Reading between the lines, and thinking outside the box . . .
While many Americans have a new take on the personality of Benedict XVI after his US trip, Joseph Fessio (Jesuit) says the Pope revealed nothing new. He said that the pope "is transparent, so what you see is who he is. His many concrete acts of thoughtfulness and generosity are unknown to most people, but would not be a surprise to those who have now had the chance to see and hear him."
German industrial output rose strongly in the January-March period but lost momentum late in the quarter and will likely lose more steam in the months ahead, the Economy Ministry said. Some German companies say the euro's strength is affecting their business.
Germany's foreign minister will travel to Russia next week for talks with the new government on crises including the Middle East conflict and the Iranian nuclear programme.
[Europress] [Russopress]
We still don't know what the European President will be expected to do. Indeed, until after June 12, when the Irish will vote on the Lisbon Treaty, we can't be sure that there will be a European Presidency post at all. Only then will a job description be discussed.
Europe needs someone who can act credibly and with charisma on the international stage, projecting the European view with appropriate political force. The role of President requires someone of stature, someone who can project. For all his manifest faults, Blair should not be ruled out yet.
Earlier this week, Chancellor Merkel's Christian Democrats published a paper calling for a security strategy for Germany. With this document, a German political party for the first time initiated a debate over national interests and why Berlin, which oversees Europe's largest economy, needs a security strategy.
The paper did not deal with the issue of hard power. It did not spell out under what circumstances the German Army, or for that matter, the European Union, should intervene in order to stop civilians being killed - like in Darfur, Sudan.
What this shows is that neither Germany nor most of the 26 other EU member states are ready for a serious discussion about why the bloc needs a security doctrine: It would mean dealing with the issue of power.
"A security doctrine or a security strategy means power," says a political science professor at the Sorbonne. "This is an issue that most Europeans, with perhaps the exception of Britain and France, do not want to deal with. Since that is the case, it is very difficult to talk about Europe regarding itself as a global actor."
Brussels is eyeing Serbia nervously as May 11 parliamentary elections approach. Polls suggests the ultra-nationalist Radical Party may become the strongest group in parliament, which would mean a foreign policy nightmare for the EU and could exacerbate tensions with ethnic minorities within the country.
So far only a few sane voices have been heard from Europe, notably German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier. None from the US.
US officials are breathing fire at Russia for confronting Georgia. The normal reaction of any normal American who learned about the controversy would be, who cares? Surely an arcane territorial dispute between 2 former parts of the Soviet Union over the disposition of 2 even smaller parts doesn't concern the US.
But one should never underestimate Washington's determination to micro-manage global affairs.
When Boris Yeltsin left the Kremlin eight years ago, he gave Vladimir Putin the pen he had used to sign important documents and decrees, a gesture symbolizing the transfer of power to Russia's new president. When Putin left the Kremlin, he took the pen with him.
Putin, who became prime minister Thursday, has signaled that he intends to remain Russia's principal leader. He is keeping the trappings of his presidency and many of its powers as well.
(Op-ed: Who rules Russia?)
Prime Minister Olmert admitted on Thursday taking cash from a US businessman but resisted calls to resign over a police investigation into alleged hefty bribes over almost a decade.
President Ahmadinejad said on Thursday that the state of Israel is a "stinking corpse" that is destined to disappear. "Those who think they can revive the stinking corpse of the usurping and fake Israeli regime by throwing a birthday party are seriously mistaken. Today the reason for the Zionist regime's existence is questioned and this regime is on its way to annihilation."
As Israel marks its 60th anniversary, Israelis are deeply pessimistic about the prospects of peace with their neighbors, with an overwhelming majority believing they will be at war again within the next 5 years [months!].
The White House yesterday confirmed that it has opposed a meeting between President Bush and Israeli and Palestinian leaders next week in Egypt.
Where the world wants to put to an end to a six-decade hostility pitting Israelis and Palestinians, America just follows the dictates of Israel to have the upper hand in any negotiations.
In the US, if you aspire to occupy an elective office, from the lowest position at the municipal level to the imperial quarters of the White House, you must have been cleared beforehand as a defender of the American faith, and that entails acceptance and devotion to the dogma of a political trinity: Capitalism, Individualism and Israelism.
Lebanon stands on the brink of all-out civil war. A general strike by the leading trade union to protest rising prices and demand an increase in the minimum wage has led to armed conflict between the pro-Western Sunni and Druze-based government of Prime Minister Siniora and the Shia-based Hezbollah and its ally, Amal.
