newsobserver.com - Methodist Bishop Challenge to Virgin Birth Raises Uproar
Just as Christians get ready to celebrate the birth of Jesus, an old controversy is bubbling up among United Methodists -- one that goes to the very heart of the Christmas story. Was Jesus born of a virgin? Earlier this year, in a speech that rattled many, Chicago Bishop C. Joseph Sprague challenged some of Christianity's most basic beliefs, including the virgin birth. Now, Abingdon Press, a division of the United Methodist Publishing House, has printed a slim volume of Sprague's beliefs, titled "Affirmations of a Dissenter. " In it, the Northern Illinois bishop says Jesus was most likely born through the natural process of procreation. "He was the child of human parents, complete with a belly button and genetic code," the bishop writes.
The old controversy, did Jesus have a belly button?
Wednesday, December 25, 2002
Curb Israeli nukes first, Iran tells West
Iranian President Mohammad Khatami has said the pressure on Pakistan to abandon its nuclear programme should be shifted to Israel "in possession of more than a hundred nuclear warheads."
Khatami, who is visiting Pakistan, said Iran would go ahead with its peaceful nuclear programme to meet its energy requirements but rejected claims that it might develop nuclear weapons.
Iranian President Mohammad Khatami has said the pressure on Pakistan to abandon its nuclear programme should be shifted to Israel "in possession of more than a hundred nuclear warheads."
Khatami, who is visiting Pakistan, said Iran would go ahead with its peaceful nuclear programme to meet its energy requirements but rejected claims that it might develop nuclear weapons.
The Miami Herald | Oil chief promises big changes
Venezuela's chief oil official, Ali RodrÃguez, said Tuesday that he would begin a series of sweeping changes -- including worker layoffs and the hiring of foreign specialists -- in response to the national strike that has battered the state-owned oil company for most of the month.
RodrÃguez saved his most bitter remarks for the oil executives he says are leading the strike and trying, in his eyes, to use oil to take over the country.
He said he had suspended several striking oil executives and that the government was preparing to sue some of the strike leaders for $1.3 billion in damages done to the oil company and, in some cases, pursue criminal prosecutions.
''I would say, in the month of January, we will have completely normalized the flow,'' he said. ``I'm talking about the exports of crude. It will take time to restart the wells and to equip the plants.''
BBC Opposing Protests Mark Christmas in Venezuela
Strikers brandished images of the Nativity, while the president's followers dressed in Santa Claus costumes to drum up support for their leftist leader.
"Long Live Chavez, ho, ho, ho!" the Santas chanted, as they showered children with sweets and gifts around the presidential palace and the headquarters of the firm PDVSA, which has been virtually paralysed by the stoppage.
President Chavez went on TV cradling a model of a baby Jesus in his arms.
He wished "all Venezuelans" a Merry Christmas of "infinite tenderness and love".
The opposition Mass was held in an avenue in the wealthy eastern part of the capital to the tolling of church bells.
Opposition demonstrators were reportedly planning to hold "cacerolazo" marches - in which pots and pans are banged to make as much noise as possible - nationwide at midnight.
Venezuela's chief oil official, Ali RodrÃguez, said Tuesday that he would begin a series of sweeping changes -- including worker layoffs and the hiring of foreign specialists -- in response to the national strike that has battered the state-owned oil company for most of the month.
RodrÃguez saved his most bitter remarks for the oil executives he says are leading the strike and trying, in his eyes, to use oil to take over the country.
He said he had suspended several striking oil executives and that the government was preparing to sue some of the strike leaders for $1.3 billion in damages done to the oil company and, in some cases, pursue criminal prosecutions.
''I would say, in the month of January, we will have completely normalized the flow,'' he said. ``I'm talking about the exports of crude. It will take time to restart the wells and to equip the plants.''
BBC Opposing Protests Mark Christmas in Venezuela
Strikers brandished images of the Nativity, while the president's followers dressed in Santa Claus costumes to drum up support for their leftist leader.
"Long Live Chavez, ho, ho, ho!" the Santas chanted, as they showered children with sweets and gifts around the presidential palace and the headquarters of the firm PDVSA, which has been virtually paralysed by the stoppage.
President Chavez went on TV cradling a model of a baby Jesus in his arms.
He wished "all Venezuelans" a Merry Christmas of "infinite tenderness and love".
