The King of Saudi Arabia and the Peace Initiative
YNET NEWS: As it turns out, Saudi king apparently doesn’t back peace initiative

It may well be assumed that the Olmert government, which is currently under great pressure at home, will seek a way to revive the diplomatic process so as, among other reasons, to also create a political agenda. It will seek a legitimate political initiative as long as it is premised on accurately reading regional reality.

Prior to the publication of the Winograd Report, senior Israeli officials praised the Saudi initiative despite reservations regarding its content. The Saudi initiative was backed by the Bush Administration, a fact which influenced Israeli considerations.

Yet something strange happened during the last visit to the Middle East by US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice: When Rice praised the Saudi initiative, which calls for full Israeli withdrawal in exchange for "normalization" of ties between Israel and the Arab world, the Saudi king cancelled his participation at a festive dinner with President Bush at the White House and condemned the American invasion of Iraq, calling it an "illegal foreign occupation." Don’t count on Saudi plan (more) By Dore Gold

Mark Alexander

Al Gore has fallen out of love with politics; but the greens haven’t fallen out of love with him

Photo of Al Gore courtesy of Google Images

TIME: Let's say you were dreaming up the perfect stealth candidate for 2008, a Democrat who could step into the presidential race when the party confronts its inevitable doubts about the front-runners. You would want a candidate with the grassroots appeal of Barack Obama—someone with a message that transcends politics, someone who spoke out loud and clear and early against the war in Iraq. But you would also want a candidate with the operational toughness of Hillary Clinton—someone with experience and credibility on the world stage. The Last Temptation of Al Gore (more)

Mark Alexander

Al Mansour: Once the Upscale Part of Town
TIME: The streets of Mansour have no names anymore. They are identifiable not by what is there now but by what used to be. In the center of the neighborhood, our armored humvee circles around the crater that once held a 20-ft.-tall statue of Abu Jaffar al-Mansour, the 8th century founder of Baghdad; it was pulverized by a homemade bomb in 2005. To keep their bearings, the troops have taken to identifying routes by the names of 1980s heavy-metal bands. We drive down Bon Jovi, where the barbershop used to be, and pass Skid Row, which had the best falafel in town. At the end of the block is Poison, which four years ago was Mansour's commercial hub, lined with restaurants, shops, a gym and even a liquor store. Now every storefront is shuttered, and there isn't a car on the road. The mostly Sunni residents who live in Mansour have their own name for this spot. They call it "the edge of civilization." Saving Iraq’s Glitziest Neighborhood (more)

Mark Alexander

End of US Domination at the World Bank?
FT: The World Bank’s board reconvened on Friday to ensure responsibility for operations was effectively transferred prior to the formal departure of Paul Wolfowitz on June 30.

Mr Wolfowitz’s decision to quit as president late on Thursday ended a turbulent two-year tenure as chief of the world’s leading development institution.

His departure in good health is unprecedented at the World Bank and marks what may be an enduring shift in the balance of power at the institution, hitherto dominated by the US and the president it nominates. Post-Wolfowitz planning begins (more) By Krishna Guha, Eoin Callan, Hugh Williamson and Dan Dombey

Mark Alexander

Web Faces Increasing Censorship Throughout the World
KUWAIT TIMES: LONDON: Internet censorship is growing worldwide, with 26 out of 40 countries blocking or filtering political or social content, a study reported yesterday. The survey carried out by experts at four leading universities found that people in Asia, the Middle East and North Africa were often denied access to information about politics, sexuality, culture or religion. Conducting the first of what is planned to become an annual survey, the experts at the universities of Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard and Toronto found that the approach varied according to the country. Internet censorship growing worldwide (more)

Mark Alexander

Carter “disappointed” by Blair’s Failure to Use His Influence with Bush More Wisely
BBC: Former US President Jimmy Carter has criticised outgoing British Prime Minister Tony Blair for his "blind" support of the war in Iraq. Carter attacks Blair’s Iraq role (more)

BBC:
Blair makes surprise Iraq visit

Mark Alexander

Kasparov Calls on EU to Recognise Russia as an Authoritarian Régime

Photo of Kasparov courtesy of THE TELEGRAPH

TELEGRAPH: Garry Kasparov yesterday called on Europe to face up to the fact that Russia is an authoritarian regime, not a democracy.

The chess champion turned activist was prevented from staging a protest as EU leaders met with President Vladimir Putin.