(And: Blood in streets of Beirut)
The death toll in cyclone-ravaged Burma could hit 500,000 – more than twice the total killed by the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami. Sources said 200,000 people were already dead or dying. But the figure could rise to half a million through disease and hunger if the nation's hardline army rulers continue to block aid for the devastated lowlands of the Irrawaddy Delta.
Chinese companies will be encouraged to buy farmland abroad, particularly in Africa and South America, to help guarantee food security under a plan being considered by Beijing. A proposal drafted by the Ministry of Agriculture would make supporting offshore land acquisition by domestic agricultural companies a central government policy.
World powers will in the coming days offer a revised package of incentives to Iran but Washington has refused to send its own envoy to help present the deal.
(And: Iran to offer new deal)
No one wants another war – so why does it seem inevitable?
The Lebanese government – with the Americans and the Israelis behind it – clearly wants a fight. That fight is part of a brewing regional battle that would leave the Middle East a cauldron of flame and blood.
As we ordinary folk go about our lives, our betters are planning a surprise. You might call it an October Surprise, although it may take place much sooner – rumor has it as early as summer.
The 2nd chapter in the Great Middle Eastern War is being written, and its authors in Washington have in mind an even more dramatic plot-line than we witnessed in chapter one, which was, of course, the invasion of Iraq.
With US casualties up in the last month and the situation on the ground steadily worsening, the War Party is seizing the opportunity to target Tehran, positioning itself to launch Operation Iranian Freedom under the guise of "defending" our troops in Iraq.
But first comes the provocation, the catalyzing incident that creates a "crisis" atmosphere and inspires our warmongers – and theirs – to act.
What does the US have to gain by starting WW3? The answer is clearly nothing. War with Iran would put our troops in Iraq at risk and plunge the entire region into chaos: the economic consequences of this alone should be enough to deter us.
Rumors of oil at $200 a barrel already have the markets roiling. Wait until you see what happens to prices when the Persian Gulf is impassable.
Those predicting war with Iran or some Bush-Cheney October surprise attack on Tehran are constantly looking for signs of military preparations. The true strike is not necessarily going to come with any warning, and the US military has developed an entire system called "global strike" to implement such a preemptive strike.
A secret mission conducted last August over Afghanistan caught my eye because it tells us everything we need to know about the ability of the US military to conduct a bolt-out-of-the-blue attack in Iran.
No modern government policy is so stupid that the Romans didn't think of it first. As a business model, Rome's strategy was obviously flawed; like a credit bubble, it required constant expansion.
The early days of the Roman Empire were like the early days of the British Empire or the American Hegemony, but nothing fails like success.
Modern politicians and central bankers have nothing on their ancient forebears. Bailouts…monetary stimulus…subsidies…giveaways – the Romans had a solution for every problem. And every solution brought new problems…until the weight of them crushed the whole empire.
General Butler is no longer with us in body but his spirit and his popularity live on. He left us a legacy in deeds and words which we have used to construct this imaginary interview that includes his verbatim words and paraphrased quotations. Much of what follows comes from General Butler's book War Is a Racket.
Ever since Ronald Reagan famously declared in his 1980 inaugural address that "government is not the solution to our problems; government is the problem," Republicans have masqueraded as the party of limited government.
But then the Bush administration ushered in truly unprecedented expansions of federal power. And all but a handful of right-wing Republican ideologues immediately shed their small-government pretenses as they cheered on almost every one of these power grabs, transforming themselves almost overnight from liberty-defending warriors to loyal authoritarian followers.
German press
After a long and sometimes bitter battle, the US presidential primaries are drawing to a close. Obama is ahead and Clinton's chances don't look good. German commentators take a dim view of her chances and wonder what it will take to get her to concede. The only question seems to be when, and how, she should withdraw.
The conflict between popularly chosen delegates and powerful, unelected "superdelegates" may seriously wound the Democratic Party.
Oil rose above $126 a barrel for the first time today, bringing its advance this week to nearly $10, as investors questioned whether a possible confrontation between the US and Venezuela could cut exports from the OPEC member.
When times were sunny, banks promised scores of companies money for a rainy day. Now that day is here — and the banks, hard pressed themselves, are worried they will have to keep their promises.
Citigroup Inc. said today it aims to shed about $500 billion in assets and grow revenue by 9% over the next few years, as it tries to rebound from massive losses tied to deterioration in the mortgage and credit markets.
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Imagine what a locust-like cloud of Girls Gone Wild, or bumping and grinding semi-nude spring breakers, would do to Saudi Arabia. Before long, pious Muslim men, the potential Jihadi pool, would succumb to a bacchanalia of debauchery – sex, sloth and stupidity. The "Bimbos, Not Bombs" covert operation would bring our adversaries to heel. What better way to addle the young minds of the competition?
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