April 27, 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 APRIL 27, 2005

1//The Independent, UK--BLAIR WARNED: MORE TO FOLLOW SEDGEMORE OUT OF THE PARTY (Tony Blair has been warned that other former Labour MPs could join Brian Sedgemore by leaving the party after the general election in a concerted protest against his leadership. The Independent revealed yesterday that Mr Sedgemore, who was a Labour MP for 27 years, had joined the Liberal Democrats. Although the Prime Minister sought to belittle Mr Sedgemore as someone voters "have never heard of," there were fears in the Labour camp that his decision would make Iraq and Mr Blair's "trust problem" even more prominent issues in the election campaign. David Hinchliffe, who is standing down as MP for Wakefield, confirmed Mr Sedgemore's statement that a group of backbenchers had discussed quitting the party en masse after the election in an attempt to provoke a leadership crisis for Mr Blair.)

2//The Toronto Star, Canada--MARTIN, LAYTON REACH DEAL (Prime Minister Paul Martin has bought himself what he hopes will be a $4.6-billion political lifeline. Martin's Liberals reached an "agreement in principle" today with the NDP that will see the New Democrats support the fragile minority government against efforts by the Conservatives and Bloc Quebecois to bring it down. But the deal comes at a heavy cost - $4.6 billion in new investment over two years for the environment, affordable housing, foreign aid, and post-secondary education and training. That provided ammunition for Conservative Leader Stephen Harper and business groups who slammed the pact. ... Even with NDP support, the Liberal government's survival is uncertain. The Liberals would need all their 131 votes, the NDP's 19, and possibly those of all three independents, allowing the Liberal Speaker to cast the deciding ballot to bring the tally to 154.)

3//Islam Online, Qatar--EUROPEAN MPs DEMAND END TO GUANTANAMO TORTURE (Lawmakers from 46 European countries on Tuesday, April 26, asked the Bush administration “to cease torturing and mistreating detainees” at its notorious Guantanamo detention. "The US government has betrayed its own highest principles in the zeal with which it has attempted to pursue the 'war on terror,'" said a resolution adopted almost unanimously by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) at a session in Strasbourg. “These errors have perhaps been most manifest in relation to Guantanamo Bay,” said the 46-member pan-European body. … British parliamentarian Kevin McNamara told the session that Washington’s conduct in Guantanamo has been “an insult to the values of all civilized countries.”)

4//The Sydney Morning Herald, Australia--BRIGADIER SHOCKS AND AWES: THERE IS NO WAR ON TERRORISM (The so-called global war on terrorism does not exist, a high-ranking army officer has declared in a speech that challenges the conventional political wisdom. In a frank speech, Brigadier Justin Kelly dismissed several of the central tenets of the Iraq war and the war on terrorism, saying the "war" part is all about politics and terrorism is merely a tactic. Although such wars were fuelled by global issues, they were essentially counter-insurgent operations fought on a local level. This would result in Australian soldiers fighting in increasingly urban environments. Speaking at a conference on future warfighting, Brigadier Kelly, the director-general of future land warfare, also suggested that the "proposition you can bomb someone into thinking as we do has been found to be untrue." His speech appears to fly in the face of a comment by the Prime Minister, John Howard, last year that the "contest in Iraq represents a critical confrontation in the war against terror ...")

5//The Daily Star, Lebanon--UNITED STATES PURSUES MORE FREE-TRADE AGREEMENTS IN THE MIDDLE EAST (Trying to entrench its economic and political ties in the region, and blaming the Gulf Cooperation Council's slowness in devising region-wide economic measures, the United States is aggressively pursuing a number of free-trade agreements in this part of the Middle East. The latest chapter in this effort started in March when Washington initiated free-trade agreement (FTA) negotiations with the United Arab Emirates and Oman, two politically moderate countries in the region considered to be U.S. allies in the Middle East. So far only Jordan and Morocco have signed an FTA with Washington, although the U.S. Congress is likely to ratify soon a similar agreement the United States has signed with Bahrain. Other countries in "serious discussions'' with the United States are Kuwait and Qatar. Many in the Middle East argue - and some in the U.S. agree - that FTAs with governments here are more a matter of politics, although no one denies that in the long term they can be a powerful tool for the countries that sign them. … But not everyone is in favor of inching toward Washington. Many analysts, business persons and ordinary people see the speeded efforts towards signing an FTA as yet another tool in the hands of the world's only remaining superpower to dictate terms to a part of the world that sees itself incapable of saying "no." A number of editorials in the U.A.E. have openly challenged the wisdom of proceeding with the talks.)

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1//The Independent, UK 27 April 2005
http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/politics/story.jsp?story=633364

BLAIR WARNED: MORE TO FOLLOW SEDGEMORE OUT OF THE PARTY
By Andrew Grice and Colin Brown

Tony Blair has been warned that other former Labour MPs could join Brian Sedgemore by leaving the party after the general election in a concerted protest against his leadership.

The Independent revealed yesterday that Mr Sedgemore, who was a Labour MP for 27 years, had joined the Liberal Democrats.