"They should be honest," he told The Daily Telegraph at Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport. "Russia is not a democratic regime, it is an authoritarian regime. Putin is not a democrat, they should recognise this. EU must see Putin is not a democrat (more)

Mark Alexander

Human Rights Lawyer Faces Gaol
BBC: A US Navy lawyer faces six months in prison and dismissal from service for sending a human rights lawyer the names of 550 Guantanamo Bay detainees. Guantanamo lawyer faces jail term (more)

Mark Alexander

Marokkanische Monarchie gibt Impuls zur Modernisierung
NZZ: Eine Monarchie alten Zuschnitts gibt die wesentlichen Impulse zur Modernisierung

Weil die traditionellen Parteien schwach sind, hat in Marokko die mit grosser Macht und religiöser Führungsrolle ausgestattete Monarchie die Initiative bei der Modernisierung des Landes übernommen. Wie weit in dieser paradoxen Lage Demokratisierung, Reform der Gesellschaft und Öffnung der Wirtschaft gehen können, ist allerdings offen. König Mohammed VI. – das marokkanische Paradox (mehr)

Mark Alexander

Le gouvernement de Nicolas Sarkozy
LE FIGARO: La composition du gouvernement Fillon a été dévoilée hier. Le premier Conseil des ministres de la présidence Sarkozy s'est tenu dans l'après-midi. Le chef de l'État entend "mener toutes les réformes en même temps".

IMPATIENT d'entrer dans le vif du sujet, Claude Guéant, le nouveau secrétaire général de l'Élysée, s'est présenté avec cinq minutes d'avance sur le perron du palais présidentiel pour lire la liste des membres du premier gouvernement de Nicolas Sarkozy. Trois quarts d'heure plus tôt, François Fillon avait rejoint le président, non pas pour faire du footing, comme la veille, mais pour valider le casting gouvernemental. Sarkozy invite le nouveau gouvernement à agir vite et fort (encore) Par Charles Jaigu et Bruno Jeudy

Mark Alexander

François Fillon promet changement radical
LE MONDE: J'ai le sentiment aujourd'hui (...) d'être en mesure de mettre en oeuvre un changement radical de la vie politique française", a déclaré François Fillon vendredi soir 18 mai sur TF1, lors de sa première intervention télévisée depuis sa nomination la veille comme premier ministre. "L'idée, c'est que nous voulons relancer la croissance", ce qui nécessite "des réformes structurelles", et, a-t-il laissé entendre, de ne pas regarder trop à la dépense dans un premier temps :"C'est sur cinq ans que nous allons réduire le déficit du budget de l'Etat, c'est sur cinq ans que nous allons réduire la dette. Il faut savoir parfois investir un peu pour ensuite faire des économies importantes. C'est ce qu'on avait fait sur la réforme des retraites, on le fera ici pour relancer l'économie de notre pays", a-t-il expliqué.

"Ce sera un gouvernement libre, ce sera un gouvernement ouvert, mais je le dis à la fois aux Français et aux membres de mon gouvernement, ce sera un gouvernement qui mettra en oeuvre scrupuleusement le projet politique" du président Nicolas Sarkozy, a-t-il averti, ajoutant que ce projet avait une "légitimité extrêmement forte" du fait des 53 % obtenus à l'élection présidentielle. François Fillon promet un “changement radical de la vie politique française” (encore)

Mark Alexander

More Cronyism? Blair Could Be A Replacement for Wolfowitz!

Photo courtesy of Google Images

BBC: The US has said it will move "swiftly" to find a replacement for Paul Wolfowitz, who says he plans to quit as head of the World Bank on 30 June.

Mr Wolfowitz will step down after he was caught up in a bitter row surrounding the promotion and salary of his girlfriend, Shaha Riza.

The World Bank said that Mr Wolfowitz had acted in good faith, but admitted that a "number of mistakes" were made.

