Despite the early optimism of UK Foreign Minister, David Miliband, who greeted last night’s UN Security Council Resolution for an immediate ceasefire as ‘the world speaking with one voice,’ the problem was – it wasn’t. Although the vote was carried 14-0, the US, as predicted (Thus passim) abstained. Israel, which doesn’t care much for the [...]
Category Archives: Global security
Europe is failing two life-and-death tests. We must act together, now
January 9, 2009 – 12:44 pm
Weak, divided, incoherent, hypocritical and infuriating – that’s how you hear the EU described privately in Beijing and Washington. The events of this first week of 2009 suggest that its critics are right. By Timothy Garton Ash. Look at the mess we’re in. Europe faces two acute crises that threaten both our interests and our values. [...]
I know nothing at first hand about Gaza so I should stop commenting . . . . . . .
January 8, 2009 – 9:56 am
. . .and it would be a good idea if other people did the same. However, I do know a bit about media. It is pointless of Israel to complain about the possible bias of quoted ‘sources in Gaza’ from the world’s news gatherers if they employ totalitarian tactics (selectively used by the US in [...]
Iraqi civilian daily death toll returns to pre-surge levels
January 4, 2009 – 9:59 pm
“We don’t do body counts” – General Tommy Franks Apart from the grim news of 23 people dead at a Sunni meeting four days ago, followed by over 40 deaths at a Shia shrine on 4 January, there are ominous signs that rumours of a peaceful withdrawal from Iraq are sadly exaggerated. Iraq Bodycount, the [...]
Once in Royal David's City
January 1, 2009 – 3:55 pm
By Daniel Taghioff In the season of goodwill, I am reminded of the story of Jesus’s birth by the nativity plays in my daughter’s deeply Christian School. He was born in a stable because all of those that would now be termed “Palestinian” were called home to be counted. So the ironies, as ever, pile [...]
Jerusalem Post reports 'no international pressure to end op' (Gaza ethnic cleansing)
December 29, 2008 – 5:21 pm
“After all, who remembers the Armenians?” (Adolph Hitler). By John J Kelly. Israel is feeling “no real pressure” from the world to end the operation in the Gaza Strip, and the amount of time the international community will sit relatively quietly on the sidelines depends on how things develop, senior diplomatic officials said Sunday. According [...]