The opposition Mass was held in an avenue in the wealthy eastern part of the capital to the tolling of church bells.
Opposition demonstrators were reportedly planning to hold "cacerolazo" marches - in which pots and pans are banged to make as much noise as possible - nationwide at midnight.
fredericksburg.com forum -- It just hit me the wrong way
As 2002 wraps up we as Americans are facing more uncertainty and more challenges to our way of life than ever. Peeking ahead to 2003 and beyond is even more scary and troubling.
In this context, do we really want to hear details about how the Bush's plan to spend Christmas at Camp David, sit around in PJs, drink cocoa, open presents and enjoy a "traditional" Christmas? Enjoy your Christmas Bush family... see you in the New Year!
BAHHHHH HUMBUG!!!!
From a longer rant on how hearing about Bush's Christmas contrasted to all the American's he was affecting just killed his Christmas spirit. This is getting back to being a very divided country.
As 2002 wraps up we as Americans are facing more uncertainty and more challenges to our way of life than ever. Peeking ahead to 2003 and beyond is even more scary and troubling.
In this context, do we really want to hear details about how the Bush's plan to spend Christmas at Camp David, sit around in PJs, drink cocoa, open presents and enjoy a "traditional" Christmas? Enjoy your Christmas Bush family... see you in the New Year!
BAHHHHH HUMBUG!!!!
From a longer rant on how hearing about Bush's Christmas contrasted to all the American's he was affecting just killed his Christmas spirit. This is getting back to being a very divided country.
Tuesday, December 24, 2002
Molly Ivins -- Giddy Over New Bush Economic Team
Gosh, I'm feeling ever so much better about the economy with the new Bush team on the job.
William H. Donaldson to head the Securities and Exchange Commission: just the man to take on the Establishment! Founder of the Wall Street investment firm Donaldson, Lufkin and Jenrette, former chairman of the New York Stock Exchange and former chairman of insurance giant Aetna. A veritable Ralph Nader.
The media report "Wall Street is delighted" that Mr. Donaldson, a longtime friend of the Bush family, will be their new regulator. Of course it is all-important that Wall Street should be delighted. Who do you think we're running this game for?
Now just because he had that little problem at Aetna, don't worry about a thing. According to The Wall Street Journal, "In Dec. 2000, nine months after he took over, Mr. Donaldson told investors that the company's problems with skyrocketing medical costs were finally under control and projected rosy 2001 earnings, driving Aetna's stock price up.
"It turned out that Aetna's system for calculating costs was out of whack (oops!). In April, four months after Mr. Donaldson's upbeat predictions, Aetna announced that earnings would be 'significantly lower' than expected, driving its stock price down by 18 percent in one day.
"Mr. Donaldson had retired 10 days before the profit warning. Aetna's board months earlier had set his compensation for his 10 months of service as CEO in 2000 at a $1 million salary, a $6 million bonus and more than $11 million in restricted stock and options." Our kind of guy.
And the new treasury secretary, what a record we have here! John W. Snow, chairman of a champion corporate tax-dodger. According to Citizens for Tax Justice, Mr. Snow's company, CSX Corp., a railroad, paid no federal income tax at all in three of the past four years.
Instead of paying taxes, CSX supplemented its over $1 billion in pretax profits (Los Angeles Times) over the four years with a total of $164 million in tax rebate checks from the federal government. Just the guy we need at Treasury - makes a profit, pays no taxes and gets tax rebates on the taxes he didn't pay.
According to the Times, during the same four-year period, CSX gave Mr. Snow $36 million in salary, bonuses, stock and options, and forgave a $24 million loan so he would not lose money along with other shareholders as the company's stock price declined. Lends a whole new meaning to "Snow job" doesn't it?
I'm telling you, this guy Mr. Snow is a genius, and I have perfect faith that as the Bush team moves ahead to cut more taxes for the rich, fight a $200 billion war and increase defense spending, the books at Treasury will balance nicely. It all makes perfect sense to me.
Hey, it worked for Reagan, didn't it? Except for that $2 trillion deficit.
Gosh, I'm feeling ever so much better about the economy with the new Bush team on the job.
William H. Donaldson to head the Securities and Exchange Commission: just the man to take on the Establishment! Founder of the Wall Street investment firm Donaldson, Lufkin and Jenrette, former chairman of the New York Stock Exchange and former chairman of insurance giant Aetna. A veritable Ralph Nader.
