January 28, 2005

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 JANUARY 28, 2005

1//The Daily Star, Lebanon--ASSAD WARNS MIDDLE EAST STATES FACE BREAK-UP THREAT (Syrian President Bashar Assad warned the current turmoil in the Middle East is exacerbating ethnic differences which could lead to the break up of some countries in the region. Speaking to RIA Novosti news agency at the end of his four day state visit to Russia Assad said: "The events in the Middle East could lead to the break-up of several countries in the region, the rise of extremism and religious and ethnic strife." He added: "This could produce a domino effect that could spread to your region." His comments will be seen as a barely concealed reference to Iraq and the growing sectarian tensions between the various religious and ethnic groups in the country in the wake of the US-led invasion and occupation… Assad's remarks come as Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned Thursday that the United States will bear the consequences of ethnic turmoil in Kirkuk if it fails to prevent the oil-rich city in northern Iraq from falling under Kurdish control.)

2//Asia Times Online, Hong Kong--KABUL TURNS TO TEHRAN (Afghan President Hamid Karzai is making his first official visit out of the country since taking presidential office in early December. He is leading a high-level delegation to Iran for two days that includes the ministers of the interior, finance and economy, as well as the minister for refugees… A spokesman for Karzai, Rafiullah Mujaddedi, said he was unsure whether the Afghan and Iranian presidents would discuss reports that the US military - which has thousands of troops in Afghanistan - had conducted spying missions inside Iran. Langton said a US military strike on Iran would have a deeply negative impact on ties between the two neighbors. Lieutenant-General Eric Olson, the operational commander of US forces pursuing Taliban and al-Qaeda remnants in Afghanistan, told the Associated Press on January 24 that he knew of no US spying missions in Iran. He also cautioned that any instability in the Islamic Republic could have an adverse effect on US operations in Afghanistan.)

3//The Independent, UK—COMMENT: TWO YEARS AFTER THE WAR, ONE YEAR AFTER HUTTON. WHY HASN’T BLAIR RESIGNED YET? (The evidence is now overwhelming; Blair, Campbell and Scarlett produced a public relations document, a piece of propaganda, called it an intelligence dossier and used it to persuade the Labour Party, Parliament and the country to support Blair's war in Iraq… I suspect what the whole sad tale tells us is that the public have given up on traditional politics and particularly on politicians. They had great hopes in Blair in that he offered them a new form of politics, but in their eyes he has betrayed them. The problem they now face, however, is who to vote for. When I was promoting my book I addressed large meetings and the question people asked time after time was: "What's the alternative?" So the public's sense of betrayal is not only about Blair; the great loser is public trust in politics. That should worry us because our democracy has been undermined by this affair… But, post-Butler, I suspect history will remember Blair for Iraq and spin and not a lot more, which is unfair to his colleagues with real achievements to their name. But then, they should have done what Robin Cook did. They should have stood up when it mattered.)

4//The Globe and Mail, Canada--CANADIAN MILITARY WILL PLAY INCREASED GLOBAL ROLE: PM (Prime Minister Paul Martin confirmed Thursday that an upcoming foreign policy review will push for Canada to be more of a force on the global stage… It is likely to be released before the federal budget comes down, most likely some time in February. Sources have said that it will also call for the army to become the pre-eminent force within the military, with the navy and air force playing less of a role. Mr. Martin did not confirm that point on Thursday, saying that "all of the various services are going to play a very important role in the defence of Canada and in the enhancement of our role in the world," but he did say that the paper will discuss the ways that Canada can make a fundamental difference in the defence of North America and the rest of the world.)

5//Xinhuanet.com, China--US PREPARES INVASION OF VENEZUELA: VENEZUELAN AMBASSADOR (The United States is preparing a future invasion of Venezuela to control the petroleum of the South American country as it did in Iraq, said Venezuela's acting ambassador to Paraguay, Elmer Nino. Nino, cited Thursday by local Paraguayan daily ABC Color, said the present diplomatic crisis between Venezuela and Colombia was created by the United States as part of its future plans for an invasion.)

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1//The Daily Star, Lebanon Friday, January 28, 2005
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition...

ASSAD WARNS MIDDLE EAST STATES FACE BREAK-UP THREAT
Turkey warns U.S. to prevent Kirkuk from falling under Kurdish control

Compiled by Daily Star staff

Syrian President Bashar Assad warned the current turmoil in the Middle East is exacerbating ethnic differences which could lead to the break up of some countries in the region.

Speaking to RIA Novosti news agency at the end of his four day state visit to Russia Assad said: "The events in the Middle East could lead to the break-up of several countries in the region, the rise of extremism and religious and ethnic strife."

He added: "This could produce a domino effect that could spread to your region."