Although the Prime Minister sought to belittle Mr Sedgemore as someone voters "have never heard of," there were fears in the Labour camp that his decision would make Iraq and Mr Blair's "trust problem" even more prominent issues in the election campaign.

David Hinchliffe, who is standing down as MP for Wakefield, confirmed Mr Sedgemore's statement that a group of backbenchers had discussed quitting the party en masse after the election in an attempt to provoke a leadership crisis for Mr Blair.

Mr Hinchliffe said: "I was approached by a colleague who asked me what I intended to do. I said I would remain in the party. The colleague indicated they were likely to leave the party and also that Brian Sedgemore was likely to leave. When he said there have been discussions, Brian is correct."

Jubilant Liberal Democrats paraded their recruit at their daily press conference. Charles Kennedy, the party leader, hailed Mr Sedgemore's switch as "a pivotal moment" in the campaign. He said it was indicative of "a massive shift of grassroots Labour opinion away from the Government, not just on Iraq but on other issues as well."

In an appeal to disillusioned Labour voters, Mr Kennedy said: "The Conservatives self-evidently cannot win this general election. People who want to vote against Tony Blair for a variety of reasons can and should vote Liberal Democrat in that knowledge."

(MORE)

2//The Toronto Star, Canada Apr. 26, 2005. 08:47 PM
http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer...

MARTIN, LAYTON REACH DEAL
NDP Leader demanding budget concessions in return for support

Canadian Press

OTTAWA — Prime Minister Paul Martin has bought himself what he hopes will be a $4.6-billion political lifeline.

Martin's Liberals reached an "agreement in principle" today with the NDP that will see the New Democrats support the fragile minority government against efforts by the Conservatives and Bloc Quebecois to bring it down.

But the deal comes at a heavy cost - $4.6 billion in new investment over two years for the environment, affordable housing, foreign aid, and post-secondary education and training.

That provided ammunition for Conservative Leader Stephen Harper and business groups who slammed the pact.

NDP Leader Jack Layton had demanded the Liberals eliminate $4.6 billion in proposed business tax cuts so the money could be spent on social programs. But the deal only calls for the tax cuts for big corporations to be put off.

Promised cuts for small- and medium-sized businesses will remain.

Martin called the agreement "fiscally responsible" and said he made it on the condition that the government not go into deficit and continue to pay down debt.

"Under no circumstances will we go back into deficit," he said. "The fiscal integrity of this country . . . remains a fundamental element of our ability to finance social programs and our ability to create jobs.

"And why are we doing it? We're doing it to make Parliament work."

The government remains committed to paying down at least $4 billion from the national debt over two years, Martin said.

Layton also defended the pact, saying it aims at keeping Parliament working and doing good things for Canadians.

"I promised to listen to Canadians and I have," he said. "It's not an exercise just in the interest of the political parties here. This isn't a game that we're playing here. We have work to do."

The breakthrough followed Liberal efforts to broker a deal with the NDP in hopes of staving off a snap election. The Tories and Bloc are widely expected to try to bring down the government next month in the budget vote or another confidence vote.

The parties are hoping to take advantage of public anger about the sponsorship scandal and polls showing support for the Liberals way down.

Even with NDP support, the Liberal government's survival is uncertain.

The Liberals would need all their 131 votes, the NDP's 19, and possibly those of all three independents, allowing the Liberal Speaker to cast the deciding ballot to bring the tally to 154.

(MORE)

3//Islam Online, Qatar April 26, 2005
http://www.islamonline.net/English/News...

EUROPEAN MPs DEMAND END TO GUANTANAMO TORTURE

CAIRO, April 26, 2005 (IslamOnline.net) – Lawmakers from 46 European countries on Tuesday, April 26, asked the Bush administration “to cease torturing and mistreating detainees” at its notorious Guantanamo detention.

"The US government has betrayed its own highest principles in the zeal with which it has attempted to pursue the 'war on terror,'" said a resolution adopted almost unanimously by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) at a session in Strasbourg.
“These errors have perhaps been most manifest in relation to Guantanamo Bay,” said the 46-member pan-European body.

The resolution stressed that “many if not all detainees” have been subjected to inhuman treatment mounting in some cases to “torture.”

It maintained that this was “a direct result of official policy, authorized at the very highest levels of government.”

The resolution challenged the US to either try them fairly or release them, in line with international law.

British parliamentarian Kevin McNamara told the session that Washington’s conduct in Guantanamo has been “an insult to the values of all civilized countries.”

“We must respond firmly to threats but not in an unjust manner,” he added.

Backing a report by McNamara, PACE also called on Council of Europe member states to refuse to extradite suspects liable to be held at Guantanamo or provide incriminating evidence unless it was for legal proceedings before “regularly constituted courts.”

The assembly also pledged to pursue the issue through talks with the US Congress.

The US, which holds observer status with the Council of Europe, has been keeping hundreds of detainees at its naval base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, since the invasion of Afghanistan in 2001.

Washington has already released or handed over to authorities in other countries more than 200 Guantanamo detainees but more than 500 men are still held without charge.