The media report "Wall Street is delighted" that Mr. Donaldson, a longtime friend of the Bush family, will be their new regulator. Of course it is all-important that Wall Street should be delighted. Who do you think we're running this game for?
Now just because he had that little problem at Aetna, don't worry about a thing. According to The Wall Street Journal, "In Dec. 2000, nine months after he took over, Mr. Donaldson told investors that the company's problems with skyrocketing medical costs were finally under control and projected rosy 2001 earnings, driving Aetna's stock price up.
"It turned out that Aetna's system for calculating costs was out of whack (oops!). In April, four months after Mr. Donaldson's upbeat predictions, Aetna announced that earnings would be 'significantly lower' than expected, driving its stock price down by 18 percent in one day.
"Mr. Donaldson had retired 10 days before the profit warning. Aetna's board months earlier had set his compensation for his 10 months of service as CEO in 2000 at a $1 million salary, a $6 million bonus and more than $11 million in restricted stock and options." Our kind of guy.
And the new treasury secretary, what a record we have here! John W. Snow, chairman of a champion corporate tax-dodger. According to Citizens for Tax Justice, Mr. Snow's company, CSX Corp., a railroad, paid no federal income tax at all in three of the past four years.
Instead of paying taxes, CSX supplemented its over $1 billion in pretax profits (Los Angeles Times) over the four years with a total of $164 million in tax rebate checks from the federal government. Just the guy we need at Treasury - makes a profit, pays no taxes and gets tax rebates on the taxes he didn't pay.
According to the Times, during the same four-year period, CSX gave Mr. Snow $36 million in salary, bonuses, stock and options, and forgave a $24 million loan so he would not lose money along with other shareholders as the company's stock price declined. Lends a whole new meaning to "Snow job" doesn't it?
I'm telling you, this guy Mr. Snow is a genius, and I have perfect faith that as the Bush team moves ahead to cut more taxes for the rich, fight a $200 billion war and increase defense spending, the books at Treasury will balance nicely. It all makes perfect sense to me.
Hey, it worked for Reagan, didn't it? Except for that $2 trillion deficit.
NYTimes - Krugman -- The Good Guys
Time magazine's persons of the year are three whistle-blowers: Sherron Watkins of Enron, Cynthia Cooper of WorldCom and Coleen Rowley of the F.B.I.
They deserve to be celebrated. After all, thanks to Ms. Watkins and Ms. Cooper, Jeff Skilling, Ken Lay and Bernie Ebbers have been indicted, and the politicians who did their bidding have been disgraced. Thanks to Ms. Rowley, incompetent officials at the F.B.I. and C.I.A. have been removed from their posts, and we've had a searching inquiry into what went wrong on Sept. 11.
Oh, I'm sorry. None of that actually happened. The bravery of the whistle-blowers was real enough, but Time seems to be celebrating what should have been, not what was.
If truth be told, 2002 was a very good year for cynics. But it's the day before Christmas, so let's be thankful for our gifts: the good guys who made a difference.
Time magazine's persons of the year are three whistle-blowers: Sherron Watkins of Enron, Cynthia Cooper of WorldCom and Coleen Rowley of the F.B.I.
They deserve to be celebrated. After all, thanks to Ms. Watkins and Ms. Cooper, Jeff Skilling, Ken Lay and Bernie Ebbers have been indicted, and the politicians who did their bidding have been disgraced. Thanks to Ms. Rowley, incompetent officials at the F.B.I. and C.I.A. have been removed from their posts, and we've had a searching inquiry into what went wrong on Sept. 11.
Oh, I'm sorry. None of that actually happened. The bravery of the whistle-blowers was real enough, but Time seems to be celebrating what should have been, not what was.
If truth be told, 2002 was a very good year for cynics. But it's the day before Christmas, so let's be thankful for our gifts: the good guys who made a difference.
Molly Ivins -- You're a mean one, Mr. Bush
It may be that his heart is two sizes two small
Number of seniors who will be cut off meal programs because of Bush budget: 36,000.
Number of families who will be cut off of heating assistance because of the Bush budget: 532,000.
Number of homeless kids who will be cut off of education programs because of Bush budget: 8,000.
Number of kids who will be cut off of after-school programs because of the Bush budget: 50,000.