UK Prime Minister Tony Blair has been mentioned as a possible replacement. US to replace Wolfowitz ‘swiftly’ (more)

Mark Alexander

La vie brillante de politique de Sarkozy en France
François Fillon et sa femme galloise, Pénélope:

Photo de M et Mme Fillon grâce aux Google Images (France)

Mark Alexander

Is it to be Muhammad, Abdullah or just Mikha'el Jackson?
American pop icon announces intention to convert to Islam, according to sources in Bahrain

YNET NEWS: Does this explain the anti-Semitic comments? American pop star Michael Jackson has officially announced that he has been following the five tenets of Islam and intends to convert to Islam, according to a report on the website of Arab-Israeli newspaper Panorama. Michael Jackson going Muslim? (more) By Roee Nahmias

Mark Alexander

Sheikha Bin Smokin’
KUWAIT TIMES: LOS ANGELES: The first lady of Qatar, a close US ally, argued that Islam has been incorrectly blamed for the rise of extremist violence when the real culprits include poverty, a lack of political freedom and what she called failed US policies. Sheikha Mozah Bint Nasser Al Missned told the Los Angeles World Affairs Council Tuesday that societies worldwide were failing to provide jobs, hope and a feeling of greater good for their citizens. As a result, youth "are seduced by a global culture of violence that is fuelled by cynicism," said Sheikha Mozah, dressed in pants, a business blazer and with her hair covered. ’Islam is not to blame’ (more)

Mark Alexander

Die Bekämpfung illegaler Einwanderung in Europa
NZZ: Die EU-Kommission will die illegale Einwanderung in die Europäische Union dadurch bekämpfen, dass sie nicht nur die Migranten selber bestraft, sondern auch all jene, die solche Personen für sich arbeiten lassen. Wie der zuständige EU-Kommissar Frattini am Mittwoch ausführte, erhofft sich die Kommission davon, eine der wichtigsten Anziehungskräfte der illegalen Migration entscheidend schwächen zu können. Die Strafen, deren Höhe die einzelnen Mitgliedstaaten festlegen könnten, fallen laut dem Richtlinienvorschlag der Kommission in zwei Kategorien. Für Privatpersonen, die etwa eine «illegale» Putzfrau oder Kinderbetreuerin beschäftigen, sollen finanzielle Strafen gelten, wozu neben Bussgeldern auch unterschlagene Sozialabgaben gehören. Im Fall von Firmen sollen neben Geld- auch Gefängnisstrafen die Verantwortlichen davon abhalten, «Sans-Papiers» anzustellen. Gegen die illegale Migration nach Europa (mehr)

Mark Alexander

”A Strike Against Iran Would Be Disastrous”, Says King Abdullah of Jordan
TIMESONLINE: The world is losing its last hope of making peace in the Middle East and could face the real danger that the conflict between Israel and the Arab and Muslim worlds will continue indefinitely, according to King Abdullah II of Jordan. Time running out to end crisis in Middle East, says King of Jordan (more) By Richard Beeston and Michael Binyon

Mark Alexander

Iraq Risks Fragmentation and Collapse, says Report
ALJAZEERA: With its government already largely irrelevant, Iraq is on the "verge of becoming a failed state" that risks collapse and fragmentation, a leading think-tank has warned.

Gareth Stansfield, author of Accepting Realities in Iraq report for the Chatham House research institute in London, said on Thursday: "The coming year will be pivotal for Iraq.

"The internecine fighting and continual struggle for power threatens the nation's very existence in its current form."

The report said multinational forces are struggling to promote security in Iraq. Report: Iraqi state risks collapse (more)

Mark Alexander

Frankreichs Sozialisten wollen Kouchner ausschliessen

Foto von Kouchner dank Google Images (Frankreich)

NZZ: Neuer französischer Aussenminister soll aus Partei ausgeschlossen werden
Frankreichs Sozialisten haben rasch auf den Eintritt Bernard Kouchners in die neue französische Regierung reagiert. Sie wollen den früheren Gesundheits- und designierten Aussenminister aus der Partei ausschliessen. In der neuen Regierung Fillons sitzen indes auch noch weitere Linkspolitiker. Sozialisten strafen Kouchner ab (mehr)

Mark Alexander

Wolfowitz: "Anständiger Mann mit Herz"
FAZ: Als der amerikanische Präsident George W. Bush im März 2005 den damaligen stellvertretenden Verteidigungsminister Paul Wolfowitz für das Amt des Weltbankpräsidenten nominierte, lobte er ihn als einen „anständigen Mann mit Herz“. Gleichwohl bedurfte es in den folgenden Wochen vieler Gespräche, um im Kreis der mehr als 180 Anteilseigner des multilateralen Kreditinstituts die Widerstände gegen jenen Mann zu überwinden, der außerhalb Amerikas vor allem als „Hardliner“ und als treibende Kraft hinter dem Irak-Krieg wahrgenommen wurde. „Hardliner“ mit Herz (mehr)

Mark Alexander