His comments will be seen as a barely concealed reference to Iraq and the growing sectarian tensions between the various religious and ethnic groups in the country in the wake of the US-led invasion and occupation.

Assad said Russia, as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, had a vital role in promoting peace in the Middle East.

He added: "The security of the Middle East directly affects Russia."

Assad's remarks come as Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned Thursday that the United States will bear the consequences of ethnic turmoil in Kirkuk if it fails to prevent the oil-rich city in northern Iraq from falling under Kurdish control.

"Any wrong move in Kirkuk will have a negative impact on peace in Iraq in the future," Erdogan told reporters at Ankara airport before he flew out to Davos, Switzerland for the World Economic Forum.

"The United Nations, America and the other coalition forces should never allow an unfavorable structure there," he said. "If they turn a blind eye to such a mistake, they will pay the bill in the future."

Ankara is opposed to Kurdish control of Kirkuk, which many Kurds want to incorporate into their enclave in northern Iraq and even see as the capital of a future independent Kurdish state.

Separatist moves in northern Iraq, Ankara fears, may spill over to southeastern Turkey, which is home to its own large and restive Kurdish community.

(MORE)

2//Asia Times Online, Hong Kong Jan 28, 2005
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Central_Asia/GA28Ag01.html

KABUL TURNS TO TEHRAN
By Golnaz Esfandiari

PRAGUE - Afghan President Hamid Karzai is making his first official visit out of the country since taking presidential office in early December. He is leading a high-level delegation to Iran for two days that includes the ministers of the interior, finance and economy, as well as the minister for refugees.

Karzai and President Mohammad Khatami were set to inaugurate the Doqarun-Herat road on Thursday. The 122 kilometer road will link the Doqarun border region in northeastern Iran with the western Afghan city of Herat. The Iranian Embassy in Kabul said Karzai and Khatami would also open a newly completed power transmission line running from Torbat-e Jam in northeastern Iran to Herat, as well as eight border stations constructed by Iran in Afghanistan's Herat, Nimruz and Farah provinces.

Iran is working on several other reconstruction projects in Afghanistan. Media in December reported the opening of the first Iranian bank (Ariyan Bank) in Kabul. Iran and Afghanistan are also cooperating in the fight against the trafficking of drugs from Afghanistan.

Colonel Christopher Langton, who heads the defense analysis department at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London, said Iran is an important country in the future reconstruction and development of Afghanistan.

"They are being closely linked by efforts against the Taliban in the past, but also because of the influence that Iran can bring there with the Hazara population [who, like Iranians, are Shi'ite Muslims]. And in the development sector, there are already projects which Iran is involved in - for instance, the road from Bandar Abbas on the Persian Gulf up through Afghanistan to Central Asia is a very, very important project for the future of Afghanistan," Langton said. "There is a whole list of political, economic and security issues which connect Afghanistan and Iran."

Iran and Afghanistan are also connected historically and culturally. And Iran's strained relations with the US have not prevented Tehran from strengthening its economic and trade cooperation with Kabul since the US-led fall of the Taliban in late 2001.

(SNIP)

Karzai's trip to Iran comes amid growing speculation about a US military strike on Iran. An article published recently in The New Yorker magazine said US Special Forces have been penetrating eastern Iran from Afghanistan since last summer in order to identify sites for possible strikes.

(SNIP)

A spokesman for Karzai, Rafiullah Mujaddedi, said he was unsure whether the Afghan and Iranian presidents would discuss reports that the US military - which has thousands of troops in Afghanistan - had conducted spying missions inside Iran. Langton said a US military strike on Iran would have a deeply negative impact on ties between the two neighbors.

"The Iranian regime sees [Karzai] as somebody who was brought to power quite legitimately, but nevertheless on the back of very, very strong support from the US, which is still to a large extent maintaining its position inside Afghanistan," Langton said. "So any American military action against Iran - however likely or unlikely - is going to affect the way Iran and Afghanistan develop their relationship in the immediate and near future."

Lieutenant-General Eric Olson, the operational commander of US forces pursuing Taliban and al-Qaeda remnants in Afghanistan, told the Associated Press on January 24 that he knew of no US spying missions in Iran. He also cautioned that any instability in the Islamic Republic could have an adverse effect on US operations in Afghanistan.

(MORE)

3//The Independent, UK 28 January 2005
http://comment.independent.co.uk/comment...

Comment
TWO YEARS AFTER THE WAR, ONE YEAR AFTER HUTTON. WHY HASN’T BLAIR RESIGNED YET?

Greg Dyke

(SNIP)

The evidence is now overwhelming; Blair, Campbell and Scarlett produced a public relations document, a piece of propaganda, called it an intelligence dossier and used it to persuade the Labour Party, Parliament and the country to support Blair's war in Iraq. Their problems came when no WMD were found and people began to look more closely at the dossier, people like Andrew Gilligan, the journalist working for the Today programme who, by having an innocuous chat with Dr Kelly, hit upon the story of the decade. He was savaged by Campbell for his troubles.