Number of kids who will be cut off of child care because of Bush budget: 33,000.
Number of workers who will be cut off of unemployment insurance on Dec. 28 because of Bush budget: 1 million.
Question: Which news got more attention from the media -- Bush's photo-op at the food bank or the facts in his budget?
It may be that his heart is two sizes two small
Number of seniors who will be cut off meal programs because of Bush budget: 36,000.
Number of families who will be cut off of heating assistance because of the Bush budget: 532,000.
Number of homeless kids who will be cut off of education programs because of Bush budget: 8,000.
Number of kids who will be cut off of after-school programs because of the Bush budget: 50,000.
Number of kids who will be cut off of child care because of Bush budget: 33,000.
Number of workers who will be cut off of unemployment insurance on Dec. 28 because of Bush budget: 1 million.
Question: Which news got more attention from the media -- Bush's photo-op at the food bank or the facts in his budget?
UK Times Online -- UN chief issues secret orders for war in Iraq
THE United Nations is making secret contingency plans for a war that would halt all Iraqi oil production, “seriously degrade” the country’s electricity system, provoke civil unrest and create 900,000 refugees, The Times has learnt.
THE United Nations is making secret contingency plans for a war that would halt all Iraqi oil production, “seriously degrade” the country’s electricity system, provoke civil unrest and create 900,000 refugees, The Times has learnt.
LATimes -- Many Held at Guantanamo Not Likely Terrorists
The United States is holding dozens of prisoners at Guantanamo Bay who have no meaningful connection to Al Qaeda or the Taliban, and were sent to the maximum-security facility over the objections of intelligence officers in Afghanistan who had recommended them for release, according to military sources with direct knowledge of the matter.
At least 59 detainees -- nearly 10% of the prison population at the U.S. Navy base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba -- were deemed to be of no intelligence value after repeated interrogations in Afghanistan. All were placed on "recommended for repatriation" lists well before they were transferred to Guantanamo Bay, a facility intended to hold the most hardened terrorists and Taliban suspects.
We're basically condemning these guys to long-term imprisonment," said a military official who was a senior interrogator at Guantanamo Bay.
"If they weren't terrorists before, they certainly could be now."
Moreover, he said, even amid the tight security there is significant indoctrination of prisoners by radical Islamists among them.
The United States is holding dozens of prisoners at Guantanamo Bay who have no meaningful connection to Al Qaeda or the Taliban, and were sent to the maximum-security facility over the objections of intelligence officers in Afghanistan who had recommended them for release, according to military sources with direct knowledge of the matter.
At least 59 detainees -- nearly 10% of the prison population at the U.S. Navy base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba -- were deemed to be of no intelligence value after repeated interrogations in Afghanistan. All were placed on "recommended for repatriation" lists well before they were transferred to Guantanamo Bay, a facility intended to hold the most hardened terrorists and Taliban suspects.
We're basically condemning these guys to long-term imprisonment," said a military official who was a senior interrogator at Guantanamo Bay.
"If they weren't terrorists before, they certainly could be now."
Moreover, he said, even amid the tight security there is significant indoctrination of prisoners by radical Islamists among them.
HoustonChronicle.com - Need a lesson in Clinton? C-SPAN is the place to be
Next semester, the whole country can get a lesson in Bill Clinton.
The C-SPAN public affairs cable network will broadcast every class of "The Clinton Presidency," a new course at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock that will examine the former president's achievements and scandals.
Next semester, the whole country can get a lesson in Bill Clinton.
The C-SPAN public affairs cable network will broadcast every class of "The Clinton Presidency," a new course at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock that will examine the former president's achievements and scandals.
HoustonChronicle.com - Wealthy Texas few helped GOP win big
Just 48 wealthy Texas families paid more than half the cost of the key campaigns that convinced 2.6 million voters to solidify the Republican hold on state government in last month's elections.
A Houston Chronicle study of campaign records found these wealthy few donated $34 million of the $64 million used to finance top Republican state campaigns.
Just 48 wealthy Texas families paid more than half the cost of the key campaigns that convinced 2.6 million voters to solidify the Republican hold on state government in last month's elections.
A Houston Chronicle study of campaign records found these wealthy few donated $34 million of the $64 million used to finance top Republican state campaigns.
