIERS (A rare silence descended on the House of Commons last night as MPs digested the grim news from Iraq. In brief remarks from all sides of the chamber, MPs limited themselves to extending their condolences to the relatives of the dead soldiers. Outside the chamber, however, MPs reflected that the attack is likely to mark a pivotal moment as British troops face the sort of attacks which have become an almost daily occurrence for their US counterparts. Few MPs wanted to make capital out of the news, but critics warned that Tony Blair was entering a dangerous political period.)

5//The Daily Star, Lebanon--RUSSIAN OIL MAJORS DREAM OF MIDDLE EASTERN FIELDS (For Russia's oil majors, it's time to come knocking at the door of Middle Eastern producers. Crude exports have put the Russian economy into overdrive ever since the ruble meltdown of 1998. But petrodollars only go so far and Russia would like to export technology to countries like Iran, where enhanced oil recovery is necessary to boost production at heavily eroded fields. Russian industry is also looking to team up with U.S. firms looking for greenfield sites in Iraq...Oil analysts here are counting on windfall prices through 2005, thanks in part to a second term in the White House for U.S. President George W. Bush. It is no secret that Russia's President Vladimir Putin had hoped for a Bush victory. In the current political context of "managed democracy" (a by-word for authoritarianism), Putin's personal leanings quickly ricochet down the pipeline.)

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1//WorldPress.org, US November 3, 2004
http://www.worldpress.org/Americas/1965.cfm

BUSH WINS SECOND TERM

Comment and analysis from Cologne, Toronto, Havana, Tel Aviv, Doha, Hong Kong and Moscow, November 3, 2004

2//The Toronto Star, Canada Nov. 4, 2004. 06:10 PM
http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pag...

DISAPPOINTED YANKS SWAMP IMMIGRATION WEBSITE
From Canadian Press

OTTAWA - Canada's immigration website is being flooded with a record-smashing number of visits from U.S. Democrats dismayed by the prospect of four more years living under President George W. Bush.

His re-election has some long-faced U.S. liberals apparently musing that perhaps Canada's cold winters, high taxes and strained health system are more easily endured than their commander-in-chief.

A new record was set within hours of Bush's acceptance speech as six times more Americans than usual surfed the site Wednesday.

The overall number of 179,000 visitors was almost twice the previous one-day record set last year and a whopping 64 per cent of visitors - 115,016 - were from the United States.

Many were doing more than just casual surfing, a spokeswoman for Citizenship and Immigration suggested Thursday.

"The most-visited pages . . . were the skilled worker online self-assessment pages (to check if) they'd meet the selection criteria," said Maria Iadinardi.

But there's no proof of an influx of Americans seeking asylum from their politics: "Applying and intent are two different things. We're only going to see this about six months from now," she said.

Americans moving to Canada must deal with the same rules as other immigrants - including the $500 application fee, the $975 landing tax, and the six- to 12-month wait.

(SNIP)

A mock map of North America circulated on the Internet illustrating an expanded Canada. The lingering rump of pro-Democrat states - namely the Great Lakes area, and the east and west coasts - would be carved into a larger new country called the United States of Canada.

The rest of the continent was left alone in a new entity called, ``Jesusland.''

A gleeful Republican said, "Enjoy the Molson's while you wait an eternity for an imported doctor making the equivalent of minimum wage."

(SNIP)

But one prominent American gay-rights advocate says the talk about moving to Canada is just that - talk.

"I don't think you're seeing people do it. It is certainly an expression of frustration you hear more often these days," said Evan Wolfson of Freedom to Marry.

"It's people saying, `Canada is on the right track. We're on the wrong track.' "

(MORE)

3//The Scotsman, UK Fri 5 Nov 2004
http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=1274982004

THREE BLACK WATCH SOLDIERS KILLED BY SUICIDE BOMB
James Kirkup and Ian Johnston

Three soldiers from the Black Watch were killed in a suicide bomb attack yesterday, the regiment's first casualties since being redeployed to central Iraq.

Their deaths place yet more pressure on Tony Blair, the Prime Minister, over the government's decision to agree to a United States request to move the unit to an area known as "the triangle of death".

The men died when their patrol group was targeted by what was described as a suicide bomb at a vehicle checkpoint. Subsequently, mortar rounds were fired at the position. There were unconfirmed suggestions last night that the dead soldiers were from north-east Fife. An Iraqi translator was also killed in the attack.

Eight other members of the patrol group were injured, though defence sources said none of their wounds were serious. The injured men were treated by US military medics and will remain in Iraq.

It was only the second day of the regiment's controversial mission to secure the dangerous area, south-west of Baghdad. Hours before the attack was confirmed, it had emerged that the Black Watch was trying to secure an area to the east of the Euphrates river, a hotbed of militant activity.