What is really disturbing is that we would not have known the truth if it hadn't been for two unforeseen events: Dr Kelly killing himself, which forced Blair to set up the Hutton Inquiry, and George Bush setting up an inquiry into how the security services in the USA got it so wrong, leaving Blair with no option but to do the same. Without these two inquiries - both forced upon Blair - we would know very little. So much for New Labour's commitment to open government.

What is interesting is that the public now believe, like Gordon Brown, that what Blair says is not to be trusted. His trust ratings have collapsed as a result of Iraq, Hutton and Butler and, outside of Labour loyalists, it is hard to find many who any longer believe or respect him. But Blair is still Prime Minister and is likely to remain so for some years. So why has he not paid the price for misleading, even deliberately deceiving, the nation?

I suspect what the whole sad tale tells us is that the public have given up on traditional politics and particularly on politicians. They had great hopes in Blair in that he offered them a new form of politics, but in their eyes he has betrayed them.

The problem they now face, however, is who to vote for. When I was promoting my book I addressed large meetings and the question people asked time after time was: "What's the alternative?" So the public's sense of betrayal is not only about Blair; the great loser is public trust in politics. That should worry us because our democracy has been undermined by this affair.

Lord Butler avoided the decision he should have taken. In his report, he said no single individual should take the blame and that what had happened was the result of a "collective failure". But only one person in Government can be responsible for a collective failure on that scale and that's the Prime Minister. Lord Butler, despite an insightful report, had a failure of nerve; he should have called on the Prime Minister to resign, as we are told that Blair feared he would.

When Tony Blair appeared at Lord Hutton's inquiry he said that if Gilligan's story had been true he would have had to resign. He didn't mean it because we now know that what Kelly told Gilligan was right - and Blair is still Prime Minister. He says he is happy to let history be his judge. It will. But, post-Butler, I suspect history will remember Blair for Iraq and spin and not a lot more, which is unfair to his colleagues with real achievements to their name. But then, they should have done what Robin Cook did. They should have stood up when it mattered.

4//The Globe and Mail, Canada Thursday, Jan 27, 2005
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/...

CANADIAN MILITARY WILL PLAY INCREASED GLOBAL ROLE: PM
By Allison Dunfield

Prime Minister Paul Martin confirmed Thursday that an upcoming foreign policy review will push for Canada to be more of a force on the global stage.

The Liberals have been working on the policy review for more than a year.

It is likely to be released before the federal budget comes down, most likely some time in February. Sources have said that it will also call for the army to become the pre-eminent force within the military, with the navy and air force playing less of a role.

Mr. Martin did not confirm that point on Thursday, saying that "all of the various services are going to play a very important role in the defence of Canada and in the enhancement of our role in the world," but he did say that the paper will discuss the ways that Canada can make a fundamental difference in the defence of North America and the rest of the world.

Speaking to reporters at the end of a three-day Liberal caucus meeting Thursday, Mr. Martin also said he feels there are gaps in the North American free-trade agreement that need to be addressed. He promised to speak further on the issue to both the United States and Mexico.

"I raised with [U.S.] President [George W.] Bush when he was here that there are a number of areas within NAFTA that really require looking at," he said, mentioning the mad-cow dispute as one example.

Sources have said the 50-page document will map out a plan for greater North American integration, with a focus on regulatory harmonization, continental security and improving the flow of border traffic, without formally reopening the North American free-trade agreement.

As an example, the Prime Minister said he feels that scientific evidence should be given more weight under NAFTA – in the case of mad cow (bovine spongiform encephalopathy), a number of international studies have found little risk to humans, suggesting that current protection measures are adequate.

"Science-based evidence in the case of BSE should have been given far greater weight in the fact that we have an integrated North American beef industry. There are gaps in NAFTA that need to be fixed, and they apply to the Mexicans as much as to us," he said.

5//Xinhuanet.com, China 2005-01-28 10:15:32
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-01/28/...

US PREPARES INVASION OF VENEZUELA: VENEZUELAN AMBASSADOR

BUENOS AIRES, Jan. 27 (Xinhuanet) -- The United States is preparing a future invasion of Venezuela to control the petroleum of the South American country as it did in Iraq, said Venezuela's acting ambassador to Paraguay, Elmer Nino.

Nino, cited Thursday by local Paraguayan daily ABC Color, said the present diplomatic crisis between Venezuela and Colombia was created by the United States as part of its future plans for an invasion.

The Venezuelan oil reserves have a strategic value as they will last 350 years at the present exploitation level, the diplomat was quoted as saying.

Venezuela is Latin America's second largest oil producer behind Mexico and the principal oil exporter in the region.

(MORE)