NYTimes -- Iraq Courts Its Kurds With an Anti-U.S. Islamic Edict
The Iraqi government unleashed a salvo in the struggle for the hearts and minds of its Kurdish citizens today, gathering hundreds of Muslim clerics in this northern provincial capital to issue a religious fiat saying it was time to fight the Americans even as they prepare for war.
This is turning into a religious war.
The Iraqi government unleashed a salvo in the struggle for the hearts and minds of its Kurdish citizens today, gathering hundreds of Muslim clerics in this northern provincial capital to issue a religious fiat saying it was time to fight the Americans even as they prepare for war.
This is turning into a religious war.
Sunday Herald -- America tore out 8000 pages of Iraq dossier
THE United States edited out more than 8000 crucial pages of Iraq's 11,800-page dossier on weapons, before passing on a sanitised version to the 10 non-permanent members of the United Nations security council.
The full extent of Washington's complete control over who sees what in the crucial Iraqi dossier calls into question the allegations made by US Secretary of State Colin Powell that 'omissions' in the document constituted a 'material breach' of the latest UN resolution on Iraq.
Current and former UN diplomats are said to be livid at what some have called the 'theft' of the Iraqi document by the US. Hans von Sponeck, the former assistant general secretary of the UN and the UN's humanitarian co- ordinator in Iraq until 2000, said: 'This is an outrageous attempt by the US to mislead.'
Yesterday, US President George W Bush announced that a planned trip to several African countries, scheduled for January, had been cancelled. As he gave the go-ahead to double the current 50,000 US troops deployed in the Gulf by early January, he used his weekly radio address to say that 'the men and women in the [US] military, many of whom will spend Christmas at posts and bases far from home' were the only thing that stood between 'Americans and grave danger'.
Is this censorship and the reaction going to be in the American press?
THE United States edited out more than 8000 crucial pages of Iraq's 11,800-page dossier on weapons, before passing on a sanitised version to the 10 non-permanent members of the United Nations security council.
The full extent of Washington's complete control over who sees what in the crucial Iraqi dossier calls into question the allegations made by US Secretary of State Colin Powell that 'omissions' in the document constituted a 'material breach' of the latest UN resolution on Iraq.
Current and former UN diplomats are said to be livid at what some have called the 'theft' of the Iraqi document by the US. Hans von Sponeck, the former assistant general secretary of the UN and the UN's humanitarian co- ordinator in Iraq until 2000, said: 'This is an outrageous attempt by the US to mislead.'
Yesterday, US President George W Bush announced that a planned trip to several African countries, scheduled for January, had been cancelled. As he gave the go-ahead to double the current 50,000 US troops deployed in the Gulf by early January, he used his weekly radio address to say that 'the men and women in the [US] military, many of whom will spend Christmas at posts and bases far from home' were the only thing that stood between 'Americans and grave danger'.
Is this censorship and the reaction going to be in the American press?
World Tribune.com-- Gulf states to U.S. war planners: It's now or never
Several Gulf states have quietly urged the United States to launch a war against Iraq before it's too late.
The diplomatic sources said the United States will not go to war before mid-February. They said Washington, with an estimated 60,000 U.S. troops in the Gulf region, has not completed either diplomatic or military preparations for the war.
The administration is expected to send such units as the 101st Air Assault Division, the 3rd Mechanized Infantry Division, the 1st Cavalry Division and a Marine Expeditionary Force. This would result in a force of up to 200,000 soldiers, a mission that could take at least two months.
Brookings Institution analyst Michael O'Hanlon predicted that the United States has decided to ignore the UN inspections and launch a war in January. He told a Brookings seminar on Dec. 12 that the decision to go to war appears to have jelled over the last few weeks.
War hawks step up the pressure on Christmas Eve, Peace on Earth ~ Good Will to Men.
Several Gulf states have quietly urged the United States to launch a war against Iraq before it's too late.
The diplomatic sources said the United States will not go to war before mid-February. They said Washington, with an estimated 60,000 U.S. troops in the Gulf region, has not completed either diplomatic or military preparations for the war.
The administration is expected to send such units as the 101st Air Assault Division, the 3rd Mechanized Infantry Division, the 1st Cavalry Division and a Marine Expeditionary Force. This would result in a force of up to 200,000 soldiers, a mission that could take at least two months.
