Friday, January 31, 2003
posted by Mooraq at 5:37 PM
A Divided Europe
Are the different attitudes towards the US splitting the EU?
Excellent analysis on the IHT of the differences between the various EU countries in dealing with the war on Iraq. It is basically an interview with Sergio Romano, one of the best international affairs analysts around (I quoted him in another blog of mine earlier).
I suspect that a lot of the issues now dividing the EU Governments were already in the making and the war on Iraq has just been a catalyst. The contrasts between France and the rest of Europe about the future of the Union has been simmering for a while, as well as Germany’s foreign policy inability to adjust completely for the new post-communist world order and its own reunification.
But I would not jump too quickly to conclusions about the EU falling apart. Historically all big changes in the structure of the Union have been marred by periods of bitter discussions (for instance about Britain joining) and I think we are just witnessing one of these episodes. The forthcoming recommendations for a new European Constitution will be an important step toward further integration, and I see many countries jockeying for a better position in the final negotiations.
posted by Carla Passino at 8:30 AM
One Ring to Rule Them All
Ever-resourceful, President Bush does a Lord of the Rings impression
Is Bush getting so desperate that the he needs to resort to Lord of the Rings' methods? It would appear so, if this picture posted by Calpundit is anything to go by.
Thursday, January 30, 2003
posted by Mooraq at 10:25 PM
About Not Understanding Each Other
America and Europe do not seem to speak the same language
Found an article on the FT that explains very well the European view on President Bush’s vision. Is the gap widening even more than before?
Wednesday, January 29, 2003
posted by Carla Passino at 9:41 AM
It's Likud Time Again
Despite his clear victory, Ariel Sharon may have problems in forming the national unity Government he seeks
Ariel Sharon has won the Israeli general elections on Tuesday, becoming the first Israeli prime minister to gain consecutive re-election.
Despite recent allegations of corruption, Sharon's Likud party bagged 37 seats (30.8%) in the 16th Knesset, crushing its main opponent, the Labour party, which dropped from 25 to 19 seats. But the real winner - in an election marked by an unusually low voter turnout (only 68.5% in a country that usually achieves 70% or even 80%) - is Tommy Lapid's Shinui. The secular centrist party tripled in size over the last election and is now likely to join the Government coalition with the Likud.
Although the Israeli right-wing bloc will command parliamentary majority, Sharon has ruled out forming a right-wing Government, calling instead for national unity. "Israel needs unity. Israel needs stability. Israel needs both quickly before the crisis deepens," he said in his victory speech. "It is time to come together. I am hereby announcing, that after the president assigns me the task of forming a government, I will ask all Zionist parties to join a unity government that will be as broad as possible."
However, Sharon's task may be harder than his resounding electoral victory suggests. Labour leader Amram Mitzna said that under no circumstance will his party enter a Likud-led coalition, while Shinui would only be prepared to join a secular unity government - which means that Sharon would have to do the inconceivable and leave the Ultra-Orthodox party Shas out of cabinet. Shas took a beating at the elections, losing 6 seats, but dropping it may cause Sharon a problem with parts of his own party - namely with former Prime Minister, Benjamin Netaniahu, who is allegedly eager for a chance to make a comeback.
The most obvious alternative - to take the plunge and put together a narrow right-wing coalition - is the one Sharon is said to like the least. With 67 seats in the Knesset, a right-wing Government including Likud, Shas, NRP, UTJ, Yisrael b'Aliya and National Union would be hard to topple. But it would also leave Sharon very little room to manouvre, especially in the face of a concerted opposition from Labour and Shinui. Indeed, the incumbent Prime Minister likes the idea so little that he allegedly told a reporter from Israeli television Channel One he'd rather call new elections if he doesn't succeed in forming a national unity coalition.
Monday, January 27, 2003
posted by Mooraq at 5:48 PM
In the Blix of an Eye
The US says it has proof of Iraqi’s mischief, it’s almost time to show the cards
Hans Blix, as expected, has delivered a verdict of not guilty but not-yet innocent for Saddam. More time is still required to investigate Iraq, in his opinion.
This is not the result the US wanted from the first round of inspection but it was the only realistic one. I don’t think anybody expected the UN inspectors to discover a nuclear warhead in a couple of weeks. Another month at least will probably be granted for additional investigation. The important thing is that the timing seems to suit anyway the US, as troops deployment is proceeding at a slower pace than anticipated.
On the diplomatic front the US is probably playing with its cards close to the chest. Secretary of State Powel in an interview with the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera said that “the US has several pieces of evidence that show that Iraq still possesses WMD”. I am sure that this information will be shared at the right moment to convince skeptics to support the war. I also understand the reasons to keep this information secret until the last minute, but I don’t think that the US is making any additional friends claiming to have such information and not sharing it with the rest of the world it wants to convince.
There is a fine balance between playing a close hand and pissing off all your potential allies treating them as second-class citizens (or even insulting them as Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld has been inclined to do lately). The US could definitely do more to bring public opinion on its side, if it wants to fight this war under the UN banner and not as a solitary showdown with Saddam.
posted by Carla Passino at 9:14 AM
New Paper for LA
Writer and weblogger Ken Layne prints the first prototype of The Los Angeles Examiner
British journalist Nick Denton complained on Friday that "most newspapers in the US are lazy local monopolies," belonging to a wider slow-moving news gerontocracy which makes its "British counterparts look entrepreneurial." The answer, Denton says, lies in cable news networks, such as Fox, and in political weblogs which "display a nose for the story that the traditional media has lost."
Now one such weblog has entered the print arena to challenge a "lazy local monopoly" in the LA area. Ken Layne is turning the idea behind his LA Examiner - the first in a wave of metropolitan weblogs - into a weekly newspaper, The Los Angeles Examiner.
The Examiner's prototype issue was published on Friday. If it works - and given Layne's journalistic talent there's no reason why it shouldn't - it could spark a much-needed rejuvenation of independent print journalism across the United States.
Meanwhile, in Britain, my colleague Holly Kirkwood has embarked on her own venture, leaving her cushy job at Countrylife.co.uk to launch Spin Off, a political magazine for young people. Spin Off aims to bring politics closer to the new generation because "politics is in your wallet and down your pants." It is due to launch in April and anyone who would like to be notified when the first issue is out can send a blank email to pleasepleasetellme@spinoffmag.com.
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