(MORE)

4//The Sydney Morning Herald, Australia April 27, 2005
http://www.smh.com.au/news/National/Brigadier...

BRIGADIER SHOCKS AND AWES: THERE IS NO WAR ON TERRORISM
By Cynthia Banham, Defence Reporter

The so-called global war on terrorism does not exist, a high-ranking army officer has declared in a speech that challenges the conventional political wisdom.

In a frank speech, Brigadier Justin Kelly dismissed several of the central tenets of the Iraq war and the war on terrorism, saying the "war" part is all about politics and terrorism is merely a tactic.

Although such wars were fuelled by global issues, they were essentially counter-insurgent operations fought on a local level. This would result in Australian soldiers fighting in increasingly urban environments.

Speaking at a conference on future warfighting, Brigadier Kelly, the director-general of future land warfare, also suggested that the "proposition you can bomb someone into thinking as we do has been found to be untrue."

His speech appears to fly in the face of a comment by the Prime Minister, John Howard, last year that the "contest in Iraq represents a critical confrontation in the war against terror ..."

The brigadier said populations were being cut off from their traditional roots, giving them "aspirations that cannot be immediately met," and fuelling a search for identity.

Terrorists were exploiting local issues - such as ethnic wars - to pursue global ends. From a military point of view, the job was now one of counter-insurgency, he said.

As a result, Australia's future soldiers would fight increasingly close to populations, with the enemy "continuing to retreat into complex terrain."

While success in battle was critical, it would not of itself deliver victory - that would come by winning over the hearts and minds of the local people.

The war of the future would be "out of human control". There was "no alternative" but to engage the population and "convince them of your rightness."

(SNIP)

Brigadier Kelly said modern war could be defined as "conflict, using violent and non-violent means, between multiple actors and influences, competing for control over the perceptions, behaviour and allegiances of human population groups."

He said he found it interesting that "if you take out violence out of the first line, it's a description of politics."

5//The Daily Star, Lebanon Tuesday, April 26, 2005
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=10&categ_id=3&article_id=14580

UNITED STATES PURSUES MORE FREE-TRADE AGREEMENTS IN THE MIDDLE EAST
Washington is trying to entrench its economic and political ties in the region

By Peyman Pejman
Special to The Daily Star

DUBAI: Trying to entrench its economic and political ties in the region, and blaming the Gulf Cooperation Council's slowness in devising region-wide economic measures, the United States is aggressively pursuing a number of free-trade agreements in this part of the Middle East.

The latest chapter in this effort started in March when Washington initiated free-trade agreement (FTA) negotiations with the United Arab Emirates and Oman, two politically moderate countries in the region considered to be U.S. allies in the Middle East.

So far only Jordan and Morocco have signed an FTA with Washington, although the U.S. Congress is likely to ratify soon a similar agreement the United States has signed with Bahrain.

Other countries in "serious discussions'' with the United States are Kuwait and Qatar. Many in the Middle East argue - and some in the U.S. agree - that FTAs with governments here are more a matter of politics, although no one denies that in the long term they can be a powerful tool for the countries that sign them.

In 2004, total exports to the U.S. from the six Middle Eastern countries - U.A.E., Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman and Jordan - amounted to $6.6 billion. Total imports from the U.S. were estimated at $7.2 billion.

Even without an FTA, bilateral trade with those six countries has increased in the past few years, jumping about 30 percent since 2002, although most of that have been U.S. exports rather than imports.

U.S. officials in the region emphasize the worthiness of FTAs from an economic perspective but quickly add that if they result in political freedom and accounting transparency in the Middle East, those are valuable end-results in themselves.

Khaled al-Bustani, assistant undersecretary for budget and revenue at U.A.E.'s Finance and Industry Ministry says his country is pursuing the FTA talks based on their economic merits, not possible political fallouts.

(SNIP)

Many analysts, however, believe that if the countries in the Middle East are now rushing to open FTA negotiations with Washington, it is because they could not reach such an agreement between themselves and because the nature of their economic ties have changed since talks started between GCC members.

The six Arab countries that constitute the GCC and the 22 members of the Arab League have for years talked about removing trade barriers, adopting a single currency, giving up customs tariff and moving toward the kind of economic and political union created by the North American Free Trade Agreement between the United States, Mexico, Canada, as well as between the European Union nations.

"I think the U.S. has decided that the GCC is moving too slowly and has not shown enough economic reform and, therefore, has decided to sign its own bilateral agreements,'' said Youssef Ibrahim, a Dubai-based Middle East energy and economics analyst.

"Also, the dynamics of the region's economy are changing and the GCC countries are looking after their own interests, exploring new markets and avenues and those economic realities point many of these countries toward the United States and Asia, rather than between themselves,'' added Ibrahim.

But not everyone is in favor of inching toward Washington. Many analysts, business persons and ordinary people see the speeded efforts towards signing an FTA as yet another tool in the hands of the world's only remaining superpower to dictate terms to a part of the world that sees itself incapable of saying "no."

A number of editorials in the U.A.E. have openly challenged the wisdom of proceeding with the talks.

(MORE)