Brookings Institution analyst Michael O'Hanlon predicted that the United States has decided to ignore the UN inspections and launch a war in January. He told a Brookings seminar on Dec. 12 that the decision to go to war appears to have jelled over the last few weeks.
War hawks step up the pressure on Christmas Eve, Peace on Earth ~ Good Will to Men.
The Village Voice: Hot Spot: Pucker Up: Cream on Me by Tristan Taormino -- Experimenting with the female equivalents of Viagra - Sensitille, viacremedelight, and O Clitoral Stimulating Gel.
She also has some other interesting adventures. Warning very adult.
She also has some other interesting adventures. Warning very adult.
The Village Voice: Nat Hentoff: Crossing Swords With General Ashcroft
There are already two American citizens, Jose Padilla and Yaser Esam Hamdi, held as "enemy combatants"—incommunicado, without charges, without access to their lawyers, in military brigs on American soil. Charles Lane reports that Solicitor General Theodore Olson—a key administration strategist in creating this parallel legal system—has argued in a recent legal brief "that the detentions of people such as Hamdi or Padilla" do not require that "the executive branch spell out its criteria for determining who qualifies as an enemy combatant." The president decides who loses his or her constitutional rights. Trust in him. He is the parallel law.
"Experience hath shewn," said Thomas Jefferson, "that even under the best forms of government those entrusted with power have, in time, and by slow operations, perverted it into tyranny."
There are already two American citizens, Jose Padilla and Yaser Esam Hamdi, held as "enemy combatants"—incommunicado, without charges, without access to their lawyers, in military brigs on American soil. Charles Lane reports that Solicitor General Theodore Olson—a key administration strategist in creating this parallel legal system—has argued in a recent legal brief "that the detentions of people such as Hamdi or Padilla" do not require that "the executive branch spell out its criteria for determining who qualifies as an enemy combatant." The president decides who loses his or her constitutional rights. Trust in him. He is the parallel law.
"Experience hath shewn," said Thomas Jefferson, "that even under the best forms of government those entrusted with power have, in time, and by slow operations, perverted it into tyranny."
The Village Voice: CityState: Immigrant Roundup by Chisun Lee
In a little-noticed showdown in Brooklyn Federal Court last Thursday, the Justice Department laid out a vigorous defense of its treatment of Muslim immigrants since September 11. The feds' central claim: noncitizens are not entitled to the basic rights of liberty and equal treatment that Americans count on.
The complaint seeks monetary damages for detainees who say they experienced abusive treatment and prolonged imprisonment for noncriminal violations. Last week the federal government urged U.S. district court judge John Gleeson to dismiss the suit.
But to do so would mean ignoring claims of mistreatment that Gleeson called "truly egregious." Along with charging that detainees have been subjected to physical abuse, coerced to waive their rights, and denied access to lawyers, the complaint alleges a host of petty torments, such as the withholding of soap and toilet paper for weeks on end and routine interruption of daily prayer. Some noncriminal detainees have been held in such conditions six months or longer after agreeing to be deported, CCR lawyers charge.
This is the policy of Empire, not America.
In a little-noticed showdown in Brooklyn Federal Court last Thursday, the Justice Department laid out a vigorous defense of its treatment of Muslim immigrants since September 11. The feds' central claim: noncitizens are not entitled to the basic rights of liberty and equal treatment that Americans count on.
The complaint seeks monetary damages for detainees who say they experienced abusive treatment and prolonged imprisonment for noncriminal violations. Last week the federal government urged U.S. district court judge John Gleeson to dismiss the suit.
But to do so would mean ignoring claims of mistreatment that Gleeson called "truly egregious." Along with charging that detainees have been subjected to physical abuse, coerced to waive their rights, and denied access to lawyers, the complaint alleges a host of petty torments, such as the withholding of soap and toilet paper for weeks on end and routine interruption of daily prayer. Some noncriminal detainees have been held in such conditions six months or longer after agreeing to be deported, CCR lawyers charge.
This is the policy of Empire, not America.
Asia Times -- Iraq first, then Southwest Asia
Washington is actively sponsoring post-Saddam Iraq. During the recent, highly-publicized Iraqi opposition meeting in London, says the respected Al Hayat newspaper, the American delegate Zalmay Khalilzad - the man who according to Afghans stole the Loya Jirga from King Zahir Shah - actually threatened the 300 participants. He said "Washington could name a military governor after the fall of Saddam Hussein if the conference finished without an agreement".
