Sunday, May 15, 2005

In the News

- In an important editorial, the LA Times urges "a far-reaching investigation independent of U.S. intelligence agencies or the military" to examine mistreatment of American-held prisoners at installations around the world [as I did here]. The ultimate paragraph:

"The 9/11 attacks demanded a better response to terrorism and a reexamination of procedures to hold guerrillas not entitled to prisoner-of-war status. But that discussion needs to be public and led by Congress. It's not enough for Pentagon civilian leaders to cook up excuses for holding suspects incommunicado and to spell out rules on detainee treatment more clearly only when violations are reported in the media. Congressional committees should investigate whether the military is living up to its tradition of accountability and whether intelligence agencies are heeding the law. The matter goes far beyond how the U.S. is viewed abroad; it goes to the heart of how Americans view themselves and the core values under which this nation was founded."

- The LA Times and Washington Post confirm yesterday's news that Marines have wrapped up a major combat operation, Matador, near the Iraqi boder with Syria [the WP adds that the 'jihadis' being round up in Iraq are largely of Saudi origin]. The Washington Post verifies this story from Friday evening, reporting that Haitham al-Yemeni was under surveillance for more than a week before a CIA Predator drone killed him with a missile.

- The NYT profiles Senate leaders Bill Frist and Harry Reid, comparing their very different leadership styles and little common ground.

- To follow up on serious violence in Uzbekistan that I discussed yesterday: the LAT reports that when fleeing civilians rushed to the border with Kyrgyzstan, they found the border closed. Riots broke out anew under fears of another attack by government troops, and the refugees burned government buildings in the border town of Korasuv.

- Some environmentalists [key word 'some'] are decreasing their opposition to nuclear power, says an article in today's New York Times. With global warming concerns on the rise, conventional power sources such as oil and coal are seen as having even more potential for environmental damage than nuclear power.

- The Washington Post editorializes once more about Darfur, widening its focus this time to include not only the genocide in that specific region, but also other conflicts within the country. "But the truth is that all these conflicts reflect the same challenge: The willingness of Sudan's government to sponsor atrocities. It will take a common effort from the United States, Europe, Russia and (most awkwardly) China to pressure the Sudanese regime into changing its ways. But the diplomatic effort is worthwhile: The stakes are bigger even than the awful genocide in Darfur."

- The Washington Times has a report on the GOP's uphill fight to hold governships in 2006, when they'll be defending 22 statehouses to the Democrats' 16.

- The Tucson Citizen covers John McCain's commencement address this weekend at the University of Arizona [which, the paper notes, was the same speech he delivered the University of Oklahoma earlier - only fair]. McCain "told the graduates and their families and friends that the United States' credibility was shattered during the Abu Ghraib prison scandal and that it is up to all Americans to uphold basic rights for all people. 'America has not always been perfect and we're not perfect today,'" he said.

McCain urged those in attendance to "speak out against the denial of human rights, and especially against genocide. 'Today, we know what is happening,' McCain said. 'The world cannot stand still and later say, ‚'It will never happen again.' We said ‚'it will never happen again' after the Holocaust, Bosnia and Rwanda.'"McCain said action was needed in Darfur, adding "We must use our power and influence to promote the concepts we hold dear in democracy and human rights."

- Almost time already for the Sunday shows: Sunday Morning Talk has all the lineups. McCain will be on "This Week," Ted Kennedy on "Face the Nation," the Egyptian P.M. on "Meet the Press," NSA Stephen Hadley and Senators Durbin and McConnell on "Fox News Sunday", and Senators Lugar and Biden will meet with Wolf on "Late Edition." More on all these later on.

3 Comments:

At 11:17 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Sudan rejects Canadian military offer
Sat, 14 May 2005
CBC News
http://www.cbc.ca/story/canada/national/2005/05/14/sudan-canada050514.html
OTTAWA - Sudan won't be taking Ottawa up on its offer to send troops to the troubled Darfur region, according to the country's ambassador to Canada.
On Thursday, May 12, 2005, Prime Minister Paul Martin announced an additional $170 million dollars in aid for Darfur and said Canada would send 100 military advisers to help African Union peacekeepers in the war-ravaged region of western Sudan.
The Canadian team would include military intelligence officers, strategic planners and logistics experts.
But Faiza Hassan Taha, the Sudanese ambassador, said Khartoum doesn't want any non-African troops in the country.
Sudan does, however, welcome talks on foreign humanitarian and technical assistance programs, Taha said.
Two years of war in Darfur have left about 300,000 people dead and more than two million driven from their homes.

 
At 1:18 PM, Blogger Heiuan said...

And the Sudanese don't consider this genocidal?

Hmph...your money is welcome, but you can keep your advice. ::shrug::

Well, I guess I can't really say anything about that without invoking the pot/kettle metaphor.

 
At 11:37 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

http://www.canada.com/news/world/story.html?id=09c92397-013f-4ce3-bc93-04f1826c2943
African leaders meeting in Libya nix non-African intervention in Sudan crisis
Canadian Press
May 17, 2005
TRIPOLI, Libya (CP) - Seven African leaders meeting in the Libyan capital have rejected any intervention by non-African countries in Sudan's western Darfur region, and have authorized Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi to carry on trying to get conflicting parties to reach a settlement.
In a statement, leaders of Egypt, Libya, Chad, Nigeria, Sudan, Gabon and Eritrea decided to "reject any foreign intervention in the Darfur problem, and dealing with it should be through its African framework."
Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki met with Sudanese President Omar el-Bashir on Monday in what the official Libyan news agency described as a step toward a "historic reconciliation." The two countries had accused each other of sheltering rebels their different territories.
The leaders called on other African countries to send more troops and police to reinforce the African Union's mission in Darfur and asked the international community to contribute by extending logistical support.
The African Union has about 2,400 troops and 244 civilian police trying to restore the peace in Darfur. On April 28, it voted to increase the force to 6,171 military personnel and 1,560 police by the end of September.
The seven African leaders said they would support reconciliation efforts between the people of Darfur, pay compensation and "try crime suspects in Darur according to the national judicial system."
Sudan's government strongly rejected a UN Security Council resolution adopted in March calling for the trial of Darfur war crimes suspects before the International Criminal Court. El-Bashir vowed last month not to allow any Sudanese national to be tried abroad.

 

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