News of the deaths came as US jets attacked the Iraqi city of Fallujah, targeting insurgents in a city where US forces are gearing up for a major offensive.

The armed forces minister Adam Ingram gave brief details of the incident, which happened at 1pm local time, near the troops' base at Camp Dogwood. "Soldiers manning a vehicle checkpoint were targeted by a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device in a suicide attack, followed shortly afterwards by mortar fire," he said.

Responding to a question at a news conference, Mr Ingram said: "Is it a price worth paying? The Iraqis are the best judge of that and they want their country back."

It was the worst combat loss suffered by British troops since 23 August, 2003, when three Royal Military Police were killed in southern Iraq, and brought the total number of British troops killed since the invasion to 73. It was also the first time British troops have been targeted for a suicide attack.

4//The Guardian, UK Friday November 5, 2004
http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,2763,1344211,00.html

DANGER FOR BLAIR AFTER KILLING OF SOLDIERS
Nicholas Watt, political correspondent

A rare silence descended on the House of Commons last night as MPs digested the grim news from Iraq. In brief remarks from all sides of the chamber, MPs limited themselves to extending their condolences to the relatives of the dead soldiers.

Outside the chamber, however, MPs reflected that the attack is likely to mark a pivotal moment as British troops face the sort of attacks which have become an almost daily occurrence for their US counterparts. Few MPs wanted to make capital out of the news, but critics warned that Tony Blair was entering a dangerous political period.

Richard Ottaway, a Tory member of the Commons defence select committee, said: "This is a wake-up call that our troops in Iraq are in a much more difficult situation. If it gets worse public opinion may turn."

Doug Henderson, a former defence minister who voted against the war, expressed his sadness at the loss of life. But he added: "The main implication is that unless there is an exit strategy, inevitably we will be drawn more and more into whatever military conflict there is in Iraq. When you get drawn into that you inevitably take casualties.

"If there is an exit strategy that the local people recognise, then they are much less likely to attack the soldiers on the way to the exit strategy, even if it is a year ahead.

"As long as they think you're there as an invader then they're going to be aggressive. Not only do we need a road map in the Middle East, we need a road map in Iraq."

(MORE)

5//The Daily Star, Lebanon Friday, November 05, 2004
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id...

RUSSIAN OIL MAJORS DREAM OF MIDDLE EASTERN FIELDS
Energy event looks at Arab, Iranian cooperation
Closing session at Moscow's 4th annual oil and gas meeting sees bid for greater business integration with OPEC partners
By Paul de Zardain
Special to The Daily Star

MOSCOW: For Russia's oil majors, it's time to come knocking at the door of Middle Eastern producers. Crude exports have put the Russian economy into overdrive ever since the ruble meltdown of 1998. But petrodollars only go so far and Russia would like to export technology to countries like Iran, where enhanced oil recovery is necessary to boost production at heavily eroded fields. Russian industry is also looking to team up with U.S. firms looking for greenfield sites in Iraq.

The fourth annual oil and gas week capped off in Moscow recently with a session on energy cooperation with the Arab world and Iran. Panelists predictably exalted the historic role of Soviet engineers in the exploration of Libya. But in effect it was a bid for heightened business integration with OPEC partners.

"Both regions are key energy suppliers. And long-term oil futures suggest that these prices will stay firm. Given this outlook, the world's major oil exporters share common issues," said a spokesman for the Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC).

Both KPC and Saudi Aramco attended the Moscow session, a traditional meeting point for Russia's petroleum industry. Moderated by Sergey Oganesyan of the Federal Energy Agency, the session on energy cooperation dealt with problems of technology transfer, market strategies and information flows. Yelena Uspenskaia, a deputy director at RosCon, spoke of the mutual benefits of scientific innovation in natural gas projects in Egypt. Another panelist showcased Russian technology for electricity plants that use natural gas as feedstock.

"Developing technology should be the main platform for cooperation. Dependence on one country, or on a single technology, is not in the best interest of the Middle East," said A.G. Munawar of Saudi Aramco. "I am talking to Russian companies so that we might rely on you for technological advances," he added.

Oil analysts here are counting on windfall prices through 2005, thanks in part to a second term in the White House for U.S. President George W. Bush. It is no secret that Russia's President Vladimir Putin had hoped for a Bush victory. In the current political context of "managed democracy" (a by-word for authoritarianism), Putin's personal leanings quickly ricochet down the pipeline. Meanwhile, on news of U.S. election results, prices for benchmark West Texas Intermediate at the New York Mercantile Exchange climbed back above $50 per barrel.

(MORE)