American foreign policy is now dominated by three vectors: the post-Cold War policy to prevent the resurgence of any rival power comparable to the USSR; the global war against terrorism, encompassing states that support terrorism, and states that have decided to acquire weapons of mass destruction; and the echoes and reverberations of the war against the Taliban in Afghanistan.
As if any confirmation were needed, General Tommy Franks - who managed the war against the Taliban and will manage the war against Iraq - has stressed time and time again that American forces will stay in Afghanistan for a long time. There are roughly 8,000 American troops in Afghanistan at the moment. They remain practically all the time in cantonment mode, because they have no access to valuable information to guide them on the trail of Taliban and al-Qaeda operatives.
To make matters worse, in the Pashtun belt, the Americans are faced with a jihad against foreign invaders launched last August, a jihad with a strong rear-guard base in Pakistani territory. As Asia Times Online has reported from the spot, Pashtuns on both sides of the volatile and porous Pakistan-Afghanistan border are unanimously enraged by the US. Afghanistan remains totally insecure. Warlords rule the provinces. Hamid Karzai's government is dominated by Uzbeks, Tajiks and, on a smaller scale, Hazaras. It is so fragile that Karzai, according to local jokes, cannot rule even over his own chair.
The view from Asia - Afghanistan is prelude, than Iraq, than more of Southwest Asia.
Washington is actively sponsoring post-Saddam Iraq. During the recent, highly-publicized Iraqi opposition meeting in London, says the respected Al Hayat newspaper, the American delegate Zalmay Khalilzad - the man who according to Afghans stole the Loya Jirga from King Zahir Shah - actually threatened the 300 participants. He said "Washington could name a military governor after the fall of Saddam Hussein if the conference finished without an agreement".
American foreign policy is now dominated by three vectors: the post-Cold War policy to prevent the resurgence of any rival power comparable to the USSR; the global war against terrorism, encompassing states that support terrorism, and states that have decided to acquire weapons of mass destruction; and the echoes and reverberations of the war against the Taliban in Afghanistan.
As if any confirmation were needed, General Tommy Franks - who managed the war against the Taliban and will manage the war against Iraq - has stressed time and time again that American forces will stay in Afghanistan for a long time. There are roughly 8,000 American troops in Afghanistan at the moment. They remain practically all the time in cantonment mode, because they have no access to valuable information to guide them on the trail of Taliban and al-Qaeda operatives.
To make matters worse, in the Pashtun belt, the Americans are faced with a jihad against foreign invaders launched last August, a jihad with a strong rear-guard base in Pakistani territory. As Asia Times Online has reported from the spot, Pashtuns on both sides of the volatile and porous Pakistan-Afghanistan border are unanimously enraged by the US. Afghanistan remains totally insecure. Warlords rule the provinces. Hamid Karzai's government is dominated by Uzbeks, Tajiks and, on a smaller scale, Hazaras. It is so fragile that Karzai, according to local jokes, cannot rule even over his own chair.
The view from Asia - Afghanistan is prelude, than Iraq, than more of Southwest Asia.
Plan Colombia
Policy enacted under the Clinton Administration limited the number of military trainers in Colombia to 400. As of early 2002 there were 250 American troops in Colombia, 50 Defense Department civilians and 100 contractors, some of whom operated aircraft that spray herbicide on Colombian coca fields.
In March 2002 The Bush administration drafted a plan to expand the US military role in Colombia from counterdrug training to anti-terrorism. The policy shift could require as many as 100 additional American troops to be sent to Colombia.
There is speculation of many more contractors than 100 as part of the privatization of the US military. I am posted this as a followup to the alleged plan to introduce US combat troops into Columbia in Spring 2003.
Policy enacted under the Clinton Administration limited the number of military trainers in Colombia to 400. As of early 2002 there were 250 American troops in Colombia, 50 Defense Department civilians and 100 contractors, some of whom operated aircraft that spray herbicide on Colombian coca fields.
In March 2002 The Bush administration drafted a plan to expand the US military role in Colombia from counterdrug training to anti-terrorism. The policy shift could require as many as 100 additional American troops to be sent to Colombia.
There is speculation of many more contractors than 100 as part of the privatization of the US military. I am posted this as a followup to the alleged plan to introduce US combat troops into Columbia in Spring 2003.
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